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Last Update: June 17, 2001 |
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South Africans more pessimistic about future Cape Town - South Africans were now far more pessimistic about their future compared to a year ago, according to a study conducted by Research Surveys. Research Surveys interviewed 2000 people of all race groups and both genders drawn from major metropolitan areas throughout the country representative of the urban population in terms of age, race and income. The study was repeated! in April 2001. Research Surveys said 67 percent of people interviewed were optimistic about their future in 2000 compared to 57 percent in 2001. Fifteen percent of people were unable to decide whether they were optimistic or not in 2000, compared to 22 percent in 2001. Eighteen percent were not optimistic about their future in 2000 while 22 percent felt this way in 2001. "Blacks were more optimistic about their future than other ethnic groups, but a decline in the level of optimism since 2000 was noted - 75 percent were optimistic about their future last year compared to only 66 percent this year," Research Surveys said. Among coloureds, the level of optimism decreased significantly from 64 percent last year to 36 percent this year. The result among Indian respondents was similar to that of coloureds with 62 percent claiming to be optimistic in 2000, declining to 46 percent in 2001. Research Surveys said the smallest decline was noted among whites from an already low level of 44 percent claiming to be optimistic in 2000 to 40 percent in 2001. "As with the previous survey, wealthier people were inclined to be less positive about their future," the study found. Fifty percent of high-income earners claimed to be optimistic about their future last year compared to 68 percent of people earning less than R8000 per month. The same held true this year -- 42 percent of high-income earners were of this opinion compared to 57 percent of low-income earners. The study found that all major metropolitan areas showed a decline in levels of optimism. In particular, respondents from the Eastern Cape and Bloemfontein were less likely to feel optimistic about their future with only 48 percent claiming to be optimistic this year compared to 67 percent last year. A significant decline in Capetonians' optimism about their future in South Africa was also noted, from 60 percent in 2000 to 45 percent in 2001. Sixty-four percent of people in Gauteng and 55 percent of people in Durban felt optimistic about their future this year. Thanks to IOL.co.za [ Top ]  Kytie Koekblik ColumnKytie Koekblik Washington D.C. - Kyk hierso, nou sal niks my meer verbaas nie. Met my aankoms in Amerika tien maande terug, het die Big Cheese my gewaarsku: Hier is weirdos in hierdie land. Hier is glo meer weirdos omdat hier ‘n groter bevolking is. Ek het hom nie geglo nie. Ag wat, ek skrik mos nie vir koue pampoen nie, het ek gedink. Binne die eerste week moes die Big Cheese in my situasie ingryp. So naief soos ek was, het ek die Baas se instruksies te letterlik opgeneem. “Hand out your business cards liberally” het die Baas beveel. By die heel eerste protes-aksie buite die White House, gee ek toe ‘n besigheidskaart aan die een of ander anargis met ‘n lang wit baard met wie ek ‘n kort onderhoud gedoen het. Hy was van die een of ander obskure organisasie, en ek vra hom toe ‘n paar vragies en pop ‘n besigheidskaart… Toe begin die liefdesverklarings op e-mail. Die Baas moes sy draadjie kort knip - en hy’t ‘n lang draad gehad. Sommer nog die cheek om werk toe te bel ook en my vir koffie te nooi. Die volgende staaltjie is natuurlik nog net ‘n bewering, ‘n storie wat dalk waar is, dalk nie…Ek is nie 100% seker nie.... Dit gaan oor ‘n mede-joernalis wat nou glo NA BEWERING ook een van daai weirdos in die strate van Washington DC is… Die household name joernalis is ‘n baie goeie siel, met ‘n sin vir humor en ‘n mond wat skrik vir niks. Hy shunt almal in die ambassade rond asof hy die ambassadeur self is, order almal rond vir koffie en drienks en story leads - hy is so ‘n tipiese washingtonian met ‘n oormaat self confidence… Ons goeie vriend die joernalis het status in die gemeenskap. As hy politiek praat, luister mense. Hy is nie net een van daai mense wat dink hy weet van beter nie - hy weet beter, hy’s immers ‘n joernalis met ‘n inquiring mind. Maar toe vind ons uit hy’t nie net ‘n inquiring mind nie, hy’t ook ‘n verbeelding… En sy verbeeling is preoccupied met voete… ‘n Regte egte foot fetishist… Nou kyk, ons het almal ons klein plesiertjies wat ons laat tick…sommige van ons, soos my vriend die joernalis, is net ‘n bietjie meer bizar as die res van ons… Ek moet hom die benefit of the doubt gee, dalk is hy 'n onskuldige victim van 'n bizarre situations…maar sover dui al my research daarop dat die middle-ager homself voordoen op die worldwide web as ‘n wellustige 20-jarige wat footsex, lies en videotapes verkoop - hy maak dus geld uit sy geheime plesiertjies… Jy kan vir ‘n net 50 dollars na sy posadres skryf en hy stuur aan jou toonlek etc. videos. Ons almal weet ons kan op die internet ‘n geheime undercover persona aanneem op chatgroups, en jouself voordoen om iets te wees wat jy nie is nie, of wie jy nie is nie… So kan arme verlore Afrikaanse temporary aliens in die VSA hulleself Kytie Koekblik noem en op die web wegkruip… Maar dit werk dit nie so nie, hoe’t my ma altyd gese, die waarheid kom altyd uit. Jy gaan