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| Contents |
Issue No. 366 -- 1 May 2006 |
Editor's Message
Letters to the Editor
Quote/s of the Week
Life Recipes
Ad Hoc Article/s of the Week
Bits and Bobs
The Legal Beagle
Help Desk
Where are they now?
Club and Other News
Humour
Recipes
Sports News
Advertising on South Africans Worldwide
Reader's Interests or Hobbies
Credits and Contact Info
Subscribing and Unsubscribing
Disclaimer
| Send this Issue to a Friend! |
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It’s always tragic to have to publish bad news. In this case about the 3 flying accidents involving South African aircraft. Once again our sincere sympathy with the families.
I knew some of them too. As always the media have splashed these events all over, but the vast amount of road accidents are hardly “worthwhile news”!
By contrast the fracas about passports seem almost amusing. Eventually we hope to learn which of the reports are reflecting the correct procedures. Readers are invited to write in to relate what they experienced.
As Readers can see, we touched a nerve by daring to publish a story [as received] in Afrikaans. What a pity! – as there still are thousands of South African Expats out there that somehow didn’t suddenly forget their mother tongue! [julle beter dit maar ook met ‘n vertaling uitstuur asb. kêrels!]
Due to a PC crash, I’ve lost many contributions, so please re-send last week’s e-mails so that I can rectify matters. Oh yes... I did save much – but not all! The benefit of the resultant format is of course that the PC concerned now works much better too! I’m quite sure there must be many Readers who could write to me about their PC experiences.
Do you remember the photo of the self-feeding ceramic pot for African Violets? Our production had to be stepped up so as to keep up with the tremendous demand!
Mother’s Day [on 14 May in SA] will undoubtedly engender further demand. Now my wife is encouraged to experiment further with the principle by applying it to bigger pots. The trouble with bigger pots is that casting them becomes back-breaking!
Have a good week.
Theo
| Letters to the Editor |
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Well besides finding the newsletter interesting, I think you should keep in mind that this letter is sent world wide and forwarded to many personal friends who do not read Afrikaans. Myself included. I presume that Pieter!! is writing about USA and Canada, but I could not make head or tail of what he was nattering about!!
I think you will find that it would be wise to get English translations for the Afrikaans articles.
Irene Faithfull
calace@att.net
California, USA
Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. - Dale Carnegie
The Old Man and the sea
After a few of the usual Sunday evening hymns, the church’s pastor once again slowly stood up, walked over to the pulpit and gave a brief introduction of his childhood friend. With that a elderly man stepped up to the pulpit to speak.
"A father, son and a friend of his son were sailing off the Pacific Coast" he began, "when a fast approaching storm blocked any attempt to get back to shore. The waves were so high, that even though the father was an experienced sailor, he could not keep the boat upright and the three of them were swept into the ocean."
The old man hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with two teenagers who were, for the first time since the service began, looking somewhat interested in his story. He continued, "Grabbing a rescue line, the father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life... to which boy would he throw the end of the line?" He had only seconds to make the decision.
The father knew that his son was a Christian and he knew that his son’s friend was not. The agony of his decision could not be matched by the torrent of the waves. As the father yelled out "I love you son!" he threw the lifeline to his son’s friend. By the time that he pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beyond the raging black swells into the night. His body was never recovered.
By this time the two teenagers were sitting straighter in the pew, waiting for the next words to come out of the old man’s mouth. "The father" he continued, "knew his son would step into eternity with Jesus and he could not bear the thought of his son’s friend stepping into eternity without Jesus. therefore he sacrificed his son. How great is the love of God that he should have done the same for us?"
With that the old man turned and sat down in his chair as silence filled the church.
Within minutes after the service ended, the two teenagers were at the old man’s side. "That was a nice story" politely started one of the boys, "but I don’t think it was very realistic for a father to give up his son’s life in the hopes that the other boy would become a Christian."
"Well you’ve got a point there", the old man replied, glancing down at his worn Bible. A big smile broadened his narrow face and he once again looked up at the boys and said "It sure isn’t very realistic, is it? But I’m standing here today to tell you that that story gives me a glimpse of what it must’ve been like for God to give up His Son for me."
"You see... I was the son’s friend."
