|
Last Update: November 4, 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 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 |
|
South Africa won't help US militarily in war South Africa would not allow the United States to dock its warships in South Africa while the ships were engaged in a war against Afghanistan, the SA government stated unequivocally at the weekend. Director-general of foreign affairs, Sipho Pityana, was responding to question at a weekend media briefing. He said the SA government had taken the position that "we would not collaborate with the US militarily" in the fight against terrorism. "That remains our position. And so we would not be in a position to offer the US the kind of assistance which you advance hypothetically, to base its ship in South Africa to advance its campaign against Afghanistan. "Our position is that our co-operation in the campaign against international terrorism does not include military co-operation," he said. Before the terror attacks on the US on September 11, the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise was due to dock in Cape Town during September for a friendship visit on its way back to the US from the Arabian Sea. After the attacks, the visit was cancelled and the ship was kept in the Arabian region to participate in the US air raids on Afghanistan. A senior US official said during September that if the US asked SA for military assistance in the fight against international terrorism, it would "expect a positive response". Pityana said SA would like the campaign against international terrorism to be conducted under the auspices of the United Nations and would raise this at the UN general assembly debate starting on November 10. The department of foreign affairs announced on Sunday that President Thabo Mbeki and foreign affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma would participate in the debate. "It could be expected that the fight against international terrorism will receive particular attention during the general debate," the department said. "Issues of importance to South Africa and Africa, as contained in the New Partnership for Africa's Development, should remain high on the global agenda and need to be emphasised." Mbeki will be the third speaker at the opening session of the assembly and will also speak in his capacity as chairperson of the Non-aligned Movement. Mbeki and Dlamini Zuma will also hold several bilateral meetings. Thanks to IOL.co.za [ Top ]  Kytie Koekblik ColumnKytie Koekblik Washington D.C. - ‘n Top-week; ‘n movie-wereld en ‘n exhilirated Kytie Ek stap in die State Department rond met gratis muffins, doughnuts, ‘n derde koppie koffie en ‘n badge wat se, MEDIA. Ek knyp myself nie omdat dit soos ‘n droom voel nie maar omdat my kop begin swaar raak. Ek knyp myself om wakker te bly - dit is my grootste battle in die lewe. Ek het soveel adrenalien en energie dat ek gemiddeld twee ure by die huis spandeer en verder hol ek heeltyd rond van funksie na etes na paarties na klasse na gym na huis na werk. So die oomblik as ek begin ontspan en my adrenalien bedaar, dan raak ek aan die slaap. Dit is soos ‘n drowsy gevoel, asof die bloed uit jou kop uit loop en jou ooglede word letterlik swaar. En daar sit ek in die State Department laasweek Maandag en ek ontspan omdat ek sowaar betyds opgestaan het en betyds by die konferensie aan gekom het en ek raak toe sowaar aan die slaap! Dis mos nie elke dag dat ek die United States se president George W. Bush hoor speech nie, maar vyf minute voor Bush se speech in die State Department toe het ek al my dae om wakker te bly. Ek knyp myself, beweeg rond in my stoel, uit desperaatheid neem ek naderhand spoeg en smeer dit aan die hoeke van my oe - ek weet dit klink disgusting maar ‘n mens is nie veronderstel om op die job te slaap nie… EK het ‘n geskiedenis van aan die slaap raak. Ek het al deur loeiende alarms en verskeie dosente se klasse geslaap. OP universiteit het my drama-klasmates gedink ek is op drugs. As ek in daai departement instap en op die stoeltjie gaan sit en myself op die skouer klop omdat ek dit sowaar tot in die lecture gemaak het, dan begin my oe swaar raak. Gewoonlik het ek op my arm gaan le en my suf geslaap. My oe bly boonop so half-oop as ek slaap, dan kon almal in die dramaklas sien hoe my oe omdop. DIe meeste van die tyd as ek wel klas bygewoon het op kampus (ek het sowat 3% dramaklasse en 5% joernalistiek klasse in my derde jaar bygewoon) het ek deur my klasse geslaap en dan moes ek rondloop met sulke rooi wange waarop die patroon van die band se rand of my trui netjies afgedruk was. Ek het selfs in my matriek-eindeksamen wiskunde vraestel en in my afrikaans 3 vraestel op universiteit aan die slaap geraak. Die ergste is dat ek wragtie aanhou skryf en my verbeel ek skryf sense terwyl ek slaap. So jy sien al hierdie lyne wat geen sin maak nie en ek skryf ook van die blou lyne af…en dit is gewoonlik hilarious. Ek het selfs in die fantastiese show “STOMP” ‘n battle gehad en al deur eindelose teaterproduksies op die Grahamstad fees geslaap. In my derdejaar is ek gediagnoseer met lae bloeddruk en die dokter het gese my bloed kom letterlik nie tot in my oe nie. So toe het ek begin koffie drink.... Een jaar was ek op ‘n coffeedate met ‘n gorgeous man maar my oe het die heeltyd in hulle kaste gerol soos ek probeer wakker bly en ek het die arme persoon so jammer gekry want hy’t maar net aanhou praat met sy slapende date - want wat kon hy doen? Nodeloos om te, dit was die laaste sien van die blikkantien. In my geskiedenis boek van st 8 het ek geskryf “Schindlers List” na ek aan die slaap geraak het. In elk geval, toe die Bush procession by die State Department inloop toe ruk my kop asof ek geskok word, en toe spring ek betyds op om saam met almal te klap. Dit was regtig weird. Om skielik al die TV retoriek van Amerika op die TV hoor. “May God bless Africa. And may God continue to bless America.” Ek was so half vies toe Bush dit se, net omdat dit klink asof hy impliseer dat Amerika als reg doen en daarom gebless word. En of course beteken die Afrika is nie gebless nie. Wel ek het nuus vir el presidente: Ek het dit darem reggekry om dwarsdeur die Bush toespraak wakker te bly wat baie impressive was. EK het ook wakker gebly dwarsdeur die daaropvolgende Colin Powell toespraak. Dinsdag middag het vir Zuma hoor praat. Wat ‘n cool week, het ek gedink. Om in een week soveel powerful mense te hoor praat is mos vir Kytie so half soos ‘n movie. Soms kan ek nog nie glo ek loop in Washington rond waar anthrax cases uitbreek en waar ek donkernag verby die gat in die Pentagon ry oppad na ‘n Halloween party nie. En dis soos 'n movie-wereld om in een week vir Bishop Tutu en George W. en Colin Powell te hoor praat. On top of dit alles, praat Bishop Tutu toe Donderdag by die Georgetown university. EN natuurlik het ek deur die eerste klompie minute gebattle om my ogies oop te hou. En kon nie glo ek sit en luister na ‘n man vir wie ek soveel respek en bewondering het nie, en dan raak ek nogals ewe aan die slaap! Maar dit daar gelaat, die beste oomblik in my hele week was Vrydag. Ek het Donderdag vir ons ambassadeur gevra om ‘n nota aan Bishop Tutu te gee om my te bel. Tot my groot verbasing lui die telefoon omstreeks 2:30 in die middag. “Hallo, it is Bishop Tutu.” Ek gaap soos ‘n vis en die eerste woord wat uit my mond uit glip is ‘Oh really?’ En kon dit net nie glo nie. So ek se toe, “Oh it is really Bishop Tutu, thanks for calling,” en ek klink so starstruck soos ‘n tiener by ‘n Boys to Men konsert. In elk geval, die dag kon nie beter nie. Kort daarna moes ek ‘n storie skryf oor ‘n Suid-Afrikaanse wine tasting by die National Press Club. Dit was ‘n ongelooflike gevoel om ‘n saal in te stap en orals prente te sien van my mooiste Boland met Tafelberg in die agtergrond. Ek was die gelukkigste persoon op die planeet; veral toe ek hoor hoeveel Afrikaans daar reg rondom my gepraat word. Selfs die gesigte van talle agter hulle Bolandse wynbottels het soos regte Afrikaanse gesigte gelyk. As iemand soos ‘n Jannie gelyk het, was ek nie verbaas om te hoor sy naam is “Coenie” or “Bennie” nie. Sulke skoon, oop gesigte, verbruin deur die son want hulle is mos plaasboere, nie bleekwit Amerikaanse gesigte nie. Saterdag-aand het ek vir die prokureur van ‘n voormalige president gaan babysit. Selfs dit was weird. Jy babysit nie vir die oom next door nie maar vir die high powered lawyer wat in ‘n mansion in Washington DC bly… Sondag was ook een van daai glitter dae. Ek en ‘n Misterieuse Rollerblader het ‘n tog aangepak waarin ek myself amper gewreck het. Kyk, behalwe dat ek enige tyd enige plek aan die slaap kan raak, is ek ook die soort girl wat haar taf hou. Al is my voete vol blase en my spiere seer en al moet ek my lyf agter my aansleep, gaan niks my spirits breek nie. Ek het nog net omtrent sewe maal in my lewe gerollerblade. Ek vermoed het dalk ‘n natural talent om vinnig om my voete te kan bly en te skaats asof ek ‘n pro is, maar ek het g’n niks tegniek nie. Ek weet nie hoe om te stop nie. So die misterieuse rollerblader het my kort-kort gered van traffic lights/mense/pale/afdraendes ens. Ons het vanaf Adams Morgan in Washington DC geskaats tot in Old Town Alexandra. Ek het nog nooit eers in my lewe met ‘n kar gery tot in Old Town nie; ewe skielik het ek hierdie marathon tog aangepak op rollerblades, ‘n volle 27 km…. En waarom het hierdie tawwe Afrikaanse girl dit aan haarself gedoen? Dalk het dit iets te doen met 'n Misterieuse Rollerblader. Nou’s ek op hierdie Maandag ‘n seer maar baie gelukkige Kytie..Laasweek was ‘n top week. Een van daai soort weke wat ek in Washington rondloop met ‘n glimlag vir almal en g’n niks kan my spirits breek nie. 