MANDELA, MANDELA NO MORE.................

Hello Everybody,

Trusting you, are all doing well?

I think I will quietly go crazy and soon be banished to a mental institution. All of this is from the vast amount of people wanting to know why the Mandela story has stopped. It is simple the man is dead let him rest in peace.

Common sense should prevail, according to reports he was sent home to recuperate in a comfortable environment and that the house had been rebuilt to provide an Intensive care unit. That is the story, we must accept, it is the version given by the government and the Mandela family.

On September 1, Mandela was discharged from the hospital and sent home. It was on September 5, Zuma told the nation Mandela was doing fine and made another announcement on September 25, saying that Mandela was responding well to treatment. Not a word from him since then, I wonder why.

October 6 Winnie said he was doing fine. After than nothing, so in two months, we have been told he is doing fine, and by saying that they are telling us, he is well, okay, excellent, satisfactory, and that is from the only people who are allowed to see him.

Well like Zuma said this week, when addressing a meeting in Johannesburg regarding e-tolling "we must not think like Africans," then let us believe him, he is our president, the man who tells the truth and after all the Mandela people are an honest bunch of people who would never harm this country. If they want to keep the man alive, let them, it is their life, their choice and their decision. Who are we to question the truth?

I don’t want to think like an African but with respect to the Mandela story, can anybody tell me how I should think. I thought my mind would consider rational thoughts based on my level of intelligence, and now I am beginning to question my own thoughts. I thought getting lost inside my imagination was for the ability to use those thoughts in creative writing. I thought in English only. I never thought like an African, I don’t know how to.

My mind tells me that based on all the available information to the public since Mandela was admitted to hospital on June 8 that he has passed on. Mandela has not uttered a word to the world since his hospital admission in December last year, following what I think was a botched operation. My thoughts on the Mandela photo published in April this year, displayed a person probably heavily drugged from medication, or brain dead.

The media presence outside his Houghton home have diminished, and if there still are media there, then what are they doing, playing chess, not a whimper of a story has been published. In my mind, it is the magical Zuma move. Like all the headlines, the public love to know about, it starts with a frenzy of media attention and then disappears, nothing, gone, swept under the carpet. There are lots of those stories that just disappear, I've lost count.


Now let me get on with my insanity.


Have a great week, all the best.

Your 'sane' friend,
Laura

This week - Babies Murdered and Malema is Popular

Hello Everybody,

Trusting you are all well.

What a week we had here in South Africa. So many murders it is actually horrible mentioning the ruthless way human beings behave. Most of the reported murders this week are about children. It is now believed that at least three children a day are murdered in this part of the world.
A township in South Africa, north of Johannesburg is responsible for some of the most bizarre crimes. A township wrecked by violence of more unemployed people than other townships. Diepsloot is a settlement that portrays how inadequate the current infrastructure actually is. Basic human rights services such as electricity, running water and garbage removal are not available to most of the inhabitants local and foreigners from bordering African countries, of that settlement. Tarred roads are inadequate. The government community homes are falling apart, and residents have built shacks from metal, wood or plastic. These shacks come up wherever a vacant block of land is found. The dirt and poor living conditions raise a criminal element that affects the surrounding suburbs.

I wrote an article about some of the gruesome murders, which will be published later on today.

Here is the link for the Guardian Express –
South African topics link


While you are browsing the Guardian Express, check out the articles I wrote on Julius Malema. Of course, there were a few comments from readers who are reminding me of how incredible Mr Malema actually is and how silly I am to disagree with his logic. Well of course, I will argue, I do not like communism, and I would prefer a more democratic leader. After all who wants to travel down a path that can only create more problems and conflict. I think we should walk away from the past, accept the current conditions and move forward in a more positive first world democratic system. Probably not in my life and I am sure the upcoming elections will give an indication of how much progress can be made or how far back we will be going.

Well I think we should all stand up against the horrific crimes against innocent children. They should bring back the death penalty for these perpetrators.

A Candle for the children who are denied the right to live.

This is just another week in South Africa and I am starting to think that its citizens are beginning to accept this kind of behavior. We are moving toward a lawless society where crime will survive and moral principals fall apart. What a bleak future!!!!!

We must remain positive and hope for the best. The words of Tupac make good sense.

“For every dark night, there’s a brighter day.”
- Tupac Shakur
“During your life, never stop dreaming. No one can take away your dreams”
- Tupac Shakur

Have wonderful week, wishing you all the best.

Your friend,
Laura

Another addition!

Hello again,

I have to share this. We have a new addition to our family. Three weeks old today, a female and nameless (for now)!! Isaiah, our pit-bull is the proud father of not one but two girls! My son has decided to keep the one puppy, and here is the first photo -

I am sure the new pet will be a delightful addition and we will all learn to love this adorable animal.

Please don't forget to check out the kindle edition of my books, here are the links for both.

