“He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone…” John 7:53-8:11

I’m a political activist. I joined the ANC in 1983 when I was 20, and shortly afterwards uMkhonto weSizwe. I was young and passionate and wanted to liberate our country.

In 1987 I was forced to leave South Africa, but returned to Cape Town as part of Operation Vula in 1989. Since then I have served in various leadership structures of the ANC in the Western Cape.

Some say I’m a hard man. Some say the ANC made me hard. I have witnessed many things in the service of our movement. I even had the misfortune to stand next to my provincial secretary, Mcebisi Skwatsha, as so-called ANC members stabbed and attempted to murder him.

At all times I have tried to act in a manner that upholds the traditions of honesty, volunteerism and sacrifice that mark the ANC.

I know I’ve made some mistakes. Nevertheless, despite my shortcomings, I have twice been elected by the ANC branches as regional secretary and later twice as deputy provincial secretary.

Since 1994 I’ve seen many good comrades corrupted by power in government, business or both. Because of this, I took a decision that while I was a public representative I wouldn’t get involved in business or be beholden to any interests.

My pursuit over the years as an ANC public representative was and is simple: ensuring effective oversight over government and ensuring that the programs of the ANC are implemented.

It was in trying to do this job that I was confronted by serious misuses of power by comrade Ebrahim Rasool.

Rasool says that Mcebisi Skwatsha and myself destroyed him and his premiership, that we gave information to the DA. The SACP provincial secretary implied that we are “impimpis”.

Rasool also says I stopped the building of a hospital in Mitchells Plain, leaving the impression that I had something to do with depriving coloured people of a much-needed amenity.

Rasool made this accusation because I opposed his government’s selling its most valuable asset, Somerset Hospital, prime waterfront real-estate valued at over R1-billion.

He has left me no choice but to defend myself. Unless we are honest about the real problems facing the ANC in the province, the ANC will never be able to regain the trust of the people of the Western Cape.

My questioning the sale of Somerset Hospital was an attempt to ensure that there was no corruption. For halting the transaction the ANC’s provincial leadership received widespread praise. It is something of which I am proud, believing that in the process, I have helped to look after the best interests of the province and its people.

As for Rasool’s allegations about leaks to the DA, for which he has provided no evidence, it is as well to consider his own record. Rasool’s term as premier can only be understood if you understand his relationship with the media.

In the run up to the 2003 ANC’s list process to prepare for the 2004 national and provincial elections, then community and safety MEC Leonard Ramatlakane, who was a close ally of Rasool, got his department to produce an “intelligence report”. This was leaked to the press as an official document. It said there were three factions in the ANC in the Western Cape and that I, a white, was a leader of the “Africanist” faction.

The Cape Argus ran a serious of libellous articles based on this document, in an apparent campaign to undermine potential rivals to Rasool. Eventually he became premier after an election campaign coordinated Skwatsha and myself.

Rasool became intimately involved in briefing journalists, and at least one senior journalist from the Cape Argus, but I believe more, benefited financially from their proximity to a web of companies contracted by the province. I don’t make this allegation lightly, there is proof. The journalist was compelled to resign because of it.

Rasool also met with representatives of companies that were aggrieved by the outcome of a tender process in the then ANC controlled City of Cape Town. Information was then leaked to The Voice and the Cape Argus, which wrote false stories that Skwatsha was involved in an R40-million fraud.

At the time Rasool was provincial chairperson of the ANC. Instead of raising the issue with his provincial secretary, Skwatsha, Rasool instructed South African Police Service Captain Piet Viljoen to raid the city council offices. The ANC and its mayor, Nomaindia Mfeketo, were deeply embarrassed by this action. The National Prosecuting Authority declined to prosecute the case.

Although Rasool denied in a press conference that it was he who briefed the police to obtain the search warrant, he confessed doing so in a meeting with the national officials of the ANC.

Skwatsha’s traffic fines, which he had already paid, were also leaked to The Voice.

