South Africans Worldwide Newsletter

As stated last week, I’m now the captain of a medical rescue aircraft for a organization called MARS [Medical Air Rescue Service] based in Harare, Zimbabwe.

They have a 24 hour Call Centre, many well-qualified staff and 41 ambulances based throughout Zimbabwe. They cater for members from all the embassies, businesses [and individuals that can afford the aircraft flight].

Specialist requirements not available in Zimbabwe, usually result in a air transfer to Johannesburg facilities, so that’s where yours truly enters the picture.

Their aircraft now in use, a Bae Jetstream 31, is dedicated solely as a air ambulance, is well equipped with most apparatus to cater for the needs of the patients [there are 3 stretchers on board].

Visit www.mars.co.zw.

With recent Chinese trade agreements made, Zimbabweans now have
Chinese products, services and personnel. Whilst based in a country it’s prudent not to comment any further on the situation as it could result in unwanted consequences. Zipped my lips.

Suffice to say that Harare is deemed one of the world’s ideal city climates and it certainly is very pretty with beautiful tree-lined streets and lovely old colonial-style houses and buildings, mixed with modern ones.

The challenges of editing this newsletter from a new location are gradually being overcome.

I always welcome suitable contributions. So far I‘ve tried to use as many of those contributions sent to me as space permits, so if you don’t see yours published, don’t fret – I’ll try to use it later.

‘Till next week.

Theo

Letters to the Editor TOP

Nothing received

Quote/s of the Week TOP

People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within. - Elisabeth Kubler-Ross (submitted by DanielJan le Roux)

Take what you can use and let the rest go by. - Ken Kesey

Beware the pull on your heartstrings - it's often the pursestrings that are actually being reached for. - Barbara Mikkelson

Magnetism is one of the Six Fundamental Forces of the Universe, with the other five being Gravity, Duct Tape, Whining, Remote Control, and The Force That Pulls Dogs Toward The Groins Of Strangers. - Dave Barry.

Life Recipes TOP

On Marriage

• a.. Marriage should be a duet - when one sings, the other claps. - Joe Murray

• b.. A happy home is one in which each spouse grants the possibility that the other may be right, though neither believes it. - Don Fraser

• c.. More marriages might survive if the partners realized that sometimes the better comes after the worse. - Doug Larson

• d.. One advantage of marriage is that, when you fall out of love with him or he falls out of love with you, it keeps you together until you fall in again. - Judith Viorst

• e.. Marriage resembles a pair of shears, so joined that they cannot be separated; often moving in opposite directions, yet always punishing anyone who comes between them. - Sydney Smith

• f.. It isn't tying himself to one woman that a man dreads when he thinks of marrying; it's separating himself from all the others. - Helen Rowland

• g.. A marriage without conflicts is almost as inconceivable as a nation without crises. - Andre' Maurois

• h.. The value of marriage is not that adults produce children, but that children produce adults. - Peter De Vries

• i.. Getting married is easy. Staying married is more difficult. Staying happily married for a lifetime should rank among the fine arts. - Roberta Flack

• j.. A wedding anniversary is the celebration of love, trust, partnership, tolerance and tenacity. The order varies for any given year. - Paul Sweeney

• k.. The concept of two people living together for 25 years without a serious dispute suggests a lack of spirit only to be admired in sheep. - A.P.Herbert

• l.. Story writers say that love is concerned only with young people, and the excitement and glamour of romance end at the altar. How blind they are. The best romance is inside marriage; the finest love stories come after the wedding, not before. - Irving Stone

Ad Hoc Article/s of the Week TOP

De Klerk makes 'good progress'"

Former president FW de Klerk was making good progress on Saturday, following respiratory problems after an operation to remove a cancerous tumour. "He is being slowly taken off the ventilator, gradually starting to breathe by himself and has regained consciousness," said de Klerk's spokesperson, David Steward. De Klerk had surgery to remove a tumour from his colon at Cape Town's Panaroma Medi-Clinic on June 3. He developed respiratory problems four days later. He had a pipe inserted into his throat to help him breathe on Tuesday evening.

Read more here... http://www.news24.com

SA on Nigeria airport shortlist

Nigeria has short-listed three bidders for a contract to operate its fastest-growing airport located in Abuja, the privatisation agency said on Friday. The suitors are Airports Company of South Africa (Acsa) and two new local consortia, Nigeria International Airport Partners and the Nairanet consortium.

