The Prince has no clothes

I know I have written a lot about the royals..and today I continue my anti- tribute to the leeches of public funds.

We all know that British Prince Harry is a bit of a wild one. It is also pretty much world news that our beloved Prince of Responsibility had a wild night in Vegas, playing naked pool and drinking his royal heart out. There are also rumours of the use of cocaine and hallucinogenic mushrooms. Wonderful behaviour from a member of a family who is so special, they do not have to work, yet are paid millions to well...not work...and I bet the entertainment was on Harry's bill...or well, the daft taxpayer's bill rather...

Anyway....so our beloved Prince Tax Leech, uses his tax fueled pay to live it up..only the best for Royalty...while many of their subjects are living on the breadline..or worse.

Then, when he is exposed to public shame, who is to blame for this...his security detail. It is them who should have stopped the photos and (supposed) video from being taken.

Here is some perspective..Prince H is approaching 30, is a Captain in the military and a helicopter pilot...so why in the world would he not be held responsible for his own stupid behaviour. Why blame his security detail. Granted, they do bear some blame, but the main culprit is Prince Brat himself.

This further fuels my argument that the entire royal family, and not only those of Britain, should be scrapped. They are and will always be a drain on the taxpayer, funding that could be much better used elsewhere. But, as it stands, they are held in high regard for doing nothing, other than being lucky enough to be born into the correct bloodline...and milk it from then on forward...they are no better than their subjects..who actually work hard to pay over the taxes to keep the royals doing nothing..great gig.

Massacre Hijacked

Lonmin Mine is now known worldwide.
Last week the world was exposed to South Africa's violent side once more, as the reporters from various countries worldwide witness, photographed and filmed as the Police shot dead 34 striking miners..and injured scores more. I am not going to go into a debate whether the shooting was correct or incorrect. There was evidence that the police were fired at first and they responded with live ammunition. Whether this was heavy handed, is up for much debate.

No matter who was to blame the fact is, sadly people were killed and many seem to forget how two policemen were killed the previous day by the very same miners.

Another innocent victim was a poor innocent rabbit that was savagely killed for no reason by the strikers. Apparently the miners were preparing for war, as a Traditional Healer was performing rituals on the miners to ensure their protection against police firearms. Seriously. The Healer warned them not to kill the rabbit, but in their infinite wisdom and need to be savage, they killed the poor animal. Many blame the killing of the rabbit for the high death toll. The strikers were armed, as is evident, so they were looking for confrontation. The blame really lies with plain stupidity and aggression.

My biggest issue was that there was a need for leadership. Their are two workers Unions fighting for power. Again the waters are muddied and the ignorant are used as pawns. Political figures quickly turned this into a chance to gain popularity and spread their cause, the first being that ever so brilliant, Julius Malema. Again he attacked Jacob Zuma and the ANC, using this as a way to score points with the people. However, anybody who was fooled by his presence, is stupid right the way through. He saw a platform am and took it. He does not care about the people..he cares about his failed political career. ANC members also attended the memorials and chose to make this a high profile event, although they did not respond directly to Malema.

This was a tragic week for South Africa, but the lack of respect displayed by politicians, is probably the saddest part of it all..

The Queen and The Queen.....

Today we move away from South African politics and move on to royalty.....no, not those annoying princes...or their relations, but the queens of pop.....yes, Elton John (still chuckle at the Sir part) and Madonna.

In a recent interview on an Aussie news and current affair program, old Elton went off at Mads....saying her career is over, her latest tour was a disaster and it could not happen to a bigger c$#@. And then he continues to knock her current music, calling her a 'fairground stripper'. Then the gem comes at the end.."She's been horrible to (lady) Gaga."

For some perspective...Lady Gaga (another misuse of the word'Lady') is godmother to Elton and his partner's (David Furnish) adoptive son, Zackery.
Here is the first point...Elton obviously has not know Gaga for long and besides, which sane person would make her a godmother of anything- including a pet goldfish.

Then old Mads, basically said that Gaga's song 'Born this way' was a rip off of 'Express yourself'..although she did think it was a 'wonderful way to redo my song'. Real Nasty Elton.

So, the Queen is at the Queen in a long and let's face it, boring public spat. 3 year old children display more maturity than this.

Another little thorn in old Elton's side, was that Madonna's 'Masterpiece' (from the movie WE) won a Golden Globe award where Queen Eltons songs for Gnomeo and Juliet did not.

