South Africa P.I.G.

Out with the old and in with the new

Here's wishing you a healthy, safe, and prosperous 2011! <a href="http://www.glitter-graphics.com/"><img border="0" height="335" src="http://dl4.glitter-graphics.net/pub/2965/2965224ejpft5fjdc.jpg" width="500" /></a> We have completed the first decade and entering the second of the millennium and with 2010 done and dusted, we now look forward to 2011 with much hope and optimism. As the calendar clicks over to a new year I would like to thank my fellow bloggers for an interesting blogging journey in 2010. You guys are a great inspiration. A very special thanks goes especially to... <a href="http://boerboel1.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">South Africa Sucks</a><a href="http://sarahmaidofalbion.blogspot.com/">Sara Maid of Albion</a><ul></ul><a href="http://tia-mysoa.blogspot.com/">This Is Africa</a><ul></ul><a href="http://censorbugbear-reports.blogspot.com/">Censorbugbear Reports</a><ul></ul><a href="http://why-we-are-white-refugees.blogspot.com/">Why We Are White Refugees</a><a href="http://iluvsa.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">I Luv SA</a> May all you have planned and more be accomplished in 2011. Thanks too to all the readers and visitors who drop by and leave their footprints. I once again wish you all a fantastic and rewarding New Year. God bless.

Out with the old and in with the new

Here's wishing you a healthy, safe, and prosperous 2011!We have completed the first decade and entering the second of the millennium and with 2010 done and dusted, we now look forward to 2011 with much hope and optimism.As the calendar clicks over to a new year I would like to thank my fellow blogge…

31Dec2010

Celebrating 2011 A.D "Anno Domini"

Millions gather worldwide to welcome the new year The midnight ball dropped in New York as millions gathered around Times Square, fireworks flew over Sydney Harbor. New Zealand and many South Pacific island nations sang and danced their way into 2011. In Europe, Greeks, Irish and Spaniards partied through the night. As the clock ticked closer to 2011, cities across Asia readied for midnight events. Hundreds of thousands of people gathered along Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour to watch fireworks explode. In central Tokyo, thousands packed in to count down until midnight. Even communist Vietnam held a rare Western-style countdown to the new year as the world ushered in 2011. The AD/BC aspect of the current calendar we use globally is not accidental or insignificant. A distinction between periods of time historically was decided on many years ago. A historical event of world significance was used as the line drawn in the sand and its effectiveness has just as much relevance now as when it was first decided on and accepted to use. <div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfsqpPM9b2sFkdXUaOVJHcvthNnom5yK1Fl1gZH25k_l4V6lyzgviB1Udv-ZLH0B5T7rvI099iaO36ia_Sfzo6-ShHXfbX3pCovZ0aUaJ74-o6frHVyk60mCHjnFrqf3Ff4DDVqLS8BOi/s1600/206459dhds7uq70d.gif"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557048089093594706" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfsqpPM9b2sFkdXUaOVJHcvthNnom5yK1Fl1gZH25k_l4V6lyzgviB1Udv-ZLH0B5T7rvI099iaO36ia_Sfzo6-ShHXfbX3pCovZ0aUaJ74-o6frHVyk60mCHjnFrqf3Ff4DDVqLS8BOi/s400/206459dhds7uq70d.gif" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> 2011 years ago, in the Middle East, an event occurred that permanently changed the world. Because of that event, history was split. Every time you write the date you are forced to acknowledge that Jesus has influenced the course of history more than any man. The birth of Christ utterly altered the way we measure time. He turned aside the river of the ages out of its course and lifted the centuries off their hinges. His birth and death are the markers by which most of the world measures time and have become major holidays in Western civilization. Now, the whole world counts time as before Christ (BC) and AD (Anno Domini), in the year of the Lord. It is ironic that even the most vitriolic atheists have to acknowledge the centrality of Christ every time that they write the date! In fact, the Revolutionary Convention, during the French Revolution, attempted to abolish the Christian calendar and introduce a 10-day work week, counting the years from the establishment of their “Republic”, beginning 1792. It needs hardly to be pointed out that they failed. Every time December 25 comes around and you get the day off or double time or wish someone a "Merry Christmas", you must again admit that he is far more important to mankind than any other historical figure. At the very least, he must have been one of the greatest men in history. No other figure in human history has been the subject of more research, books and articles. Over the centuries, thousands of men have dedicated their lives to studying and documenting His life. His book is by far the most widely purchased, best selling book of all time having sold more than 6billion copies and it is still the most preferred book for the masses. </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><div align="center"></div></div>

Celebrating 2011 A.D "Anno Domini"

Millions gather worldwide to welcome the new yearThe midnight ball dropped in New York as millions gathered around Times Square, fireworks flew over Sydney Harbor. New Zealand and many South Pacific island nations sang and danced their way into 2011. In Europe, Greeks, Irish and Spaniards partied th…

31Dec2010

Politician accuses poultry manufacturers of racism

The leader of the South African Communist Party has accused poultry manufacturers of racism. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK41SW1RzI2iBdjp_25Eff0qyhj7S-ee1ntDEt_AtrIKINu0RbA_meE5fWg40Wm0hyphenhyphen3TpwANUuYRJY4ErpmYSWyKUg5COHccmgCHYPDWeWeE8F6z-fKlsei6Wsrv_MuT12KhuqGrQQkmVt/s1600/kfc"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556280238728579202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK41SW1RzI2iBdjp_25Eff0qyhj7S-ee1ntDEt_AtrIKINu0RbA_meE5fWg40Wm0hyphenhyphen3TpwANUuYRJY4ErpmYSWyKUg5COHccmgCHYPDWeWeE8F6z-fKlsei6Wsrv_MuT12KhuqGrQQkmVt/s400/kfc" style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 271px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>Blade Nzimande said that the poultry industry was selling "rotten" meat to black people. He said chicken past its best-before date was being recycled - thawed, washed and injected with flavouring - then sold to shops in black townships. A spokesman for the poultry industry admitted the practice takes place, but said it was both safe and legal. The meat is removed from major chains of supermarkets and is re-distributed to spaza shops - smaller, family-run shops which serve black communities - and independent wholesalers. 'Nothing racist' "I can tell you now that more than 80% of ordinary black South Africans, they get their food from the spaza shops which means that you are actually selling rotten meat to black people," Blade Nzimande said. "We just find this deeply offensive and racist, frankly." A spokesman for the poultry industry agreed that the process of recycling chicken did take place, but said it was legal and that all manufacturers guaranteed the safety of their products. "There's nothing racist about this process," Kevin Lovell told the BBC's Martin Plaut. He added that the chickens were tested and certified by the producers before being sent out again and that these standards were actually higher than those required by the department of health. But he also accepted that re-worked chicken did not go on sale in major supermarkets, which served the country's wealthier suburbs. According to the South African Press Assocation, Mr Nzimande has called for an enquiry into the practice.

Politician accuses poultry manufacturers of racism

The leader of the South African Communist Party has accused poultry manufacturers of racism.Blade Nzimande said that the poultry industry was selling "rotten" meat to black people.He said chicken past its best-before date was being recycled - thawed, washed and injected with flavouring - then sold t…

29Dec2010

SA Govt repeating past mistakes...Again, Still, Whatever!

