RSA-Overseas - The Expat Portal: Weekly Magazine

"HIV causes aids, to argue otherwise costs lives," said a full page advertisement in the New York Times on Sunday, July the 9th..

    It is aimed at the "scientific controversy" which marks the 13th International AIDS conference in Durban this week.

    The declaration states that the "cause of aids is as well established as the causes of polio, measles, influenza or any other viral decease."

    Although President Mbeki is not mentioned, the advertisement is directed at the ongoing controversy surrounding the African solution to the HIV-Aids. The South African position towards the epidemic that has Africa in its claws, has evoked strong responses in the USA.

    "To claim that Aids is not caused by HIV, is absurd. It is embarrassing, one cannot find more proof than we already have," says Dr Fleur Sack, former South African and aids educator.

    Her involvement in Aids education has brought her back to South Africa on a regular basis. "We have lost important time. Aids should have been a political issue, but it didn't feature on the political agenda. Even Mandela missed out on incredible opportunities."

    Former South African, Dr Peter Lurie, is currently the director of an advocacy group in Washington DC, Public Citizen. He shares Dr Sack's views.

    "South Africa is characterised by irresponsible health practise. South Africa's bad path started in the very early stages, when the NP government did nothing about AIDS." The current spread of aids, according to Dr Lurie, is related to apartheid as it tracked along the migration line, particularly in the townships where prostitution was common in the single sex hostel system.

    "Now Mbeki has emphasized poverty, but poverty does not cause aids. Although it does help to place AIDS within its social context. High risk behaviour within the SA social condition leads to the contraction of the disease."

    Dr Lurie, originally from Cape Town, was stationed in San Francisco when he got involved in the drug-related contraction of AIDS. Last year he published an article in the South African Medical journal on Dr Nkosazana Zuma's stance on AZT.

    South Africa has one of the highest infection rates in the world. Recent estimates indicate that 3,5 million South African are currently infected with HIV. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (July 2000), the prevention message has not yet been embraced by many South Africans. Factors such as cultural and social resistance to the use of condoms, social norms which accept and encourage multiple sexual partners and a reluctance to openly discuss sexual matters, contribute to the rapid spread of the virus.

    At this stage of the epidemic, Dr Lurie says South Africa has to spend money on the treatment of opportunistic infections, and the provision of antiretroviral therapy for pregnant women.

    Dr. Sack emphasized education, "which is much cheaper than ignorance." "We must practise safe sex, and change habits. The bottom line is, aids is a preventable disease."

© RSA-Overseas & Matheson Communications

Katie Koekblik Column
Ilda Jacobs

    Kytie Koekblik is 'n sosiale vlinder van Kuilsrivier, Kaapstad. Bo en behalwe haar status as sosiale superster, is sy ook die redakteur van hierdie nuusbrief. Haar derde nag in Washington DC het sy die strate ingevaar op soek na aksie-satisfaksie.

    In Suid-Afrika sal jy en jou maters dalk per toeval by 'n obskure klein pub instap en hoopvolle siele agter 'n mikrofoon aantref, gehul in dik wit rookwolke - karioki-aande, vir die met stemme of selfvertroue of een dop te veel agter die blad.

     In die voorstede van Washington DC is dit vetpret.

     Dis my eerste aand uit in DC, en ek bevind myself in die Shark Restaurant/klub in "downtown Bethesda". Geen rookwolke of dronk studente of sweterige lywe om my te verwelkom nie; inteendeel.

     Glas panele, gedekte tafels, 'n kelnerin met 'n bos gebleikte hare wat soos Barbie lyk en groepies mense gehurk om oop boeke. Die karioki-katalogus, moet ek later uitvind toe die eerste "wannabe" Tina Turner die verhoog tref.

     Tina sing een van daardie tipiese meisietjie-in-'n-spaghetti -strap-toppie liedjies, "I will survive."

     'n Groot hoopvolle bebrilde seun tref die verhoog soos 'n Latino-koning, "Maria-Maria" snak hy oor die mikrofoon.

     Dollies, aupairs van oral oor die wêreld klim in trossies op die verhoog, dans rond met 'n reuse opblaas mikrofoon en opblaaskitare - as jy wil pret hê saam met jou maters is karioki die ding om te doen. Verhoog glo jou selfvertroue. Wat wil jy nou meer hê, verduidelik die Barbie-girl. "It's good fun."        Ja, beaam die Suid-Afrikaanse aupair van Port-Elizabeth, "Hier kan jy wees wie jy wil. Niemand ken jou nie. "

     Wat sing die Springbok Nude Girls? "Pappa ek wil 'n popster word."

     "Hier is vanaand produksie mense wat kom talent scout' hoor ek toevallig by die Afrikaanse aupair.

