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South African woman recieves death sentence
Ilda Jacobs Washington DC - South African Barbara Scholtz has just received her indirect death sentence. This 59-year old woman from Waco, Texas, was diagnosed HIV-positive two years ago. Although HIV/AIDS is hanging over Scholtz's head, the immediate death threat to her life is not her HIV positive condition. Scholtz claims her death sentence would be her deportation to South Africa, where HIV/AIDS drugs are neither accessible nor affordable in the country ravaged by the disease. Presently, her green card status is in jeopardy after the recent termination of her marriage to "the man of her dreams", US citizen Bill Williams. If a marriage in the United States is terminated before two and a three-quarter years, the green card does not "stick". Scholtz now faces probable deportation back to her home country after Williams reported the divorce to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Williams said Scholtz used him for a green card. "She is a liar, all she likes is money" Williams claimed. "She beguiled me into a relationship with her by using my sympathy. She psychologically tried to manipulate me." Willaims recently divorced Scholtz after being married for just over a year. He filed for a divorce on the grounds of insupportability. The divorce was granted to him by default, as Scholtz failed to appear in court. He claims their brief marriage have cost him 17 000 U.S. dollars. He allegedly paid for Scholtz's two sons to visit the U.S., bought her a new car and paid for medical and dental bills. "Whatever I felt for her, is long gone." Williams said Scholtz met Williams at an HIV support group in Texas in July 1999. Two weeks later, on July the 23, 1999, she became Mrs. Bill Williams. "God certainly leaves the best for last," Barbara said shortly after the wedding. She said she honestly believed that real love had come across her path to provide meaning to her life again, and being Mrs. Bill Williams had made her the happiest woman in America with a second chance to life. Scholtz received her provisional green card and her right to stay in America, which gave her access to affordable health care and drugs. Unfortunately, the marriage that seemed to have been made in heaven, became an evolving nightmare. Barbara says their sexual relationship was degrading. When she wanted sex, Barbara allegedly had to ask her husband to "accommodate" her. Williams claims Scholtz did not want him sexually. "She didn't want my body," he said. He accused Scholtz of trying to lure him into sleeping with her oldest, gay son. "She is the only person responsible for our break-up" Williams said. In June this year, Barbara was diagnosed with breast cancer. A week before her first operation, Williams left her after allegedly clearing out their apartment. Scholtz says she has had not had contact with Williams ever since, and maintains that he has not given her any explanation or motivation for his termination of their marriage. Williams obtained a lifelong restraining order which forbids Scholtz to contact him in order to avoid him from being harassed by her. According to Williams' lawyer, Beverly Crowden, the restraining order was placed on Barbara for "harassing behaviour." Crowden was not prepared to comment on the case, and maintained that privileged information about the case could not be revealed. "She is history," Williams said. "She was hiding it behind love, but she was using me." Scholtz claims her life has fallen apart ever since the divorce. She underwent intensive radiation therapy which left her exhausted, and biopsies and lumpectomies followed. At the same time, the divorce proceedings and court hearings started and Barbara suffered physically and emotionally. Scholtz says she had to cope without financial or emotional support from the man who once claimed that he loved her. She also claimed that she now knows the truth about the Romeo whom she had made her eternal vows to. According to Scholtz, a close friend revealed to her