Govt's <strike>TOP-10</strike> TOP-15 serious blunders that caused extreme alarm in 2010 <ol><li>The water crisis,<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZdguT7C2IEhpOcuMhTZM-JkOa5CzZX5etWtx12zwtksfhi3ZTd1FTB6Z_VOBsCIOEK_PXlZMP2e7E5mdH1k6_IQ4sCUtjbA4gALNAZRZF1x_M09U6DcisZg18Iu8-YeylPRATyo5Oh86/s1600/anc-logo.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556269021058784578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZdguT7C2IEhpOcuMhTZM-JkOa5CzZX5etWtx12zwtksfhi3ZTd1FTB6Z_VOBsCIOEK_PXlZMP2e7E5mdH1k6_IQ4sCUtjbA4gALNAZRZF1x_M09U6DcisZg18Iu8-YeylPRATyo5Oh86/s320/anc-logo.jpg" style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 256px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIGGWfVaUkOdaDCWdD3_Zm5sJgnwnLGMkmD1KxE6zUp5T95x3tQf5X54TzfZI3Q4Qu70WxQCUe0qauHutgMF8fVDHEGeAXWBf9ocW0aFsXaxUOeB28Yug8FLAPyASciTKV4hKlWiifR99g/s1600/anc-logo.jpg"></a></li><li>Misappropriation of state funds, </li><li>Efforts to gag the media,</li><li>The ongoing fiascos at semi-government institutions, </li><li>The government's handling of youth matters, </li><li>Road maintenance and potholes, </li><li>South Africa's military readiness, </li><li>CRIME, </li><li>The widespread housing scandal </li><li>Labour problems, </li><li>Hosting of the R69m World Youth Festival by the NYDA; </li><li>Poor service delivery from parastatals; </li><li>The failure to create sufficient jobs; </li><li>A housing scandal involving 2 000 government officials, </li><li>The failure to crush South Africa's "internationally feared" criminals.</li></ol>***Corruption is present in most of the aboveWater crisis state's worst blunder 1. Water crisis Government's denial of the worsening water problems in South Africa in 2010 must rate as one of its more serious blunders. In the same year that Trevor Manuel, minister in the presidency, shrugged off as "ridiculous" predictions that toxic mine water could seep out at various locations in Gauteng before long, government for the first time ever acknowledged its failure to maintain municipal sewerage plants all over the country. The latter issue is a matter of grave concern. According to government's so-called Green Drop report for 2009, only 32 of the 449 plants tested managed Green Drop status. (Only 449 of the country's 852 plants were tested.) This means that millions of litres of insufficiently purified water daily find its way into our rivers. In a country afflicted by a scarcity of water, a fast-growing population and ageing infrastructure, our water predicament has now become a ticking timebomb. 2. Youth One of the most expensive government blunders without a doubt was the 17th World Youth Festival presented by the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) in December. The festival cost almost R69 million, of which R29 million was funded by the treasury. In view of the current unemployment rate of 35,8% among South Africans in the age group 15 to 34 (according to the narrow definition of unemployment), such extravagance flies right in the face of our youth's aspirations. However, a critical 2010 blunder with more far-reaching consequences flows from government's continuing inability to solve our nation's education woes. The matric pass rate for 2009 was 60,6%. Owing to the prolonged teachers' strike in particular, the 2010 figure could hardly be an improvement on last year. Still failing to prepare our youth for the labour market, the education system generally produces merely mediocre school-leavers. 3. Misappropriation Here are just some of this year's shocking blunders regarding state spending: <ul><li>The disclosure in November that the bodyguards of the leader of the ANC Youth League, Julius Malema, had already cost the taxpayer more than R880 000. </li><li>In October it was divulged that R3,7 million had been transferred from the South African Police Service (SAPS) budget to pay for the residence of police chief General Bheki Cele. </li><li>Some R130 million was spent by government and several semi-government institutions on tickets for various matches in the Soccer World Cup Tournament. </li><li>In November the auditor-general revealed numerous government departments' "irregular" spending of approximately R2,3 billion (i.e. spending incurred outside stipulated guidelines). </li></ul>As to the management of municipal funds the picture is bleak indeed. Financial statements of South African municipalities published by the treasury disclosed that consumers of municipal services were overdue by more than R62 billion at the end of September 2010 - with close to R3,4 billion due by the state itself. 4. Potholes keep government stumbling While South African roads face a construction backlog of almost R100 billion, motorists are spending some R50 billion annually to have pothole-related damage to their vehicles repaired. The maintenance of our secondary roads in particular has become a veritable nightmare thanks to the fact that, to a large extent, road maintenance has simply stopped. The Automobile Association of South Africa (AA) issued a warning in October that our roads were fast becoming irreparable. The AA conducted a study in 2008 by measuring road conditions on a scale of zero (worst condition) to 100 (best condition), according to the so-called visible-condition index (VCI). The index dropped to 46 in 2008, as against 65 in 1998. Minister of transport, S'bu Ndebele, admitted in October that bad roads increase the risk of accidents. 5. Media tribunal It would seem that a transparent society, investigative journalism and media freedom are to make way for more corruption and deeper murkiness. This scenario, among others, awaits South Africa if the proposed media tribunal and the Protection of Information Bill were to be adopted. Already experts are describing eventual state control of the media as a disaster. The proposed legislation is aimed at, among others, empowering the authorities to classify information and to prosecute contravening opinionmakers such as journalists and editors. It is highly ironical that the ruling party who clamoured so vociferously for the freedom of speech during apartheid should now be trying to convince South Africans that a free press was indeed a threat to democracy! 6. SANDF Disturbing rumours were again doing the rounds this year that the defence force was nowhere near fighting trim. The low morale in the SANDF is alleged to be very serious; in fact, in November an MP warned that it could even endanger state security. The publishing of a comprehensive report on the combat status of the SANDF is awaited with apprehension. 7. Semi-government institutions Many semi-government institutions are continuing their negative tendencies. Some of these institutions are hampered by thousands of vacancies, weakening their service delivery. In May 2010 Transnet had some 4 500 vacancies, Eskom had 1 200, while SAA lacked 600 workers. Solidarity cited affirmative action as a probable contributing factor behind the vacancies, with service delivery its ultimate victim. 8. Labour Government's target of creating five million new jobs in the next decade is commendable; however, if this initiative was not left to the private sector, it cannot succeed. The failure of the Essa project (Employment Services South Africa) seems inevitable. Essa is a centralised database which is supposed to match jobseekers and employers. Since its inception four years ago, only 2% of the more than 1,2 million jobseekers have been placed successfully. Close to 170 000 jobseekers were registered in 2007/08, of whom only 3% were successful. More than 420 000 people were registered in 2008/09 - the lucky ones came to only 3,5%. And a meagre 1% of the more than 630 000 people registered in 2009/10 are now employed. 9. Housing scandal The housing corruption involving some 2 000 government officials is one of the most disgraceful public sins of 2010. Minister of human settlements, Tokyo Sexwale, said in August this year that syndicates selling and leasing government housing were to be investigated. Numerous government officials, notably in Gauteng, North West and KwaZulu-Natal, are allegedly benefiting underhand from these deals. The authorities' housing promises pose another fiasco. Sexwale announced in April this year that the housing backlog even exceeded the backlog in 1994: the figure has swelled from 1,5 million in 1994 to 2,1 million at present. Meanwhile the need for housing is growing daily; the number of informal settlements has already reached the 2 700-mark, of which at least 70 are inhabited by white people in shanty towns. 10. Crime and law enforcement The authorities are still failing to crush South Africa's internationally feared criminals, despite a growing police force. According to data released by SAPS in September, 16 849 murders, 68 332 sex-related crimes and 64 670 muggings (robberies with violence) were recorded as at 31 March 2010 when the 2009/10 financial year ended. Residential and business burglaries increased by 1,9% and 4,4% respectively. Experts are moreover concerned that a growing percentage of crime victims no longer even bother to report the misdeeds they have suffered. And in March it was revealed that one out of three police stations lacked suitable victim support facilities. Successful policing by police members with a sense of duty is further hindered by affirmative action as well as poor law enforcement and ill-considered strategic planning. Solidarity emphasised the gravity of the crisis, saying that extensive and permanent damage had already been done and that merely pulling up its socks is not good enough for 2011.

SA Govt repeating past mistakes...Again, Still, Whatever!

Govt's TOP-10 TOP-15 serious blunders that caused extreme alarm in 2010The water crisis, Misappropriation of state funds, Efforts to gag the media,The ongoing fiascos at semi-government institutions, The government's handling of youth matters, Road maintenance and potholes, South Africa's military r…

29Dec2010

Sorry for Apartheid...

Sorry for Apartheid...

To 'The Previously Disadvantaged'We are sorry that our ancestors were intelligent, advanced and daringenough to explore the wild oceans to discover new countries and developthem.We are sorry that those who came before us took you out of the bush andtaught you that there was more to life than beating…

29Dec2010

Farm couple attacked by three black men

Free State - Willem Jacobus Serfontein and wife Anna, a farm couple in their sixties, were attacked by three black men in their homestead on December 27 2010. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWfp2UN5B224_IymoV-lEYb1PbzxtZCRcD440kT7DPqpeTdk7iDK13dVE0vO8HZHs9QFR4RrGtuLTyNVf71l9ORskUr2RInWDrXndA5eHhrLlj6d_mauRWe4BPP_A2nnG7hUG-2c1SJ8i/s1600/FarmMurdersCross8.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555914298825057650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWfp2UN5B224_IymoV-lEYb1PbzxtZCRcD440kT7DPqpeTdk7iDK13dVE0vO8HZHs9QFR4RrGtuLTyNVf71l9ORskUr2RInWDrXndA5eHhrLlj6d_mauRWe4BPP_A2nnG7hUG-2c1SJ8i/s400/FarmMurdersCross8.jpg" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 350px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 263px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>Mr Serfontein had stepped outside to turn on his water-pump and when he returned to the homestead his wife was attacked by three black men who were trying to strangle her to death with an electric cord. Serfontein was injured while fighting with the men in an attempt to save her life. He was bashed over the head with an iron bar and sustained heavy bruising across his body as well as an injured hand and arm. He was treated at a local hospital. The Volksblad report does not describe how the couple were rescued and whether anything was stolen at all.

Farm couple attacked by three black men

Free State - Willem Jacobus Serfontein and wife Anna, a farm couple in their sixties, were attacked by three black men in their homestead on December 27 2010. Mr Serfontein had stepped outside to turn on his water-pump and when he returned to the homestead his wife was attacked by three black men wh…

28Dec2010

Business owner stabbed and stoned to death

The owner of a garage in Shannon in the Free State was stabbed and pelted to death with stones, police said on Tuesday. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYMTqADsTtfg5F18XfshVW0v53PCkuiOFYmdu9QSPAD_ilzByH456Qj2w0ElHG1tHzbZ6CyqnxZdA6btOiJ0yK98MzK182jOt1zvpY7y3nBxiSHLi6FcYIgmuVTVQr1czUVQGzRL-J6rS/s1600/free-state-murder.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555899069755085122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYMTqADsTtfg5F18XfshVW0v53PCkuiOFYmdu9QSPAD_ilzByH456Qj2w0ElHG1tHzbZ6CyqnxZdA6btOiJ0yK98MzK182jOt1zvpY7y3nBxiSHLi6FcYIgmuVTVQr1czUVQGzRL-J6rS/s320/free-state-murder.jpg" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>BLOEMFONTEIN. – Mr Hennie Viljoen was ambushed on Monday December 27 2010 and bludgeoned to death by armed black men who were waiting for him at the entrance to his Bloemspruit smallholding near Bloemfontein shortly after he had withdrawn cash from a nearby cashpoint. He had stepped from his Peugeot 407 to open the entrance gate to the homestead when he was killed. He was stabbed in his arm and his chest; as well as hit with stones on his head and died on the scene. The assailants fled with an unknown amount of cash and the man's Peugeot vehicle. The car was later found overturned on a road in Bloemspruit. The attackers had fled on foot by the time police got there. No arrests have been made.Anyone with information can contact the investigating officer Warrant Officer Michael Kortman from the Organised Crime Unit in Bloemfontein at 082-554-2729.