And so this really childish and sadly public spat continues as neither covers themselves in glory and both seek to suck as much attention from their waning careers....instead of doing what the old rockers do....make music and shut up about shit...

The 2012 Oscar goes to Mr Selebi...

We could start a blog on the goings on of the African Police Chiefs, past and present.

We visit an old story, with a new but predictable twist.
Two weeks ago, after serving a whole two months of a 15 years sentence, Ex INTERPOL and SAPS boss, Comrade Jacki was released of medical parole. To keep up appearances, he was transferred to the Steve Biko hospital and then to Jakaranda Hospital, in Pretoria. It was rumoured that he was receiving dialysis three times a day for his medical condition.
His diagnosis is supposedly: Renal failure, possible cancer and diabetes. He was released by the 'new' Medical Parole Advisory Board as he was in the 'final stages of his disease'. (We have heard that one before- a certain Schabir Shaik, picture below, was also in the last stages of living, but made a miracle recovery and is pretty actively living it up around Durban's night life and golf courses.)

For those of you who can remember, a pretty well looking Selebi suddenly became gravely ill once his appeal against his sentence was dismissed. He apparently collapsed and was taken to hospital. (and at that time the media and public were predicting he would see a medical parole release.)

Firstly Selebi received preferential treatment when jumping the queue of some 80 other patients, for dialysis,  and secondly, he is granted medical parole in a short time, whilst many other near death patients, who apply are denied and die in prison.

Sources at Steve Biko hospital, report that Mr Freedom 2012, has not reported to the hospital for dialysis for a week now, supposedly now needing it every 48 hours.
Even more disturbing, are that Selebi is using his police medical aid to obtain private medical service. If a convicted fraudster, with not means of income, still has the right to use his police medical aid, surely something is seriously wrong.

He is now under House arrest....his parole conditions are considered strict bu the department of correctional service. You decide...from Monday to Friday he has two hours free time and weekend..where he can go to church, buy a newspaper, go for coffee and so on. Help me understand how this is strict? If he is so sick, he should not even be able to go out..but hey..as we have seen with politically connected people, they are prone to miracle recoveries. (oh and any medical treatment, even if it takes the whole day away from his prison home, is not counted as free time.)

Further- he may not use drugs or abuse alcohol. Now- somebody in the so called, final stages of renal failure, should not even be allowed to be within a 100 meters of any form of alcohol, let alone, not abuse it.
Unless he has permission he cannot leave the Pretoria area or move houses.

Obvioulsy everybody who can, is denying any political influence...but please..how stupid do the authorities think the public is?
Soon he will make another recovery and as with Mr S, who plays golf often, his parole conditions will be lessened and he will be a free crook.....great lesson this sends out to the youngsters...and a great message to the world..

The South African Money Bermuda Triangle

South Africa has grown a reputation for being The Bermuda Triangle of money.... seriously. In SA, money vanishes..and here we are today, to discuss another mysterious case....

In 2010, acting president, Kgalema Motlanthe (below), signed a proclamation, ordering the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) to investigate three officials and the department, after the department awarded a R1 Billion tenders, apparently incorrectly. The investigation was to go back to 2006.
In the end, the department could not account for R62 Million in assets, procedures had been bypassed when awarding tenders in favour of chosen contractors and the department overspend by R722 Million. (in short)

Our three magicians are: Former health department head, Sybil Ngcobo, former chief financial officer, Fanuel Meso and deputy director general, Obakeng Moekeletsi. These three are responsible for a grand total of R16 Million vanishing. David Copperfield could have learnt a thing or two from these crooks.

The SIU made recommendations, one being claims for damages be made against these individuals, for the missing funds. This was in April/September 2011....and to date, not one of these slimy magicians has been arrested or charged. Apparently the matter was referred to the Anti Corruption Task Team..and (wait for it)..the investigation is at a sensitive stage...always the easy cop-out.

But, the truth is...up till now, nothing has been done....3 people who have been found responsible for making R16 Million vanish into their pockets, are still free to spend their 'rewards' for a job well done.

I am sure another interesting episode of the Money Bermuda Triangle will be on this blog page soon...knowing our corrupt government...

From Crook to Cop and back again

South Africa is slowly becoming the land of opportunity...well for some.

Today we bring the heart warming tale of a crook turned cop.

Here is a typical, only in South Africa tale. Brigadier Musa Khumalo had a fine record of bringing down crime syndicates. His record boasted the recovery of over 40 stolen vehicles and hijacked cars. What a crime buster.

