Last Update: Jan. 28, 2001
Last Update: Jan. 28, 2001 |
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SA ships aid to India By RSA-Overseas.com on Mon, Feb 5, 2001 at 13:50:39 GMT Three-hundred and twenty tons of desperately needed humanitarian aid is now on its way to earthquake victims in Bhuj, India - thanks to the "overwhelming" generosity of kind-hearted local people. And it is just the start, according to Ashwin Mohanlall, secretary-general of the 1860 Heritage Foundation in Durban. The aid - in six containers and 100 pallets - is aboard the South African Navy's combat support ship, the SAS Drakensberg, which called in to port to collect its special cargo en route to take part in an international naval review in India. The Drakensberg set sail for Mumbai at midnight and is due to arrive on February 15. "We got this programme together in just three days. Now we have got to keep up the momentum and send more aid," said Mohanlall. A Johannesburg-based businessman has already offered to pick up the tab to sent more containers of aid to the disaster area. India's consul-general in Durban, Ajit Kumar, who was at the harbour to see the cargo being loaded, said: "This is a great effort. The calibre of man is seen when others are in need. This country has risen to the challenge and India is grateful." The harbour was a scene of frantic activity on Saturday as a constant stream of cars and trucks arrived with beans, bed and blankets, food and stretchers. One man donated 1 000 blankets, boosting the blanket bale to 3 000. There were pallets of sugar, boxes of medical equipment, washing power, clothes and mattresses. There were also about 150 tons of clothing and confiscated equipment from customs and excise, some of it originating in India - and now on its way back there. Said 10-year-old Ruth Birtwhistle of Yellowwood Park, who arrived with food and rice: "There are a lot of people in trouble in India. My family is Christian and we thought we should be kind to them." Durban off-duty police, including spokesperson Director Bala Naidoo, gave up their Saturday afternoon to roll up their sleeves and offload trucks. Krish Gokool, co-ordinator of the 1860 Heritage Foundation, who gave up his birthday to organise activities, can be contacted on (031) 307 6020 and 083 799 1199. Thanks to IOL.co.za
Kytie Koekblik praat me julle... By RSA-overseas.com on Mon, Feb 5, 2001 at 13:47:52 GMT Internet moleste… Dit is nie maklik om ‘n ma of pa te wees nie, nie vandat die hele wereld met al sy informasie in jou tv-kamer ingekom het nie. Oupa het nooit ‘n TV gekoop nie, dit was ‘n onding. Ons moes maar ons kinderprogramme op ons mae skryf en met ‘n natlap afvee as ons vakansies in Pietersburg gaan kuier het. Ook ma en pa het sekere reels gehad. Geen tv na nege in die nag as Dallas en Dynasty ons breine kon besoedel nie. Soms, na ek in die bed gesit is, het ek skelmpies om die hoekie gaan loer om te sien of Bobby Ewing dood was of nie. En JR se mag en geld het ‘n sekere bekoring gehad, dis immers die definisies van Amerika wat iewers in my kop ontstaan het. Ek onthou ook ons moes altyd die TV afsit as “Popshop” deur die huis begin dreun, want die pop musiek en al daai “gruwelikhede” was nie tuis in ons huis nie. Ek is nie mooi seker hoekom nie, maar iewers het die musiek en die ritme wel in my gestel kom sit, met radios en remote controls en ma’s en pa’s wat werk, het Roxette meermale deur die huis geblaker. Ek het op die ou end van die dag ‘n musiekjunkie geword wat die popculture en subcultures in groot dosisse consume het, verskeie roadtrips na musiekfeeste onderneem het steeds totaal afhanklik van my daaglikse tunes en melodieee is. Ook videos wat ons ons nie sou kon verbeel nie, het wel by video-aande opgeduik. So het jy maar die trieks of the trade geleer. Deur dinge te vermy, ontsnap jy nie noodwendig daaruit nie… Iewers het die onvermydelike in ons huis opgeduik, die VIDEO masjien. Met al die kinders se buitemuurse aktiwiteite, het ons heeltemal te veel episodes van Agter elke man en Ballade vir ‘n Enkeling gemis, so ons het die masjientjie gekoop. Daardie reekse wat ons vasgenael voor die tv gehou het, ons kon nie ‘n enkele episode mis nie. Dis immers nie sitcoms of belaglike male-testosteroon aangedrewe tv of “girl meets boy in beverley hills corny shows” nie, daardie klassieke vervolgverhale sê iets oor wie ons in ons land was, hoe ons aangetrek het in die