The following was submitted by Monique van Schalkwyk
Horrific violence now an everyday sight as the Rainbow Nation ends in a pool of blood.
By Fred Bridgeland in Johannesburg
Oh, cry the beloved country
Read and weep as the horror unfolds and continues to spread ..........
The distinguished anti-apartheid novelist
André Brink has shocked
many of
his politically correct countrymen by warning that football's World
Cup,
coming to South Africa in 2010, threatens a "potential massacre
which could
make the Munich Olympics of a few decades ago look like a picnic
outing".
Brink, whose novels were banned by apartheid governments and who has
twice
been nominated for the Booker Prize and short-listed several times
for the
Nobel Prize for Literature, is no everyday scaremonger.
In one of a number of articles he has written about the crises
facing South
Africa, he said: "For 12 years after our first democratic elections
[held in
1994, resulting in Nelson Mandela becoming president] I went out of
my way
to assure people inside and outside the country who had doubts about
the new
South Africa that we were moving in the direction of democracy,
truth and
justice, and that the darker by-products of the change were
temporary and
superficial accidents. I can no longer do that."
While South Africa has bathed in the accolade of the Rainbow Nation
since
the end of apartheid in 1994, a torrent of commentators and swathes
of the
general public now say that the rainbow's end has been reached and
the
nation is sliding back into the storm.
Just this month , Nobel Peace Prize winner archbishop
Desmond Tutu
said
the
country had lost its "moral compass and reverence for life".
He said: "Is it not horrendous for an adult man to rape a
nine-month-old
baby? [a reference to the country's plague of baby rape in the
belief that
sex with infants cures Aids] What has come over us?"
Like many South Africans, Brink is appalled by violent crime levels
that are
seemingly out of control - he finally felt impelled to speak out
when his
own daughter, son-in-law and their children were caught in a
restaurant
hold-up of the sort that has become a near-everyday occurrence.
Five men armed with pistols stormed the Cape Town restaurant where
his
daughter's family were dining; ordered everyone to lie face down on
the
floor and strip themselves of rings, jewelry, watches, cell-phones
and
wallets. The men then emptied the safe and cash register and beat up
and
kicked the customers before herding them into a small back room,
locking it
and making their escape.
Apart from a single paragraph in a small community newspaper, the
incident
was not reported. "It is too insignificant," said Brink, "to banal,
to
commonplace in the new South Africa. No-one has been killed, no-one
raped.
It will not even rate as a statistic."
South Africa now ranks alongside Colombia, Chechnya and the occupied
Palestinian Territories as
among the most violent places on earth.
In a new
report, the South African Institute of Race Relations said that
one
million
whites have left the country in the past decade.
This is partly because of the escalating violence, but also because
they see
no future in a country once proclaimed as "non-racist" but which has
implemented a damaging raft of reverse-racist policies with
similarities to
those adopted by past white governments.
Most of those quitting are
highly
skilled people such as doctors, nurses and engineers and young
people born
too late to have ever voted in the apartheid era.
More whites began packing their bags for Europe, North America and
Australasia when
justice minister Charles Nqakula, responding to a
question
about the scores of daily murders and hundreds of daily rapes, told
parliament that those who complained about crime were "unpatriotic
moaners".
He went on: "They can continue to whinge until they're blue in the
face or
they can
simply leave this country."
The justice minister's implication was that only whites "whinged"
about the
rampant violence. But most of those raped, mugged and killed are
black
people . One woman, who had been gang-raped and mugged by fellow
blacks, and
who lives in a paralysis of fear in her township, wrote to a
newspaper
asking: "Where, honourable minister, do you suggest I go?"
And last week it was too late for 15-month-old Khensani Miteleni to
consider
going anywhere - she and her mother were caught in one of the
near-daily
wild west-style gunfights that make Johannesburg's city centre
resemble a
war zone.
Violence is just one element of the developing South African crisis:
A
vicious succession battle for supremacy is underway inside the
ruling
African National Congress; thousands of people die of Aids each week
and
thousands more become infected while president Thabo Mbeki and his
health
minister, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, deny there is any link between
the HIV
virus and Aids (eat more pap) and the Rand has collapsed faster than any other
currency
this year amid fears that former vice-president Jacob Zuma, who
narrowly
escaped conviction for rape and is currently on trial for fraud and
corruption, will become the next president.
As South Africa slid off the rainbow, one leading newspaper
columnist
warned: "We have all been lulled into a sense of false security over
the
past 12 years. We look north to Zimbabwe with pitying eyes and tell
ourselves it couldn't happen here.
