|
Last Update: May 13, 2001 |
| RSA-O Homepage | Live Chat | Find-A-Friend | Events/Announcements |
| Previous Editions: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 |
SA air force wins major American award for Moz flood rescue
The Captain William J Kossler USCG award is the first US award to recognise the efforts of seven South African helicopters that had rescued more than 14, 390 people during Operation Lichi in February last year. At a banquet in Washington DC that was attended by 800 AHS members, the award for the greatest achievement in practical application of rotary wing aircraft, was presented to a South African Air Force delegation. “The timing of South Africa’s response was important, since the international community, apparently unaware of the seriousness of the situation, failed to respond until more than three weeks had passed, “ said the Vertical Flight Society Chairman Roger Krone in his address. The South African Air Force was represented by Colonel Peter van Zyl from the South African Embassy, Major Pete Harvey (Durban), Major Portia More (head quarters), ground crew during the rescue operation and flight sergeant Piet van Wyk (Louis Trichardt), a flight engineer who physically hoisted people from the trees and rooftops. “What this (award) shows, especially in this (US) society where everything is so big, I think it brings home the point that you can have a large degree of professionalism and competence even though you might be small,” van Zyl said. He said this operations has shown to the world that South Africa it prepared to use its resources and assets to the benefit of the region. Harvey, a pilot during Operation Lichi, emphasised the joint efforts by the crews, ground crew and supporting services in the large scale operation. “It took a while to sink in you were saving people’s lives. We were trained to do it. When we think back, and add up the numbers, we realise the impact,” Harvey said. Van Wyk said it was hard work, but it is a great feeling to have helped people. He emphasised the empathy that the crews felt for the people. “We truly felt sorry for the people. It could have been us,” Van Wyk said. He did not know that his own air force base in Louis Trichardt was also flooded. Nearly a million people had lost their homes during the Mozambique floods. The SA rescue mission began on February 11, 2000, led by two Hercules c130 freighters, three Oryx and two BK117 helicopters. The seven South African aircraft rescued thousands of survivors that clung to rooftops and trees. All helicopters flew at the lowest possible fuel state to allow the loading of the maximum amount of passengers. More than 2,100 tons of medical supplies, clothing and blankets were transported to the needy. Operation Lichi in its different phases of rescue, relocation and distribution of supplies, lasted nine weeks. The crews worked from dusk till dawn for 24 days during the rescue phase. A South African helicopter also rescued baby Rosita, the baby girl who was born in a tree. “The competition for the award was very stiff,” said Van Zyl. South Africa submitted a 150 page presentation on Operation Lichi to the AHS to be considered for the award. The detailed presentations were prepared by Colonel Martie Visser from Corporate Communications at the Head Quarters in Pretoria. The AHS International’s prestigious awards programme was initiated in 1944, and over the years has paid tribute to outstanding leaders of the vertical flight industry. Last year the South African rescue mission was honored by the United Kingdom when they presented the Prince Phillip award to the South African Air Force. © RSA-Overseas & Matheson Communications [ Top ]  Kytie Koekblik ColumnKytie Koekblik Washington D.C. - Vyf slapies, ek bewe al soos ek hier sit, dan's ek op daai SAA plane oppad na my huis toe. Jipppieeeeeeeee... Sondag-middag het ek in die Barnes en Noble gaan sit saam met my vriend die Mariachi ('n Amerikaner wat liedjies skryf en Spaans praat). Ons het koffie by die Starbucks gekoop, en toe deur die travel section gaan blaai. Gewoonlik lees ek boeke oor Kuba, of Rusland, of Suid-Amerika, maar skielik het my oog geval op die SOUTH-AFRICA. Ek het die boekie oopgemaak en wou skielik net lag en huil. Dit was asof ek vir die eerste keer Kaapstad en die Boland deur 'n toeriste-oog gesien het. "Mariachi, this is MY COUNTRY" het ek in ongeloof gese. Die pragtige ou geboue, die strate wat wemel van mense, Kaapstad is mos altyd vol lewe, dag en nag, heerlike lewe. Nie daai gejaag van New York se soort buzzz nie, daai lieflike lewendige Kaapse buzz, die dinamiese straatkultuur. Niemand jaag nie, as jy op die Groentemark plein aankom is daar net daai lekkerste lekkerste lewe gevoel..onse vibrant Kaapse city.. Ek het prente van die Boland en die Oos-Kaap aan die Mariachi gewys, en hy't gese: "You have a diverse country. Its beautiful." Vyf slapies, vyf slapies. Tog sien ek als selfs daarna uit om terug te kom na Washington D.C. Ek het immers 'n lewe hier, en ek is gelukkig in hierdie lewe. Ek weet nie mooi hoe om dit aan die mense by die huis te verduidelik nie. Ek praat vandag met 'n ou skoolvriendin wat 'n onderwyseres is iewers in Belville. Sy is so 'n jaar of wat ouer as ek. Ek is so gelukkig, se ek vir haar. Ek