that Williams was gay, and had been for several years. Scholtz had been the laughing stock of the gay community in the small Texas town, the friend said. Williams denied this allegation. "I am not gay," he said. Willaims had an agenda in his reasons for marrying her all along, but these only became apparent after their separation, Scholtz now claims. Williams was allegedly able to receive larger veterans' benefits as a married couple. He has now retained these after the divorce, Barbara says. She believes Williams left her because he has just received 25 000 US dollars from the Veterans Administration. Williams denied these allegations. He said he is on the Veterans Disability scheme, and he is struggling financially. He claimed to have had 27, 000 dollars in the beginning of 2000, of which he now has nothing left. The marriage, the subsequent divorce and obtaining his new apartment after he moved out, has eaten up all his resources, he claims. Williams said he would now have to get friends to pay for his funeral. Willaims regards Scholtz's decision to reveal her HIV status publicly, as another act of manipulation in order for her to stay in the U.S. Scholtz says she wants justice. "I loved him and I believed him," Scholtz says. "He was saving my life, and now he just wants me out of the USA." When Scholtz left Cape Town in 1998 to visit her daughter in Texas, she was a perfectly healthy lady who had worked as a legal secretary. Her daughter and son-in-law were trainee evangelists in the States. Scholtz had just come out of a stable six year relationship in South Africa, which she ended when she found out that her partner was bisexual. Her daughter and her husband were having a very hard time financially, and desperate for money, Scholtz decided to sell her blood and plasma. In Texas 25 US dollars per pint is paid to blood donors. The doctor on duty gave her the devastating news about her HIV positive status. Her diagnosis changed her approach to life dramatically. "Death has become a part of my daily life" Scholtz said. She turned to the Department of Health in Texas, who gave her another blood test as well as assistance with regards to medication. She joined a support group where she met Williams. Her marriage to Williams seemed to be the blessing from above. "At the age of 59, I've been given a second lease on life getting the medication for 10 dollars a month, I wish HIV positive people in South Africa had the same chance as I have," she said shortly after her marriage. In March this year, she was still a happily married woman who could not believe how fortunate she was. "When I read that Mbeki says AZT is "bad" and/or no good, I shudder and wish that I could do something for my people in South Africa that are dying of AIDS and HIV positive related diseases." Scholz said earlier. She considered herself to be lucky because she was given the chance to have a second life and love. "I am one of the lucky ones I have been spared a certain death without the necessary drugs I require to keep me alive," she said during better days. Now she is desperately looking for the silver lining around the threatening clouds after the termination of her marriage. "I cannot go back to South Africa because of this HIV thingie that I have" Scholtz now pleads, "I am on the Texas Department of Health HIV plan, the cancer association is paying for my radiation and cancer medication and I am on the McLennon County prescription plan for my other medications." In order to support herself, she found work in a truckstop where some of the rough and ready truckers have asked her whether she got HIV from eating monkey meat. Despite this, Barbara is still the spirited, hearty woman with the good sense of humour who would advertise in a South African newsletter that she was an available boerevrou who needed a husband. "The good thing is that I have lost some 15 pounds in weight the bad thing is the enormous waves of tiredness that attack me every now and then," Scholtz said. Although the potentially deadly HIV virus resides in her body, she can look