     Ek glo dit nie. Later sien ek die vel papier op die tafel lê. Glad geen arbitrêre kompetisie'tjie nie, 'n Vyfhonderd dollar kontrak by 'n studio is op die spel vir die gelukkige Tina wat "I will survive" of "We are the champions" die mooiste sing; elke Woensdag is daar semi-finale en die grande finale gaan bepaal wie met 'n demo CD in die hand gaan uitstap.

     En waar sal hierdie tawwe Tina die volgende paar Woensdag-aande haarself bevind? Waarskynlik in 'n karioki-plek met 'n opblaas kitaar aan die popster speel.

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 at JULUKA Magazine.

© RSA-Overseas & Matheson Communications

Baby Rosita to arrive in the US
Ilda Jacobs

Washington DC - "Baby Rosita", who was born in a tree during the catastrophic floods which devastated Mozambique earlier this year, is scheduled to arrive in the United States.

    When she was stranded in a tree to escape the rising flood waters, Cecilia Chirindza gave birth to Rosita. The event focused world wide attention on the natural disaster.

    Baby Rosita's visit to the States is an effort to create a larger awareness of inadequate infrastructures on the African continent. During the visit, Rosita and her mother will also receive medical assistance.

     "The baby's birth symbolizes the determination of the nation to survive," according to Salvador Adriano, information's officer at the Embassy of Mozambique in the Capitol City.
     The initiative to provide Baby Rosita with proper nourishment, was initially launched by Mozambique International, a business enterprise with the focus on developmental projects.

     "Baby Rosita has touched a lot of hearts" says Gilbert Davidson, President of Mozambique International.

     "We are hoping that her mother would share light on the plight of African women."
     Davidson is concerned about the fate of African women, who has no access to proper foods, funds and medical assistance.
     "In Africa so many cases are overlooked" he explained. "The effort is not only for her, but for other needy children."

     A "Baby Rosita Fund" was established after the case attracted global attention.

     "The floods in Mozambique made the needs of Africa accessible, because it attracted so much publicity." Davidson said.

     The self-funded organization has also established an ongoing flood relief effort to ship items to victims in Mozambique with the assistance of the Mozambique Embassy.

     Davidson and his brother William's interests in Mozambique was evoked when they visited the country.

     "It felt like home, it was so good to be there. Then I realized how fortunate we are in the States. What we have here and what they don't have there ,and what we take for granted, became our focus."

     The mother and daughter's visit is the joint effort of Mozambique International and the Detroit Relief Effort directed by Reverend Wendell Anthony. The Howard University Hospital in Washington DC will monitor the condition of the mother and child. The plush St. Gregory Hotel & Suites in downtown Washington, will accommodate the mother, child and their translator at no charge.

     A reception for Chirindza and her child are scheduled at the Congress during next week. They are also to attend a press conference , and to visit local churches. A visit to Detroit is also on their program.

© RSA-Overseas & Matheson Communications

Boerewors Bites the Dust in America
Ilda Jacobs

Washington DC - Within the last six months the Rainbow people seemed to have lost their colour in the Yankee-kingdom. Gone are the days of lekker kuier around a bottle of South African wine or "cinnamon dusted custard milktart" for an authentic South African experience.

Madiba Cafe flourishes
in Brooklyn

    In America Service and Dollars determine the choice of where to dine and dance. Choice is the most readily available card on the table and in order to attract customers, you have to excel. The point is, business is tough.

    Unfortunately even a successful business could be a tameletjie (a sticky issue). Ask Michael Egdes, the South African who put bobotie and boerewors on the stars & stripes map. After running ZanZbar for approximately four years, Michael's lease for his restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, ZanZbar could not be renewed. He lost his hot property in a popular tourist area to the adjoining hotel who wanted to expand. After evaluating the possibilities of relocation, Michael decided against re-opening his restaurant.

    Other South Africans restaurants in the States "died" - as the Americans would say - after being initially well received.

    Smax Backyard opened in California for a mere six months. South Africans Mervyn Anolik and Brian Aronson's concept was based on flamed, broiled chicken and ribs, a concept which appealed to the chicken-crazy Yanks. They also appealed to the local South African public. Unfortunately one of the South African partners pulled out, and peri-peri chicken flew back to South Africa.

    In the case of the South African Café and the FX Grill in New York, the restaurant owners seem to lose their bearings in an attempt to be culture bearers.

    Alan Brody, former journalist for News Day in New York, reckons FX Grill didn't really know what they were.

    "South African (what's that), Southwestern Grill (on its way out) or in their final positioning, the Rainbow Grill (what was that?)."

    When the FX Grill owners got an attractive offer on their lease, they sold out.