vir weke met rooi wange rondloop as jy dink jy gaan anoniem bly in cyberspace. Ons vriend die joernalis se undercover identity is ontmasker. Die een of ander web spammer het tot die ontdekking gekom dat die joernalis homself voordoen as ‘n 20 jarige oue wulpse meisie met mooi klein voetjies op die web - kom ons noem haar maar Lulu. En die joernalis is dan ‘n ronde mannetjie met ‘n groot mond en waarskynlik groot voete ook… Lulu doen ALS met haar voetjies en tone, sy doen DIT ook, met spykerhakke en plathakke. Met haar spiked heels boor sy in jou vlees in en staan op jou gesig en ek laat dit maar daar… Volgens die footsexwinkel op die web het Alice dieselfde e-mail adres as die joernalis. En boonop is die PO BOX number in ‘n suburb van Washington waar die joernalis bly, presies dieselfde as die PO BOX number wat Alice op die web gebruik… Die wulpse godin van tone vra ook haar kliente om asseblief net haar voorletters te gebruik wanneer hulle aan haar skryf. Tel dus twee en twee bymekaar en die antwoord lyk na vier - die joernalis en Alice is dalk een en dieselfde persoon. Net om onse vriend die joernalis die benefit of the doubt te gee - want dit is ‘n gerug wat die rondte doen op e-mail worldwide het ons ‘n ander teorie. Dit is moontlik dat die een of ander crazy web spammer met ‘n wrok teen die joernalis, die hele expose georkestreer het. Dalk het hy aspris ‘n fake footsex shop op die web gaan oopmaak om die joernalis se reputasie te probeer vernietig. Ons het juis van die storie te hore gekom toe hier ‘n massa e-mail opdaag wat aan elke joernalis en diplomaat en kollega oor afrika en die united states gestuur is. Die anonieme spammer het in detail uiteengesit wie en wat onse joernalis glo is en wat hy in sy vrye tyd aanvang… Moral of the story is 1) daar is weirdos in amerika 2)die web is ‘n gevaarlike plek. Die high powered lawyer wat langs jou bly, het dalk ‘n ding oor ore en verkoop oorlek-seks-tapes op die net. Hy doen homself dalk voor as hoërskool girltjie en noem homself Sasha of Blondie of iets. In elk geval, al my simpatie aan onse vriend. Sy paniekerige verduideliking oor die foon was, “Die nazis of die KKK het dit in vir my.” Ja, ja, whatever. 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 ] 'Boks humiliated by France The South Africans underestimated France - and maybe the time they spent on the golf course last week could have been put to better use on the training field, a Springbok forward lamented after Saturday's 32-23 defeat at Ellis Park. The player, who for obvious reasons will remain anonymous, was one of many Springboks who under-performed on the day. His admission was one of the most revealing post-match comments. Earlier, coach Harry Viljoen explained why his team had to attend engagements that had very little to do with a Test match build-up. "We make no excuses. That is part of our responsibility to South Africa," Viljoen said about last Tuesday's golf day. In truth, his team's commercial and promotional activities don't differ much from those of other professional outfits, but the timing of an activity in which sponsors and other stakeholders have their day in the sun must be questioned. The Springboks looked a little underdone on Saturday and were outplayed in the primary phases. The relatively inexperienced Tricolors handed the Boks their fourth straight defeat at Ellis Park and their second in a row against northern hemisphere opposition after defeat against England in December last year. The Tricolors subdued their hosts in the primary phases and capitalised almost every time opportunity presented itself. Viljoen acknowledged the tourists' supreme effort. "It all started in the first phase. We struggled in the line-outs and kickoffs and they were able to disrupt a lot of our ball, strategically, very well," he said. "We couldn't get momentum and that's where it all went wrong. All credit to the French on the day. They were the better side." Apart from the Springboks' struggle in the scrums, kick-ins and most notably the line-outs, they took some questionable decisions. The crowd increasingly vented their frustration at fullback Percy Montgomery, who was jeered throughout the match. Viljoen was loath to discuss individuals but on this one he was a little cornered. "I'm not going to make emotional statements now. I'm not going to discuss players. I'll have to go and watch the video and make an assessment. It's not just Percy's fault. He was our first-choice kicker," he said. "He's a good, natural kicker and that was one of the considerations. It wasn't only Percy. I'm taking the responsibility for the loss. Life is about setbacks but it's how you get up." Viljoen admitted that the cohesion in the French pack will make them a formidable prospect in the second Test. "Yes, I am a little worried but it is something we have to overcome. Although we played badly we were still in the game. I don't think we can play much worse than we did," he added. Even French coach Bernard Laporte acknowledged that he had not expected the result. "We always work to win but the result was a bit of a surprise. To get one of the quickest Test tries against you is a setback but the most important thing is to keep your head," he said. "The score after 25 minutes is more important than the score after the first minute. My team was relaxed but we did not do all the things perfectly. Today we won the battle, not the war. We will have a big battle on our hands in Durban." Indications are that Viljoen