Business owner stabbed and stoned to death

The owner of a garage in Shannon in the Free State was stabbed and pelted to death with stones, police said on Tuesday.BLOEMFONTEIN. – Mr Hennie Viljoen was ambushed on Monday December 27 2010 and bludgeoned to death by armed black men who were waiting for him at the entrance to his Bloemspruit smal…

28Dec2010

Robbers shoot engineer in face at point-blank range - Pretoria

Man shot by robbers lies bleeding for hours <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvjsUhyphenhyphen8psIFDx0ekIuvRsfmeCGoyV7Grs-wrqn8M-R-q5THstsJHmbOFCLZtmI3knSZ4pUOQA20pFbhFJfLRPslWiZElsvOzcgMS_hSfFAPZgbyqS7nCUUZ8mTk3nkmiUpsJJYW8XTRht/s1600/Willie-van-Zyl-robbers.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555887236285404018" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvjsUhyphenhyphen8psIFDx0ekIuvRsfmeCGoyV7Grs-wrqn8M-R-q5THstsJHmbOFCLZtmI3knSZ4pUOQA20pFbhFJfLRPslWiZElsvOzcgMS_hSfFAPZgbyqS7nCUUZ8mTk3nkmiUpsJJYW8XTRht/s400/Willie-van-Zyl-robbers.jpg" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>CRITICALLY wounded when he was shot in the face by a gang of robbers, an electrical engineer lay alone in his bed, bleeding profusely, for six hours until he was found by a relative and rushed to a Pretoria hospital. Willie van Zyl, 58, who was attacked during the early hours of yesterday morning, was rescued by his uncle Johan Pretorius, with whom he had been celebrating Christmas only days before. Van Zyl, who was due to move out of his Leeufontein estate home this week, was attacked while in his bedroom. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKI1SSn7nw54qwDWfIm3x3Av7t1Q8IPnEktjtgb_EmblWznUMP2mg7gryF8AXRI77D2iJnRCDcvD13NQi9ujKmSXGNASWU_pUTFQY_OtLOm6kMmQ3O6u9RhpYOtXKovAstqibq3sWMixk_/s1600/Willie-van-Zyl-shot.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555886102856536306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKI1SSn7nw54qwDWfIm3x3Av7t1Q8IPnEktjtgb_EmblWznUMP2mg7gryF8AXRI77D2iJnRCDcvD13NQi9ujKmSXGNASWU_pUTFQY_OtLOm6kMmQ3O6u9RhpYOtXKovAstqibq3sWMixk_/s400/Willie-van-Zyl-shot.jpg" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 350px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>It is believed that the fourman gang, who were armed with handguns, gained access to the heavily secured Cullinan Road property by cutting a hole in a fence in the back garden. Making their way to Van Zyl’s bedroom at the back of the house, the suspects waited outside before they smashed the window, overpowered Van Zyl and then shot him in the head at point-blank range. Blood smears across the walls, torn curtains, overturned furniture and smashed belongings bore testimony to the struggle between Van Zyl and his attackers. The blood-soaked mattress showed where Van Zyl had lain as his attackers carried out his possessions. A distraught Pretorius yesterday said: “As I came around the corner I saw chaos. There were appliances lying in the garden and glass outside the bedroom window.” he said. Cautiously walking around outside the house, fearing that the attackers were still on the property, Pretorius spotted his nephew through the smashed bedroom window. “I could not believe it. I thought he was dead. There was so much blood. I have never seen that much blood before.” Climbing through the window, Pretorius was shocked when Van Zyl began to talk to him, pleading for help. “I get sick when I think of how I found him and think about how he lay there for hours in all that blood and pain calling for help,” said Pretorius. A case of house robbery and attempted murder was being investigated. Several things, including a cellphone, were stolen.

Robbers shoot engineer in face at point-blank range - Pretoria

Man shot by robbers lies bleeding for hoursCRITICALLY wounded when he was shot in the face by a gang of robbers, an electrical engineer lay alone in his bed, bleeding profusely, for six hours until he was found by a relative and rushed to a Pretoria hospital.Willie van Zyl, 58, who was attacked duri…

28Dec2010

Pretoria Hairdresser found strangled to death

PRETORIA - Well-known Pretoria hair-salon owner Alden Smith, 37, was strangled to death in the passenger seat of his Audi A3, found parked at the Superspar shop in Menlopark on Christmas Day. The businessman had recently exposed the extortion practices of the Pretoria Metropolitan Police on the TV programme Carte Blanche on the Mnet channel in South Africa. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgzOZY9aUlY0_0vgL8kFnN9jy__FTqh5zRRxO1EW8a2kal8FQbNjFf5eJJ_aPCe9U2tXSmPQJnQTpY6UDkjdXJuQ_iDe0M9nRrOW6wy83rdC2BFwI21jDIq9hDOIL1uvp5ZJ8z2QbBuLjL/s1600/Smith+Alden+Pretoria+Options+Hair+Design+owner+strangled+to+death+in+car+Dec+25+2010_thumb%255B4%255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555893060822236738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgzOZY9aUlY0_0vgL8kFnN9jy__FTqh5zRRxO1EW8a2kal8FQbNjFf5eJJ_aPCe9U2tXSmPQJnQTpY6UDkjdXJuQ_iDe0M9nRrOW6wy83rdC2BFwI21jDIq9hDOIL1uvp5ZJ8z2QbBuLjL/s320/Smith+Alden+Pretoria+Options+Hair+Design+owner+strangled+to+death+in+car+Dec+25+2010_thumb%255B4%255D.jpg" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 251px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>Hilda Fourie of Beeld wrote that murdered hairdresser Alden Smith had spent Christmas day with his sister Onica Jakob, and her husband Chris, in Wonderboom. He left around 17:15 in his Audi, which according to police had been stolen a month earlier and recovered by the police. Brig André Wiese, the Brooklyn police station commander who heads the investigation said they don’t exactly know the circumstances of Smith’s death as yet. ‘One possibility being examined is that Smith was attacked and kidnapped at his house in Charles Street and then driven to the ATM cash-withdrawal point in Menlopark”. He was seated on the passenger seat, strangled to death, when a police patrol found him. That same Christmas evening at around 22:30 the alarm had gone off at Smith’s hair salon next to his home and the security company had contacted his sister – who also works at her brother’s salon – because the company was unable to contact Mr Smith. Mr Jakob drove to the salon while Mrs Jakob kept trying from home to contact him on his cellphone. “What we didn’t know was that he was already dead by that time,’ she said. "I will never forget how I saw my brother in that car. His glasses were broken and his shoes were stolen off his feet. Through something like this everyone's life is devastated. For me it is not yet true."

Pretoria Hairdresser found strangled to death

PRETORIA - Well-known Pretoria hair-salon owner Alden Smith, 37, was strangled to death in the passenger seat of his Audi A3, found parked at the Superspar shop in Menlopark on Christmas Day. The businessman had recently exposed the extortion practices of the Pretoria Metropolitan Police on the TV p…

28Dec2010

1,300 die on SA roads in Christmas carnage

South Africa's shocking reputation for road accidents worsened last week when it emerged that a record 1,300 people were killed over the festive season - a jump of 25 per cent from last year. <a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiptVnuktNNclKylXvL3_hCMuM2drXw5boTGnkNOJ48iZJneO29YGUcKCdijSh1OAqhJlJaMLMLdTixREL64q2ae-WKlz_PDPnghC9X8vxqaoE9ua-fEL0OxHbuz6JEOAEVQqO1MtBL4mPg/s1600/BLOG-road-sign02.gif" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="426" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiptVnuktNNclKylXvL3_hCMuM2drXw5boTGnkNOJ48iZJneO29YGUcKCdijSh1OAqhJlJaMLMLdTixREL64q2ae-WKlz_PDPnghC9X8vxqaoE9ua-fEL0OxHbuz6JEOAEVQqO1MtBL4mPg/s640/BLOG-road-sign02.gif" width="640" /></a>Mangled vehicles became a regular sight along South Africa's roads during the Christmas period - often attended by emergency crews carrying away the dead and injured. The steadily growing death count was announced hourly on radio news bulletins, along with a grim league table of fatalities recorded in each province. More than 10,000 people died on South Africa's roads last year, including 364 tourists. Politicians and campaigners have argued over why the country's roads should be so perilous. Alcohol is a dominant factor. Drinking and driving does not carry the same stigma as it does in Europe, and 60 per cent of accidents reported between December 1 and January 10 were drink-related. Two senior members of the ruling African National Congress were among more than 50,000 drivers fined for speeding and other traffic offences. Road safety campaigners contrasted South Africa's accident rate with that of Australia, which has similar traffic volumes, road and weather conditions, yet where only 66 people were killed during the same six-week period. A government safety campaign - which included warnings to pedestrians of the dangers of walking along the roads while drunk - was condemned as a failure, and there were demands for the transport minister to resign. "About half of the victims in our mortuaries have blood-alcohol levels that exceed the legal limit for drivers," said Dullah Omar, the transport minister. More than a third of those killed were pedestrians, prompting the government's "Don't Drink and Walk" campaign. Unroadworthy vehicles and treacherous driving present a permanent hazard. Last year, a random survey by police of Johannesburg's minibus taxis - which often carry 20 passengers or more - found that only four per cent of vehicles were on the road legally. When these minibuses crash, the death count can be in double figures. South Africa's leading road safety campaigner, Moira Winslow, believes that ineffective policing is at the root of the problem. Mrs Winslow, who set up a group called Drive Alive after her son, daughter and two grandchildren were killed in a car crash in 1989, said that at least 60,000 road traffic officers were required to cover the country's extensive road network. There is considerable confusion about how many traffic police there actually are. Mr Omar said he thought there were about 10,000 officers, but his spokesman estimated the figure to be 5,000. The national secretary of the Institute of Traffic and Municipal Police Officers said there were 8,000, but added that South Africa needed a total of 30,000. Disagreements over the causes for the festive season carnage have descended into accusations of racism. Mrs Winslow blamed the high death count on "inexperienced and untrained civil servants", who were often prone to take bribes from motorists. This has been interpreted by some as a criticism of the government's affirmative action policy, which has encouraged older, more experienced and usually white police officers to retire from the force, to make way for young, predominantly black, recruits. Tasneem Essop, the transport minister for Western Cape province, condemned Mrs Winslow for her "racist" remark and demanded "constructive co-operation" instead. In a newspaper interview, Mr Omar suggested apartheid had played its part in making South Africans dangerous behind the wheel. "I think it is part of our history," he said. "We have emerged from a culture in which violence was a way of life."<div class="blogauthorpost_head"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=7664093170776259871&postID=286098705335237240#">'Apartheid makes you drive like a maniac'</a></div> With the December death toll on the roads now officially 1 113, which is 25 percent up on the previous year, important people are giving us the benefit of their wisdom on the matter - led by transport minister Dullah Omar who says there is no suggestion of the Road to Safety strategy having failed. A few more successes by Road to Safety and there'll be more dead drivers on the roads than live ones. But Omar concedes there are some problems. One is that traffic officers aren't trained to do much more than trap motorists exceeding the speed limit. He thought the country had about 10 000 traffic police. His departmental spokesman Ntau Letebele thought there were 5 000. The national secretary of the Institute of Traffic and Municipal Police Officers, Theo Grimbeek, said there were actually 8 000 and that South Africa needed a total of 30 000. Drive Alive's Moira Winslow said at least 60 000 were required. Apart from these discrepancies, all agreed that something should be done and that someone else should do it. Meanwhile, because trapping speedsters is what our police are best at, motorists are excelling at producing reasons for the need to drive fast when, having failed to kill themselves or others, they appear before magistrates. One explained he had to reach a hotel toilet urgently as using a public convenience along the road was contrary to his religious beliefs. Another explained his accelerator had jammed, and a third said his car always went faster down a hill. Many were speeding to attend a funeral on time, probably someone's whose excuse was offered as a reason for his premature arrival at the pearly gates' stop sign. For those running out of reasons, here are a few more: I drive a BMW, so I have to pass everything in sight; I have a very powerful car whose engine is not meant to rev slowly; I shot ahead because I thought I saw a traffic cop on my tail; I didn't see a traffic cop on my tail, so I thought it was okay to give it some juice; apparently traffic cops are only good at speed-trapping and I always like a challenge; I was trying to catch up with a driver to tell him he was going too fast. But the best excuse has been provided by Dullah Omar himself: apartheid makes you drive like a maniac. In a weekend newspaper interview he is quoted as saying: "I actually think it is part of our history ... we have emerged from a culture in which violence was a way of life...". At least we now kill one another on a non-racial basis.