forward to a relatively long life if she remains in the United States, she claims. © RSA-Overseas & Matheson Communications [ Top ]  Kytie Koekblik ColumnIlda Jacobs Washington D.C. - Dit was op M-TV Maandag-aand, 'n program oor Suid-Afrika. Die Berg was natuurlik in die program, so ook die mooiste, mooiste Kaap, die palms van Kampsbaai, die berge, die rotse. Nooit gedink ek sal selfs loodregte rotse mis nie. Ons Goddelike mooie land. Ek noem dit Berg-blues. Dit het my volstoom na die naweek platgetrek, en ek wou net huis toe, huis toe. Bloubergstrand toe, na my honde, my ma'le en my mooiste Kaap toe. Ek was laas naweek in New York City om my favourite Suid-Afrikaanse band te gaan opsoek, die Springbok Nude Girls. Die Springbok Nude Girls het hulle nuwe cd gaan mix in New York, en toe ek Vrydag-nag daar opdaag, kon ek in die hartjie van Manhatten gaan sit en luister na musiek uit die Home. 'n Grootste ervaring. Eerstens is daar iets ongeloofliks om na nuwe musiek uit Suid-Afrika in 'n wereldstad te luister. Te hoor hoe ons grooves 'n SA flavour het, hoe ons mense Suid-Afrikaners is. Tweedens het dit gevoel asof ek vir die eerste keer in maande met regte mense kon praat, so tuis het ek gevoel in ons gesprekke, dis daardie klein goetertjies, soos verwysings na Oppikoppi-musiek fees en Pippie Langkous. Sommer 'n hele klompie liggies het aangegaan in my kop. Ewe skielik het ek besef hoe ontuis ek voel in hierdie Macdonalds-plek. Nie soseer oor Amerika self nie, maar oor jou verwysingsveld wat soveel verskil van die mense wat jy ontmoet. Met tye voel dit amper onmoontlik om te dink my vriendskappe gaan ooit weer daardie dimensies en diepte gaan bereik wat jy met mense van jou eie kultuur en land kan aanknoop. En ek was nooit een vir Afrikaner-laertrek nie, my vriendekring het bestaan uit Afrikaners, Zimbabweans, Suid-Afrikaanse Engelse en Portugese, mense met dieselfde belangstellings, met die land as ons groot bron van inspirasie en frustrasie. Ek het ons mense gemis. My mense. Myself ook gemis in 'n mate. Vervreemding. Mid binne-in New York City, op die metros van Washington. Daardie gevoel dat jy 'n deel van jouself hier vind in die vryheid van 'n nuwe kontinent, en ook die bekende jy verloor. Ek het altyd kaalvoet geloop by die huis, soms sommer vinnig die kafee of die Spar ingedraf sonder skoene. Anders boer ek in sulke goedkoop Adidas plat tekkies of sandale - vir die swakke kniee. Toe is dit nie volgens die DC dresscode geskik vir 'n trendy kafee/bar nie, en moins moet huis toe om te gaan hakskoene soek. En die hakskoene knyp my verskriklik, dit was laatnag, die taxis jaag verby ons en my kniegie is seer en ek trek die goed summier uit. Ons was in die omgewing van die joolbuurt Adams Morgan aan die rondsoek na 'n taxi. "Put on your shoes" gil 'n jong Amerikaanse meisie met daardie kenmerkende nasale klankie in die stem vir my. Verdwaas dog ek, nou vir wat. Ek moet toe later hoor hoe streng hulle daaroor is, in hierdie stad. Selfs 'n vyfjarige word nie binne 'n winkel toegelaat sonder skoene nie - om redelike higienise redes. Maar iets in my kom in opstand daarteeen, teen die sogenaamde vryheid in die land van "liberty." Dit voel altyd asof die oog van die gereg oor jou skouer voel in Amerika, asof jy enige oomblik opgesluit kan word vir 'n benullige ou oortredinkie. Dit is lyk my die probleem, die polisiemanne hierrond het nie genoeg werk nie.. Maar aan die anderkant, ons het dalk te veel vryheid is ons land op die oomblik. Kytie K. Kytie Koekblik would like you to respond to her tongue-in-cheek running commentary on suburban life in America in this editorial. Fresh off the boat, she is ready to explore and experiment with American bath plugs and to drive on the other side of the road. You can contact her here. © RSA-Overseas & Matheson Communications [ Top ] Racism is scapegoat for government's failures Ilda Jacobs Washington D.C. - "The racial card has become the scapegoat for the government's failures" said John Kane Berman, Chief Executive of the South African Institute of Race Relations in Washington on Wednesday.