and his co-selectors are unlikely to make wholesale changes for this week's Test. The positions they will do well to debate are fullback, centre, scrumhalf, tighthead prop and flank. If Viljoen decides to promote Willie Meyer ahead of Etienne Fynn, he will halve the black contingent in his starting line-up and thus run the risk of censure from head office. It is a consideration that will weigh heavily on the coach. Scorers: South Africa - Try: Paulse. Penalties: Montgomery (6) France - Tries: Dominici, Merceron. Conversions: Merceron (2). Penalties: Merceron (6) Thanks to IOL.co.za [ Top ] SA is losing drug war: US expert An American drugs expert says South Africa's efforts are failing to block the pipeline for international drug trafficking through the country. Susan Snyder, officer in charge of international narcotics law enforcement at the US embassy in Pretoria, was speaking at a news briefing in the US Consulate in Cape Town. She said although new laws were passed regularly, South Africa remained an international springboard for drug traffickers. Citing the Soviet Union, she said history was repeating itself in South Africa. When "the (barriers) came down in the Soviet Union, international criminals were the first to come in," she said. People in a new democracy experiencing newfound political freedom were always "ready to try something new" which made those areas soft targets for drug bosses. In South Africa it had happened in the same way, she said. There were not many drugs here before 1994 besides dagga and Mandrax. Only in 1995 did cocaine surface in South African clubs. Snyder said under the circumstances, the South African police were "doing a very good job". "It is very hard to win a war on drugs. We in the US have been working on it for 37 years, and we have not won the war. "South African criminals are very savvy, once you squash them in one area, they bubble up in another. "They (criminals) are like weeding a garden, you pull up the weeds in one place and they grow up in another." The nature of crime in South Africa and the perceived inability of the authorities to stop it could make people lose faith in their society and government and could eventually seriously damage democracy and the rule of law. The United States was looking after its own anti-crime interests in South Africa, such as hunting American fugitives here, but also living up to its responsibility to contribute to fighting crime in this region. To this end, the US government had put its money where its mouth was in South Africa to help fight the worldwide scourge of drugs. "You don't get success until you get money," she said. Last year the US government had donated $1,5-million to the South African effort (about R12-million), boosted this year by another $2,2-million. Snyders said she was working closely with the South African government to combat drug trafficking and international crime. Her programme here supported the government's efforts and formed part of a network of narcotic and law enforcement agencies in about 20 countries around the world. "South Africa has tons of potential and we are here to help in any way that we can, whether it is with training or assistance." Snyders said a large chunk of the American funds were being spent on training. "We have conducted numerous training courses this year for the South African Police, the Scorpions, Customs, Revenue Service and the Department of Home Affairs, on a wide range of drug-related topics." Thanks to IOL.co.za [ Top ]  Ragel Nel ColumnRagel Nel Ragel Nel Washington D.C. - Aaah... shopping. It's a loaded little word that has the ability to make most women light up and swoon and grown men cringe. In the United States it's a national pastime and its practitioners form a fiercely competitive, bargain-hunting subculture. I'm sure it's just a matter of time before it becomes an Olympic sport. Back in South Africa, I wasn't much of a shopper. My mother is an amazing seamstress, so I never had to buy clothes. In fact, I think I was already in college when I ventured into a clothing store to buy my first pair of jeans. I was utterly bewildered and exhausted by the experience and don't think I've ever fully recovered from it. To this day, I need the moral support of family or friends when I go shopping for clothes. Although I've loosened up a bit in terms of enjoying it, for the most part I still consider it to be nothing more than a nuisance and a necessary evil. I'd much rather be left in a bookstore where I can browse and lounge to my heart's content. With that in mind, you can imagine my shock on seeing the Americans in full force, 'shop-'til-you-drop' action. I arrived in Washington D.C. in November 1996. It was a particularly chilly autumn and the streets were virtually deserted. In all innocence and naïveté, I thought it was because the people were hibernating cozily inside their homes. They were inside, all right, but not in their houses. I'm quite convinced that the entire population of the greater Washington metropolitan area was at the shopping mall on the first day I went there. I witnessed one of the best shoppers in action. One of my previous American employers was a compulsive shopper. You know the type: the only time she ever lifted a finger was when she had her manicure done. The rest of the time she spent "running errands" (a grossly overused term which I've since come to realize can mean a variety of mysterious things, mostly to do with shopping) in her