1,300 die on SA roads in Christmas carnage

South Africa's shocking reputation for road accidents worsened last week when it emerged that a record 1,300 people were killed over the festive season - a jump of 25 per cent from last year.Mangled vehicles became a regular sight along South Africa's roads during the Christmas period - often attend…

27Dec2010

'Tis the Season to be Merry

Here’s wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a prosperous and fulfilling 2011. After a long year it doesn’t hurt to sit back and relax, enjoy the season and look forward to a successful 2011. So hey! This is the silly season, let's embrace it. <object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kSs2yo_5U5w?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kSs2yo_5U5w?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> Remember...<a href="http://www.promiseofgod.com/teach/">Teach the children</a> the true meaning of Christmas. The children of today seem to have somehow missed out on the true spirit of Christmas. It's not their fault. It's just that the adults, many of them not having been taught themselves, have forgotten to teach the children. Teach the children the true meaning of Christmas. Teach them that the part of Christmas we can see, hear, and touch is much more than meets the eye. Teach them the symbolism behind the customs and traditions of Christmas which we now observe. Teach them what it is they truly represent... See <a href="http://www.promiseofgod.com/teach/">here</a>

'Tis the Season to be Merry

Here’s wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a prosperous and fulfilling 2011. After a long year it doesn’t hurt to sit back and relax, enjoy the season and look forward to a successful 2011. So hey! This is the silly season, let's embrace it. Remember...Teach the children the true meaning of Christ…

24Dec2010

Besides abolishing Apartheid what else did the ANC government deliver to the masses?

Besides abolishing apartheid separatist acts; what else did the ANC government deliver to the masses? WHAT WAS THE STRUGGLE REALLY ABOUT? Range Rovers, houses in Hyde Park and Sandhurst, corporate board memberships and government tenders? At least that is what Tokyo Sexwale and his friends got. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV6koNWg-UmMNYxMxJl138yCiJkxoLkW24hYWzHMMvk7uisSHqDLmYf4I6R7gPF5WPyOUmv7HUfMkvMW1VLBsniALqz7VApusNKA_pYOgWiWBJASCJrvupHfHm8UDLgOi6U2lKwsnn1sZC/s1600/follow-leader.bmp"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554297038391855730" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV6koNWg-UmMNYxMxJl138yCiJkxoLkW24hYWzHMMvk7uisSHqDLmYf4I6R7gPF5WPyOUmv7HUfMkvMW1VLBsniALqz7VApusNKA_pYOgWiWBJASCJrvupHfHm8UDLgOi6U2lKwsnn1sZC/s320/follow-leader.bmp" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 261px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>The ANC promised FREE housing, FREE education and many other beautiful “vote for us” things in 1994 that they still have not delivered in 2010. Should a white person point out the fact that the ANC promised Fourways but delivered Cosmo City, he will be labeled a racist. In America the enemies of the state are the terrorists, in South Africa it is the racist whites that are the threat to their democracy. The ANC uses this card against the DA whenever there is a public spat. Black people are constantly brain-washed by the government into believing that the ANC saved them from apartheid and they should never forget that racists are the enemy. The fact is ■It is not the racists that are using government tenders as birthday and Christmas gifts to their family members and their private companies. ■It is not the racists that are giving out government tenders worth millions of rands to incompetent people who pocket huge amounts. ■It is not the racists that are not delivering on basic services to municipalities that are protesting all over South Africa. ■It is not the racists that saw it fit to allow a man who has been accused of rape and corruption to lead the nation. ■It is not the racists that promised free housing and education and then failed to deliver. ■It is not the racists that made a deal with the National Party government that left the majority of black people with nothing but the ability to live in Sandton and swim with white people in public pools; leaving those that profitted from apartheid in a better off position. Nope, it isn’t the racists, it is their beloved ANC. We live in a country where the majority of people have a loyalist mindset. They are so loyal that they do not realise when they are being abused and taken for a ride even if they do make the realisation they choose to believe that the government needs more time and that things could be worse. For this reason, the government has been able to pull a blanket over the majority for 17 years without any consequences. The sad thing is that the ANC is aware of the loyalism and the fact that a huge chunk of South Africans are not enlightened enough to make informed political decisions and they (ANC) are taking full advantage of the situation.

Besides abolishing Apartheid what else did the ANC government deliver to the masses?

Besides abolishing apartheid separatist acts; what else did the ANC government deliver to the masses? WHAT WAS THE STRUGGLE REALLY ABOUT? Range Rovers, houses in Hyde Park and Sandhurst, corporate board memberships and government tenders? At least that is what Tokyo Sexwale and his friends got.The A…

24Dec2010

Spitting on the faces of the corrupt

Zapiro may be facing yet another lawsuit from Zuma, but if his latest cartoon is anything to go by, the famed cartoonist is not going to be silenced any time soon. <a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjez31GwWgKrA_5aZ4NWYtka0gYgaCl2YF123rX3lBzy76FEWp9-dHg57xn7sFjdC9Hxkp9m_KsvWsKfDeXkPEYQgFw1mFU1dwnJPl08OM-jal1b1Ll2Paco5dak9SsDabRxtXLt5HSH5Eb/s1600/lastsupperweb.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="418" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjez31GwWgKrA_5aZ4NWYtka0gYgaCl2YF123rX3lBzy76FEWp9-dHg57xn7sFjdC9Hxkp9m_KsvWsKfDeXkPEYQgFw1mFU1dwnJPl08OM-jal1b1Ll2Paco5dak9SsDabRxtXLt5HSH5Eb/s640/lastsupperweb.jpg" width="640" /></a> Zapiro takes aim at corrupt politicians and businessmen in particular ex-convict turned businessman Kenny Kunene, whose R700 000 birthday bash in October saw sushi being served on half-naked models. It speaks about excess and decadence and public figures who have been reaching unashamedly for that -- even when confronted they're not embarrassed. Cosatu General Secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, lambasted Kunene for "spitting in the face of the poor" -- a challenge Kunene brushed aside in a public statement. The cartoon shows leaders of the left, Gwede Mantashe and Vavi shunning the proceedings. The rest of the cast of 13 are made up of various politicians and businessman -- from Zuma to his nephew turned tenderpreneur, Khulubuse Zuma. Former top cop Jackie Selebi, who was jailed for corruption in August, is also included. The prisoner's window to the right of the table shows Selebi looking out licking his lips. "He'd like to be at the table," said Shapiro. And if you think the sushi platter looks familiar you'd be right -- it's South Africa's self-styled "Paris Hilton" Khanyi Mbau, who pulled her own sushi stunt shortly after Kunene's. "In a way she's only there for excess but she's not a big player like any of the others are -- corruption. She's just a lightweight," said Shapiro.