Then our super-cop's face was recognized by his co-workers in KZN when Johannesburg police circulated a photo of him. Then the story unfolded...Khumalo escaped from jail about a year, with the help of a warden..fled to KZN where adopted a senior police rank and proceeded to act in that role for around a year, undetected. He was initially arrested for murder and was thought to be involved in a car theft and hijacking syndicate. It emerged that his proud arrest records was in fact his way of ridding his syndicate of the competition.

Musa entered South Africa legally from Zimbabwe and then proceeded to obtain false documents. According to Home Affairs, Khumalo was declared dead in 2008.
After his escape from custody in Jo'burg, he fled to KZN, making friends with policeman and introducing himself as a brigadier from the Hawks unit. Soon he was insisting with investigation and gaining the trust of the other cops. With his 'working' knowledge of the crimes, he was handy in bringing his rivals down.

He has since disappeared once more and is being sought by police. Watch your local police station....or he may be our next general....got to love it..

The Police Chief's Side Step..

Finding a South African Police Commissioner has been an uphill battle in South Africa...all have been political appointments and all have turned up full of dirt. Drum roll....the first female police commissioner is appointed with all the blah blah and promises that comes with the historic appointment and the top post. For a while, we thought we could have smiled....and then, the curse struck...

It turns out that Newly appointed Police Commissiner General Riah Phiyega was a director of a company called Lefatshe Technologies. On the face of it, there appears to be nothing wrong with this. However, things are never so simple. The sting comes when we find out that Phiyega resigned as director a few days before she headed a probe into the company for fraud and corruption. 

She sees this as no problem, as she resigned before heading the probe....

For the record- the probe found against the company and the CEO and several top managers dismissed. A bullet well dodged on the general's side?

Further to this, she is also linked to a company, Kapela Capital, which owns 40% share of XON, which company supplies the SAPS with IT equipment. 

Once again a politician is appointed a Top Cop to protect our president and once again, there are skeletons in the closet. If the government were serious about fighting crime, they would appoint a career police person, who had the experience in the force and who did not have shadows they had to hide. 

The magic wall and the police minister

Politics in South Africa, has a long tradition of thinking the public are a bunch of idiots...so, I bring you the next exciting installment.

Police Minister Nathi Mtethwa (dude featured above)was cleared of wrong doing by the Auditor-General Terrence Nombembe (his highness pictured below) of claims of corruption. This stemmed from claims about our honest Minister of Police, using state funds to build a R200 000 security wall around his private residence.

The official findings were that the R200 000 did in fact come from a police crime intelligence slush fund (the same one used by other high ranking police for private use) but (and this is the howler) Mtethwa did not know where the money came from.
Somebody..maybe the Wall Fairy, withdrew the money, without anybody knowing, had the wall build, without the minister's knowledge, overnight, also, without him knowing it..paid for the wall in cash..and Nathi woke up to find a fine wall surrounding his abode.


...how stupid do these fools think we are. And obviously the AG is doing his job, covering for his ANC buddies, so all is well in ANC-Ville...

To put further perspective on this Nathi guy...he stayed in a Five Star hotel on the Cape Waterfront, at the taxpayers expense...and was cleared because 'he did not realize it was a 5 star hotel'....really..I cannot make this up. So he wandered into the first hotel he saw, did not look at the proud advertisements that all 5 stars have everywhere..did not even see how much the rates were, or the grand total after his luxury stay. .and we have to buy into this rubbish....We are being screwed over....from pour President who somehow thinks he deserves a customized 300 seater Jet, to the minister etc...and it is all at the poor taxpayer's expense.....

Another pathetic plea agreement.

Chanelle Henning was shot dead in front of her son, whilst dropping him off at school, in a hit last year. 


Gerhardus du Plessis, Ambrose Monye, Andre Gouws and Preshan Singh were arrested and are to stand trial for the murder and conspiracy to commit murder. 

Now comes news that Singh is expected to do a typical South African thing and settle into a plea and sentence agreement with the state in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court. The agreement seems that Singh pleads guilty on a 'firearm related charge' and his sentence would amount to a suspended sentence with community service. This is due to this gun runner admitting to furnishing the revolver that killed Chanelle. His powerful argument- that he was unaware that his unlicensed weapon would be involved in a crime. 
Number one, why did he have an unlicensed firearm and number two, how stupid is the state to accept the argument that he did not know it would be involved in a crime. What did he think he was giving it to the other suspects for- to take it to the movies? 

