Mbeki cuts short Japan trip

Johannesburg - President Thabo Mbeki has cut short his trip to Japan and is on his way home to focus on the xenophobic attacks that have swept across South Africa, the SABC reported on Thursday.
He had brushed off criticism that he failed to show compassion by not visiting areas affected by violent attacks against foreigners around the country, the national broadcaster reported.
Mbeki said the government had acted swiftly in deploying police and sending Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka to some of the troubled spots.
"There is a government of the Republic of South Africa and we discussed all these things, all elements of this problem, indeed, have taken various decisions at different points about people visiting the areas.
Police, SANDF
"But there is a whole range of other decisions also that have to do first of all with the deployment of police, later, use of the national defence force.
"The government of South Africa will respond to these matters using all of the people and resources at its command," said Mbeki.
The SABC reported Cabinet as saying that the inter-ministerial task team would meet later on Thursday and release the latest figures on the number of foreigners displaced in the attacks,
While in Japan, Mbeki met with the International Organisation for Migration to discuss the situation, it added.
They had agreed to allow the organisation to assist the South African government in helping people displaced by the violence.

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Critical Appreciation- Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

The poem is written from a son to his father. The father is ill and is nearing his time of death though Thomas still needs him. The poet tries to encourage his father that there are still many reasons for him to live by giving examples of different types of men.

Thomas also constantly repeats the line “Rage, rage against the dying of the light”. This is aimed at the father that he should not die easily, not give up and he should fight.

The techniques used by Thomas are imagery, symbolism, repetition and two paradoxes. Most of the poem is visual which adds meaning. Light stands for life and death stands for dark.
The first paradox is “Blinding sight” – death is a sight that is so clear and blinding. The second is “Sad height”- the height of your life is your death but this is a sad time.The poem’s tone is angry, sad and urgent.

First Impressions on Animal Farm

Having only the last chapter to read, I am ashamed by the horrible capabilities of man. And I am not talking about the way Jones slaughters the animals. Animal Farm goes way deeper than a book where the pigs like to drink and tell lies. But exposes that these pigs were in fact replicas of people. I am immensely grateful that I was not born and alive during any time of the Russian Revolution. The suffering and the inequality those people were victim to is quite scary. It bothers me that people can take advantage of others and ignore their guilty conscience which gnaws at them to do right. How can you be so brute? But it reminds me of the inequality of Apartheid and the suffering in the Middle East. Is there no justice in the world? The book is short, precise and very clear. It is genius how George Orwell created the whole scenario of a farm to expose the Revolution. The people were uneducated, unable to think for themselves and very easily taken advantage of. So were the people of the Revolution. The book is an allegory, and satire. People need a leader, a form of order. It is this leader that can uphold or disgrace his position. When the leader does become sour, the people should do something to remove him. That’s what I learnt from the book, and to never allow yourself to be put in a position where you can be manipulated.

Propaganda Summary

Truth
Rhetoric
Public
Convince
Belief
View
Politics

Propaganda is a method of twisting the truth in order to convince people into believing something is right. It is the selling of a point of view just as someone would sell a product. It is mainly used in politics. Propaganda has been used for years and there are many techniques which acompany it. Rhetoric is a genius way of speaking in order to convince people. Propaganda is also linked to words such as “brainwash” or “indoctrinate” which also means cleverly convincing a mass of people to believe something.

Not Too Long Ago
By Fatima Khakie
Review by Naazneen Ayob


This is an awesome book for young children in which they can gain a little insight about apartheid. “Not Too Long Ago” takes place in the house of a young girl, Fatima and her parents. Fatima seems very eager and keen to learn about the past-apartheid. Fatima’s mother tells her that her father is gone for a Vaal Hearings meeting so she inquires from her father as to what the Vaal Hearings and TRC (Truth and reconciliation commission) is all about. She is told about the details of apartheid and the hardships that many people including her parents had experienced. She is grateful that now, people of different races can live together and apartheid has been demolished.
The author captures the mood of the reader in this remarkable story and enlightens many of the young readers in this splendid story on apartheid in which they can relate to and understand.
A well written story-A real inspiration!

Before Teaching

This idea of teaching a class on the work we are doing is a new, fresh and unique idea. I know that after doing it, it will not only benefit me but benefit the smaller class as well. I will have new insight into the poem and I will have had the experience of teaching someone and passing down knowledge, a great opportunity. I know that it takes a lot of work, effort, planning and patience; but it must be done. I only hope that they appreciate what we will do for them and that they learn from it. All throughout this year I have learnt to never regard something as “impossible” in the English class for anything and everything can be done.

Introduction to film study

Who knew it took so much technique to make a movie? Yes, I did know it took time but identifying all the techniques involved was a wow moment. The movie we watched, Kingdom OF Heaven was brilliant and my favourite movie by far. Each frame can be intricately analyzed and one starts to understand so much more of the whole plot. I enjoyed the movie because it was based on history, and the fact that it involved Islam was great. However, I prefer reading than watching.