www.sairr.org.za He presented an overview of both the failures and achievements of the South African government and the current racial situation in South Africa. He received mixed responses from a more liberal sector of the audience, who felt that he was "white man criticising the South African government." "He is not attracting investment to SA," a member of the audience said afterwards. "What is his agenda?" At one point the presentation was interrupted by a heated discussion between an African American AIDS researcher who supports Mbeki's consideration of the bigger context of poverty. The researcher, as well as a former South African exile, maintains that Kane Berman had presented a distorted view of Mbeki and the HIV/AIDS controversy. Kane Berman highlighted the fact that the current government has embraced globalisation. "We have not achieved expected levels of foreign direct investment (FDI), due to the government's erratic pursuit of privatisation," Kane Berman claimed. He said liberalisation of the labour market was a prerequisite for FDI. He described South Africa's economic policies as "sound," but said there is a lack of single-mindedness about whole approach. There are conditions attached to privatisation." Kane Berman said. "You cannot promote the restructuring of state assets with other hidden agendas." He said the signals are confused, and that liberalisation of the labour market was needed regardless of the trade unions. "Our government has no strategy to deal with unemployment" Kane Berman said. "In the light of these, investors have all sorts of options, and South Africa has a relatively small and poor market." He pointed out that the high crime rate, Mbeki's peculiar stance on HIV/AIDS and the lack of differentiating South Africa from Zimbabwe during the land crisis, also affected FDI significantly. He reassured the mostly American audience, that South Africa was indeed different to Zimbabwe. "The only direct spill-over", he said, "is the expected economic collapse and refugees that may flood into the country." Kane Berman pointed out that a recent study showed that only 5% of South Africans still believed the society was based upon racial discrimination, although the government still emphasises the fact that a new "indirect" racism permeates society. "The wrong diagnosis leads to the wrong remedy." Kane Berman said. "Racism provides a ready scapegoat for the government's failures." Kane Berman said. "Racism is not blame that there are no drugs available for HIV/AIDS in public hospitals." Kane Berman said the Institute of Race Relations, is not saying race is not the cause of problems, but "we need specific targeted policies for issues such as illiteracy and promiscuity." In his brief synopsis of the achievements of the post-apartheid government during the past six and a half years, Kane Berman said our most significant achievement is the establishment of a free and open society with its core values based on democratic principles. He said tax collection was more efficient, and central bank independence had been established beyond a doubt. Provincial spending had also been reigned in. The privatisation successes also outweigh failures, and trade and exchange control liberalisation has continued. Kane Berman also said the budget deficit had been brought together by the only a "single-minded" minister, finance minister Trevor Manuel. © RSA-Overseas & Matheson Communications [ Top ] Two Trevors to Washington DC Ilda Jacobs Washington D.C. - Soweto councillor Trevor Ngwane will protest against globalisation in the US and Canada next month when he will be a speaker in the Challenging Globalisation at Grassroots campaign. The month-long campaign is being driven by Global-South, a movement against corporate globalisation, and aims to generate solidarity for social justice movements in South Africa and Bolivia. The tour will also promote the World Bank Boycott Campaign, which aims mainly to demand an end to structural adjustment lending and to call for a cancellation of the debt of third world economies. The first part of the tour will feature the South African film, "Two Trevors to Washington", which is a humorous account of Ngwane s and finance minister Trevor Manuel s perspectives of the April 16 International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings and protests. Manuel is currently chair of the World Bank/IMF Joint Board of Governors and has called for the internal reform of these institutions. Ngwane, who is leading World Bank boycott movements, has asked street protestors to call for immediate debt cancellation and an end to "devastating" World Bank policies such as the IMF-World Bank structural adjustment programmes, which perpetuate oppression. The film was directed by Ben Cashdan, who participated with Ngwane in the protests at the Annual Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank Boycott in Prague. Both Cashdan and Ngwane will speak about the growing anti-IMF and World Bank movement in South Africa and throughout the world. Cashdan is a former economic adviser in the office of former President Nelson Mandela, and Ngwane has been an organiser within the trade union-, community-and student movements for two decades. Alternatives for the globalisation agenda will be proposed, and the importance of mobilising the masses to demand for a "people-centred global economy" will be emphasised. The tour is hosted by the Alternative Information and Development Centre from South Africa, the