It is beyond worrying that the state is so quick to enter into please agreements. Many high profile cases have revolved around some of the accused getting favourable plea agreements, in exchange for giving evidence to use against a primary target. In many cases the evidence given is weak and the primary target walks away. Surely if you agree to give evidence and fail to give sufficient evidence, the plea agreement should be cancelled. In essence, everybody walks away )- look at the cases involving Glenn Agliotti as well as that of Brett Kebble...all went free, despite those who entered plea agreements not coming to the table with their cards. And nothing is done about it. 

Yet again, we have somebody who possesses an unlicensed firearm, a crime in the first instance and then gives it to somebody else, thinking no crime would be committed. His punishment- nothing really. 


In short, it is looking very good to be a criminal in South Africa.....

Why do some deserve any human rights?

I am always left wondering why right's groups go out of their way to fight for the rights of people who have done so much wrong to others.

Murderers of all kinds, child sex offenders, rapists, people who cause harm to others and animals....why do they deserve to have their rights defended? It is beyond me, how somebody who has raped a child, even deserves rights, or somebody who has shot a mother or father in front of their children.

I am not saying all prisoners should not have rights. Minor offenses like theft of food and money, without harming the victim is not that serious in the big scheme of things. Perhaps I am practicing double standards, and if I am, I really do not care. Under the right guidance, many minor offenders could be rehabilitated.

Having said that, I do not have much hope for the serious offenders. If you have the cruelty built in you to ruin somebody else's rights, then I cannot for the life of me see, why you deserve to be afforded even basic human rights.

We hear about so many robbers, shooting their victims, for no reason. Even people who comply, are liable to get a fatal bullet. How many cowardly men abuse small children, ruining them psychologically and sometimes, physically- for life. What to me is even more worrying, is that you still get people who defend and worry about the treatment the perpetrator of the crime is getting.
How in the world, can anybody but the waste of breath's family care. Those same brave defender's of the low life's right's do not even bother to defend to follow up on the progress or the broken rights of the innocent victim.  They try to portray themselves as great liberals and fighters of rights, but all they are, are a bunch of idiots looking for attention. Trying to look academic and so humane.

If anybody commits serious crime, where innocent life is taken or seriously violated, that person should be stripped of ALL their rights and thrown into jail til they wither away and die. Cruel, in a way I guess it is. But why do they deserve any better. Many will repeat the offence if they ever see freedom, as has been proven in many cases. Some people are beyond rehabilitation.
Then, from another aspect, the price it costs to house, feed and educate a prisoner, per year, could better be used feeding and clothing the homeless or used for other projects. I am an advocate of the death penalty. Especially in cases where the evidence is overwhelming. Why should tax payer's money pay for these flesh waters to live for another 20-30 years.Again, some will see this as barbaric, and again, I do not care!!

I am sick and tired of criminals getting it better than innocent, tax paying citizens. Surely I am not the only one who sees something seriously wrong with this.

TheWicket-Keeper who did!

This piece is one like I have never done. I do not usually write about sport or glorify anybody. But I feel moved to write a piece on a cricket player who, in my view, was the best wicket-keeper cricket has seen.

Today I pay tribute to one Mark Verdon Boucher.

Boucher, born in East London in the Cape Province, in 1976, he made his International debut in a test match in 1997, against Pakistan. Since that debut, Boucher has set more wicky records than anybody else. The fact that he has played for so long and been the first choice wicket keeper for most of this time, tells the story.
Mark embodied what South African sportsman are known for- the never give up and never say die attitude, especially when your back is against the wall. Small in size but massive in heart, Boucher did not know how to surrender.

His good looks made him popular with the females, his cricket ability and attitude made him a hero to many youngsters and the men loved him for his ability to save a cricket match and his cool personality. And after all of this, somehow he remained so humble.

He has played 147 test matches and averages a decent 30.30. This average betrays the number of times he has been the street fighter in the team and hauled the South African side from the jaws of certain defeat. Boucher embodies the Big Match Temperament that is needed in a player and even when he is not on form, leaving his experience and fight out of the team, is a danger. In one day matches, his contribution in the lower end of the batting was often the difference between winning and losing. In a test he could hold up his end to either pile on runs, or hang on for an unlikely draw. He was unmatched for this solid base he could provide.

Many who read this, will not be cricket fans, so I will not be too technical.

Mark holds the record for the most catches by a wicket keeper- 532 as well as that of total dismissals- 555. He surely had the opportunity to add to this with South Africa in England and vying to replace England as the number on test playing nation. His records are unlikely to be broken.

And funnily enough, he has a test wicket to his name.