[with acknowledgement to "The Messenger", St.John’s United Church, Pietermaritzburg - as published in "Faith for Daily Living – issue #414"]
| Ad Hoc Article/s of the Week |
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SA pilots killed in DRC crash
Two South African pilots were killed when their plane crashed on approach to the town of Lubutu in the northern regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Captains Andre Nel and Charles Greyvenstein died on Thursday when the South African-registered Convair 580 aircraft they were piloting fell from the sky on approach to the Amisi airport at Lubutu. Among the eight killed in the crash were two Congolese air crew and four Congolese passengers. The pilots were flying cargo from Goma to Lubutu under contract for the Congolese Peace Airlines Company.
Read more here... http://www.iol.co.za
Second SA plane missing in the DRC
A South African registered plane has gone missing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Peter Smerdon, spokesperson for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said on Saturday the search for the South African plane chartered by them was continuing. "They resumed the search this morning but nothing was found yet," he said.
Contact with the Caravan light plane with two crew members and one passenger was lost early on Friday morning after taking off from Goma in the Eastern DRC. It was flying to Bunia. A search for the missing plane was being co-ordinated by the UN Mission in the DRC.
Read more here... http://www.iol.co.za
Missing SA plane found
Johannesburg - A South African chartered plane which went missing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was found crashed on the mountains bordering Uganda on Sunday. Phindiwe Gwebu, spokesperson for the SA Civil Aviation Authority said the plane, a Cessna Caravan light plane carrying two crew members and a passenger, was found on the Ugandan side of the Rwenzori Mountains at 08:45.
Read more here... http://www.news24.com/
3 die in horror plane crash
Three Cape Aero Club pilots, one of them a chief instructor, died when their light aircraft nose-dived into trees at Camphill Village near Atlantis soon after 1pm yesterday. Chief instructor Jaochim "Rod" Rodrigues, Mohammed Abdallah and Rossouw van der Watt were killed in the crash, described as "violent" by Cape Aero Club president Schalk Burger.
Read more here... http://www.capetimes.co.za
[Condolences to all families -Ed]
Home affairs in passport crisis
A national embargo has been placed on the issuing of routine South African passports as no new passport blanks were available for processing, the Witness reported on Friday. Its website quoted immigration lawyer Attie Tredoux as saying: "This is shocking and a national crisis." Tredoux, a former senior Home Affairs official, said it was the first time in the country's history that the department simply had no new passport blanks available. He said the handful of new passports still held by the department had now been reserved for "emergency cases".
Read more here... http://www.iol.co.za
Dept of Home Affairs denies lack of passports
Department of Home Affairs said on Friday it has never placed any embargo on the issuing of passports and has not run out of paper for passports. It was reacting to news reports on Friday saying that no new passport blanks were available for processing.
Read more here... http://www.mg.co.za
Passport pain for SA citizens living abroad
Getting in and out of the country is not as easy as it used to be for South Africans with dual citizenship. Two South Africans who live and work abroad recently became aware, to their chagrin, of their ignorance of new laws and the "incompetence" of customs officials administering them.
Read more here... http://www.iol.co.za
Home affairs has no answers to passport ban
The Home Affairs Department had no answers on Thursday for people hoping to travel to the United Kingdom, given its moratorium on temporary passports issued by South Africa. "People will be informed," departmental spokesperson Nkosana Sibuyi said in the afternoon, but could not provide details of when and how this would be done. "The department is working on the issue," he added.
Read more here... http://www.iol.co.za
Temporary passports to go, says home affairs
South Africa plans to phase out temporary passports for those wanting to travel abroad, the Department of Home Affairs has announced. The department's image and the integrity of South African passports have again come under the spotlight, with a decision by the British government to withdraw the right for holders of temporary South African passport to enter the United Kingdom.
Acknowledging that there was a problem, ministerial adviser Mike Ramagoma said on Thursday that South Africa had already decided to do away with temporary passports.
Read more here... http://www.iol.co.za
Harry honours Princess Diana
Prince Harry, third in line to the British throne, on Friday launched a charity in memory of his late mother Princess Diana to help Aids orphans in Lesotho. "As I said... two years ago, I wanted to carry on as best as I could what she started and what better place than to do it here?" the 21-year-old Harry said at the charity's launch in the small and poor mountain kingdom.