Read more here... http://www.fin24.co.za

Airport upgrade in pipeline for Plett

Holiday-makers may soon find it easier to get to Plettenberg Bay if a proposed airport upgrade project brings commercial airline flights directly to the popular Garden Route destination. The current airport serves only small, private aircraft and has a staff of only three: the airport manager and two refuellers.

Proposed upgrades for the airport include an extension of the runway, from 1 220 to 1 600 metres, improved facilities, and the construction of an air traffic control tower. Currently, air traffic into Plettenberg Bay is directed by the George Airport. The closest major airports to the resort town are those at George and Port Elizabeth.

Read more here... http://www.int.iol.co.za

SAA hijacking attempt: Man held

A 21-year-old man has been arrested after he allegedly threatened a South African Airways (SAA) crew member with a weapon, shortly after a plane took-off from the Cape Town International Airport. The passenger allegedly demanded access to the cockpit and, when denied, he threatened the crew member, said inspector Bernadine Steyn.

Read more here... http://www.news24.com

Pick'n Pay to add Fruit& Veg City to its stable

Supermarket chain Pick'n Pay said yesterday that it would be buying Fruit & Veg City although no purchase price was revealed. The deal is still subject to a due diligence review and competition authorities' approval. Fruit & Veg City operates 86 corporate and franchise stores nationwide and produced a turnover of R1.5 billion last year.

Read more here... http://www.busrep.co.za

New cellphone price war looms

There seems to be a possibility that cellphone users will again experience a tariff war similar to that of August and September last year. MTN this week cut its charges for the time slot between 17:00 and 20:00 by 40%. This will, however, only apply to prepaid packages.

Read more here... http://www.fin24.co.za

"High denomination" money-in Zim

Battling to keep pace with hyper-inflation, the Zimbabwe Reserve Bank plans to introduce a $1million bank note in September, after introducing a $100 000 note just last month. Bearer cheques -- introduced three years ago as a stopgap measure to deal with rapidly devaluing bank notes -- were meant to have a three-month life span, but have replaced the now worthless paper currency. Zimbabwe is the only country in the world that does not use real currency.

The proposed $1million bearer cheque is worth about R20. This is not enough to buy lunch for two at an average restaurant, or two days’ worth of groceries for a family of three.

Read more here... http://www.mg.co.za

Bits and Bobs TOP

Koeberg expected at 100% capacity by Monday

Nuclear power station Koeberg was operating at 90% capacity on Sunday and would be fully operational by Monday, Eskom said. "It is generating about 90% of its output ... The staff at Koeberg will continue monitoring the situation and increase capacity to 100% by tomorrow [Monday]," said company spokesperson Fanie Zulu. Supply interruptions stopped on Friday evening and electricity demand was met without incident on Saturday and Sunday.

Read more here... http://www.mg.co.za

SA firms play vital role in sub-Saharan Africa

South African companies were playing an important role in sub-Saharan Africa, it emerged in a UN Industrial Development Organisation (Unido) report on foreign direct investment that was released yesterday. Unido surveyed foreign subsidiaries or foreign-owned and operated firms in 15 sub-Saharan economies.

The survey revealed that South African investors in the region were largely in food, beverages, finance, marketing and communications. They had the highest number of graduates, paid the highest average wages, and spent the most on employee training.

"Six of the top 10 spenders … are South African companies," said the report. "Of the $39 million [R262 million] total spent on training, $13.4 million is spent by South Africans." On a training per worker basis, the countries benefiting the most from training by foreign-owned firms overall are Burkina Faso, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique and Tanzania.

Read more here... http://www.busrep.co.za

SA takes small steps to fight Aids on farms

South Africa is taking small steps to stop Aids from wreaking havoc on its key farming sector in a nation with one of the world's heaviest caseloads. A few NGOs and farmers have launched testing programmes, but the government has no specific policy for the sector that is emerging as one of hardest-hit by the pandemic. A pioneer project launched in four farms by AgriAids, an organisation that has been testing workers and providing them with free anti-retrovirals, has thrown up startling figures.

