A hoo-ha has erupted on the intent to rid a New Zealand town of cats. As background to this is the history of mammal predators having been introduced to that country with the advent of Westerners. When Cook landed he told that the din of nesting birds was such that they could hardly sleep. As rats, stoats, dogs, cats and possums introduced intentionally and unintentionally and multiplied, NZ birds, many flightless and unprepared for predators, were virtually wiped out. NZ, some two years ago, announced that it would be free of pest predators by 2050. Achievable? One doubts this – especially the Southern mountains are virtually inaccessible.
Have you met businessmen who prefer keeping contractual relationships grey/flexible? Depending on one’s take on life, you could call them clever, sly and so on. Often, in business relationships, the question is one of performance rather than of ethics – as long as one is not downright dishonest, of course. If one makes enough money, integrity is rarely an issue unless one actually steals. The truly upright may make mistakes but is seldom in the limelight because they take responsibility. It is the sleazy and slippery that one grows to despise, reason being that, whilst not overt, such persons actually do take from others which is not theirs. Unfortunately, such occur in all walks of life, some are professionals; lawyers, accountants, second-hand car salesmen, and preachers. I can only speak of my own profession – those who outperform, are often treated differently, as questioning the morals of the golden goose affects all in the enterprise and who would want to jeopardise that?
The public saluted Mentor and others for having the courage to speak out in the state capture debate. I could not help to be discomfited by these disclosures. The former wished a top post in government, resisted the corrupt advances but kept quiet. It is the keeping quiet by many that has resulted in corruption gaining as much traction as it has. Yes, speaking out might well be the ruination of one, but for those in the top echelons of our society, I would have thought such a decision to be straightforward.
The BLF leader, Andile Mngxitama, was this week found to have orchestrated the occupation of a Pretoria property which was unoccupied. I speak disparagingly of those who are not morally upright but have no words of leaders who would steal (occupation) in their cause for restitution.