In 2007 a document from the forensic investigation unit of Rasool’s office was leaked to the Mail & Guardian in an attempt to accuse Skwatsha of corruption in the sale of state land. Skwatsha’s actions were vindicated by the high court even though Rasool refused him legal assistance.

The ANC legislature caucus refused to support Rasool after he knowingly misled the Legislature, by saying that the AG had condoned over-expenditure on Ramatlekane’s house. Rasool refused to attend a special caucus meeting called to discuss the matter, or to apologise to the House.

Out of loyalty to the ANC I’ve not commented publicly on these matters. I now believe that my silence has allowed the damage to continue for too long.

While I deny ever giving documents to the DA, I want to confess to giving documents to the Cape Argus that helped expose the Rasool government’s relationship with senior journalists.

In 2006 the ANC was asked by the lawyers for the newspaper to provide them with evidence for the allegations that journalists were paid to write stories. A formal decision was taken by the provincial leadership of the ANC that, to protect the best interests of the party, documents in our possession should be handed over. We provided the same evidence to the national leadership of the ANC.

A disciplinary process was undertaken at the paper that led to the quiet resignation of one journalist, but I do not believe that the full story of this extraordinary scandal was ever told. Comrade Rasool, and those media institutions that worked with him, must come clean about who really campaigned to destroy the ANC in the province, and how.

Max Ozinsky is the ANC’s chief whip in the Western Cape Provincial Legislature. He writes on his own behalf.

This article was published in the Mail and Guardian of 6 November 2009.

NOTICE TO CREW 1/09: GET YOUR KREEF LICENSES – AVAILABLE AT THE POST OFFICE

Dates for recreational west coast fishing season announced

Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Buyelwa Sonjica has announced the new recreational fishing season for west coast rock lobster. The new season will open on 15 November and close on 15 April 2010. From 15 November to 31 December this year, fishing will be allowed every day of the week, but from 1 January next year to 15 April fishing will be restricted to weekends and public holidays only. Fishing times for west coast rock lobster will be from 8am until 4pm and rock lobsters must be landed by 4pm. The bag limit is four lobsters per person per day and the size restriction is 80 mm carapace length.

No person catching west coast rock lobster with a recreational west coast rock lobster permit may sell it. Any west coast rock lobster caught, collected or transported must be kept in a whole state. A maximum of 20 rock lobsters may be transported per day, on condition that all the persons who caught such rock lobster are present in the vehicle, vessel or aircraft during transportation, and that such persons are in possession of recreational west coast rock lobster permits. West coast rock lobster permits will only be sold to persons above the age of 12 years. – by Nthambeleni Gabara, BuaNews

Not to be outdone by Phillip, Adi sent this photo of him sailing Extra 628 with our father, opposite our house at Stilbaai. The road bridge over the Goukou is straight in front.

I spent alot of time on that Extra. It is an outstanding dinghy, designed by Herbert McWilliams for the Cape Southeaster, she is an incredibly seaworthy boat. She can be sailed one or two up. Originally designed for plywood construction, this one was built in GRP, which made her slightly heavier than a racing version. I sailed this boat all over Stilbaai, in the river, the mouth and the sea. With both a main and a jib, she is a bit of handful for singlehanding, but very rewarding if you get it right.

I think that I took this photo from a rowing boat – I would like to blame the poor contrast on the scanning, but must admit that I was a general problem that I had with the camera I was using at the time.

A reader, Phillip, wrote that he had come across this blog “as part of my quest to rid it (the Goukou River) of the madmen & their speedboats.” Phillip was refering to my post on sailing on the Goukou River. As I replied to him, I have been part of this quest/war since 1973 and we are still fighting!

Phillip also added in his email, “attached pic of dabchick sailing from 40 years ago and my kids learning the ropes Easter 2009.  Both pictures taken in the upper reaches of the tidal part of the river.” He has given permission for them to be posted here.