"Well, my friends, the seeds have been sown. Just wait for the
harvest."
This contribution is from Carla McClachlan in England
I am going home, I just love the place, its sounds ..... its smells ...
I have been a bit slow in reading the last two newsletters as we have been moving and then went on holiday, but now that I have finally gotten down to it, I am enjoying reading through once again.
I don't actually eat meat (yes I am South African), but still love reading your newsletter.
There is one topic I would like to comment on, your 'Going home or staying put' article.
I agree that South Africa is suffering a backlash from apartheid days and that the crime is a sad state of affairs. I feel awful that you and many others have suffered. I am currently living in the UK and to be honest with you, I am more fearful here than back home. Not only of potential attack by individuals but by organized, political groups. I am horrified by what some of the teenagers are capable of here, where they go on sprees of attacks for no purpose whatsoever.
I am mentioning this because in South Africa people are subject to utter poverty and I honestly don't know how I would react to this situation (poverty stricken) should I be in it. Also, while this is no excuse, for many years black people were subject to the same and worse violence by the white people and for this reason I am not entirely surprised that there is this backlash.
My comparison is because the violence in South Africa comes from a place of desperation and vengeance, whereas here, there is NO reason other than sick pleasure.
I have been out of South Africa for three years now and go home (to Cape Town) every year. We were in Johannesburg this year and was amazed at how well our friends and family are doing. They do stay in these secure villages, but still enjoy a lovely quality of life. We are hoping to be able to go back to South Africa to live next year.
I have two groups of friends that I made while staying in Denmark who are so relieved to be back in South Africa as they found it extremely difficult to keep track of their teenage kids while in Denmark. There is a wholesomeness and old fashioned manners still present in South Africa that just doesn't seem to exist in Denmark and England. I am saying this from what I have heard from them as I don't have kids, but I have witnessed some very rude behaviour from kids this end of the equator.
When I moved to Denmark I thought that it epitomized everything I would hope for South Africa, but you know what, they have the highest level of depression and suicide.
People just don't seem to worry about other people.
In South Africa, people really care, they are friendly and smile so easily. I really enjoyed my time in Denmark and felt very welcome there, but it highlighted to me what not having to rely on anyone resulted in.
I believe that there is a new generation growing up in South Africa that has not been subject to apartheid or national service and frankly don't give too much of a hoot about it. They are tolerant of all races (and by-the-way I find South Africa one of the most tolerant, non judgmental places I have been to) and will start to influence changes which will make South Africa the absolute best place to be in the world.
I love the place now, the sights, sounds. Even the smell of the place makes me feel 'home'. I want to be there to be part of the solution, because I admit that solutions are required. It is HOME.
I hope I make some sort of sense. I understand that some people don't want to be in South Africa for many reasons.
I just happen to not be one of those.
Thank you once again for a fab newsletter.
Very best wishes
Carla McClachlan
England
carla_mclachlan@hotmail.com
This is from Marinda van der Brugghen. Marinda is one of our new subscribers this month.
Hello everybody!
I have been living in Naperville, Illinois, USA since March of this year.
We arrived here in the States in January and stayed in Chicago, Illinois for eight weeks as I gave birth here to my second daughter Storm. I have come to really enjoy where we live and my eldest daughter just enjoys the freedom she has here to run around in the street with her friends ( something she could not do in South Africa). It is very family orientated and that is great!
We still have to get use to the cold winters we have here! Already we have had a few nights where it has gone 3’C past freezing point. We got a taste of the cold when we arrived in January and could not believe that it could get this cold.
We actually do not mind it cause the sun is out and the skies are blue.
The people in the neighbourhood here were so tremendously nice when we moved in. They came over to welcome us and even brought us food.
Amazing!
I have become so used to the safety here and being able to walk with my dog at 22h00 at night and not feeling scared at all!
Thanksgiving is coming up soon and we will spend it with friends at their place so we can see all the traditional things they do and eat on this holiday. My eldest is in school and has already started speaking in an American accent. It is not too bad cause here in Illinois they actually speak a decent dialect.
Wishing you all of the best!
Regards,
Marinda van der Brugghen
Naperville, Il. USA
m.vanderbrugghen@comcast.net
The last contribution is from Sjoerd Walda from New Castle in South Africa
Hi there in Belgium. Not back yet in the good old country?
After living for 40 years in Helmond in Holland, I am back where I grew up as a kid for 14 years in Durban!
I also used to order Boerewors over the internet from a shop in the UK! But boy, was it expensive!