eighties, hoe Anneline Kriel en Ryno Hattingh en Bruce en Antie Stiene volkshelde was. Die goeie ou intrige van die afrikaanse drama. Toe M-Net in Suid-Afrika bekend gestel word met al sy movies en parental control, toe besluit ma en pa om die voete neer te sit. Met TV1 sou ons kon klaarkom, M-Net was die eintlike onding wat die Hollywood-gemors in ons breine sou inbring. So M-Net is op die maag geskryf en met ‘n natlap afgevee, en ons was maar tevrede om al daardie aksie movies vol vuilwoorde in die oggendure te kyk sonder om aanstoot te gee. Natuurlik word ek toe student, en die koshuis het ‘n M-Net, en so ook die wonderwereld van ‘n studentehuis met ‘n TV waar jy self met die remote control kon speel. Vakansies saam met ma en pa hou ons self maar besig met SABC 1, 2,3 se variety nuwe soaps. Nou sit moins in Amerika met cable-tv, en wat se my vriend Farrel mos: “Channelhopping is America’s national pasttime…” Die wereld kom in my kop en in my huis in. Vir pasttimes kyk ons Superbowl en NFL en surfing en FBI hunts mysterious murderers en Jerry Springer en Judge Judy en Titus, maklik die sufste reeks in die geskiedenis van TV. Ek kyk selfs al die Beverley Hills 90210 en Friends episodes wat ek gemis het op M-Net tydens my hoerskool dae. Ek lees ‘n artikel in die Post oor mans en vroue TV, klaarblyklik FOKUS mans op een program, en sal nooit die moeite doen om ‘n girlie-program te kyk nie. Dit terwyl girls en vroue TV-kyk saam met man/guy-lief as ‘n sosiale aktiwiteit sien. Sy probeer hom please en sy ontleed sy reaksies en sy sin vir humor en snuggle teen hom aan terwyl sy football kyk en dink, HOE HEERLIK om saam met my geliefde rustig te kan verkeer… Dit is toe juis die Baas se 5-jarige wat vir my ‘n glimpsie gee op die die indringing van die informasie highway en die invloed daarvan op testostoroon-oor produskie. Die 5 jarige terroris kan nie skryf of lees nie, maar het onlangs die magic of kissing ontdek. Terselftertyd leer hy deesdae in klein skooltjie om op rekenaars te werk en games te speel. Tel een en twee bymekaar. Voor ons kan se mes, vra die mannetjie vir sy ma om “kissing” te skryf. Sy doen dit, komende van die ou school, sonder om te dink aan die hele wereld wat op die computer screen wag om ge-aktiveer te word. Skryf sy meisie maatjie sy naam ook neer, vra die mannetjie. Ma doen dit, en dink dit is te cute want kleinboet het ‘n crush. Die Terrorist tik “kissing” in die brein van die magiese blikboks in, en woeps: die internet in sy volle geweld leer hom die dinge wat moes gewag het. Hy tik die maatjie se naam in, en verskeie verleidelike Kathleens maak hulle opwagting op die screen. Half-oorweldig bel die outjie sy pa by die werk. “Pa, kom kyk wat doen die mense met mekaar.” Wat het my ma altyd gese: Dit kom dubbeld na jou terug. Ek het haar grys hare gegee met papiere en popmusiek. Nou’s ek bang my afstammelinge gaan my grys hare gee met porn en conspiracy teoriee en hackers-truuks en FBI wat eendag aan ons voordeur sal klop: mevrou, jou kind het die secret service files met ‘n virus infect. Infected generation, die kinders van generation X? Ek is nog te jonk om daaroor te dink. En intussen hop ek van channel na channel. Thanks to Matheson Communication
US gold-fixing conspiracy? By RSA-overseas.com on Mon, Feb 5, 2001 at 13:44:40 GMT South Africa will hear in the next two weeks about the alleged U.S. conspiracy to keep the gold price down. US based Gold Anti-Trust Action (GATA) chairperson Bill Murphy has arrived in South Africa on the weekend to present GATA's research to the local gold industry. Murphy maintains that the previous U.S. administration and several large bullion banks are involved in the price-fixing of gold since 1994. GATA has now backed up a lawsuit which Reginald Howe, a member of the Golden Sextant Advisors LLC and holder of six shares in the Bank of International Settlements, has filed against the gold cartel which operates mostly on the COMEX. Howe, a former trial attorney, filed the lawsuit on December the 7th against the Bank of International Settlements, Federal Reserve chairperson Alan Greenspan, William McDonough, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and former Secretary of the Treasury Lawrence Summers. He is also suing the Chase Manhattan Corp, Citigroup, Inc., the Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., and the Deutche Bank AG. "The scandal is bigger than Watergate" said GATA