The young prince returned to Lesotho to launch his "Sentebale" charity - which means "forget me not" in the local seSotho language - in memory of Diana, a campaigner for the poor and AIDS activist until her death in 1997. Harry told reporters that Diana was a "massive" inspiration to the project while he also paid tribute to the mother of his royal Basotho friend and charity co-founder, Prince Seeiso. Queen Mamohato - a much-loved figure in Lesotho - died in 2003.
Read more here... http://www.news24.com
White farmers need leases
White commercial farmers who want to continue farming in Zimbabwe must apply for leases on their land, a government minister was quoted as saying on Saturday. Flora Buka, the Minister of State for Special Affairs Responsible for Land, Land Reform and Resettlement said white farmers had to apply for "offer letters" - official permission from the government to farm - "as any other people are required to do so." Buka said 500 white farmers had applied for permission so far.
Read more here... http://www.mweb.co.za/
New Zim bill 'fascist'
Zimbabwean rights groups on Friday said they were outraged at plans to introduce a new bill which will enable state agents to eavesdrop on private conversations and monitor faxes and emails. The government has drafted the Interception of Communications Bill that will set up a spy centre to "monitor and intercept certain communications" from a variety of sources, said a draft of the bill of which AFP obtained a copy on Friday.
Under the proposed law, telecommunication service providers will be compelled to install devices to enable interception of phone conversations, faxes and emails.
Read more here... http://www.mweb.co.za/news
Zim farmers threaten pull out
Angered by poor returns on their crops, Zimbabwe's struggling tobacco farmers have threatened to stop production, the official Herald newspaper reported on Thursday. The tobacco selling floors opened on Monday but farmers say the prices they are getting are "uneconomic", the Herald reported.
Read more here... http://www.fin24.co.za
Zim wants white farmers back
Zimbabwe is ready to allow the return of white farmers who were driven off their farms under President Robert Mugabe's land reform program, the agriculture minister told AFP on Wednesday.
Read more here... http://www.news24.com/
Villagers want elephants out
Villagers in southern Zambia have threatened to dig trenches to capture herds of marauding elephants, accused of destroying crops and food stores, if authorities do not tackle the problem, reported the country's newspapers on Thursday. Villagers say the animals have also attacked people, and have accused the Zambian Wildlife Authority (ZWA) of inaction.
Zambian authorities however, maintain that the elephants must be protected as part of the country's conservation aims, and because of the elephant's tourism value.
Read more here... http://www.news24.com
Dancing with ghosts
"I believe that children are the future." That’s how the George Benson song goes; clearly he (and Whitney Houston after him) were not averse to stating the obvious. Nor, it seems are South Africa’s talk-show optimists, ever in search of a formula to soothe the cracked skin of national consciousness.
“The real change will come with the next generation,” they say. Or, “I think about the way the kids are growing up today, they just don’t see race.”
Read more here... http://www.mg.co.za/
We Urge You to Get Tested
by Mike Preston
Sunday Times (Johannesburg) - NEWS -April 23, 2006 - posted to the web April 24, 2006 By Claire Keeton-Johannesburg
DO YOU know someone with HIV?
Even if you think the answer is no, you probably do -- but either the person does not know that he or she has the virus or has not confided in you about it. An estimated three to four million South Africans are living with HIV without knowing it. Moreover, about half of those who said in the latest national survey that they were safe from HIV already had the virus.
They indicated that they "would definitely or probably not get infected with HIV" when they had, in fact, tested positive, according to the 2005 South African National HIV Survey.
The only way to tear down the wall of deadly ignorance around HIV/Aids is to dismantle it brick by brick, each person testing for HIV to take care of heir health and that of their loved ones.
To motivate Sunday Times readers to get tested, we approached high-profile South Africans to be role models and lead the way, along with Sunday Times editor Mondli Makhanya.
Celebrities signed up with enthusiasm in the hope this would encourage their fans to do the same. Select Cabinet ministers and business leaders either declined or could not find the time to take part.
Model Babalwa Mneno was the first to support the Sunday Times initiative, joined by DJ Cleo (Cleophas Monyepao), SABC TV news presenter Leanne Manas and boxer Lehlohonolo Ledwaba.
The Sunday Times made it clear the test results would be confidential. Even if individuals wanted their status published this would not be done as testing and disclosure are separate processes. As Judge Edwin Cameron, who has been living openly with HIV since 1999, said: "It is important to keep the testing [initiative] separate from disclosure or people will fear testing."