Phillip, friends and bowdog enjoying a sail on a Dabchick 40 years ago!

This picture really brought back memories for me. In the 1970s I used to sail a dabchick at Stilbaai. It was almost identical to the one in the photo. Our sail number was 333, although my brother Adrian is not in agreement on this. He contends it may have been 330. A noticeable difference is the rudder, ours had a wooden stock. Note the extreme tranquility, the only sound probably the ripple of the dabbie’s wake.

Phillip’s boys sailing the Goukou, Easter 2009.

And so 40 years later the fun continues and another generation learns the ropes. Lets hope that by the time they are teaching their children the madmen and their motorboats have been banned!

Thanks to Phillip for the great memories.

I was looking for something on Wylo, there is one moored next to Nolwandle, when I came upon this piece about building a Cascade 42. It is written by Don Holm and comes from his book on Circumnavigators. Clearly Mr Holm was very frustrated by Yacht Constructors aka Cascade Yachts. He praises them and criticises them at once. I wonder what the experience of other Cascade customers was?

I have placed the full quote in this post at the Nolwandle Tumblr, as it is a bit long to place here. Any comments? The text in the orignal is on The Circumnavigators website.

When I am not on Nolwandle, I stay in a flat (apartment) in Woodstock, Cape Town. Sometimes this is the view from my stoep looking ENE across Salt River, Ysterplaat, Century City and Plattekloof on the Tygerberg Hills, over which the full moon is rising. Click on the picture to see it in decent quality.

Yesterday I went to check that all was well with Nolwandle and came upon this scene at Number 4 Jetty, next to the entrance of the Hout Bay Yacht Club Marina. My friend Greg, a professional diver, has been replacing all the anchors and chains of the HBYC Marina. He asked the driver of a crane that was working on a nearby fishing boat, to lift two marina floats which have been filled with cement, into the water. This was the result…

“Sout Rivier”  stops the crane from falling in the water!

I am not sure how much they weigh filled with concrete but I guess more than 10 tons. Clearly too much for the crane to lift. Once they are in the water they are easy to move around with airbags.

Greg told me the owner of the crane, after assessing the damage, asked him, “Are you a loadmaster?”, to which he replied, “No, a diver!” Looks like that crane also wanted to take a dive.

The fishing boat is “FV Sout Rivier”, at least 50 years old, but with a new deckhouse, which has now cracked right through. “Sout Rivier” is used for pole fishing for tuna.

I just could not resist posting this beautiful picture of Cascade 36 “Rain Drop” near Hanalei Bay on Kauai Island, finishing and winning the Pacific Cup race.

Picture from an interesting and comprehensive report with more photos in Electronic Latitude.

Amazing, but true, a Cascade 36 called “Rain Drop” has won the Pacific Cup yacht race from San Francisco to Hawaii. She was sailed two up and was first over the line and seems to be the winner on handicap as well! She was sailed in the two-handed division.

“Rain Drop” leaving San Franscisco for Hawaii – 14 July 2008

She is hull number 33 with a racing keel (I am not sure what that means) and an extra three feet on the mast. She was specially built in 1970 with a balsa cored deck and a bowsprit. She seems to have been set up specifically for racing as seen in the above picture. There are more pictures on this website.

She also has a scoop added to the stern, pic taken at start of Pacific Cup

“Rain Drop” after her arrival in Hawaii 26 July 2008

Clearly a well designed “old” boat, sailed well, can beat modern racers – see for instance this picture taken at the start in San Fransico where “Rain Drop” is pointing much higher and seems to be going faster than a more modern design!

Rain Drop out pointing and overtaking a modern design with a wide arse!

There is also a report on this stunning victory by a Cascade 36 in Lectronic Latitude with a beautiful picture of “Rain Drop” under spinnaker.

Nolwandle on her mooring at HBYC Marina. For some reason I like this picture – I think it is because of the chaos of the background.