    The South African Café in America's Capitol City received an unhappy farewell from the American press. In a killer review in the Washington City Paper - "The Indigestible Beef of Soweto" - food critic Brett Anderson slated the "A noble mission, and given the Café's execution, a ridiculous one as well."

    The café was run by a group of South Africans who hoped to make their native cuisine as popular in the States as Ethiopian food.

    Despite their "noble missions," the two defunct restaurants seem to have allowed die pap om aan te brand ( allowed the broth to be spoiled).

    The service-issue could be traced back to general work ethic in South Africa, and the absence of customer orientated service. The execution of the cliché: the customer comes first, fuels the American economy.

© RSA-Overseas & Matheson Communications

Features & Briefs

UBUNTU IN MOSSEL BAY
Clothing designer Zandra Klapwijk is a self-empowered artist who has lived in many countries, at times in less fortunate circumstances.

   Once in Paraguay she found herself to be poor and powerless. She started painting tropical t-shirts; sold outrageous outfits to tourists in the Caribbean and eventually returned to her roots in Mossel Bay.

   Today her cultural experiences are resources for her "wearable art" - hand embroidered garments produced by her company, Ubuntu.

   "This drives my plight for South African unemployed woman" she says. Ubuntu Hand Embroiders provides women with the opportunity to acquire creative skills.

   Ubuntu refers to the African tradition of working together, caring and sharing", and this is Zandra ultimate objective, "to help people, to teach them a skill to be independent."

   Approximately 40 women have been trained to produce hand embroidered panels, and more women are being trained.

RSA ARTISTS PERFORM LIVE
Listen to South African artists Miriam Makeba and the Tananas live on your computer!

The World of Music, Arts and Dance (WOMAD) have brought artists together to celebrate many forms of music worldwide, drawn from a variety of cultures and countries.

WOMAD will be broadcasting this live event from July 28th to July 30, 2000. More than 40 artists will be performing during this festival in Seattle, WA, including Miriam Makeba and the Tananas. Go to the WOMAD website for more information.

CASH & CARRY BID FAILS
Two men totter into an East London post office supporting a third. The third isn't saying much at all.
   The three stand in the queue, nonchalantly awaiting their turn. The guy in the middle doesn't join his two buddies in conversation and seems pretty relaxed, despite the fact that it's he who is being "helped" to the counter to draw out his life savings - R760.
   The two men prop Nonjaduja Kinikini, 61, against the counter and tell the clerk what's required. The clerk, suspicious, to say the least, calls PO officials who try to take his fingerprints.
   But old Nonjaduja's fingers are too stiff. They ask for his signature, and it's then that his sister, Ethel Tlodi, 54, arrives on the scene and fesses up, saying he had "just died".
   "My brother visited a clinic and he was told to eat nutritious food because he was under nourished. That is why he decided to draw out the money," she said.
   Needless to say, the family of the recently departed left the post office without the dead man's savings.

Courtesy Out of Africa International

SA PARAMEDICS IN FLORIDA
Three South African paramedics are currently training with the Boca-Raton Fire-Rescue Fire Fighters in Boca Raton, Florida. The exchange between the rescue squads enables SA and the USA to share ideas on patient care and treatment.

   The three paramedics from Benoni, Jonathan Grobbelaar, Rhett Davis and Peter van der Spuy have been riding as observers with the Boca Raton Paramedics. The South African public will benefit from the exchange as it is orientated towards better patient treatment.

   Seminars on a variety of emergency medical topics are offered, as well as participation in hands-on skill labs. The seminars are geared to enable the rescue teams to provide the most advanced and current emergency medical services to the public.

   The two teams are currently participating the this year's Clincon International Advanced Life Support Competition. The competition is an annual event sponsored by the Florida Emergency Medical Foundation and will be held in Orlando until July the 16, 2000.

   Advanced Life Support refers to the highest level of pre-hospital care now available, including drug- and intravenous therapy, advanced airway management and cardiac defibrillation.

   During the competition, the teams will be judged on their emergency medical procedures. Scenarios are presented to the rescue teams and they are judged for their capabilities. Patient assessment, prioritising injuries, safety and control are only a few categories by which they are judged.

   The South African paramedics have been fortunate to attend the training program with the Boca Raton squad.
   Boca Raton have won the competition for two consecutive years, 1998 and 1999. Last year's competition took place in Cape Town in conjunction with the South African Emergency Services Institute's 23rd biannual conference, Emergency Services Africa 99.

   In addition to being the overall winner, the Boca Raton Rescue Squad won four awards in different categories last year. The team has won more awards at the Clincon competition that any other emergency medical services agency in the history of the event.

© JULUKA Magazine and RSA-O