A false sense of security about not contracting HIV, on the one hand, or fear of already being infected, on the other, are major barriers to HIV testing. Two-thirds of participants in the 2005 survey had never had an HIV test. Their reasons included: Not believing they were at risk or HIV-positive; Trusting their partners; Being afraid of finding out their status; and not being ready to test.
"Less than 1% were concerned about lack of confidentiality, stigma, job loss or standard of service," the survey by the Human Sciences Research Council found. Dr David Harrison, CEO of Aids awareness organisation loveLife, said: "People don't think they are at risk and so they have no incentive to get tested.
"The first step to behaviour change is understanding risk; the second step deciding the risk is not worth taking," he said.
For this reason one of loveLife's campaigns links HIV to life events when individuals could be motivated to have an HIV test, for example, being pregnant.Harrison said nearly half the youngsters (45%) surveyed knew someone who had died of Aids. Dr Sue Goldstein, senior research manager for the Soul City health institute, said that about half (54%) of participants in its 2004 study said that Aids had affected their family. The Soul City survey showed: Less than a quarter of respondents knew their partner's HIV status; and sixty two percent did not know their own HIV status.
"Still there is an overwhelming assumption among people that they are HIV-negative if they do not know their status. This is hugely harmful," Goldstein said. People who know they have HIV can take steps to stay healthy, such as eating well, and sign up for treatment. "If people wait until they are sick to test, then it may be too late and they will die," Goldstein warned.
Soul City actress Conny Setjeo is an outstanding example of someone living positively with HIV. When she discovered in 1999 that she was HIV-positive, she wanted to kill herself. Instead, she took control of her life and now acts, writes poetry and runs her own company which advises on HIV in the workplace. She said her family and friends showed her support and love after her disclosure that she was HIV-positive. She said the perception that HIV was a "bad disease", linked to high-risk behaviour such as promiscuity and drug use, allowed people to distance themselves from it.
"The majority think we do not fall into these categories so HIV doesn't affect us. "What scares people about disclosing they are HIV-positive is that people will think they've had multiple partners. In my case, I was married at 21 and my [ex-] husband was unfaithful." Setjeo said people, especially men, struggled to believe she has HIV since she looks healthy. "I'm so full of life that if I don't say anything about my status, people will not know."
Mini Coopers beat Africa in 13000km 'odyssey'
Three Mini Cooper S hatchbacks painted with the South African flag have completed a 49-day, 13 000km journey through the length of Africa and across Europe.
They are now in Oxford, southern England – the home of the original Mini back in the 1960's – after crossing 10 countries during their "Mini Odyssey" that started in Johannesburg on March 8.
Read more here... http://www.motoring.co.za
Nobody needs help this week
Nobody requested help this week.
Nobody is looking for anyone this week.
South African Circle : San Diego, California
Latest News:
We wish to thank all of you that have attended our social events, it's great to see new faces and hear your exciting stories about coming to America. For those of you who have not attended an event we hope to see you soon!
The Free Kudu Club T-shirt went to Megan our new US of A citizen of two weeks - Congrats Megan.
Upcoming Events:
With summer around the corner look forward to our "Bonfire on Moonlight Beach Evening" coming your way soon.
Our Next Social Event in San Diego: This social event is Free! all you need do is turn up...
When: Thursday - May 25, 2006
Place: 94th Aero Squadron Restaurant & Pub
Time: 5.30pm - 7.30pm
Dress: California Casual
Complimentary Buffet, Happy Hour and Plenty of Free Parking
How to find the event:
94th Aero Squadron Restaurant, 8885 Balboa Ave, San Diego, CA 92123
Contact Info:
Click on link below for more information on venue.
http://www.94thaerosquadron.signonsandiego.com/
Visit SA Circle online:
http://www.sacircle.com
or visit us at:
http://expatsa.meetup.com/14/events/4913995/?gj=sj29
Email us:
info@sacircle.com
See you all there...
Theo & Gail
Joke-sent by DanielJan:
During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the Director what the criterion was which defined whether or not a patient should be institutionalized.
"Well," said the Director, "we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to empty the bathtub."
"Oh, I understand," said the visitor. "A normal person would use the bucket because it's bigger than the spoon or the teacup."
"No." said the Director, "A normal person would pull the plug. Do you want a bed near the window?"
--------------------------------------------------------
A Dutchman was explaining the red, white and blue Netherlands flag to an American.
