Maandag 02 November 2015

BEE - I am Proud to be White

I normally do not write these stories in English but after a lot of soul searching I decided to do this in English for practical reasons.

Break Free and fly
I have a long career in IT ... I published my first commercial application for the Insurance industry way back in 1984 ... most of those that will be reading this were not born then. I am the son of a miner, a father that encouraged me to get educated and avoid to ever go into a mine.

Throughout my life I have been an innovator and a few things that are now common practice was innovated by me over the years. I was the first person in the world to have a commercial application that allowed people to buy Airtime by SMS. Today it is common all around but back in 2001 when I launched the service, it was a big thing. The well known MPEZA was ripped off from a document I presented to a group of businessmen in Kenya back in 2004.

Be it as it may ... a costly law suit aginst Vodacom confirmed that Patents is fairly worthless when you are hit by BIG CAPITAL.

Then in 2009 we got involved in a BEE deal and were promised the moon and the stars. In 2010 we launched the Online facilities for the National Lotto in a BEE partnership with a Johannesburg company. For the sake of decency I will not name any names.

It started off well but as time went by I could clearly see that this venture is going to crash and burn. As a minority shareholder in the group I had no executive say in the company and basically all my warnings were ignored and my proposals were voted out of existence. Within weeks after the deal was signed with the National Lottery people I saw some really fancy cars in the parking lot.

Lots of flying between Johannesburg and Capetown, lots of big flashy dining events ... it was just bling and bling and bling.

My responsibility was with the Technical side and I focused on it. After a year I noticed huge amounts that came into the accounts and then just dissipated ... and then on a day I got a call from a bank ... I had to come in and sign some documents. Now to just clarify it ... I am based in Nelspruit and the company was based in Johannesburg.

On arrival at the bank I saw that it was Surety Forms for a massive loan ... well, my mother did not raise foolish kids. There was no way that I would sign a surety for a company that I have no executive powers in. I tore the documents up to the horror of the clerk and left the building.

Well as could be expected I was now the Satan in the eyes of the other shareholders. They desperately needed this loan. My view was ... sell those fancy cars, sell those properties bought with company money, pay back the company loans and you wont need the loan.

I was branded an AWB Boer and a few other things.

Within a few months I found myself isolated and blocked out of the company servers. In short ... my technology was simply taken and I was dismissed.

Ten years of my life down the drain. At the age of 60 ... a time when I was planning my retirement, I was stripped of everything I had.

My friends and family advised and encouraged me to exercise my legal rights but I simply refused. I will not spend my last days on this earth, in courts.

Being a Cronic Depression sufferer for more than 30 years made this a very hard time for me. The first few days I spent in isolation in my office, talking to nobody, rarely eating anything and drinking liters of water per day and smoking packets of cigarettes. My mind was in turmoil but an unwavering believe in myself and my capabilities kept me sane.

On day four I picked my phone up and started making calls ... I was now digging deep ... I have fantastic friends dating back to the 70's. Friends that were wild with me in those years ... riding our bikes and partying till sunrise. These are friends that are now in executive positions and some of then I have not seen in 30 years.

God promises me that He will not send things into my life that I can not cope with and I took Him by His Word.

Within hours I got confirmation of support ... now understand this ... ZERO FINANCIAL support, simply technical support.

A dear friend introduced me to a guy that was also down and out but he had a skill set that I needed. Another guy offered me clandestine support although he was still involved with the company. He knew my abilities and he was shocked at how I was treated.

Between these three men I got the technical support I needed and I faced my family. They were shocked and stunned but I assured them that we will survive.

For the next three months I spent 18 to 20 hours in my office, typing like a man possessed. It was September 2012.

By middle November 2012 the new Application was ready for Beta Testing and then came the nerve wrecking period of Compliance Testing. End of November I ran out of money and my dear wife loaned me a few bucks to pay my bond. My one son gave me some cash for food and I knew that this was the end of the line now ... I wont see December monthend if things dont change soon.

Well I serve a living God and by the first week in December 2012 the Compliance was signed off and we could start marketing. I am not going to go into details but will say this ... sheer willpower, unwavering Faith and the ability to focus paid off. Now 3 years later I am actually glad I got out of that BEE Hellhole ... the Bible warns us about grouping with the ungodly and this episode confirmed it.

The BEE Company went down the drain a few months ago and I hear rumours that the directors lost everything and is being sued for the millions squandered. Frankly I dont give a damn ... they got what they deserved ... I feel sorry for the people that lost their jobs and that is all.

Now the real reason for this document is this ... I see these blacks that post everywhere about redistribution and white privilege and all that racist shit and I think to myself ... you bloody self centered lazy assholes ... instead of complaining, why dont you spend your energy and build your own businesses. Why are you always looking for opportunities to take what you have not worked for. I was forced to start from scratch at the age of 60 and I did it. You blacks have all the advantages of BEE laws and Affirmative action but yet you are still nothing of importance in the economy. I pay taxes and I provide jobs ... and you ... you are living off a handout ... and remember this, if you work as a civil servant, you are enslaved ... always at the risk of loosing your job and then end up with nothing.

My little struggle is a microsample of the bigger economy ... an economy mainly in the hands of whites, and not because anybody gave it to them ... no, because they grabbed the opportunities, risked all they have and built a business.

This is why I am "Proud To Be White" ... it was my ancestors that developed this country ... keep on fooling yourself with the belief that life owes you a living ... whites have learned long ago that our destiny is in our own hands. Just remember this, your children will be better informed than you and they will ask you why you have wasted their future.

Have a nice day and keep on circling the carcasses of history ... bind yourself and your children to a life of scavenging while you have the opportunity to be better but you are too shortsighted to see it.

Cheers ... I have a business to run but I forced myself to write this piece so that other people can see that you are never to old to start again, provided you have what it takes to succeed.

The biggest difference today between black and white students is the fact that the vast majority of the white students are learning, learning skills to empower themselves to start their own businesses while the majority of black students are hoping for a good job and salary.