Granted, he had to retract the remark, but I think it was sharp and on the mark. Tina must have been livid!
The word gives me the giggles and I say it over and over again. I like the way it rolls off my Free State English-speaking tongue.
All jokes aside, though, I believe all politicians are snollygosters to a certain extent. Let’s take the lot responsible for land reform, for instance. They will take any decision whatsoever to appease their voters, regardless of the hard economic truths and realities. Like Max du Preez said at the recent Grain SA congress “all politicians lie before an election.”
#GSAcongress Political analyst @MaxduPreez Do not listen to politicians in the build-up to elections. All politicians lie before an election
— Farmer’s Weekly SA (@FarmersWeeklySA) March 5, 2014
Boet, what a week of learning I had! One should never under-estimate the wisdom of a farmer. Not only did I learn about snollygosters, I’ve also learnt about stalwart Japie Grobler’s business philosophy.
Speaking at the congress he said one knows one has sealed a good deal when both participants are a little bit ‘de donner in’ afterwards – a little bit angry. It makes sense – if one party is extremely satisfied, it means the other is probably not so happy. But if both feel the same, it’s another story.
It made me think of my oupa Bertus Steenkamp’s wise words. He said an employee who lets his workers go hungry is an abomination – a farmer should always plough with oxen of the same size and the oxen must start trekking simultaneously. If you don’t, one of them is bound to lag behind or get hurt.
And so it is in life… some of us are snollygostering ahead, others are a little bit ‘de donner in’, while others are trekking forward in unison. And Grain SA is a microcosm of SA society. You’ll always get the steadfast lot who work together towards the future as well as those who are ‘annoyed’. This bunch are, as a matter of fact, vital to stimulate new thoughts and ideas.
Baas Louw Steytler, you need the wisdom of Solomon to manage them all!
