Ashley Lategan

Stop, collaborate and listen...

[Phumzile Van Damme @zilevandamme]

Some thoughts on this. The “workaround” has always been on the table.

BBBEE’s Equity Equivalent Investment Programme offers 100% foreign-owned companies an alternative to the standard 30% Black ownership requirement. It’s the very same path taken by global giants like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft allowing them to operate locally by investing meaningfully in skills development, enterprise support, and other socio-economic initiatives. This reasonable offer and one all countries have in some form.

If that option is again extended to Starlink, I sincerely hope Elon Musk takes it. And then it will be up to the public to decide whether or not sign up.
That said, I personally have deep reservations about the fact that Starlink operates via satellites thus bypassing terrestrial infrastructure like local ISPs or data centres. This limits the ability to monitor data flows and could pose a threat to national security.

But the key point is this: repealing the BBBEE Act is a non-starter. It would take YEARS. Starlink would have to wait. This isn’t just a matter of policy preference, it’s regulatory obligation.

An additional complexity: because Starlink provides telecoms services, it falls under ICASA’s mandate. Compliance with the 30% of ICT Code is not optional. Any attempt to circumvent it would require formal amendments or exemptions - neither of which are simple or guaranteed.

And crucially, Starlink has not yet submitted a licence application. Yet we continue to see Elon Musk spread false claims that South Africa is somehow blocking access or being unreasonable. This is deeply disingenuous.

Misrepresenting the country’s laws and regulatory framework to paint South Africa as hostile to innovation is not only dishonest, it’s dangerous.

As is blackmailing South Africa with disinformation, “take my Starlink or I’ll lie about you on Twitter”is not a negotiation. It’s coercion masquerading as grievance. He is a “genius,” and knows the claims are false. It is not concern, it is blackmail through disinformation.

South Africa has shown its willingness to engage constructively. The question is whether Elon Musk will choose to do the same. In good faith, and with respect. One hopes.

[Riaad Moosa @RiaadMoosa]

Truthful Translation:
“Whatever trust & hope I had in the DA to protect white privilege has been entirely replaced by the work being done by Afriforum to re-establish white rule.”

Despite all its obvious failings, our Black government established the democratic freedoms we have today. That’s non-debatable. The democratic freedoms were brought by our BLACK government. To use your preferred jargon - That’s fact. Not feelings.

Afriforum has a segregation mindset. Old school apartheid mentality. They lobby for tiny percentage of our population. And palpably undermine our collective.

You’re a relatively young guy…it’s justified to talk about corruption, mismanagement, crime, etc - these are real issues in our country.

…but this open apartheid thinking is making a strong comeback amongst young people. It’s scary.

Afrikaners experience violent crime, corruption and loadshedding (unless they have an inverter) like all South Africans. It’s not like people of colour experience violent crime less than Afrikaners.

Afrikaners are NOT persecuted in this country.

Thats a lie.

But you perceive it as persecution. Why?

The new South Africa is just ‘not as good’ for Afrikaners as it was during Apartheid.

Obviously.

Apartheid was better for white people. By design. Now in our democracy it’s ‘less nice’ for white people.

That’s the truth.

The new South Africa logically can never be better for white people than Apartheid.

But the majority of South Africans didn’t care for Apartheid. For us, these weren’t the “good old days” or the time “When everything worked”

It was great for 7% only and shit for the rest. And now 7% can smell the shit and the US must come save them.

This is very dangerous what you guys are doing here on this platform. It’s unbelievably selfish and narcissistic.

And you’re blinded to how narcissistic and destructive it is by your implicit sense of superiority.

We’re all South Africans, Afriforum must stop acting like they’re not part of us.

[Christiane Amanpour @amanpour]

“It’s not serious. But that doesn’t mean it’s not dangerous.” Daniel Levy, president of @USMEP, tells me that if the main question after the president’s statements on Gaza is, ‘is he serious?,’ then something’s already gone wrong.

[Phumzile Van Damme @zilevandamme]

Women are told to “be safe.” Oh, but we are. We live in a permanent state of hypervigilance. When I walk down the street, I maintain a 360-degree awareness of who is around me and their body language. I stay ready to fight because I know that one day, I may have to fight for my life—to fight not to be assaulted or raped. It will be me or him, and while it may end up being me, by God, I will go down having fought with every ounce of strength in me because my life means something. It means something to my family, and I must protect it.