wil vir haar verduidelik wat alles in my kop gebeur het, hoe ek ewe skielik lentebome en sneeu waardeer; hoe ek terugdink aan daai lyf van die Kaapse kus; hoe ek dink aan die township-krotjies; hoe ek wonder oor my ryk ooms en hulle konneksies met die NP, hoe ek wonder oor HAAR - weet sy ooit ons bly in 'n land met 'n AIDS epidemie? Ek wil vir haar vertel: Ek het so baie oor Suid-Afrika geleer, en ek het vriende van allerhande verskillende lande, met verskillende kulture, ek het freedom fighters en politici en rerige ryk mense ontmoet en ek bly in 'n dakkamer en ek slaap op 'n matras en ek het geen toekomsplanne of langtermyn verhoudings nie maar ek het 'n social life en 'n working life en ek het 'n groep diverse vriende en ek is gelukkig. "Ek is gelukkig" se ek vir haar. "Maar hoor hierso Kytie, jou stem klink sommer ouer. Meer volwasse," se sy. Ek wil sug, en lag. Ek is bang daarvoor. Almal verwag mos ek het daai studente-skoene uitgeskop en kom grootmens word. Dis wat ek die MINSTE mis van kleindorpie kultuur, daai oe wat altyd op 'n mens is, het sy verander, hoe lyk sy nou, het sy "van die pad afgeraak," etc. "Ek het baie geleer" se ek. "En hoe gaan dit met jou? Ja sy gaan nogsteeds uit met dieselfde boyfrind, maar hulle het nou nog nie planne nie, sy weet nie wat om te verwag nie, sy weet nie rerig of sy wil trou nie, se sy. Sy bly nog by ma en pa in die huis, en haar skool het onlangs R400 000 se nuwe geboue met badkamers aangebou en sy het in 'n nuwe klas ingetrek en die mure geverf. Kytie, kytie, raas ek met myself. Ek haat hierdie nuwe monster wat sy kop uitgesteek het in my kop. Ek wil mos gaan oorlog maak met die passiewe Afrikaners wat ek so lief het, gaan baklei met my ou skoolvriendinne en familie en ek wil gil: wat maak ons? Hoekom bou ons nuwe geboue vir ryk skole in die meerderheid wit voorstede. Maar ek het mos grootgeword op die leuse: moenie judgemental wees nie. Daaraan hou ek nou vas. Ek is bevoorreg, ek kon kom leer in die VSA, en ek moet nou teruggaan en hopelik kan die een of ander onderwyseres of plumber van my kleindorpie, iets by my leer. Tel jou seeninge, dis nog 'n frase waarop ek grootgeword het.Ek moet onthou om my seeninge en voorregte te tel. Van die os op die jas, sedert Freedom Day hou ek net partytjie saam met die Suid-Afrikaners..Ek het leer Zulu dans en vanaand kom daar 'n groepie baie uiteenlopende Suid-Afrikaners by my kuier. Want ek wil praat, en praat, en perspektiewe hoor oor onse ou landjie. Hier in die VSA kan ek Mandela scholars ontmoet en ambassade mense en IT-ouens en World Bank workers, almal met een ding in gemeen: ons is die post-apartheid jeug. Ons moet dit maak werk, hier of daar. Ons hou die faith, ons gaan positief bly. Ons almal het 'n task on hand: Ons is ambassadeurs vir daai landjie. Ons kan investment en toerisme promote of ons kan teruggaan en ons skills terugneem, op watter manier ookal, ons kan 'n verskil maak, ons is mos die reenboog-idealiste.and you're not gonna beat us, so join us. Tot later dan, vyf ou slapies, net vyf. 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 ] Springbok selections show Viljoen's courage Harry Viljoen's selections for his maiden tour last year had a dash of boldness about them and his courage was again evident this weekend when he revealed his 32-man training squad in preparation for Tests against France and Italy next month. Viljoen's squad contains several players who have had limited or no Super 12 experience this season but the biggest surprise came in the shape of unheralded Leopards flyhalf Francois Swart. The 20 year old was plucked from relative obscurity after impressing the Springbok brainstrust in Potchefstroom last week when Viljoen and forwards coach Andre Markgraaff put their game plan to the test in the North West Province. The former Afrikaans Hoerskool pupil was one of the students charged with giving shape to the coaching staff's theory. Since he ascended to the national coaching position, Viljoen has advocated the need to blend South Africa's traditional strengths with what he calls "smart play". The inclusion of the Lions strongmen Johan Ackermann and Dean Hall, as well as that of Swart and Gaffie du Toit as two of the three flyhalves, is a clear sign that Viljoen intends employing brute force and tactical kicking as part of his battle plans. Last year the Springboks focused wholly on keeping the ball in hand in the initial weeks of Viljoen's rein but they were found out by Jonny Wilkinson's judicious tactical kicking at Twickenham in the final Test against England. Another pointer which seems to indicate that Viljoen is taking a more pragmatic view to the flyhalf position is Percy Montgomery's move back to fullback. Viljoen was determined to convert Montgomery to flyhalf on the Springboks' last tour and the Western Province player's six-week odyssey could hardly be judged at the extremities of the performance scale. Viljoen's decision would have been influenced by two factors. Stormers coach Alan Solomons' reluctance to play Montgomery at flyhalf and the form of Sharks' pivot Butch James throughout the Super 12. With Montgomery back in the last line of defence, James looks set to inherit the No 10 jumper. Du Toit still has to recover from injury, while Swart is unlikely to be