Read more here... http://www.mg.co.za

City's 'dead woman' declared alive again

Gladys Baloyi - the "dead" woman who has been walking in and out of the home affairs department demanding she be given an ID book - has been "resuscitated" by the department. Baloyi was declared dead by the department and presented with her death certificate - which she had to pay for so that it could be released. She had applied for an ID book in 1997, but was later told she was dead and could not get it.

After details of her ordeal was published in the Pretoria News last month, Home Affairs promised to revisit her case. The department has now delivered on its promise - nine years after her original application.

Read more here... http://www.int.iol.co.za

Mbeki heads up Burundi peace talks

President Thabo Mbeki arrived in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania early on Saturday morning where he will join east African regional leaders to discuss the Burundi peace process, the South African Foreign Affairs Department said. Spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said Mbeki would be joined by Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula, who was a facilitator of the process leading to the agreement, and Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Aziz Pahad.

Read more here... http://www.int.iol.co.za

Woman jailed for 'fender bender' with guard

A Cape Town journalist who was involved in a minor traffic accident says five uniformed policemen arrived at her home late at night, handcuffed her, threw her into a police van and locked her in a cell at Woodstock police station overnight and for most of the next day. Jo Kromberg, 36, said she was refused the right to make a telephone call or contact a lawyer during her hellish ordeal of 18 hours in the filthy, faeces-covered cell last weekend.

She told Weekend Argus that she had been involved in a minor "fender bender" accident with an ADT vehicle at Salt River Circle on Saturday evening.

Read more here... http://www.int.iol.co.za

No spanner in the works, says old mechanic

Britain's oldest mechanic is still working full-time - at the age of 99. Former World War 2 Sergeant Major Buster Martin maintains a fleet of 100 vans for a plumbing firm, reports the Sun. He retired at 97 but he applied for his current job after three months because he found retirement "boring".

He said: "There's nothing like a good day's hard grafting. I'm going to work until I die - which I reckon will be 125.

"There's nothing doddery about me. I love getting my hands dirty and bossing these youngsters about." Buster, who is 100 in September, puts his good health down to "the odd daily pint, a walk to the library and press-ups". - Ananova.com

http://www.int.iol.co.za

The Legal Beagle TOP

Nobody requested any help

Help Desk TOP

Nobody requested help.

Where are they now? TOP

Anyone have a suggestion where to do research on the Botha clan ?

Club and Other News TOP

No news received.

Humour TOP

The shopkeeper was dismayed when a brand new business selling almost everything he sold opened up next door and erected a huge sign that read, "BEST DEALS."

He was horrified when another competitor opened up a shop to the right of his store, and announced its arrival with an even larger sign, that read, "LOWEST PRICES."

The old shopkeeper was panicked, until he finally got an idea. He put the biggest sign of all over his own shop. It read, "MAIN ENTRANCE."

--------------------

Oh, No!" he gasped as he surveyed the disaster before him. Never in his 40 years of life had he seen anything like it. How anyone could have survived he did not know.

He could only hope that somewhere amid the overwhelming destruction he would find his 16-year-old son. Only the slim hope of finding Danny kept him from turning and fleeing the scene. He took a deep breath and proceeded. Walking was virtually impossible with so many things strewn across his path. He moved ahead slowly.

"Danny! Danny!" he whispered to himself. He tripped and almost fell several times. He heard someone, or something, move. At least he thought he did. Perhaps, he was just hoping he did. He shook his head and felt his gut tighten.

The smells were horrendous. He couldn't understand how this could have happened. There was some light but not enough to see very much. Something cold and wet brushed against his hand. He jerked it away. In desperation, he took another step then cried out, "Danny!"

From a nearby pile of unidentified material, he heard his son. "Dad..." he said, in a voice so weak it could hardly be heard.

"It's time to get up and get ready for school," Dad said.

"And please clean up this room!"

--------------------

After a detailed and lengthy study a South American scientist from Buenos Aires, Argentina has discovered that people with very low intellect read their e-mails with their hand on the mouse...

Don't bother taking it off now. It's too late.

Sports News TOP

Farwa crawls to Comrades gold

The Comrades taught her a lesson, Farwa Mentoor, said after she crawled to the finish line to take fifth overall. She was also the first South African woman home. "You might think that you are on top of the race and in control, but then the Comrades strikes back. Mentoor's legs simply refused to carry her when she was about 15m from the finish line. She had to crawl on all fours to cross the line.