chairperson William Murphy. "It affects the country of South Africa and the African continent, with its national resources." GATA maintains that the accused central banks lease gold, not to earn a return on it, but to supply physical gold to the bullion banks during periods when strong demand is pushing up prices. The complaint alleges horizontal price fixing, securities fraud, common law fraud and breach of ficiary duty by the directors of the Bank for International Settlements. Howe has accused Greenspan and other federal officials of acting under the colour of federal law, but wholly outside the scope of their legal or constitutional authority. According to GATA's research, most of the manipulative activities have occurred on the COMEX, a predominantly papermark and more easily subject to manipulation. Research has shown that the accused bullion banks have regularly appeared as heavy sellers of gold on the COMEX "whenever necessary to kill any significant rally" in the gold price, the plaintiff maintains. Murphy will be joined by Howe next week. They aim to attract the support of the South African industry to expose price manipulation and the subsequent "gold derivative banking crisis." GATA has concluded from extensive research, that the defendants have used gold derivatives and leased official gold in a coordinated scheme to restrain gold prices and to prevent them from rising to the levels that would otherwise prevail in a free market. The "gold conspiracy" allegedly subverts the free market price of gold through gold derivatives by forcing down prices whenever possible. Through leasing rather than outright sales, central bank gold is brought to the market as the central banks stand ready to lease gold in increasing quantities should the price rise. Through price fixing, gold remains a cheap source of capital for New York bullion banks, which borrows it for 1% of its value per year, Murphy alleges. Bullion banks borrow gold derivatives from central banks in order to sell. The proceeds are invested in the financial markets in securities with much greater rates of return. In order to keep the interest rate on gold loans low, the price has to be suppressed. As soon as the price rise, the effective interest rate on gold loans would be prohibitive. "The demand for gold is much greater than the supply, the price of gold should have risen sharply, instead the price of gold has declined steadily," said Murphy. "Massive amounts of derivatives are being used to suppress the gold price." According to the U.S. controller of the Currency (OCC), the notional value of the off-balance sheet gold derivatives on the books of U.S. commercial banks exceed $87 billions. GATA maintains this figure is greater than the total official U.S. gold reserves of approximately 8,140 metric tons. Morgan, Chase and Citibank accounted for an estimated 83 % of all gold derivatives reported to the OCC in June 2000. GATA research has shown that the gold derivatives of these three banks increased by over $30 billion US dollar, pr 65% during a one-year period. According to GATA's analysis of the gold mark, if this situation is not corrected soon, there will be a gold derivative credit and default crisis of "epic proportions." "Too much gold are being consumed at a cheap price. Massive amounts of derivatives are being used to suppress the gold price," Murphy said. GATA warns that the gold derivative banking crisis will threaten the solvency of the largest international banks and the world standing of the dollar. GATA maintains that former Treasure Secretary Lawrence Summer, who has exclusive access to the Exchange Stabilization Fund, used the fund to manipulate the gold price. "The question still remains whether the new US Administration is going to continue the gold fraud," Murphy said. He reckons that the exposure of the gold conspiracy would make the world much less favourably on the Clinton administration and its apparent economic successes. Through price suppression a false impression is allegedly created of the U.S. dollar's strength against as an international reserve assest. The low suppressed price of gold, other than being a cheap source of capital which borrow it for 1$ of its value per year, allegedly provides a false reading of inflation in the United States. The GATA delegation will be in South Africa for two weeks, where they will be meeting with several gold producers, including