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 ] Upington men in court 'for raping baby' Six Upington men, aged between 24 and 66, appeared in the town's magistrate's court on Monday on charges of raping and indecently assaulting a nine-month-old girl in Louisvale. The case was postponed to November 13 for a bail application and all six will remain in police custody until then, said senior state prosecutor Wentzel Engelbrecht. Piet van Rooi, 39, Jan Mienies, 45, John Radebi, 24, Frans Mosterd, 28, Jan van Wyk, 66, and Job Freeman, 32, were arrested in October after the child's grandmother found the girl covered in blood. The girl's 16-year-old mother had gone to buy food and left her in the care of another person when the incident happened. The child suffered injuries to her anus and rectum during her ordeal. The nine-month-old baby girl is to undergo a series of operations after the alleged rape by six drunken men in Upington on Friday. The men, aged between 24 and 66, appeared in the Upington magistrate's court on Monday in connection with the brutal rape and sodomy of the baby girl, who had been left by her mother with an unidentified person. The baby, who is in a serious but stable condition at the Kimberley Hospital, was found naked and covered in blood by her grandmother at about 10pm on Friday in their Louisvale home in Upington. The infant is to undergo a series of operations. The baby's mother is a minor of 16 who was also arrested after allegedly being found drunk. She was fined R100 for riotous behaviour and the police will also look into a case of negligence. Comforting the grandmother on Monday as they sat at the little baby's bedside in the paediatric ward, Northern Cape safety and liaison MEC Connie Seoposengwe, health MEC Dipuo Peters and provincial deputy police commissioner Louis Swanepoel expressed their shock. At a press briefing earlier, Seoposengwe described the incident as appalling. Earlier, the six men were arrested on Friday night after the incident. Captain Cherelle Ehlers said in a statement on Sunday that the baby girl's 16-year-old mother left the child in another person's care around 10pm on Saturday night while she went out to buy food. Ehlers said the six men, aged 39, 45, 24, 28, 66 and 32 were all arrested because they were so drunk that they were accusing each other of the crime. Blood samples were taken and would be sent for testing. Ehlers said the baby underwent surgery on Saturday and was still in a serious but stable condition in a Kimberley hospital. [ Top ] More and more teachers dying of Aids The number of teachers' deaths due to HIV/Aids has rocketed by 40 percent in the past year, says a report issued by Sadtu, the biggest teachers' union in the country. It is not clear how badly the Western Cape is affected. The figures are based on funeral scheme claims to the South African Democratic Teachers Union. Between June last year and May this year, 1 011 teachers, with an average age of 39, died. Between August 1999 and May last year, 701 teachers died. Although Aids was not cited as the cause of death, most died of "opportunistic" infections such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, gastro-enteritis, meningitis and cryptococcal meningitis. Sadtu is the largest teachers' organisation, representing more than 216 000 teachers countrywide. The Sadtu report said in KwaZulu-Natal teachers were dying at an average age of 34, and that in five of the nine provinces more women than men were dying. According to Sadtu's latest newsletter, 20 Western Cape members with an average age of 35 died between June last year and May this year. Hassen Lorgat, Sadtu's national spokesperson, said: "If you look at the trends, especially the fact that the average age of dying teachers is under 40, you can see we are in trouble. "The national education department has come on board. Two weeks ago the minister, Kader Asmal, said we couldn't continue like this. At least they're talking about HIV instead of denying it. The Aids debate has been bogged down in too much detail." Helen Zille, the Western Cape education minister, said she could not give an estimate of how many teachers were affected in the region. Her department has a comprehensive HIV/Aids awareness programme for children for which it trains teachers, but it was unable to say if there were HIV/Aids programmes for teachers. Thanks to IOL.co.za [ Top ]  Nel's KitchenRagel Nel Ragel Nel Washington D.C. - Despite the ongoing anthrax threats and the heightened security alerts nationwide, America post terrorism is almost back to normal. That is, at least, if American television is any indication. Ever since September 11, anything and everything to do with the attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, the plane hijackings, Osama bin Laden and his armies and the war on the Taliban in Afghanistan, have been dominating the airwaves. Of course, it's understandable. After all, those were very tragic and important events and the public has the utmost right to be informed at all times. But even all those entertainment shows - normally devoted to tabloid-like celebrity gossip (Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood, to name but a few.) - started