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5
May 2016
Where is South Africa
heading?
a
ll over society the question of where South Africa is
heading is discussed intensively. What is going to hap-
pen next and what are we going to do should this or that
scenario occur? People are at the same time uncertain
and upset. Nobody doubts the fact that we are at a cross
roads anymore.
Prof Mohammad Karaan pointed out the other day, that a serious
drought has always led to a new dispensation. Take, for instance,
the 1930s, 1946 and now again 2015/2016. What will such a new dis-
pensation bring about?
I would like to elucidate our current situation by referring to two
methods of rowing a boat. There is the old regime of rowers,
who in calm waters sit with their backs to the goal post only watch-
ing the leader with regard to direction, rhythm and encourage-
ment. The rowers of the boat only row; they do not steer; they do
not really know how far they still have to go, because that is the
leader’s job.
In the new dispensation, which I believe we are now entering, the
rower sits in his own small boat looking forward. He decides for
himself how fast and in which direction to row and how to approach
the rapids. The water seldom is calm. Each rower determines his
own outcome. Nowadays we have difficulty following our leaders
and do not trust their leadership.
Part of the mistrust we have in our leaders with regard to the direc-
tion for the future lies in the criterion we use to determine whether
it is going well or bad. Some of us are satisfied with nothing else
but the World Cup. Everything less than that leaves us with a feel-
ing of failure. Others, on the other hand, are quite satisfied with the
Best Team Spirit Trophy and the fact that they have at least partici-
pated and that everyone had a chance to spend time on the field.
The questions recently asked of the Minister of Finance by the Credit
Rating Agencies were, however, the right questions:
What is South Africa going to do to once again grow economi-
cally?
What is the Government’s plan with all the State Entities that
only lose money?
Are South Africans still investing in South Africa?
What are Government’s plans with regard to the student upris-
ings?
This is what the decision makers of the world want to know. This
is what determines our economic status – not who owns which
shares and which piece of land.
Mr Jim Collins says: ‘Face the brutal facts.’ That is what makes good
countries excellent countries. South Africa, with its current cul-
ture, has learned not to face the facts. We are measuring the wrong
things to establish whether we are still moving in the right direc-
tion and protect people in high places who lack integrity. A fish rots
from the head down, does it not?
It is time to turn your boat around and to determine your own course
– the current boat is heading for the rocks! There is another way.
Grain SA will, despite criticism, continue to seek solutions and will
show the way. The rocks are not an option.
During the past season I have seen how grain producers from the
Swartland to far beyond Mareetsane fearlessly faced the brutal
facts of the drought, made a decision and moved on. That is leader-
ship! Only dead fishes float downstream.
DS KOOS KIRSTEN
WOORD
Uit die
“n
eem jou seun, jou enigste, wat jy liefhet, Isak,
en gaan na die land Moria en offer hom daar
as brandoffer op een van die berge wat Ek jou
sal aanwys.” (Gen 22:2)
Wat ‘n ontsaglik-ontstellende opdrag het die Here hier aan
Abraham gegee. ‘n Pa moet sy enigste kind gaan doodmaak en
verbrand. Dit was nie net sy enigste wettige kind nie, maar ook die
een vir wie hy 25 jaar moes wag. Eers na al die jare maak die Here
sy belofte waar. Isak word gebore en Abraham het hom lief soos
net ‘n pa sy seun kan liefhê. Verder het die Here ook aan Abraham
gesê dat sy nageslag uit Isak sal voortkom. ‘n Nageslag so talryk
soos die sterre aan die hemel en die sand aan die seestrand. En
nou hierdie opdrag!
Isak was op hierdie stadium ongeveer 15 jaar oud. Abraham het al
die voorbereidings getref en na die berg gegaan, Isak op die altaar
vasgemaak en die mes geneem om hom te slag. Dan keer die Here
hom en laat hom die ram sien wat hy kan gebruik as offer. Nou
onstaan die vraag oor hoekom Abraham bereid was om te doen
wat die Here van hom verwag het? Wat het hom tot by daardie punt
gebring dat hy sy enigste en lieflingseun sou doodmaak?
Die antwoord kry ons in Hebr 11:17 - 19. Abraham het geglo dat
God by magte is om iemand uit die dood op te wek. Hy het geglo
dat as hy vir Isak sou offer, die Here vir Isak weer lewend sou maak
en hom sou teruggee. God is die Een wat lewe gee, ook aan dié
wat reeds dood is. Aan ons het Hy ook die bewys daarvan gegee.
Hy het Christus uit die dood opgewek. Christus wat sy lewe vir ons
afgelê het, is deur God weer lewend gemaak.
God kan lewe bring waar dit lyk asof die dood die laaste sê het.
God kan weer lewe bring wanneer dit lyk asof alles verby is en die
dood die oorhand gekry het. Omdat Hy dit kan doen, hoef ons nie
die dood te vrees nie. Ons hoef ook nie bang te wees dat droogte
en teenspoed, rampe en gevaar die laaste sê in ons lewens het nie.
God, die Gewer van lewe, hou ons in sy hande en selfs die dood
het geen houvas op ons nie. Met dit in gedagte, kan ons selfs die
donkerste toekoms in die geloof tegemoet gaan.
Baie geluk aan
Koos Kriel van
Nelspruit wat vir die
Februarie-uitgawe van
SA Graan/Grain
die gratis
Bybel gewen het.