Spitting on the faces of the corrupt

Zapiro may be facing yet another lawsuit from Zuma, but if his latest cartoon is anything to go by, the famed cartoonist is not going to be silenced any time soon.Zapiro takes aim at corrupt politicians and businessmen in particular ex-convict turned businessman Kenny Kunene, whose R700 000 birthday…

24Dec2010

South African adverts threaten men with prison rape if caught drink driving

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuGXWXNQNTENxzUdN3TmcLEFqYUkXGBSp70afziCB3s4Xwqt3iCkN45_2pGmlfluCwQLESIwaIMbeNugLp-ShnSMU6i7RBIWgNvTvk39Gj4WTbf9w-1rMIGkFaVAH0VnMXXMc2sAahZXQ/s1600/drink-drive.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553477646991234498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuGXWXNQNTENxzUdN3TmcLEFqYUkXGBSp70afziCB3s4Xwqt3iCkN45_2pGmlfluCwQLESIwaIMbeNugLp-ShnSMU6i7RBIWgNvTvk39Gj4WTbf9w-1rMIGkFaVAH0VnMXXMc2sAahZXQ/s400/drink-drive.jpg" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>Xmas drink driving campaign – buggered senseless edition.How to encourage people to not drink and drive this Christmas? Simple, if you are from South Africa. Advertise the fact that your arse will resemble a flanders poppy after spending time with some of the special men you will meet whilst locked up. A little from <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/southafrica/8216970/South-African-adverts-threaten-men-with-prison-rape-if-caught-drink-driving.html">The Telegraph</a> : <blockquote>A South African drink drive advertising campaign has been criticised for warning men they could be raped in prison if caught intoxicated behind the wheel.The locally-produced television advertisement imitates lonely hearts film clips, with burly and dishevelled men telling viewers: “I’m looking for a special person”, “someone who can handle heavy situations with a smile”. But the campaign has been attacked for making light of the country’s problem with sexual violence. One advert promises: “These hands will never let you go,” before the camera pans out to reveal a prison cell crowded with inmates sprawled on beds and mattresses. The text on screen reveals: “They’d love to meet you. Never drink and drive.”</blockquote> Unfortunately, The Telegraph doesn’t have the actual video which was somewhat surprising from the Headquarters of the Bugger and Flog ‘Em brigade. It didn’t take too much finding though : <object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_JWUXXXJq8k?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_JWUXXXJq8k?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

South African adverts threaten men with prison rape if caught drink driving

Xmas drink driving campaign – buggered senseless edition.How to encourage people to not drink and drive this Christmas?Simple, if you are from South Africa.Advertise the fact that your arse will resemble a flanders poppy after spending time with some of the special men you will meet whilst locked up…

22Dec2010

Prepare to pay to drive the new R21-billion Gauteng freeway system

Commuters are going to pay hundreds, if not thousands of rands a month to use Gauteng's new transport system. The introduction of toll roads has the potential to devastate the local economy and cripple everyday commuters as a result of these unreasonably high fees. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx85qz1YS-blZpoVkF7BpxPOQTz1ZEOLwL20oLpp6_oLMd5uMIkc_BVETaV6Og_f63cjpmS622hy4frSch-7ioN-XRd1UbDwcy_NJEYg83hs99_doUPYAY1do44LsGtqnHgH1U_8_d8Cr2/s1600/m1_johannesburg_traffic_small.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552911311483428690" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx85qz1YS-blZpoVkF7BpxPOQTz1ZEOLwL20oLpp6_oLMd5uMIkc_BVETaV6Og_f63cjpmS622hy4frSch-7ioN-XRd1UbDwcy_NJEYg83hs99_doUPYAY1do44LsGtqnHgH1U_8_d8Cr2/s400/m1_johannesburg_traffic_small.png" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 335px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 255px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> There’s a horrible surprise waiting for commuters come April 2011, a bill of <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NQbznEWP0erSbuZ2rMHsvumCmls2lPEWpC2mTc0s40j_u5dzj6Vhp7iYytBeWvYjL5D9TIye6XTymvTUOeo8Gkez2ZIXYBuhBp-_DSU1fPNkNqdFYBVCMYG6jMr5P_J3Mw0ZnweDgu2X/s1600/Road_Tolling_Lane.png"></a>anywhere between R54 and R1,020 (depending on the length of your commute) per month to use the new highways. Initial estimates is that you’ll get fleeced of 50c/km to use the highways, but we could be in for up to 68c/km after inflation. Best case scenario is if you live in Soweto and drive to Sandton every day (only 2.7km of the route is tolled) you’re going to pay R54 a month for 20-day work month. But if you’re one of the poor suckers like me who live in Roodepoort or Randburg and need to commute to Rivonia Rd, we’re in for a whopping R566 a month for the 28.3km of the N1 that is tolled. On average, Joburg commuters can expect to pay R553 a month to use the highways. <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552911738508469906" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPSrc5-kCBwR85uzOrtf3V1U0yAWYdUx5Da-36daF599g_aPsSw6eC8tIjk5Mk_Wi9l_aU192vsEmJjYZzrz13hkQpwX7LchJ4rtoJS8VtU2DJNfZKM9ckCd6aF21c0lVCX7ZvdQnAikx/s400/table.png" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 359px; CURSOR: hand" />If SANRAL decides to hike the per-kilometre rate to 68c, those numbers could go up to as much as R74 for the Soweto/Sandton route, R769 for the Roodepoort/Rivonia route and a whopping R1,387 a month for the Joburg/Pretoria route. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNayZCmrfbbj8E1REPsDbWAzrtkvumkYYZJazidkqdvOYqzEkTMq9giTAur-U-FHlTcmdf0im_ucWVIpoQlKHiOzquGU7CtGR4Sz86MzDbozJBh4a_hoLcxDIHl3xnLpk-eRysOeBSuVvx/s1600/Road_Tolling_Lane.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552912923636673218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNayZCmrfbbj8E1REPsDbWAzrtkvumkYYZJazidkqdvOYqzEkTMq9giTAur-U-FHlTcmdf0im_ucWVIpoQlKHiOzquGU7CtGR4Sz86MzDbozJBh4a_hoLcxDIHl3xnLpk-eRysOeBSuVvx/s400/Road_Tolling_Lane.png" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 335px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> These rates are just for everyday cars mind you. Trucks and goods vehicles will be hit even harder no doubt. And I can guarantee you that motorcycles will be tolled just as hard as cars so it doesn’t even pay you to switch from four to two wheels. Add the cost of fuel and you’ve got a formula for economic ruin for average Joburg residents, not to mention the inflationary effect that these additional costs will have on local businesses. Whatever happens, Joburgers and the residents of Gauteng are going to be a bunch of much poorer people thanks to SANRAL’s tolls. It’s definitely not a pretty picture. The public can not carry the costs anymore! Make your voices heard against the ridiculously high toll gate tariffs. Sign the petition here:- <a href="http://www.tollgatepetition.org.za/">http://www.tollgatepetition.org.za/</a>

Prepare to pay to drive the new R21-billion Gauteng freeway system

Commuters are going to pay hundreds, if not thousands of rands a month to use Gauteng's new transport system. The introduction of toll roads has the potential to devastate the local economy and cripple everyday commuters as a result of these unreasonably high fees.There’s a horrible surprise waiting…

20Dec2010

SA bailout lets Cuba off the hook - ANC government writes off R1.1bn debt

Cuban freebies - more than one billion rand of ordinary South African’s hard earned taxes have been donated to Cuba. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAZDhuw6ymYwEW84XLQuEVpFCKLL_cv040wj8WxGreLr74OsFy5PBcpusfSOQVIo3qP6M2y4eC8SLcSYPnnQsp5yZ6bl513IdkLzZbV6DL9q5ik2I-kEUpoNC_YVDfzE9nqN8Wtu57psGj/s1600/zumaP.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552116429179542946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAZDhuw6ymYwEW84XLQuEVpFCKLL_cv040wj8WxGreLr74OsFy5PBcpusfSOQVIo3qP6M2y4eC8SLcSYPnnQsp5yZ6bl513IdkLzZbV6DL9q5ik2I-kEUpoNC_YVDfzE9nqN8Wtu57psGj/s400/zumaP.jpg" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 306px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 244px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>While President Zuma and the government are associating with the rogues of the international community such as Cuba, Iran, Myanmar and Mugabe of Zimbabwe, South Africa is increasingly losing its international esteem. It is therefore not surprising that those economically advanced countries, which, for economic reasons are very important to South Africa, are increasingly becoming very critical of South Africa South Africa in 2008 wrote off R926m of debt owed by Cuba.Recently South Africa without reservations cancelled a R1.1 billion debt that Cuba owes South Africa and offered it guarantees and aid worth R210-million in fresh credits in hopes of reviving trade with the Communist-run state.This included a R40m donation, R70m in credit and R100m from the African Renaissance Fund for purchases of South African goods. In return Cuban President Raul Castro Ruz bestowed the "prestigious" Honour of Jose Marti on Zuma — the highest award Cuba can give to an individual. Minister of Home Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma also signed an agreement on the waiver of visa requirements for holders of diplomatic, official and service passports. This would allow citizens with relevant travel documents to enter and remain in both countries for up to 90 days without visas. One has to wonder what the Zuma administration wishes to achieve by buying better relations with Cuba. What could South Africa gain by seeking to improve trade with the impoverished socialist state "as it is well documented that Cuba possesses a failing economy" and lacked the capacity to become a big importer. The reality is that President Zuma had to choose between 19 000 new RDP homes for South Africans or to throw political support behind an anti-democratic Cuban regime. He chose the latter and needs to explain why. The debt forgiveness echoes the controversial R10m donation made by SA under former president Thabo Mbeki to Haiti, whose deposed leader Jean-Bertrand Aristide later sought refuge in SA after he was toppled in a coup. Cuba debt cancellation 'unbelievable' by Gunnshot Many of the goings on in this country are so unbelievable, that often it feels as though they cannot be real. Just recently the ANC government wrote off a R1.1bn debt to Cuba. Why? Does South Africa have billions to give away? Does the Health Department have no problems? Are there no mud schools in the country? Does every South African town have world class service delivery? Does everyone have access to electricity and water? One would have to surmise that this country is in brilliant shape because if it is not, because how else can it give away such vast sums of money? In this instance, it appears to be because Cuba gave the President their highest Noddy Badge. They must have been struggling to not howl with laughter at this lunacy, which I’m sure they did as soon as “His Excellency” was out of earshot. Where does it end? It has taken the Mail and Guardian to years to force the ANC government to release a report made by two judges, sent by Mbeki, to report on the 2002 Zimbabwe Election that Mbeki later described as been free and fair. It is obvious that this was not what they reported but any level headed person with more than a G for woodwork in Matric would know this. We also know that the MDC won the 2008 election by a landslide even though Malema’s hero Mugabe had hundreds of MDC supporters murdered and thousands tortured in order to try and steal that election. He failed so he just then blatantly stole it. He has consistently agreed to meet his obligations in the GPA and then simply ignored them. Now he is preparing to murder and maim his party’s way back into power next year. Zanu-PF are reportedly giving sanctuary to a Mr Mpiranya who was a commander in the Rwandan Presidential Guard. He is wanted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Rwandan genocide and there is a $5m reward out for him by the Rewards for Justice Program. He is implicated in leading the genocide in Rwanda that resulted in over one million murders. It is reported that he has businesses in Harare and is involved with training the notorious Zanu-PF Youth Militias before letting them loose on the poor Zimbabwean population prior to next year’s election. He is not the first murderous tyrant to find sanctuary with Mugabe. Mengestu, also wanted for the genocide of millions of his own citizens, has been a guest of Mugabe’s for many years. In light of all this it seems that South Africa has been accepting and supporting the Mugabe regime since at least 2002 knowing full well that his government has not had the mandate of its citizens, whilst ignoring what Mugabe has done in order to retain power. We then have to listen to the ramblings of Malema in support of what is essentially an illegitimate government brought about through terror and murder against its own people. If the people of South Africa can accept this, woe and betide their freedoms to live and choose going into the future. It cannot be real. It must be a bad dream.