behaving as if they had suddenly turned into the headquarters of CNN. If only... So they felt it necessary to tackle all the important issues of the day while still devoting themselves to the celebrity angles. Quite frankly though, I don't find waify actress Gwynneth Paltrow's tips on how to mix and match gas masks with Gucci purses and Manolo Blahnik stiletto's very newsworthy. (Not yet, anyway.) I'm also not interested to hear how the pampered stars are suddenly too afraid to open their fanmail (as if they had been doing it themselves BEFORE now... ha!), or about how Drew Barrymore is hailed a brave heroine because she showed up to present Saturday Night Live. Why watch it then? I hear you ask. Well, easy enough answer. I can't switch to any other channels, because I don't have cable television. Why not simply turn the television off, then? I hear you persist. But I pretend that I didn't hear you and .... okay, okay... fine. Because it's like a soap opera, once you've glanced at it by accident - even if only to sneer at what awful television it is - you're hooked. I don't know why. They probably use one film frame (less than even a part of a second. And that's technically as far as I'm willing to venture.) to send you a subliminal message like: "Watch this, and you'll become really wealthy one day and look JUST like the actors and actresses with their shapely figures and their sparkling smiles who are in this soap opera." And if you are still willing to argue with me and say that you will NEVER waste your time like that and stoop that low, here's my counter argument: You read this column every week, don't you? (I sincerely hope the answer is yes, otherwise not only my argument will have backfired, but my fragile little ego will be completely crushed...) Back to American television. I know that they are back to normal, because in their weekend preview, Entertainment Tonight teased the following segment, with the announcer brightly asking: "Was it Monica or Bill's affair? Or so-and-so's tax evasion and money laundering? Tune in to Entertainment Tonight to see our exclusive countdown of the decade's top celebrity scandals, which will include lots of talk about sex and theft." Not a mere mention of an anthrax spore, or one interview with a celebrity animatedly telling us how they are petrified of flying and have cancelled all their work engagements for the next decade, but in the same breath saying how Americans should listen to the President, be brave and continue about their daily business... Not even a single exclusive interview with one of Osama bin Laden's brother's cousin's ex-wives dishing about the family fortune. In fact, on the six o'clock news, they even devoted air time to Dr. and Mrs. Levy, the grieving parents of still missing (after six months) intern Chandra Levy. It's a sign of the times, people. Life - and television - as we know it, loathe it, or even (secretly) love it in the United States, are going on. Eat your hearts out, terrorists. P.S. Don't forget to tune in to Entertainment Tonight! © RSA-Overseas [ Top ] Uneasy Els reflects on winless year London - World number four Ernie Els, the popular South African who possesses one of the smoothest swings in the game, is often referred to as the Big Easy. But 'easy' would not be the first adjective that would spring to his mind as he reflects on his winless golfing campaign this year on both sides of the Atlantic. For the first time in eight straight seasons on the US Tour, he has failed to register a single victory and narrowly missed out on the title in his last two events - in Europe a fortnight ago and after a playoff in Houston, Texas at the weekend. The man who finished second in three of last year's four majors has also had to battle various injuries in recent months, as well as some rather indifferent form over the first half of the year. Yet the twice US Open champion has still managed to climb to number three in the European Tour money list while he is ranked 15th in the United States, a record most players would be proud of. Two weeks ago, Els could only watch as Scotland's Paul Lawrie birdied the 18th with a putt from all of 40 feet to win the Dunhill Links Championship by a single shot at St Andrews. Then, on Sunday in the US Tour Championship, the South African impressively birdied the final regulation hole to book his place in a four-way playoff for the season-ending title - along with American David Toms, Spaniard Sergio Garcia and Canada's Mike Weir. But it was the left-handed Weir, with a birdie at the first hole of sudden death, who ultimately prevailed. "I gave myself a chance at least," said Els, who completed the 72 holes of regulation play with a final round of 68. "I wouldn't say I played picture-perfect golf out there but I'm quite proud of myself, just hanging in there the last couple holes. "But it didn't work out for me this week, and I will just have to play better next year." Thanks to IOL.co.za [ Top ] |
|