It all tragically fell apart yesterday in a warm up game against Somerset. A bail was dislodged and flew straight into Boucher's eye. It damaged the eye enough for him to require an emergency operation last night and the medical team still do not know the lasting extent of the injury.

This was probably his last tour and he would have wanted to end his career on both his own terms and on a high. He would have reached the milestone of 150 tests, probably added to his massive dismissal total and probably dug South Africa out of some dark holes.
Sadly, Mark Boucher has played his last match for South Africa and it is heartbreaking to see such a perfect example of a South African sportsman end his career like this!
To say he will be missed by the team and all South African cricket fans, is an understatement.

A Disgrace for our High Court!

The history of this case is that Bafana Matwa raped a 7 year old girl. He at first denied the rape, but when DNA linked the sleazy sex offender to the crime, he pleaded guilty. Correctly he was sentenced to a life term by the Vereeniging Regional Court. So far, so good.

Then, a shocker: Acting Judge Bert Baum, in the Pretoria High court,  in his infinite wisdom and compassion for victims, reduced the sentence to 22 years imprisonment. His wise and touching reasons were that although the little girl had suffered serious mental anxiety, she had not been physically injured when she was raped.

Seriously..an acting judge thinks like this. Doctor's notes clearly state that the little girl weighed a mere 29,3kg at the time and  'features of forced vaginal penetration were found to be present.' The piece of useless human meat, who raped her, forced himself on her and covered her mouth when she tried to scream. Then this waste of a life, tries to claim his plea of guilty, is a form of remorse. (Even though he only pleaded guilty when the DNA proved he was).
Luckily the wise, badly acting judge, saw through this desperate ruse, but still found that he was a first time offender and other than the vaginal injuries, he had not harmed her further...and the idiot on the bench sees this as a mitigating factor and actually has the gall to add that the magistrate who handed down the life sentence, should have taken this into account!!!! What baffles me even more, is Judge Dread Baum, actually acknowledges that, because of her age, the crime would have a severe psychological impact on the child. So he sees this..yet finds it in his logic, his, who knows what, to reduce, what was a correct sentence.

Firstly, the magistrate handed down the correct sentence, should be applauded for being hard on crime. This monster Matwa should never see freedom again.
Secondly, our waste of time, criminal sympathizing government needs to re-look at punishment for violent and severe crimes and stop kissing the arses of these criminals and respecting their rights above the victim's. Thirdly, Acting Judge Baum should stop acting, and bugger off to the rock from which he crawled under. We cannot have people on the bench who have any sympathy for criminals, especially sex offenders, and even more so, those who harm children. I am unapologetic when I say that the death penalty needs to be brought back to South Africa.

Swine flu-the real death figures

I am sure we can all remember the panic over the 2009 outbreak of Swine Flu. It gripped the world and had medical science in a frenzy.
Swine Flu, is caused by the good old H1N1 influenza virus and is transmittable from person to person via fluid contact. It was declared a pandemic in June 2009, just 4 months after the first reported case, in March 2009. This was after cases where confirmed in 74 countries.

The World Health Organisation (WHO), placed the number who died from this strain of flu, at 18 500. In their defense, they did indicate this was a gross underestimate. These were apparently the deaths only confirmed by lab testing. The low figure also stems from the fact that the virus is not always detectable once somebody dies and many cases go unreported in cases where people do not have access to health care.

Now, a shocking new study published in Lancet Infectious Diseases, by an International group of scientists, places the real death toll at a staggering 284 500! The real figure may even be closer to 579 000 deaths.
Africa and South East Asia account for 51% of the tally, even though together these areas only account for roughly 38% of the world's population.

Dr Fatimah Dawood, from the US Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, advises the results will help when there are future outbreaks, as they will know the worst affected areas and can act accordingly by way of treatment and prevention measures.

This is a worrying sign. Viruses are a natural success, due to their constant mutation and ability to adapt in need. This is why we cannot kill them off and this is why our bodies cannot build a resistance to them. The fact that the world is so unprepared for major out breaks is terrifying. The bird flu is another that had the world in a spin. We as a race, are retroactive and in cases of pandemics, this is our downfall. Also, due the over population and that many of the most densely populated countries, have very poor, if nay type of healthcare, it is difficult to quantify or control any outbreak. This, together with our constant and easy means of travel worldwide, makes any virus impossible to contain.

Should a virus, like the N1H1 flu virus, mutate, so it is contagious through airborne transmission, it will cause the largest death toll from a virus this world has ever seen and there will be no way of stopping or controlling it.