thrust into action in the foreseeable future. The uncapped players who received a call-up are Swart, James, Lions utility back Conrad Jantjes and wing Dean Hall, Western Province scrumhalf Neil de Kock, Falcons centre Adrian Jacobs and Natal Sharks hooker Lukas van Biljon. As usual, there were notable omissions. Among them were Lions scrumhalf Werner Swanepoel, Sharks scrumhalf Craig Davidson, Sharks No 8 AJ Venter, Western Province midfielder Braam van Straaten, Western Province winger Pieter Rossouw and Lions centre Grant Esterhuizen. Cheetahs right wing Wylie Human, Sharks flanker Charl van Rensburg and Sharks centre Trevor Halstead were unlucky to miss out. "It was a difficult choice," Viljoen admitted. "We know what we have in Werner and Neil's inclusion is part of a process of exposing young talent to the national set-up. We had to choose between him (De Kock) and Craig (Davidson) and it was a very difficult decision. Halstead too was difficult to leave out but his attributes are similar to that of De Wet Barry and Japie Mulder. Trevor will get a chance. "We want to expose young players to the Springbok culture. Andre Pretorius is another player we want to call up at a later stage," Viljoen confirmed. The inclusion of Bob Skinstad raised some eyebrows, especially after his lacklustre return from injury at the 1999 World Cup. Viljoen tread easy on a topic fraught with pitfalls. "He's played in fits and starts in the Super 12. I don't think there will be problems between Bob and the rest of the squad," Viljoen said. Hall's inclusion comes at the expense of Rossouw, who has missed a considerable part of the season because of injury. "You can't play the game without at least one big winger," Viljoen explained. "You need a bit of strength and bulk on the periphery to round off moves as well as for decoy running," he said. "The truth is that we have several strong candidates in certain positions. "That is good because it creates healthy competition and there is pressure on the guys to perform. "That is why we've stressed that this squad is only for the Tests against France and Italy," he said. He confirmed that Springbok colours would only be awarded once the squad is trimmed down. Lock Victor Matfield's fitness will be assessed this week. The Bulls lock left the field with suspected torn cruciate ligaments against the Cats last Friday. The squad will depart for Plettenberg Bay on the 27th and is expected to be trimmed down to 26 players on the 10th of next month. Thanks to IOL.co.za [ Top ] Cape Town lands lead role in major movie Forget the eclipse - Cape Town's about to become a city of stars. Perhaps the biggest feature film to be shot in Cape Town is set to pump millions of rands into the city, and give tourism an international boost. It will also bring several top stars to the city, including Richard Chamberlain, star of the 1980s TV series Thorn Birds, and our own Arnold Vosloo, star of Mummy 1 and 2. The shooting of the fast-paced spy thriller which promises plenty of action and dramatic stunts starts on Tuesday, and will range over 50 locations in and around the city. The film, for German and American television, is called Manhunt and will include action sequences with boat chases, assassinations, army tanks and plenty of explosions. It will be directed by Jerry Jameson, of Dallas fame, with the filming and production to be handled by local company Philo Films. Kent Morkel, executive member of the economic development, tourism and property portfolio, said the last shoot of this size brought in an estimated R60-million. "Overseas film companies love coming here because of the diversity of locations and because it is relatively cheap to shoot in the Cape," he said. Malcolm Calderwood of the Cape Town Film Office, said that a crew of more than 150 and 2 100 extras would be involved in the production, probably one of the largest to be shot in Cape Town so far. Another 80 to 100 people will be employed to build the various sets. Locations will include the Company's Garden, city streets, the Castle and Table Bay harbour and Waterfront areas. "Shooting will cause occasional disruption to traffic but we'll do our best to keep it to a minimum and try to warn people well before hand," said Calderwood. "It's actually a privilege for a film of this magnitude to be shot in Cape Town and it will show off the city internationally." Some of the locations in Cape Town will be "dressed up" to stand in for sites in four countries, but some landmarks, including Table Mountain, will feature in the movie. Calderwood said the Film Office was excited about what the film would do for Cape Town's economy and about potential "roll-on" effects. The film industry in Cape Town was worth R2-billion a year and growing. "The growth potential beats even that of tourism and the knock-on effect is enormous." ********* Movie star and bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger will tour South Africa in July to endorse a charity for the country's Special Olympics athletes, it was announced in Johannesburg on Thursday. Sapa reports that African Hope 2001 said Schwarzenegger would tour South Africa for three days starting on July 12. While in the country, he will participate in a power-lifting demonstration. Thanks