I just posted this on Facebook in reply to a question about the Green Party's view on the Occupy Movement and Rondebosch Common, and thought I should repost it here.
"On January 27 2012, 42 members of a group called "Take back the Common", were arrested by the SAPS for holding an illegal gathering on or near the Common". See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rondebosch_Common
The FB Green Party isn't the official Green Party. In fact, I started a FB page called The South African Green Capitalist Party and got so much flack that eventually I started this one. The good thing about the SAGCP party was that there was a huge amount of correspondence - And I have been considering going back to the original name. What do you think?
Note that there is an official South African Green Party which has been registered, but I have never been able to get hold of the people who run it.
See http://mypowerstation.wordpress.com/article/what-is-capitalism-anyway-213ev1gehazzh-2/ for how I feel capitalism should be defined and why I coined the term Green Capitalism. Also note that Capitalism as we know it is becoming more and more like Communism as we know it. In Communism a few people own everything.
I'm reading Richard Branson's new book "Screw Business As Usual" and he has also doesn't like what's happened to Capitalism, and he has invented a new name, Capitalism 24902; 24902 for the distance around the equator in Miles!
The Green Party doesn't have an official position on the Occupy movement, save that I personally support what they are doing.
As for the Rondebosch Common, it was proclaimed a National Monument in 1961 and the Common was originally much bigger. It included The Red Cross Children's Hospital, for example. As a monument, it is given in perpetuity for the use of the Citizens of our beautiful city and country. I agree that it is underutilised, but it is one of the few Green Lungs left in a town with sprawling overdevelopment and no thoughts for parks. Think London other great cities with their amazing parks and public spaces all over the city. The Common could have a running track and a cycling track, toilets, and small stall type shops around the outside supporting local indigenous industry where the wealth remains in Cape Town. Any organisation which sends profits overseas will not be allowed to use the common under this scenario.
PS: I visited the occupy London site outside St Paul's Cathedral when I was in London in November. Photos on my David Lipschitz Facebook page.
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