Center for Economic Justice, the Fifty Years is Enough Network, 1world communication and the World Bank Bonds Boycott. Globalisation, according to the hosts, has devastating effects on working families, low-income people and people of colour in the US and Canada. After the U.S., Mexico and Canada signed the North American free trade agreement in 1994, "thousands of people lost their jobs," said Neil Watkins from the Center for Economic and Policy Research. An estimated 232,375 U.S. citizens lost their jobs, according to studies conducted by Public Citizen and the Institute for Political Studies. "Increasing competition from low-wage imports drive U.S. wages down, thereby lowering the living standards for the public, and widening the gap between the elite and the public opinion" said Mark Weisbrot from the Centre for Economic and Policy Research. The World Bank Boycott aims to utilise grass roots economics power to demand and end to World Bank policies. According to Zahara Hecksher, an American University graduate who has been involved in the anti-apartheid and anti-World Bank movements, the World Bank's power can only be broken if the same global strategies are applied that ended apartheid, Hecksher said. African Eye News Service Lees die woordeboek hier. © RSA-Overseas & Matheson Communications [ Top ] SA's only pie shop in the U.S. up for grabs Ilda Jacobs  Washington DC - To grab a pie for lunch in South Africa, is about as common as a rusk or
ouma-beskuit for breakfast. Except in the USA, where pies are novelties in
the home of the hamburger.Now the only South African pie shop in the United States, Hal Hofmeyr's "Meal-In-A-Pie" is for sale due to the ill health of its 70 year old owner. Hal and his wife, Deirdre, opened the pie shop in sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 1996 with the ambitious goal to have the pie become an alternative for the all-American hamburger. These pies are not your mushy ones available in any little cafe or truck stop all across South Africa, they are die ware home-baked jakob. Filled with beef, bobotie, chicken, turkey, ham and cheese, these hearty "Eat-on-the-go" pies are wrapped up in a user-friendly, open-sided sandwich bag to reduce the mess - and to seduce the Americans. Seduced they were, especially health conscious Americans love their vegetarian pies, says Deirdre. Meal-in-a-Pie caters for vegetarians with vegetable curry, spinach and feta cheese, and even eggplant pies - an whole new experience for taste buds accustomed to the Yank's breakfast pies filled with sweet and fruity cherry, apple, lemon curd and blueberry jam. The more traditional pies, such as steak and kidney and the ever so popular shepherd's pie, appeals particularly to the South African expat community in Fort Lauderdale. The Hofmeyr's shop is extremely popular amongst expatriates from Australia, New Zealand, England, and other Commonwealth countries, and at 6 pm everyday some of the South Africans line-up for end-of-the-day, half price specials. The Americans caught on quickly too, and the 'Hamburger' and 'Pizza Pie' has the potential to be serious competition to the fast food giants of the USA.  Hofmeyr and his wife, had traveled and tasted exotic foods from all
over the world, from Europe to Asia, the Middle East to South America
before they settled down in Fort Lauderdale. Hofmeyr had built a 133-foot
aluminum 'super yacht' that was considered to be the biggest in the world
in its category.Over 50, he was considered to old for the labour market in the States, but his entrepreneurship surfaced. He invented his winning recipe, the pie shop. Their long time nanny helped them out with cooking duties and tips, and Meal-in-a-Pie came into being. Now the chief cook has had to let go of his dream to franchise Meal-in-A-Pie. Hofmeyr dreamt of seeing pie outlets in all the mall food courts across the USA. They even expanded their range of South African products by supplying nostalgic necessities such as biltong and boerewors, South African chocolates and biscuits, jams, and chutney. Not only the Florida natives enjoy their pies, but frozen pies are available all across the United States delivered overnight by Hofmeyr with the help of a courier service. A frozen six-pack are selling for $18,50 and a two-pack for $6, 25. Now the pie shop is being advertised in a newsletter for South Africans, and it is selling for a downpayment of $15, 000 - payable in rands. According to Hofmeyr, the pie shop is ideal for a South African who likes to network, and who would like to be on the pulse of the South African gossip, stateside. © RSA-Overseas & Matheson Communications [ Top ] Calls for mass action to oust Mugabe HARARE: Zimbabwe's leading opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change celebrated its first anniversary today with calls for mass action to force President Robert Mugabe out of power. MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai told about 20-thousand supporters at a rally that the country could not wait for presidential elections in 2002, because Mugabe will rig the polls. Tsvangirai says the time has come for decisive action to oust Mugabe whom he accused of destroying Zimbabwe. He urged Mugabe to go peacefully, warning that if he did not do so, he would be removed violently. He told reporters afterwards his reference to violence related to mass action. Thanks to http://www.channelafrica.org/currenta.shtml [ Top ] |
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