Anglogold, Durban Deep and Harmony. "We have the evidence, and we are bringing that to you country" Murphy said. Murphy will be attending the "investing in African Mining/Indaba 2001" Conference in Cape Town, where he will present GATA's research. "The scandalous tragedy, if it were not for the Gold Cartel, the gold price would be $600 per ounce. South Africa and the other gold producing countries in Africa would how be experiencing a boom." Murphy said. He is also scheduled to meet with a Cosatu representative, with Kevin Wakeford, the CEO of the South African Chamber of Commerce, and other political leaders. Although details have not been confirmed yet, Murphy will also present GATA's research to Mangosuthu Buthelezi. Thanks to Matheson Communication
Contemporary Africa shown at Smithsonian By RSA-Overseas.com on Mon, Feb 5, 2001 at 13:38:57 GMT CONTEMPORARY art works by celebrated South African artists are on view in a new exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art. The exhibition entitled “Encounters with the Contemporary” is a showcase of the work of top South African artists, such William Kentridge, Berni Searle, Willie Bester and the late Ezrom Legae. Including more than 60 works from the Smithsonian’s permanent collection “Africa and its Diaspora”, the new exhibition will reflect the diversity of contemporary African art. “Encounters with the Contemporary” revolves around the themes of education, techniques and socio-political contexts in which these art forms developed. The exhibition was organised by the Smithsonian’s newly appointed curator of contemporary art, Elizabeth Harney. “This exhibition represents a new beginning for the National Museum of African Art. In its scope and its purpose, Encounters with the Contemporary”, a selection from our permanent collection, is ambitious. It is a reminder of where we have been and a preview of things to come,” said Harney. Harney hopes to exhibit a significant number of new works every four months as the exhibition continues through to Jan.6, 2002. “Encounter with the contemporary” reflects work from throughout the African continent and across the media, including prints, paintings, sculpture, and digital photographs. The exhibition is a combination of the work of African modernist pioneers, such as South Africa’s late Gerard Sekoto; Valente Malangatana from Mozambique; Nigeria’s Bruce Onabrakpeya and Alexander Boghossian from Ethiopia. The work of no less than thirteen South Africans is currently on view on view. Other artists from South Africa whose work will be exhibited, are Kim Berman, Garth Erasmus, Gavin Jantjies, Karel Nel, Mmakgabo Mmapumla Sebidi , Cyprian Shilakoe, Durant Shihlali and Vuminkosi Zulu. The individual artists included in this exhibition represent a small portion of the history of modernist art and its contemporary productions. Artwork from mainly from Sudan, Nigeria and Senegal form the core of the exhibition. Ghana’s El Anatsui and Godfried Donkor, and Pilipili Mulongoy from the Democratic Republic of Congo’s work will also be exhibited, and the countries of Kenya and Tunisia are also represented. The art works of Yinka Shonibare from England is also included in the exhibition. Although many of the artists live and work in Africa, others represent the African diaspora, the “large, constantly shifting and growing” population who has left the countries of their birth. “Many artists featured are well traveled, well educated and conversant in discussions of Modernism and contemporary global artistic expressions,” said Harney. Harney has also pointed out that the artists come from widely varying art educational experiences. Boghossian and Mohammad Omer Khalil from Sudan, trained and traveled abroad in the 1950s and have since settled in the United States. Some of the other African artists represent second and third generations who trained in Africa’s national art schools and received their graduate degrees abroad. Others were born to Africa parents living in London, Paris and New York. “While these artists embrace the artistry of their African heritage, many express a new identity born of exile or the immigrant experience where the international artistic currents have as much influence upon their works as the traditional methods and techniques of their African ancestors” said Harney. The selections from the museum’s growing contemporary collection reflect