I bought your Biltong Maker through the Internet 5 years ago when i was still living in Holland and it's still going strong! Thanks a lot as we say here in KZN!
But since 18 months I am now back in Kwazulu-Natal, where I bought a house in Newcastle. I must say that the Boerewors and Droëwors is much cheaper than overseas!!
My name is Sjoerd Walda (male). I was born in Helmond in Holland in 1948. We went to South Africa in 1949 and lived there till 1963.
I went back on holiday 14 times and now I am back for good!
The reason i went to South Africa on holiday so often is because my only sister, who is 5 years older than me, lived in South Africa and in 1965 married a white guy from Durban!
So at the age of 56 I retired and left Holland for good.
Yes there is such a lot of crime here in South Africa and how the country changed since 1963!
But there is
only one South Africa with all its traditions and I am very happy here in Newcastle.
I still receive your newsletters and always like to read what South Africans overseas have to say about how much they miss there homeland!!
Kind regards,
Sjoerd Walda
New Castle, South Africa
sjwalda@tiscali.co.za
Congratulations ....
To all the kids born before the 1980's !!
First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us.
They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes.
Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paints.
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.
As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags.
Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.
We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.
We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank soda pop with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight because......
We were always outside, playing ....
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the street lights came on.
No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K!!
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
We did not have PlayStation's, Nintendo, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, no video tape movies, no surround sound, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat rooms ..........
WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.
We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.
We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them!
School sports had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!
These generations has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned
HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!
And if YOU are one of them!
CONGRATULATIONS!
You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated our lives for our own good.
And while you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave their parents were.
Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?!
Snippets from the papers
Zulu still angling for the big prize
Dolphins allrounder Lance Klusener says he would reconsider his Kolpak status in a heartbeat if he is called up to the Proteas team.
Full Story ...
Aussie PM predicts home win in Ashes Series
Prime Minister John Howard predicted Thursday that Australia would regain the Ashes but welcomed the return of "the old rivalry" to the series in recent years in a BBC interview.
Full Story ...
Land re-zoning for 2010 stadium to be appealed
The Green Point Common Association wants a firm guarantee that if Cape Town's 2010 stadium is built on the golf course site, the rest of the common would remain well-managed, public space for ever.
Full Story ...
Boks head out for 'tough' British tour
Scrumming coach Balie Swart has expressed his satisfaction with the Springbok pack, but also admitted a mighty challenge was awaiting them in Ireland and England over the next month
Full Story ...
Some unusual names in World Cup Masterplan
Even in Test match week, amid the pressures of the build-up to the international against Ireland, it has been easy to discern where Springbok coach Jake White's thoughts lie: Ten months ahead at the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
Full Story ...
-Where can you watch rugby on TV?-
Click here to find out where in most countries!
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Let's hear from you too!!
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Come on, let's hear from you too!
Many people subscribe to our newsletter and many more are joining every day. They do so because they enjoy reading it and they like to hear from people in other parts of the world.
They would love to hear from you too!!
Why not put pen to paper (or fingers to the keyboard!), and tell us about anything interesting. About life in your part of the world, what you do and how you live. Perhaps something that happened to you.
You might have a nice recipe to part with or perhaps a question to ask?
Perhaps you have some advice to give?
You never know how you could help somebody else with your own hints and tips.
Of course it does not have to be about Biltong or food. Anything that is of interest is welcome!
Share it with other people around the world!
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Boerewors (Europe only, sorry people!)
We have a freshly made batch in the freezers all vacuum packed and ready to go!
So if you need Boerewors just email us or call. You can either collect or we can mail it to you.
All our customers in Holland, Belgium and in fact, all over Europe are raving about the packing of and the condition in which the wors arrived at their doorsteps.
Just imagine some "lekker" pap and wors with a nice tomato and onion sauce!
Just give us a call on +32 (16) 53.96.25 or email us.
Our Boerewors is vacuum packed in quantities of about 500 gram.
The normal price is € 8.45 per kg but for the time being we will keep it at only € 7.95 per kg!!
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Droëwors for the UK and Europe!
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He said, "Please excuse me too; 
When I turned, I nearly knocked him down. 
He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise,
I said, "Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today;
The sub-cult of the Johannesburg Yofex is instantly recognizable. Its members drive white BMW 3 Series; nearly always have a cigarette between their fingers and a phone tucked under their ear so that they have to drive with their heads sharply inclined to one side. Not that I am one to generalize, you understand.
Kerskoek and Cape Brandy Pudding
The spices are of course imported especially from South Africa so you will get the "real" thing!
