The ANC has a long history of poor decision-making, and giving R50-million to their friends in that commie nest Cuba is the latest addition to that endless list. We are told the reason we gifted Cuba funds is to alleviate poverty in that country. Being a marxist state run by dictator Miguel Diaz-Canel, the more likely outcome is the money will be used on a new fleet of Bentleys so Miguel has a comfortable seat while surveying hungry people on the streets.
But lets afford the ANC some credit and assume the generosity is borne out of nothing more than altruism for fellow commies.
Some of you might point out that offering money to countries in need is an act of virtue. And you’d be right. There is nothing wrong with extending a helping hand to a nation battling recession, trying to recover from social instability or coming out of a natural disaster rendering a country and its people helpless. Cuba’s diagnosis is far worse than a recession or anything nature could conjure up. It is called the Communist Party of Cuba, and like any parasite, they’re there to stay.
What many of you may not know is that ordinary Cubans have it really bad. They live in a one-party state and political opposition of any sort is illegal. That means Cuba is a dictatorship communist country, no matter what their allies might say, and they see democracy as something to be sneered at. Unlike the ANC that remains in power only because it hasn’t yet dawned on South Africans that they can vote them out, Cubans don’t have the perks a democracy offers. Ironically enough, Cuba does hold elections but that’s more for their amusement than anything else; you cannot lose the World Cup if you’re the only team allowed.
Another little fact about the country is that no independent media is permitted. Free speech doesn’t exist and even though only 25 percent of Cubans have access to the internet, it is heavily censored. Ranked as one of the “least free” countries as far as privately owned media is concerned, the Cuban government seems to echo the mantra ‘you are free to believe what we tell you to believe’. No doubt the ANC becomes priapic when they look at the tyrannical grip the Cuban government has over its citizens.
Helping Cuba financially is rather silly since communism is its economic model of choice. That’s just another way of saying the country and its people will remain poor until Jesus returns, or till Russia nukes us all. There has never been a country that has prospered under communism and I assure you Cuba won’t be the first, even when Miguel Diaz-Canel’s great great grandchildren stare condescendingly at the poor from the comfort of their Bentleys.
That the ANC, in whose mouth butter couldn’t melt, would send money to a country excelling in human rights abuse is a little odd, don’t you think? The Human Rights Watch said it is aware of at least 130 incidents where security forces assaulted, locked in solitary confinement, and sexually abused people speaking out against their government. No doubt their travel brochures advertise the country as a slice of heaven.
Does one ignore the evils of the Cuban government and offer financial support to ease the poor’s suffering? That’s where I am conflicted. Sending money to an oppressive regime whether to feed their people or buy new Gucci suits seems to condone their actions. It’s a tough call to make.
Should South Africa be sending money to anyone? Perhaps the more important question is can South Africa afford to assist financially when its own books don’t balance?
Recent stats indicate that approximately 2 million Cubans go to bed hungry every day while South Africa has about 4 times the number of hungry folks. Now, this isn’t a competition to see who starves the most (Cuba wins that one, given population size), but rather an issue of containing problems on your doorstep before deciding to end Cuba’s hunger. A sneak peak into state coffers reveals a grim situation.
In 2020 Christmas came early for the ANC as the IMF furnished us with a R65-billion loan. Moments after the cheque cleared vast sums of money were stolen, vanishing faster than a police docket. Added to the sum of money that needs to be paid back is a further R11-billion, which was recently given by the World Bank.
This sudden influx of money doesn’t create a situation requiring us to end Cuba’s problems. It is not through donations or investment but through a fair electoral process that Cuba will be liberated. Would the trade embargo officially end if Cuba renounced marxism and returned American oil refineries and private businesses seized in 1960? Who could possibly tell for sure? Perhaps the relationship between America and Cuba has been irreparably damaged, which leaves Cuba forever under a dictatorship.
Back on South African shores we have our own problems to contend with, such as repaying the vast amounts of money loaned to us, because you never know when you’re going to run out of other peoples money.