the rich history and continuing vitality of modernist artistic practice in Africa. “It also draws attention to the history of the museum's collection and its future commitments to contemporary arts,” said Director of the Smithsonian Museum of African Art, Roslyn A. Walker. In 1974 the National Museum of African Art, museum, then a private institution, mounted one of the first exhibitions in the United States on contemporary African art. In 1988, the museum (as a bureau of the Smithsonian Institution) began actively to exhibit and collect modern African art. Also on show at the Smithsonian Museum of African Art currently, is a selection of musical instruments, which represents Africa life. The exhibition entitled “Audible Artworks: Selected African Musical Instruments,” demonstrates the inventiveness of African artists who create objects that are both artistic in its visual presentation and in the sounds which it creates. Listening stations have been set up to provide sample recordings of music and sounds made by the instrument on display. Thanks to IOL.co.za
SA Aids hero Nkosi turns 12 By RSA-Overseas.com on Mon, Feb 5, 2001 at 13:30:19 GMT It was supposed to be a day of joy and celebration for child Aids activist Nkosi Johnson's 12th birthday party. Instead, guests wept while he lay curled up in bed at home. Nkosi, who has been bedridden for weeks, reached a milestone on Sunday and family and friends threw a party for him at the Melpark Primary School in Melville. About 200 people, including Aids orphans from the townships and other people living with HIV and Aids, attended. They brought birthday messages for the world's youngest Aids activist - but Nkosi was not there. While a brass band played on the school's soccer pitch in the scorching sun, people slowly filed into a small school hall. The guests were quiet. Some wiped tears from their cheeks. There was no sign of the now-frail, but ever-smiling Nkosi, except for the few pictures of him that were on the walls of the hall. Nkosi's foster mother, Gail Johnson, said he was at home lying in bed. Nkosi collapsed and has been semi-conscious since the beginning of the year. Later, at her Melville home, Johnson organised a private party for Nkosi, who stayed curled up in his bed. Thanks to IOL.co.za
Mbeki, Bush agree to meet By RSA-Overseas.com on Mon, Feb 5, 2001 at 13:26:26 GMT President Thabo Mbeki received a call from his United States counterpart, George Bush, at the weekend and the two leaders are planning to meet, Mbeki's office said. Presidential spokesperson Bheki Khumalo would disclose little about the conversation, but said Bush and Mbeki might have touched on the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as they spoke about "matters of mutual interest". SABC radio reported that Bush acknowledged the role of Mbeki, who this week met with new DRC President Joseph Kabila, in bringing peace and stability to Africa. Bush reportedly also assured Mbeki that ties between South Africa and the US would be strengthened. It has been a subject of concern in South Africa, with commentators guessing the new Republican administration will show less interest in the country and in Africa than had the Clinton administration. No date has been set for the meeting. Thanks to IOL.co.za
SA smoking law crack-down By RSA-Overseas.com on Mon, Feb 5, 2001 at 13:22:36 GMT The government's new anti-smoking policy is taking its toll on restauranteurs operating inside shopping centres in Durban. A random survey conducted by The Mercury on Sunday indicated that a number of restaurant owners had suffered some sort of financial loss since the implementation of the law on January 1. The manager of Spur at Musgrave Centre, who only wanted to be known as Jason, said: "The younger crowd do not come here anymore. "We have also had a lot of complaints from our customers because we do not have a designated smoking area." Frank Sykes, manager of RJ's at Buxtons Village in Glenwood, said that since the new law his steakhouse has lost between 10 and 20 percent of its normal income. "The reason for this is smokers generally spend more money. Now they don't spend a long enough time in the restaurant to spend the same amount," he said. According to Sykes, plans are under way to construct a designated smoking area which would comprise about 25 percent of the floor space, in accordance with the government regulations. "What we as