SA bailout lets Cuba off the hook - ANC government writes off R1.1bn debt

Cuban freebies - more than one billion rand of ordinary South African’s hard earned taxes have been donated to Cuba. While President Zuma and the government are associating with the rogues of the international community such as Cuba, Iran, Myanmar and Mugabe of Zimbabwe, South Africa is increasingly…

18Dec2010

Eish serias! People trying to "defeat imperialism" can't even organise an event

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKD90NVgMDj2fkfHTtlBmX-Ld6AvzKlZDt621eRwlmXnkrN281vEC6c6cmmasOOHxxCMUemybj32hRJ_m7VdlPwJUlNg2q78_mPWEONItDVGg9lbVJO9bAjb-1X8fa_lhLvUY4_z7fUmRW/s1600/youth-fest-lungisa.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551995168984195026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKD90NVgMDj2fkfHTtlBmX-Ld6AvzKlZDt621eRwlmXnkrN281vEC6c6cmmasOOHxxCMUemybj32hRJ_m7VdlPwJUlNg2q78_mPWEONItDVGg9lbVJO9bAjb-1X8fa_lhLvUY4_z7fUmRW/s400/youth-fest-lungisa.jpg" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>The first day of the communist youth festival was marred by delays, with thousands of delegates milling around outside. Halls allocated for workshops stood empty, while a huge concert was taking place outside. Delegates were refused food because they did not have food vouchers. Others were lying on their backs on the grass or playing football or other sports to keep themselves occupied. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRr1L_wqiXV87bTNTBM8FUKnmJFL9PJMkMwSCETecIufRwA6sDBF8DnlnGj6FFjhV5Mv_tJTb3ihZI10UKE85AU8Ff-i4-kPzyQxdr_gRg5li9Ac-Dird0pKp8pMjjfFgMxgRzXsU4xwXA/s1600/youth-festival.jpg"></a>A 21-year-old delegate from Germany, Sandra Leonhardt, said she and her friends had not attended any of the sessions and that they did not even know where to go. "De organising is a bit difficult... in fact it is a joke jawohl!. Dis people would not even know how to organise a piss up in a brewery. I am not the only one who is not happy," she said while puffing a cloud of smoke from her cigarette. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ofhiJEJ8B5dVwwLiAZq7479UeSzA8O_s8cO4QhDZywzU-_kfl0JfYeTKRJbSd-JNEzLD09QSWVaGa09mrN_MatCDPc2NGQuSrO4WI7CyCDMf-MslbWyTN7y0muSfDmwKoec9KfVVgI93/s1600/world-festival-youth.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551995809751044450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ofhiJEJ8B5dVwwLiAZq7479UeSzA8O_s8cO4QhDZywzU-_kfl0JfYeTKRJbSd-JNEzLD09QSWVaGa09mrN_MatCDPc2NGQuSrO4WI7CyCDMf-MslbWyTN7y0muSfDmwKoec9KfVVgI93/s400/world-festival-youth.jpg" style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>Meanwhile, caps were selling like hotcakes for R50 at a nearby stand, red SACP T-shirts which were also on sale for the rip-off price of R100. ANC t-shirts went for R150. The t-shirts had all been bought from China for R5 each. The formal programme was scheduled to start at 14:00. More than two hours later, nothing had happened. ANC veteran Winnie Madikizela-Mandela who was been dropped by President Mandela like a hot potato after he realised what an idiot she was, Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula, Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale and Defence Minister Lindiwe Sisulu were due to address thousands of young people from over 100 countries. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNtqcLF2Hr2azUCcrC-aWynVslZUOVzFYwMrd7GR4bcuCWAu6-M6zH69UUmFfvZaoXT8h3iptJ1EsH8Vlt5t6cPCMTgleHREAYHIdxmk-fpYYfTKL9Tz1Yj7wWkvScAmq3Gf_3A2l6YE8H/s1600/world-fest.jpg"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNdJrtIeMrUVOTAoM4ISvFVTdoppaLdwxxoaQSCYPz1TT1xWyDBkPqyvgobmjKG1IAwPS0iJX8CvPBb3d67PydrOAH8ZkGnNhzPRiAdvpOaIk9es6Uy2EpPWr_e5sZnaaPZOFQRGGHrY8/s1600/youth-festival.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551997210312568546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNdJrtIeMrUVOTAoM4ISvFVTdoppaLdwxxoaQSCYPz1TT1xWyDBkPqyvgobmjKG1IAwPS0iJX8CvPBb3d67PydrOAH8ZkGnNhzPRiAdvpOaIk9es6Uy2EpPWr_e5sZnaaPZOFQRGGHrY8/s320/youth-festival.jpg" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 222px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>However none of the speakers had confirmed their attendance and were not present. They would not be seen dead at such a disorganised event which was primarily aimed at making the incompentent organisers stinking rich. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNtqcLF2Hr2azUCcrC-aWynVslZUOVzFYwMrd7GR4bcuCWAu6-M6zH69UUmFfvZaoXT8h3iptJ1EsH8Vlt5t6cPCMTgleHREAYHIdxmk-fpYYfTKL9Tz1Yj7wWkvScAmq3Gf_3A2l6YE8H/s1600/world-fest.jpg"></a>Artists performed, the military paraded and President Jacob Zuma delivered the opening address. ANCYL leader Tsotsi Malema made an appearance, to the delight of the delegates who were paid large sums of money to attend. The festival, held under the theme "Let's Defeat Imperialism" i.e "lets not only kill the Boers - let's also drive all Whites out of South Africa", was being hosted by the NYDA in partnership with the World Federation of Democratic Youth. A total of R69m had been budgeted for the event. R68 million of this would go towards Tsotsi Malema and the organisers. Of this amount R40m had come from the National Lotteries Board.

Eish serias! People trying to "defeat imperialism" can't even organise an event

The first day of the communist youth festival was marred by delays, with thousands of delegates milling around outside. Halls allocated for workshops stood empty, while a huge concert was taking place outside. Delegates were refused food because they did not have food vouchers. Others were lying on …

18Dec2010

Just 8 Top Guns to fly our R27billion fighters

The South African government ordered 26 Gripen C/D fighter aircraft in 1999, courtesy of the taxpayer, remember? the multibillion-rand arms deal? Who could forget! The SAAF Gripen force, although still not formally operational, conducted a part of the air policing during the FIFA soccer World Cup. When the president of Brazil turned up to cheer on his side at the World Cup, SA was ready. A flight of South African Air Force Gripen jets buzzed the stadium. Showing off for the man! Pitching the Gripen with Football. No mean feat, we're really making strides hey. And it only keeps getting better... now the air force is in trouble, being unable to operate the Hawks or the Gripens properly. Why? You guessed it - insufficient funds! The situation is so bad that some aircraft, most importantly the Gripen Advanced Light Fighter Aircraft, may have to be mothballed. We now face the grim prospect of having an air force ‘without wings’. The Gripen mothballing threat follows reports that the air force’s Rooivalk attack helicopters have also been grounded, and that the 12 Rooivalks in 16 Squadron had been put in storage outside Bloemfontein and were not flying. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnEuD99KwvwF2LeOnt9u70B5EC6MHry40zFHu-Zzbu6n8qLCxZo2LWPc2ydxYg6ccPVxtZcBTXmn6eo_ovDwbWqc0DYMOoTGWYzZsnXr4G0bSfuIu3n9dnTzFNKyylzOSusO3X8_PsaYH/s1600/world-cup-gripens.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551753006775728482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnEuD99KwvwF2LeOnt9u70B5EC6MHry40zFHu-Zzbu6n8qLCxZo2LWPc2ydxYg6ccPVxtZcBTXmn6eo_ovDwbWqc0DYMOoTGWYzZsnXr4G0bSfuIu3n9dnTzFNKyylzOSusO3X8_PsaYH/s400/world-cup-gripens.png" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 297px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>THE SA Air Force (SAAF) has only eight fully trained fighter pilots and two navigators for its 26 Gripen fighter jets, which cost the country about R19.908 billion to buy. This was revealed yesterday by Defence Minister Lindiwe Sisulu in a written reply to a parliamentary question by Freedom Front Plus defence spokesman Pieter Groenewald. (Pic) - South African Air Force Gripens fly past one of the World Cup stadiums. Last month the air force invoked “national security” to avoid telling MPs how many fully trained combat pilots it had to fly its multi-billion-rand Gripen fighter (R19.908 billion) and Hawk fighter-trainer aircraft (R7.2 billion) - making for a combined R27.01 billion. SAAF air capability planning director Brigadier-General Wiseman Mbambo told members of Parliament’s defence portfolio committee in a briefing that “inadequate funding” of the Hawk and Gripen combat systems had placed these “in the balance”, and the SAAF “has not been able to generate the required number of flying hours and re-provision the systems adequately”. This prompted at least two MPs to ask about the number of qualified combat pilots available for the Hawks and Gripens. Responding, Mbambo said: “It’s digging into the actual capability that we have.” He asked the then-committee chairman Nyami Booi to be excused from answering on grounds of national security, and Booi agreed. Mbambo had revealed that the SAAF’s budget allocation for 2009/10 had been R3.1bn, of which R1.6bn was for personnel and R1.5bn for operations. Groenewald said yesterday that it was “worrying that South Africa had 30 fighter pilots in 2005 and 20 fighter pilots in 2008. Now we only have eight”. “We however purchased 26 Gripen fighter jets, but 18 of these will be locked away in a store.”

