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VETERAN journalist, writer and political commentator Max du Preez was in town to talk about his latest book Pale Native, and the thrills and dangers of frontline investigative journalism.

Speaking in his characteristic straight-shooting and uncompromising manner at the Dispatch Dialogue on Tues day night, Du Preez said the book was an entertaining analysis of southern African politics, filled with drama and action.

It takes readers on a remarkable journey, from the contradictions of history to the triumphs and troubles of the present, to the halls of Parliament, burning townships, Presidents, guerillas, and hit men.

Coming from a man best known as founder and editor of the Afrikaans newspaper Vrye Weekblad, the country’s only anti-apartheid Afrikaans newspaper which ran until 1994, Du Preez did not mince his words when it came to politics and government accountability to citizens.

He said citizenship should be looked at as a model for reshaping communities that don’t have basic services because of lazy and inefficient government workers.

“I think we should have a revolution against lazy, inefficient and over-paid executive mayors and local government officials,” said Du Preez.

“I don’t think South Africa is bad; the problem is with the leaders of the country, not us.”

The Kroonstad-born journalist and documentary producer warned that if the ANC was given more power, it would change the Constitution and bring back the death penalty.

Du Preez said South Africa did not need “right-wing fascists” like Julius Malema to make the country a better place for all its citizens.

“We don’t need people like Julius Malema, we can do better without seeing his face,” he said.

In one of his quirky columns, Du Preez writes that citizens should take radical measures against government corruption as in other countries like Burkina Faso, where corrupt government officials are charged before tribunals in public places, to publicly humiliate them as thieves for taking poor people’s money.

“We should have a revolution against the practice that inept, corrupt heads of parastatals like Eskom, SAA, Denel, the SABC and the Land Bank should get massive golden handshakes – some R300million over the last decade – when they eventually get kicked out.”

The book is available at leading books stores throughout the country.

His previous books include Louis Luyt – Unauthorised; Pale Native – Memories of a Renegade Reporter (the first edition of his latest book, which was short-listed for the 2004 Nielsen BookData Booksellers’ Choice Award, as well as runner-up for The Sunday Times Alan Paton Award); Of Lovers, Warriors and Prophets; and Oranje Blanje Blues. — By GCINA NTSALUBA, gcinan@dispatch.co.za