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2012 has been an awfully traumatic year for the South African fishing industry as it continues to suffer the fool that is Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson. In its 2012 assessment of the Cabinet, the Official Opposition, the DA, had to note that had its assessment system made provision for grades lower than an 'F', Joemat-Pettersson would have qualified for the lowest. She in fact sets the bench-mark for gross incompetence.  2013 could potentially hold much hope. For one we TRUST that the Public Protector will find against Minister Joemat-Pettersson in the three outstanding complaints against her, including the R800 million Sekunjalo Tender debacle and her unlawful interference in the west coast rock lobster TAC matter.  Based on the Public Protector's first report on Joemat-Pettersson's free and immoral use of tax payer's funds on luxurious hotels and first class travel, she should have been removed from her post. But of course that is too much to expect sin...

In its annual assessment of the Cabinet, the Democratic Alliance - South Africa's official opposition party - has rated Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson an unsurprising "F". We have noted that an "F" will not be considered too disastrous in ANC circles as an F is considered a pass of course these days. Hell, you need to get less than 30% to fail a South African test today! So an "F" certainly does not justify the official opposition's call that this useless Minister who spends tax payers money .... well like her boss, the President .... faster than us sods can submit tax returns! Read the full Cabinet Report here . It makes for tragic reading.  

Has the Minister of Fisheries finally got around to appointing a (non-acting) Deputy Director-General of Fisheries? Feike has heard that Ms Greta Apelgren-Narkedien was appointed as the new Deputy Director-General of Fisheries with effect from yesterday (3 December 2012).  Ms Apelgren-Narkedien is currently still listed as the Head of Department of the Northern Cape's Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs.  Although Ms Apelgren-Narkedien's professional qualifications are unknown, what we do know is that she served in the ANC's armed wing, Umkhonto weSizwe (MK). Ms Apelgren-Narkedien was one of the MK Soldiers involved in the infamous of bombing of Durban's Magoo's Bar in 1986 which resulted in the death of women and more than 70 civilian injuries. Ms Apelgren-Narkedien applied for amnesty to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, together with Robert McBride in 1999. Amnesty was granted in April ...