Just 8 Top Guns to fly our R27billion fighters

The South African government ordered 26 Gripen C/D fighter aircraft in 1999, courtesy of the taxpayer, remember? the multibillion-rand arms deal? Who could forget! The SAAF Gripen force, although still not formally operational, conducted a part of the air policing during the FIFA soccer World Cup. W…

17Dec2010

R370m Youth fest blunders on as delegates kiss, sing, dance and sleep

One can only wonder how the Pikanin boss of the ANC kindergarten, Chairman of the all important NYDA, Andile Lungisa, managed to convince the tight fisted bastards of the National Lottery (NLDTF) to part so speedily with R40million for the Atteridgeville piss-up. ANC Youth League linked to botched events tender. Will taxpayers foot the R370m bill? <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBnvpe6nuca6v5nFho_E_REmZ_Tbb0VyH1u10Y8OX3ZGsNXVMaZvBAKf5BySteSRlws7__rxJd2qKmPkPG2P2QBYsPpU9k1JVxdMCWQ52yPEuGCZw4giBRrgb7Ooma5VXi1QKUkMlsJCma/s1600/lotto.bmp"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551736028684694194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBnvpe6nuca6v5nFho_E_REmZ_Tbb0VyH1u10Y8OX3ZGsNXVMaZvBAKf5BySteSRlws7__rxJd2qKmPkPG2P2QBYsPpU9k1JVxdMCWQ52yPEuGCZw4giBRrgb7Ooma5VXi1QKUkMlsJCma/s400/lotto.bmp" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 306px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>THE MULTIMILLION rand <strike>totalitarian talk shop</strike> World Youth Festival was not being run by an unregistered tender company owned by ANC Youth League members, the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) said yesterday. This followed reports of tender irregularities within the events management company which allegedly won the tender to run the event, Global Interface Consulting. “I’m the convener,” NYDA chairman Andile Lungisa told journalists in Pretoria when questioned about the controversy. “I’m running the event with Tiago Vieira, the president of the World Federation of Democratic Youth. “I don’t know whether I’ve been sold now to be a company. I’m not an Ltd.” He said NYDA had been approached by the company but that it had failed to deliver and so was not assisting in any way in the 10-day festival. Lungisa said the company, owned by members of the ANC Youth League’s national provincial council, did not have enough capacity. It has also emerged that Global Interface Consulting was not registered with the Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office. But Lungisa said it was not his responsibility to see to it that the company was registered. “We support people who start initiatives. It doesn’t necessarily mean that if you’re not registered then you can’t work with us because we… must empower the youth.” NYDA reportedly had advertised a contract for an events management company only on August 30, giving interested bidders just 10 days to put in proposals. The contract was on October 29. The "Let's defeat imperialism" festival got off to a slow start with some teething problems on Monday. Many delegates were not attending sessions but rather playing games in Pretoria. The major problem was food, then transport. Some people complained that they were being mistreated and had gone for days without food. Awarded Lungisa, however, hit back. “This is not called a wine and food festival. People will not get a three-course meal. There’s food for people to eat, but no one is going to die after this festival,” he said. In addition, at least four Moroccan delegates were injured in what is believed to be political infighting between them and delegates from Western Sahara. A camera belonging to a delegate from Iraq was allegedly stolen yesterday. But Lungisa defended the anti-imperialism-themed festival, particularly with regard to apparent widespread kissing among delegates. “The kissing game is going to continue,” he said. “They are not in a prison. They are part of this festival. We need to provide an opportunity for exchange.” The number of people attending workshops grew yesterday, in contrast to the scene outside, where groups of mostly South Africans were singing and dancing. Lungisa defended this behaviour, saying South Africa was a nation of song and dance. Meanwhile, the R40 million granted by the National Lotteries Board to the festival was double the amount it gave to the opening and closing ceremonies of the World Cup. And an amount "greater than the entire annual budget for the Cotlands orphanage" According to the Lotto's website it is required to distribute 45% of its funds to charities; 22% to arts, culture and national heritage and 5% for miscellaneous purposes. Wasting taxpayers' money - again, still, whatever! The presidency promised R29m to host the nine-day left-wing youth festival themed "Let's defeat imperialism" but this appeared to be far too little. NYDA Chairman, Andile Lungisa, had been reported as saying they need closer to R370m to cover their costs. And Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies has revealed that his department also pledged R300 000 towards the festival budget and paid R190 288 for an exhibition stand. Cosatu and the DA both called for an investigation into the grant and a full audit of how the people’s money from the National Lotteries Board and the government was spent. It issued a statement yesterday deploring the reported shambles at the festival in which speakers were not confirmed and did not arrive, seven out of 18 seminars on Tuesday were cancelled and visitors complained of “bad food, a lack of transport and poor co-ordination of accommodation arrangements”. Several dodgy regimes were included in the participants list - North Korea and Zimbabwe is among them.

R370m Youth fest blunders on as delegates kiss, sing, dance and sleep

One can only wonder how the Pikanin boss of the ANC kindergarten, Chairman of the all important NYDA, Andile Lungisa, managed to convince the tight fisted bastards of the National Lottery (NLDTF) to part so speedily with R40million for the Atteridgeville piss-up.ANC Youth League linked to botched ev…

17Dec2010

Life & Death Struggle For the Survival of ‘White Africans’

Today is a holiday in South Africa, the Day of the Covenant celebrating the Afrikaners’ miraculous victory over the Zulu forces of Dingane during the Battle of Blood River on 16 December 1838. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubNrPX0N5gmvwZIU01ipFMDBip0WmduSSwDdWiHpgO_GnaGNhyphenhyphenKDM_j_ACeVQ4gCfPIBtcWWSt2Z1rrGRUShDGOiWQGeY9FoZ4XBaMNWheSqNBw9XN2TOh1sbAFZOMMb9X4uYpERLQD8g/s1600/bloedrivier.jpg"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28xh2VmXWZUMBUoc3xeleo8nYWJdzt4mntVItIeRtd_0vTpPvjP7iQf195OBUT7DaEKAN7fcu-yQgu3cW9v2vhhWubnm240GPSyej-OgVcJXcb9l1sx1ox9970G21GHRVBriMZq5ccHIH/s1600/bloodriver.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551289294633946594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28xh2VmXWZUMBUoc3xeleo8nYWJdzt4mntVItIeRtd_0vTpPvjP7iQf195OBUT7DaEKAN7fcu-yQgu3cW9v2vhhWubnm240GPSyej-OgVcJXcb9l1sx1ox9970G21GHRVBriMZq5ccHIH/s400/bloodriver.png" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 323px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 319px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>Whereas the new black-nationalist government of South Africa erased most holidays celebrated by white South Africans and was at one time even considering abolishing Christmas as being “Eurocentric”, it has kept December 16, albeit under a new name, so-called “Reconcilition Day”. In the Newspeak of the New South Africa, “reconciliation” normally means accepting black racial domination and aggression. The South African pathology of “reconciliation” derives from traditional African justice where the harmony of the tribe took precedence over individual rights. Even murder was easily forgiven after paying a few head of cattle to the victim’s relatives, something which occurs to this day in South Africa, even in urban areas. However, whatever the TV news will say tonight about the many ways in which whites may prostrate and humiliate themselves as part of getting officially “reconciled”, tens of thousands of white Afrikaners in towns and cities all over the country will be participating in a very different type of patriotic and religious ceremony. Like their forebears did 172 years ago on the eve of that great battle in which 450 whites defeated an army of at least 13 000 Zulus without any losses in their ranks, they will recite the famous oath: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiprlexq4y7hV5AlFFi7Po6YITRUjKjRkSYDzZgzbtCNZQbQhPDsZb7SNvO8FyjoqidWkt5EbktSNcsRFFR9PNkRQ1ENCgYGd-xUyTlt8pL24Z0ZYBkPLwayi-yFynbFTgEMlpQrDSmPGw/s1600/bloedrivier1838.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551288224500275570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiprlexq4y7hV5AlFFi7Po6YITRUjKjRkSYDzZgzbtCNZQbQhPDsZb7SNvO8FyjoqidWkt5EbktSNcsRFFR9PNkRQ1ENCgYGd-xUyTlt8pL24Z0ZYBkPLwayi-yFynbFTgEMlpQrDSmPGw/s400/bloedrivier1838.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 365px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> <blockquote>“My brothers and fellow citizens, here we stand in the presence of the Holy God, creator of heaven and earth, to make a vow unto Him, that if His protection shall be with us and He give our enemy into our hand so that we might be victorious over him, that this day and date every year shall be spent as a memorial and a day of thanksgiving, just as a Sabbath is spent and that we shall erect a temple to His honor wherever it will be pleasing to Him and that we shall also instruct our children that they must also share in it, as well as for our generations yet to come. Because the Honor of His name shall thereby be glorified and the glory and honor of the victory shall be given Him."</blockquote>South Africa’s ANC regime has been trying to erase the Covenant and the Battle of Blood River from the history books in a way that reminds one of the constantly changing past in George Orwell’s 1984. The hero of that book, Winston Smith, is employed in the Records department of the Ministry of Truth where the falsification of history is his official job. As Orwell puts it: “Day by day and almost minute by minute the past was brought up to date. In this way every prediction made by the Party could be shown by documentary evidence to have been correct, nor was any item of news, or any expression of opinion, which conflicted with the needs of the moment, ever allowed to remain on record. All history was a palimpsest, scraped clean and reinscribed exactly as often as was necessary.” Despite the suppression of Afrikaner history in schools, as well as the changing of Afrikaner place names to eradicate all evidence of the founders of their towns and cities, the Day of the Covenant has remained like a glaring anomaly beyond the formidable reach of the Ministry of Truth. Today the Battle of Blood River has become an allegory of the impending struggle for survival to be fought by Western man on a global scale. In places like South Africa where whites are already a minority of less than ten percent it is a real physical struggle with members of the surrounding African horde attacking us at random every day. Not only have South African blacks benefited from quadrupling and even quintupling their population since 1950, but the ANC’s open-border policy has allowed illegal immigrants from other African countries to stream across our borders, adding to the numbers already present. Elsewhere in the West, in North America and Europe, however, it is a moral and ideological fight that is no less intense. Whereas the strategic threats posed by China and a resurgent Islam are universally recognised by Western commentators, the leading role played by blacks from Africa in the moral assault on our civilisation is not. White guilt is after all not defined by the history of Western interaction with China or the Middle East, but by American slavery and European colonialism in Africa. Africans and their apologists are in the forefront of the accusation of “racism!” levelled not only at every white person somewhere in his or her lifetime, but more fundamentally at Western culture and history itself. Black radical thinkers from WEB Dubois onwards, through Frantz Fanon, Kwame Nkrumah, Malcolm X, Angela Davis, and Barack Obama, have been unanimous in their condemnation of the West and its history as evil and rotten to the core. The Chinese and Middle-Easterners will no doubt stay at home. But the 800 million Africans who will rise to just under 2 billion in the next few decades, will descend on the ageing Western world like they are overwhelming the formerly European cities and towns of South Africa, appropriating everything in their path with the self-righteous violence that has become the African way. The election of Barack Obama was seen as a milestone in Africa’s claim, based on her growing population numbers, to a greater share of world resources which will be provided by Europe and North America. While Mugabe is wrecking Zimbabwe, the US is pumping in aid money to keep the country’s population alive, demonstrating that the inhabitants of Zimbabwe have as much of a claim on US resources as the American taxpayer. White demography is plummeting and we all know it. Among the many pronouncements of John Maynard Keynes, the famous economist, the following is the least quoted: “The great events of history are often due to secular changes in the growth of population and other fundamental economic causes, which, escaping by their gradual character the notice of contemporary observers, are attributed to the follies of statesmen or the fanaticism of atheists.” Keynes ascribed both the First World War and the Russian Revolution to rapid population growth in Germany and Russia, respectively. Thermopylae and Poitiers are often seen as two critical battles that saved white, Western culture from extinction in their times. However, as a symbol of the shrinking global European population facing the barbarians at the gate, especially from Africa, Blood River has become far more apposite. In this dark hour when it seems that, apart from the corporate oil wars of the Bush administration, the West has lost its will to stand up for itself, we need to be reminded of the Gideon-like triumph of Andries Pretorius and his men over the Zulu army on 16 December 1838. Outnumbered thirty to one and armed only with antique muskets that took 30 to 40 seconds to reload, they fought bravely and won, against all odds. Only a superhuman effort of the same order could save us here in South Africa today from being driven from our land like the white Zimbabweans were from theirs. Very soon, our kin all over the Western world who are like sleeping babes before the impending peril will face the same predicament—of being a racial minority surrounded by a hostile and aggressive majority. The Day of the Covenant should be internationally celebrated among all those who believe that our Greco-Roman and Judaeo-Christian civilisation is still worth fighting for. Original article - Posted on December 16, 2008 <a href="http://www.praag.co.uk/columns/dan-roodt/23-us-against-the-horde-some-thoughts-for-16-december.html">http://www.praag.co.uk/columns/dan-roodt/23-us-against-the-horde-some-thoughts-for-16-december.html</a>