"Our flag is symbolic of our taxes. We get red when we talk about them, white when we get our tax bills, and blue after we pay them."
The American nodded. "It's the same in the USA only we see stars too!"
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These one-liners submitted by Maureen Cram:
I used to work in a blanket factory, but it folded.
Marriage is the mourning after the knot before.
A hangover is the wrath of grapes.
Corduroy pillows are making headlines.
Is a book on voyeurism a peeping tome?
Sea captains don't like crew cuts.
Does the name Pavlov ring a bell?
A successful diet is the triumph of mind over platter.
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
A gossip is someone with a great sense of rumor.
Grecian Stuffed Potatoes
Twice baked potatoes aren't just plain anymore. Just try this recipe and you will love it like I do. This is also something fancy to do if you are trying to impress someone with your cooking. You can prepare them ahead of time and broil them just before serving. Remember, for an elegant look, pipe the stuffing back into the potato with a pastry bag.
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients:
4 baking potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons minced kalamata olives
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup diced tomato
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash potatoes. Poke a few times with a fork, then wrap in foil. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until tender.
Remove potatoes from foil and cut in half. Use a spoon to scoop out insides and place in a large mixing bowl. Save skins.
Heat olive oil in a skillet. Sauté artichoke hearts, onions, kalamata olives, garlic and oregano. Add mixture to the potatoes. Add milk and butter and mash all ingredients together until they are smooth. (An electric mixer can be used.) When smooth, fold in feta, tomato and dill.
With a spoon stuff the potato mixture back into the potato skins. (For a more decorative look, use a pastry bag and tip.)
Place under the broiler or bake until the tops become golden brown.
With acknowledgement to http://www.Chef2Chef.net
Comrades Marathon icon Wally Hayward dies
Johannesburg, South Africa
Veteran marathon runner Wally Hayward has died at the age of 97, the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) said on Friday.
Spokesperson Gary Boshoff said the icon of the Comrades Marathon died in an old-age home in Johannesburg where he spent his last years.
"A couple of weeks ago, he was at a function where a cheque was handed to him. He looked very frail at the time."
Hayward's athletic career spanned a period of 60 years, during which he competed and excelled at distances from 100m to 100 miles, the association said in a statement.
He won his first Comrades Marathon at the age of 21 in 1930, after having won the national 10-mile championship earlier in the year.
"On his return to the race in 1950, he was discounted as a serious contender on the basis of his age -- only to prove the critics wrong as he took the lead from halfway and won in a time of six hours and 46 minutes."
Having competed on the track in his early 20s, he represented South Africa in the Empire and Olympic Games in the standard marathon and set world records for ultra-marathon distances.
Hayward remained best known for his achievements in the Comrades Marathon.
In 1988, friends persuaded him to participate in the 1988 Comrades Marathon at the age of 79.
"The nation was stunned as the 79-year-old hero crossed the finish line in a remarkable nine hours and 44 minutes," the association said. "Wally's most dramatic moment came the following year, 1989, when he completed the down run at the age of 80."
Veteran South African Broadcasting Corporation running commentator Ian Laxton remembers Hayward as an extremely talented athlete and doubts that South Africa will ever produce a running icon of his calibre.
"I really remember Wally from his later years in road running," said Laxton. "However, this is an enormous loss and his passing will leave a huge gap in the sport. I don't see South Africa producing the likes of Wally again.
"He was an extremely talented person and was just born to run. He was big, strong, powerful and was very determined and became a pioneer in training and record breaking.
"Wally was just incredible in 1988 in the up run of the Comrades and in 1989, at the age of 80, struggled to make the cut-off time, which brought tears to our eyes. He was also a quiet and friendly man.
"We feel very sad, especially the running fraternity as a whole," concluded Laxton.
The CMA added: "Wally was cherished as an icon and will be remembered as an inspiration to thousands of runners." -- Sapa
From: http://www.mg.co.za
Minute's silence for Comrades great Hayward
The race organisers will pay tribute to Hayward with a minute's silence before the start of the marathon as well as a memorial tent where participants can contribute to the Wally Fund. The sponsors will also contribute towards the Wally Fund. Read more...
http://www.iol.co.za
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| Credits and Contact Info |
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South Africans Worldwide - SAWmail Copyright © 1998 - 2006 Maesti
Editor in Chief: Maureen Cram
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