business people have to realise is that smoking is a part of dining," he added. The general manager of Centre Court at the Pavilion, Paula Morton, said the whole centre had been declared a non-smoking zone, "so even if we wanted to have a designated smoking area we couldn't". Meanwhile, the Federated Hospitality Association of SA has indicated that 86 percent of more than 6 000 establishments surveyed across the country "indicated that 25 percent of indoor space allocated to smokers is totally insufficient to accommodate the needs of smoking customers". According to a statement by Fedhasa, 88 percent of survey respondents believe the new law will require "significant and costly" structural alterations which will have a negative effect on income and revenue. Peter Cumberlege, a consultant for Fedhasa, said it was unlikely that the department of health would reconsider the original proposals put forward by the hospitality industry, which suggested that establishments should be in a position to determine their own smoking policies in terms of the profile of their clientele. Thanks to IOL.co.za
Reality TV South African style! By RSA-Overseas.com on Sun, Jan 28, 2001 at 11:43:07 GMT A group of 65 musclebound young men weighed in and were taken through their paces by boxing trainers at the weekend. But this was no ordinary series of random thrills at boxing tournaments anywhere on the planet. The setting for what amounted to "auditions" was the Yeoville Recreation Centre - and it hosted the birth of a very special reality TV concept for South Africa. Sometimes it seems as if the sport of boxing is at war with itself. Controversial ringside decisions - devastating injuries - spectacular sums of money spent to watch less than a round in the ring. That's why legends like Sugar Ray Leonard, some promoters and graciously gifted sportsmen like Britain's Lennox Lewis are trying to change the image of a sport that has been damaged in recent years. e.tv's making its contribution, in a small, but unusual way with the new prime-time series, The Summit, in which 26 aspirant boxers, chosen at the auditions in Yeoville at the weekend, will be trained over the 13 weeks in which the "documentary soap" plays out. You might have seen the ads on e.tv, inviting participation from aspirant boxers. Curious Pictures, the producers behind this docusoap, were delighted to receive more than 6 000 calls from hopeful young men (and a few women, including one candidate who is in remission from cancer and was hoping to change her life). Boxing novices all, the aspirants gave their reasons for calling as loving the sport and wanting to try and become someone in the ring. Naturally, it took hard work to whittle the numbers down to 65 to find suitable candidates for this real-life "soap" which will be set in two warring Gauteng gyms in the heart of Johannesburg. The series will zoom in on the lives and progress of the real-life hopefuls, as well as the issues between their real-life trainers: rivals Elias Tshabablala and Nick Durandt. Over the 13 episodes, viewers will pay witness to the boxers and their trainers' battle for life, the sport and brotherhood. A first for South African TV, and an exciting take on reality television, The Summit promises to elucidate truths about boxing. Viewers will see young men struggling against the exercise regime, see them fall and see them triumph. Each week, the trainers will eliminate a number of hopefuls from the team. Finally each gym will be left with one newcomer - and in the final episode, these two will meet! In a further alluring development, each episode of The Summit will feature characters from the two main gyms and other training set-ups in a real boxing bout. These bouts will be filmed over four tournaments that will be open to the public to add a dramatic climax to each episode. The tournaments will be run by professional promoters, with the approval of the South African Boxing Commission. Docusoaps are called soap operas, because they mimic the hit format in which viewers get to know the characters very well and identify with their daily struggles. The docusoap genre has proved successful around the world, and although e.tv will introduce the concept to a South African audience, the SABC is said to be also looking to commission a similar format for broadcast this year. Thanks to IOL.co.za
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