Life & Death Struggle For the Survival of ‘White Africans’

Today is a holiday in South Africa, the Day of the Covenant celebrating the Afrikaners’ miraculous victory over the Zulu forces of Dingane during the Battle of Blood River on 16 December 1838. Whereas the new black-nationalist government of South Africa erased most holidays celebrated by white South…

16Dec2010

When the Oppenheimer's sell their SA assets, you know it's time to leave SA

London - The Oppenheimer family has sold 7.7% of its holding in mining group <a class="companyHoverLink" href="http://www.blogger.com/dataproducts/CompanySnapshotLandingPage.aspx?Ticker=AGL" ticker="AGL" jquery1292388134453="37">Anglo American [JSE:AGL]</a> for about £64m (R691m), but said it did not plan to sell any more. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUlOAp6_vInt2ST-roW0f-NNiTiM39dq90LdeWhHK87X8ylzr0E9jhxFSLzHxR_XCYUEq0Wm-TJX87Vg6yhAYgVbPBg1bkrTPews7A4dnR7HYyhYYZp1WmR9rTWg1Udzk2TdRK68Sbzy-/s1600/Julius-Malema-Zimbabwe-Nationalization.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550769769842632354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUlOAp6_vInt2ST-roW0f-NNiTiM39dq90LdeWhHK87X8ylzr0E9jhxFSLzHxR_XCYUEq0Wm-TJX87Vg6yhAYgVbPBg1bkrTPews7A4dnR7HYyhYYZp1WmR9rTWg1Udzk2TdRK68Sbzy-/s320/Julius-Malema-Zimbabwe-Nationalization.jpg" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 298px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>"We have no intention of selling further shares," James Teeger, group managing director of E. Oppenheimer & Son, the family's investment vehicle, told Reuters on Tuesday. The Oppenheimer family, which founded the diversified miner almost 90 years ago, sold 2.1 million shares, leaving it with 25.2 million shares, which makes up just under 2% of Anglo. The sale at an average price of about 3 044 pence, made known through a statement to the stock exchange, was for "portfolio rebalancing purposes", Teeger added. In November 2006, the Oppenheimers sold a third of its holding in Anglo to Chinese billionaire Larry Yung, also to diversify its assets. At the time, it said it planned to invest in areas that were traditionally countercyclical to the mining industry. The Oppenheimers also own 40% of De Beers, the world's biggest diamond group, of which Anglo owns 45%. Nicky Oppenheimer is chairperson of De Beers and a board member of Anglo. The Oppenheimer family ranked 154th on this year's Forbes list of billionaires, with an estimated fortune of $5bn. The Oppenheimers have been heavily involved in South Africa's business life since grandfather Ernest won control of a diamond operation formed by magnate Cecil Rhodes

When the Oppenheimer's sell their SA assets, you know it's time to leave SA

London - The Oppenheimer family has sold 7.7% of its holding in mining group Anglo American [JSE:AGL] for about £64m (R691m), but said it did not plan to sell any more. "We have no intention of selling further shares," James Teeger, group managing director of E. Oppenheimer & Son, the family's inves…

14Dec2010

The King is suing the court jester

Surely the President has much more pressing issues to consider? Crime? Corruption? Education? The pressing dire catastrophe with the bio-hazardous water beneath JHB's streets rising? <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQPMVPea1mR4K9G0tVX-YuRAcXTCSd-4xC92jXU1mKeY-CfRnC6DVmRfqPeJJ2d3BH7xpIO_QGG2yHJKAaxuTYX02OJeGbmJw-yeeXXhWsj24TfWtyfzwpb9lZcSnvl9SBWEnB_Ok5OZAG/s1600/zapiro-zuma-sues.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550752182189531298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQPMVPea1mR4K9G0tVX-YuRAcXTCSd-4xC92jXU1mKeY-CfRnC6DVmRfqPeJJ2d3BH7xpIO_QGG2yHJKAaxuTYX02OJeGbmJw-yeeXXhWsj24TfWtyfzwpb9lZcSnvl9SBWEnB_Ok5OZAG/s400/zapiro-zuma-sues.jpg" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 273px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>No, no... President Zuma would rather use his valuable time to sue a satirist for a cartoon published over two years ago. Seriously President Zuma, in light of your current failing government term you want to further bring more ridicule on yourself by suing a cartoonist? Hey everyone! It's the King suing the court jester! How grand and noble! This is truly a sign of how magnificent our President is... This is disgraceful behaviour and poorly timed. You should have done it two years ago if you were serious, Mr President. Now you just look pathetic and in need of cash for all those kids you've got now burdening the tax payer to allow you to afford your extravagant lifestyle. Shame on you Mr President. This is not how any President should ever act. You're scraping the bottom of the barrel and all those loyal supporters - the smart ones anyway – are quickly become less so.

The King is suing the court jester

Surely the President has much more pressing issues to consider? Crime? Corruption? Education? The pressing dire catastrophe with the bio-hazardous water beneath JHB's streets rising?No, no... President Zuma would rather use his valuable time to sue a satirist for a cartoon published over two years a…

14Dec2010

South Africa P.I.G.

Out with the old and in with the new

Celebrating 2011 A.D "Anno Domini"

Politician accuses poultry manufacturers of racism

SA Govt repeating past mistakes...Again, Still, Whatever!

Sorry for Apartheid...

Farm couple attacked by three black men

Business owner stabbed and stoned to death

Robbers shoot engineer in face at point-blank range - Pretoria

Pretoria Hairdresser found strangled to death

1,300 die on SA roads in Christmas carnage

'Tis the Season to be Merry

Besides abolishing Apartheid what else did the ANC government deliver to the masses?

Spitting on the faces of the corrupt

South African adverts threaten men with prison rape if caught drink driving

Prepare to pay to drive the new R21-billion Gauteng freeway system

SA bailout lets Cuba off the hook - ANC government writes off R1.1bn debt

Eish serias! People trying to "defeat imperialism" can't even organise an event

Just 8 Top Guns to fly our R27billion fighters

R370m Youth fest blunders on as delegates kiss, sing, dance and sleep

Life & Death Struggle For the Survival of ‘White Africans’

When the Oppenheimer's sell their SA assets, you know it's time to leave SA

The King is suing the court jester

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