to IOL.co.za [ Top ] All not well at Durban Police! The uncle of Durban's police chief has troubles on his hands. Education official and taxi boss Jabulani Manzi owes more than R820 in unpaid fines and at least two warrants for his arrest and two summonses have been issued on allegations of speeding, running a red robot and illegal parking. There is also an order to impound his Mercedez-Benz on sight. Manzi and his nephew, Henry Manzi, head of Durban Metro Police, hit the headlines last week when the police official was accused of interfering with the administration of justice. The chief intervened when Jabulani was arrested by a traffic officer in West Street for doing an illegal U-turn. Jabulani claimed the constable who arrested him had asked for a bribe - a claim fiercely denied by the policeman. At the time, the constable, recruited to the city police a month earlier, radioed his office for instructions in the face of Manzi's resistance. Headquarters taped the incident via satellite camera. Eventually they sent reinforcements and Jabulani was handcuffed and arrested, all the while imploring police at the scene to phone his nephew, but they refused. The police took Manzi to Point police station, where they were joined by his nephew. Afterwards Jabulani claimed he was assaulted and his nephew suggested he lay charges against the constable who arrested him. According to a statement made by the constable, Henry Manzi asked that the handcuffs be taken off and that they "go somewhere to discuss this matter". Jabulani Manzi failed to respond to Tribune inquiries. The police chief said: "I'm not a criminal. You want to make a criminal of me. I've asked the council to investigate." The council's internal investigator, Murray Stewart, confirmed that Manzi had approached him to probe claims he had acted improperly. Thanks to IOL.co.za [ Top ] Yengeni fallout stirs up ethics committe Thirty minutes before the start of the parliamentary ethics committee hearing this week, ANC members were still trying to persuade Tony Yengeni to do the obvious: tell the ethics committee how he came to own his now-famous Mercedes 4x4. When Yengeni refused, the ANC contingent fell back on the ANC leadership's instruction to oppose any motion to ask the ANC chief whip to come forward and explain, but to rather wait for the outcome of the national arms investigation. But the fallout from the investigation into possible fraud in the now-R50 billion arms deal dominated parliament through the week. It was the focus in the public accounts committee, the ethics committee, and at the ANC's regular Thursday caucus meeting. By the end of the week, the temperature rose from hot to very hot when Frene Ginwala, the national assembly speaker, wrote to public accounts committee chairperson Gavin Woods objecting to his statement in the media that she had "by design" been instrumental in sidelining his committee and impeding its work. "I will be pleased to afford you an opportunity to tender an apology in the house," she wrote to Woods on Friday. "Alternatively, you should table a report from the committee making the allegations that you have aired in the media." ANC sources said the leadership let Yengeni off the hook because they did not want the arms deal itself to be cancelled, but that when the arms investigation is over, if Yengeni's explanation is still not known he will be asked to appear before the ethics committee. Some ANC MPs are angry that Yengeni has put the ANC, the government and the country through months of controversy which could be quickly ended - given the country found his explanation acceptable. In Thursday morning's regular weekly ANC caucus meeting, the post mortem continued and Yengeni had his defenders. Many argued that they did not know what the fuss was about if he had the use of the car for only seven months before he started paying for it. They argued that everyone received gifts of some kind. But the counter-argument was also presented, strongly backing the regulations requiring MPs to disclose assets and gifts. In the ethics committee, Jeremy Cronin, the deputy general secretary of the SACP, argued for the committee to wait until the arms probe had made its report. The IFP's Koos van der Merwe supported the ANC position, saying "we expect too much of MPs". "We are still on earth. We are asking for a degree of correctness that will lead to the charging dozens of members," he said. Earlier, he had said that pursuing Yengeni would lead to people who received discounts on their cars, or free services or petrol, being challenged. Cronin said that, while he appreciated Van der Merwe's support, he did not agree that the code should not be strictly implemented. He was simply arguing for the arms investigation to be completed first. The DP's chief whip, Douglas Gibson, said the ANC's view would destroy the ethics' code, and he appealed to the ANC to reconsider its position. Sources said that Yengeni was feeling increasingly isolated, was not confiding in his colleagues, had recently changed lawyers and was reluctant to trust anyone. This emerged as rumours circulated in parliament that some people in government might have to fall on their swords, and that Yengeni might be one of the most prominent of them. |
|