She still finished as the first South African woman across the line for the fifth consecutive time, and in the process probably also became the first woman athlete to cross the finishing line on all fours.

Read more here... http://www.news24.com/

Top 10 Comrades results

Pietermaritzburg - The top 10 finishers in the 81st Comrades Marathon run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg on Friday.

MEN:

1 Oleg Kharitonov (Russia) 5:35:18

2 Brian Zondi (South Africa) 5:37:31

3 Vladimir Kotov (Russia) 5:40:55

4 Gregory Murzin (Russia) 5:41.25

5 Fusi Nhlapo (South Africa) 5:41:42

6 Jaroslaw Janicki (Poland) 5:42:05

7 Andrew Kelehe (South Africa) 5:44.19

8 Mincedisi Mkhize (South Africa) 5:44:27

9 Frans Chauke (South Africa) 5:46:00

10 Leboka Noto (South Africa) 5:47.28

WOMEN:

1 Elena Nurgalieva (Russia) 6:09:23 (UP RECORD)

2 Marina Bychkova (Russia) 6:12:57

3 Tatyana Zhirkova (Russia) 6:27:20

4 Maria Bak (Germany) 6:31:06

5 Farwa Mentoor (South Africa) 6:41:36

6 Yolande McLean (South Africa) 6:47:02

7 Riana van Niekerk (South Africa) 7:04:36

8 Madeleen Otto (South Africa) 7:17:07

9 Grace de Oliviera (South Africa) 7:24:10

10 Lindsay van Aswegan (South Africa) 7:24:12.

http://www.news24.com/

Fifa could change names of SA stadiums

South Africa's sport stadiums will be forced to change their names for the 2009 Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup to accommodate Fifa's chosen sponsors.

There is also confusion as to whether rugby matches would be forced to take place in stadiums under the new names, as the World Cup extends from the start of the Confederations Cup in 2009 to the end of the World Cup final in 2010 - a period of exactly a year.

The need for stadium name changes was disclosed during a meeting of the national sssembly's sport committee on Monday as MPs discussed the implications of the 2010 Fifa World Cup South Africa Special Measures Bill.

Read more here... http://www.int.iol.co.za

Advertising on South Africans Worldwide TOP

Readers are invited to place adverts on the website, www.saw.co.za as well as place ads in this newsletter, SAWmail.

Costs:

An article about your service or site - R 3000

Your banner - R 3000/month [on SAW home site & run of site]

Ad in SAW-mail- 4 lines of text - R 1000/issue.

[There are 27 000 subscribers to the Newsletter plus many thousands of "hits" on the web-site - Ed]

Reader's Interests or Hobbies TOP

Come on Reader's - this is your column !

Credits and Contact Info TOP

South Africans Worldwide - SAWmail Copyright © 1998 - 2006 Maesti

Editor in Chief: Maureen Cram
Editor: Theo Truter
Copy Manager: Theo Truter
Contributors: Everyone!
Web Development: Wizard
Post Master: Albert E. Stein
Hosting: Afrihost

SAWmail - An Internet service brought to you by Maesti.

Web: http://www.saw.co.za
E-mail: editor@saw.co.za
Tel: +27 11 704-5126
Fax: +27 11 704-5126

Subscribing and Unsubscribing TOP

SAWmail is only sent to subscribers and is never sent unsolicited

Please forward this message onto a friend!

Visit the link below to join up to SAWmail (subscribe):
http://maesti.mojo.jtm.co.za/cgi-bin/mojo/mojo.cgi?f=list&l=sawmailhtml

You're receiving this newsletter because you signed up to get it.
If you prefer, alas, not to receive email from us, you can unsubscribe
from SAWmail by visiting the link below: (un-subscribe):
http://maesti.mojo.jtm.co.za/cgi-bin/mojo/mojo.cgi?f=list&l=sawmailhtml

If you are having any technical problems with SAWmail, please send a message to: editor@saw.co.za

For advertising enquiries please contact us via e-mail: editor@saw.co.za

Disclaimer TOP

The editors, publishers, directors and shareholders of Maesti Web Consulting (being the holding company that publishes SAW) place on record that opinions and comment published in this newsletter are those of the authors, contributors and correspondents.

It should not be construed that we agree or disagree with any of the material. All information about events is published in good faith as received from the correspondents.

Visit South Africa's best web directory