http://www.702.co.za Talk Radio 702 - The Podcasts en-us 2006 02 February 2012 2 702webmaster@702.co.za John commented about the ANC NEC’s meeting starting today to decide on the issue of nationalisation. A study by the NEC has rejected calls for mine nationalisation and come out in favour of higher taxes and royalties. The report is expected to be adopted as policy by the ANC and will be raised this weekend. The report warns against "asset grabs" by the state because such a policy would be unconstitutional and because the government could also not afford to buy mining stakes. John said regardless of the stance the NEC takes, it needs to bury the issue once and for all before investors panic. John commented on the announcement that Madonna plans to build 10 new schools in Malawi with a new partner after mismanagement forced the pop star to scrap her first project there last year. The singer, who has adopted two children from the impoverished southern African nation, said she hoped the 10 new schools would educate at least 1,000 children a year, half of them girls. She said her Raising Malawi charity was teaming up with the non-profit group buildOn, which has constructed 54 primary schools in Malawi in the last 19 years. John commended the pop star despite recent allegations. John commented on a new project from France which hopes to help combat pirates using non-violent methods. The project was unveiled to about 400 delegates attending MARISK, a forum on shipping security held last week in Nantes, western France. A series of traps and non-lethal defences are set to be installed on board the Partisan, a French military training vessel, in R122m project piloted by the French Environment and Energy Management Agency. Amidst all the corruption and financial miss-management of the Limpopo Province, John asked how is that the province’s Premier was still in office. John’s comment was about COSATU’s new anti-corruption watchdog, which the federation hopes will save taxpayers billions lost annually to graft. John commented on the story from yesterday where Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa announced that the national tyre recycling plan has been withdrawn amid a storm of controversy, just a week after she launched it in Pretoria. Private players in the industry had expressed disquiet through the South African Tyre Recycling Process Company (SATRP) over the way the Recycling and Economic Development Initiative of SA (Redisa) plan was gazetted. However, it took the SATRP’s instigation of legal action for the plan to be withdrawn. A court date was set for tomorrow. John said this is a reflection of poor planning and they need to sort it out before wasting any more money. John commented on an article he read in the Economist recently that spoke of a huge interest in the African continent as an investment destination by industrialised nations. He said South Africa should really put proper systems in place so that we don’t miss the boat when those opportunities present themselves in the near future. John commented on media’s fixation with Jackie Selebi and his health. He said the reason why people are fascinated by him is because he’s a figure that was once well respected but has since disgraced himself and his supporters thus fallen from grace. John commented on a story of a man in southwest China who died of bird flu on Sunday after three days of intensive care treatment in hospital. John said although this may not be alarming on a global scale, he does however hope that our health department is ready for a global outbreak if it were to ever happen. John’s comment today was inspired by the incredible achievements of a South African individual who was largely unknown in the country but was world famous. Brigadier General Dick Lord, the Fleet Air Arm pilot who recently died aged 75, was instrumental in the development of America’s Top Gun fighter pilot academy, made famous by the film of the same name. John basically said South Africans need to celebrate their achievements wherever they are in the world.