This is the reality of the lives women live. Do not tell us to “be safe.” Instead, tell us what you are doing to ensure we no longer have to live this way.

[Dr. Nicole LePera @Theholisticpsyc]

Reminder: crying is a HEALTHY emotion. Crying for hours or even a few days means doesn’t mean you’re depressed.

We’re meant to cry when it hurts.

[Dr. Nicole LePera @Theholisticpsyc]

Your nervous system goes into fight or flight when you rush. When you push yourself to always produce. And act like everything is urgent. Move slower through your tasks. Slow down your breathing. You’ll get more done when your body isn’t in a state of panic.

[Ashley Lategan @ItsNotMe_Ashley]

@Synesyfe First off , thank you for the thoughts you have shared this far on NHI. It's good to read some clear thoughts outside of all the noise around NHI bill. I would be interested in your thoughts around the business case, and the potential to work together to revisit it.

[Ryan Cummings @Pol_Sec_Analyst]

South Africans should stop seeing the DA through a narrow lens of a political organisation seeking to actually govern South Africa in its totality. All it seeks is domain over economic centres of power where it can lobby for donations in exchange for preferential policy

[Vex King @VexKing]

“I’m not drinking”
“I’m staying in”
“I don’t want dessert”
“I’m having an early night”
“I’m hitting the gym in the morning”

These phrases are often met with disappointment or a snarky comment about you being boring or old?

Let’s stop shaming people for taking care of themselves

[bhavjot ✨(puv-jo-th) @LightofEmotion]

I stopped. I stopped begging, chasing, & vying for love that was never meant for me. I stopped making excuses for people that had time & time again shown me exactly how they feel about me. I stopped sending long heartfelt paragraphs to people that had never really cared to respond. I stopped waiting on love from others & started cultivating love inside of me instead. It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t painless. & it wasn’t without loneliness or grief. But boy, was it necessary.

[billy chapata. @iambrillyant]

it’s impossible to achieve balance when the world around you is chaotic, if the connections you keep are disruptive instead of receptive, if your habits are harmful to your self love and fail to contribute to your peace, it’s impossible to achieve balance if you don’t choose you.

[Nika Solé @withlovesole]

This is the last little part of the season that needed to strip you of everything that cannot come with you to where you’re headed next. And very soon it’s gonna get really, really good, and it’ll all make sense.

[billy chapata. @iambrillyant]

after being lost for so long and losing elements of your self worth while navigating through jungles of judgment and oceans filled with opinions, here you are: stronger, wiser and thriving. stings to your self esteem and bites aimed at your being could never poison your progress.

[Ashley Lategan @ItsNotMe_Ashley]

@CityPowerJhb What is happening with Block 15 florida? No power since load shedding at 4pm yesterday

[Ashley Lategan @ItsNotMe_Ashley]

I hope to be known for the depth of my heart and the intensity of my love in every space and place I occupy. I hope to be the change in the narrative of what a man should be. Intentionally going about creating a beautiful life🤲🏽

[Inner Practitioner @MindTendencies2]

May you attract the people who make you feel safe and encourage you to have mental health conversations.

[Wavy🍊 @omfgWAVY]

“we need a lot of love to walk through this life.”

surround yourself with people who don’t hesitate to speak love and protection over you. people who root for you when you share your goals with them. keep shifting up and out of lukewarm spaces. go where your presence is valued.

[bhavjot ✨(puv-jo-th) @LightofEmotion]

You have a big heart. & sometimes, that means you stay too long in places you shouldn’t, love people too hard that don’t reciprocate, & try too hard for people that can’t be saved. That doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you for caring. That’s actually part of the reason why I think you’re so beautiful. Life hasn’t always been so good to you. It would be so easy for you to give in to hate. Yet, despite all that, I see how you fight to keep your heart full of love, hope, & faith. You choose to believe in good despite all the bad. You choose to heal instead of adding more hurt into this world. & for that, you’re something special—you’re a piece of heaven on earth.

[Ashley Lategan @ItsNotMe_Ashley]

@g_lehlohonolo I said a boom chicka boom! 😂

[Ashley Lategan @ItsNotMe_Ashley]

@CityPowerJhb Good day, block 15 Florida, has been without power since load shedding yesterday. Power was due to return at 10pm last night and has not returned. Please can you advise as to when it will be addressed? Unable to log call as online system declines my meter number