Jaguar convertible. Whenever I had the opportunity to accompany her on these sprees, I was so fascinated by her modus operandi that I even forgot how much I hated shopping in general. On one memorable day when she fought with Celine Dion - via a tight-lipped Saks Fifth Avenue sales person - over an expensive little number (because life is unfair and they are both skinny and rich!), I realized with awe that she had it down to an art. She had my respect, even though she ultimately lost the limited edition dress due to Celine's celebrity. But it's not only how they shop or where they shop. It's also about what one can find here in the States. They have products and gadgets that you can't even fathom... One night, plagued by insomnia, I channel surfed and stumbled onto those phenomena called Infomercials. The featured product was something like electric nose-, ear- and chest hair trimmers. Not really relevant to my life, but about two minutes into the ad they had me completely convinced that I could not, WOULD not, survive without it. Perhaps my vulnerability was at its peak at three in the morning, because when they threw in the non-fat bread maker for half price, my resistance dissolved - along with my remaining sanity. Hey, what can I say? When you are in America, do as they do, right? Even if you stick by your guns about not liking shopping, saying that there are better things to do, I can almost guarantee that the aggressive American advertisers are bound to find your weakness. Perhaps we all do have marathon shopper potential after all. Naming the column: Stop the clock! We have a winner! After carefully weighing up all the different e-mail suggestions I have received, and after much thought and deliberation with myself (It's a rather solemn affair, this business of naming a column.), I have finally selected "Nel's Kitchen", sent in by Chris Fouche. Chris is a fellow South African "transplant". He has been in the US for the past three years and lives in the vastness of West Texas - which he claims to be "flatter than the Free State" - in a barely there little town called San Angelo where he works as a graphic designer for a local newspaper. His suggestion appealed to me, because - as you've probably figured out by now - I'm a sucker for puns and his title is a brilliant word play on my surname and on the famous "Hell's Kitchen", that district in New York City renowned for its restaurants. Such a name is enough to inspire one to cook up and dish out spicy columns every week. Thanks, Chris! To everyone else who had taken the time to participate, my heartfelt thanks to you too. I have received many other clever suggestions, and it was truly a tough call to make. I hope you will all keep on reading and revisiting to see what's brewing in the "Kitchen". © RSA-Overseas [ Top ] Crowd stages Zim-style land grab in KZN On Sunday, a crowd of about 2 000 people allegedly invaded privately-owned vacant land in the posh suburb of Kloof, west of Durban, in defiance of a court interdict hardly a week old. The invasion has been condemned by the province's two main political parties, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and the African National Congress (ANC). IFP spokesperson Albert Mncwango said: "If one follows what happened in Zimbabwe, it started like this - with people ignoring court orders and invading privately-owned land. "It is putting the ANC government into a hard test, when they say they will not entertain Zimbabwe-style land invasions. They have to be tough on this. We accept that people need land, but obviously one cannot accept that people can act unlawfully. Otherwise this will have far-reaching implications, especially economically, as we have seen in Zimbabwe. "One can only say that while accepting problems faced by people, people cannot be allowed to take the law into their own hands." ANC representative Mtholephi Mthimkhulu said: "The ANC's policy is very clear. The ANC never supports land invasions. If a court of law said the people must stay away from that land, then the law must take its course." An irate Andre Liebenberg, attorney for the landowner, widowed Amseeammal Govender, told the Daily News that the crowd had acted in total defiance of the court interdict issued last week. He said: "Today, in total defiance of a court order, the people ignored it and the police. They jumped over the fence enclosing lot 490, Kloof. "They have also occupied portions of the neighbouring Krantzview Nature Reserve, and the police are standing by and doing nothing about the situation." The land lies adjacent to the scenic Krantzview Nature Reserve. The first invasion happened last Sunday when people allocated themselves pieces of the land before slashing and burning bush to make way for shacks. Only intervention by police averted ugly scenes. Last Sunday, local South African Civics Organisation (Sanco) leader Jimmy Mtolo held a meeting on the site to allocate land to about 400 people there. But police, having been alerted by nervous neighbours, broke up the meeting and a charge of trespassing was laid. Sanco has slammed the court order as a "sinister move to suppress the African people". The organisation also accused the owners of racism for not selling to it, and vowed to challenge the order in court. South African Police Service representative, Captain Vish Naidoo, said the matter had not been reported to the police. Thanks to IOL.co.za [ Top ] |
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