Book one

Book two











Have a great week,
All the best,
Your friend,
Laura

South African President Zuma's comments about democracy

Hello Everybody,

Trusting you are all well.

I was happy to say that I was from Johannesburg, South Africa, a majestic ever-changing country where mountains soar, wild animals roam, and a rainbow nation is emerging.

This year the endless headlines in the news about the the high corruption, dishonest politicians, crime, murders, rapes and much much more, made me rethink about how pleased I was to be a South African. No I changed my status and can definitely say only from Johannesburg, South Africa.

There is nothing majestic about this country, there is ever changing statistics of rising crime, the mountains soar with marvelous beauty until the fracking operations begin. The wild animals roam but not so free, soon they to will be no more. The rainbow nation continues to emerge as more and more foreigners are given political asylum and instant citizenship.

I wrote this article in July this year, and it was published in the Guardian Express at that time, so I am sharing this again.

South Africa – President Jacob Zuma has some odd ideas regarding Afrikaners and democracy. Bizarre comments he has made in the past, and it keeps the public wondering if he is indeed sincere about anything he actually says.

During September 2012, Jacob Zuma told the South African National Assembly that minority groups have "less rights". He continued and said that within a democracy, the majority prevailed. "You have more rights because you're a majority, you have less rights, because you're a minority, that's how democracy works," he said and with that provoking a huge outcry from opposition benches.

Understanding how president Zuma defines democracy is difficult if not outright racist. Democracy defined in the English dictionary, "it is a form of a government in which all eligible citizens participate equally or directly through elected representatives. In the proposal, development, and creation of laws. It encompasses social, economic and cultural conditions that enable the free and equal practice of political self-determination. A state of society characterized by formal equality of rights and privileges.
South Africa is known as a diverse nation, a rainbow nation, with more than ten official languages and even more cultures that are varied. Minority groups could be referred to many diverse cultures, not just color, there are, besides the whites, different color groups that would be classified as minority. When trying to determine the correct definition of what the president means by more rights or less rights could raise a concern among the different cultures of the country.

President Jacob Zuma seems to connect with controversy over and over again. Recently he was addressing a meeting in Sandton, Johannesburg and said, "Of all the white groups that are in South Africa, it is only the Afrikaners that are truly South Africans in the true sense of the word. Up to this day, they do not carry two passports; they carry one. They are here to stay."

When questioned about the police corruption in the country, he replied, "You cannot put your trust in a person who is actually a criminal." True to the Zuma style, this president is full of surprises. When he addressed the issue of apartheid, he sarcastically praised the innovative Afrikaner approach to protests.

During last year, the infamous Julies Malema, the former president of the ANC youth league was convicted of hate speech using a song uttering the words "shoot the Boer"; well it is the same song our president sang after giving a speech at the ANC Centennial 2012 celebrations in Bloemfontein, South Africa on January 8, 2012. Only the president can get away with that. It's the incredible protection laws for the leadership of our country.

Since his inauguration as president of South Africa, the people still argue about the coercive power of Zuma and his administration. The continued rise in crime, escalation of racist elements lurking about, and the staggering corruption of government and civil servants always take the focus of the Zuma government building a state of fear among the citizens of South Africa.

Zuma and his uttered comments on any issue pertaining to the citizens of South Africa remain vague. Whenever Jacob Zuma speaks, there will always be a debate on whether his speech is fact or fiction.

Well that is the story, and I would love the government to color my world with truth! Fact or fiction, in reality, it is true the crime has escalated at alarming rates, and there is always the big cover up. So very sad indeed.

Have a super week.
All the best.
Your friend,
Laura

MURDERS, CRIME AND MORE

Hello Everybody,

Happy Sunday to you. Well as promised I am going to share South African day to day news, mostly not published. The following three stories were sent to me by a friend and this is what happened in the Natal region last month.


What is of a concern is the escalating crime in that area and farm murders!.

Story no 1

Mick Hampson was shot & killed on 20 September 2013 on his farm in Eston in Natal Midlands.
The (Natal) Witness printed a report. This was misleading to the extreme.

His murderer was a SAPS/CIA agent and will never be arrested.
I try (in vain) to tell his neighbors who did it and what is going on. Only told I am been negative, and then told, "If you tell us, then what can we do about it? So stop telling us. . ."

I could scream!
I have known Mick Hampson since the 1960s. He is a few years older than I am. I knew his father, now dead.

The following was told to by his neighbor whom I have also known since the 1960s.

The afternoon of 27 September 2013 Mick was at his house on his farm in Eston about 30 km from Pietermaritzburg on the South Coast road, and he was told there are people up to no good trespassing on his farm. He grows sugar cane.

He got into his bakkie and drove down to find them.

His son, Murray, was shooting monkeys with a shotgun not far from where Mick was, so Mick called his son to come and help arrest the trespassers. (Vervet monkeys are vermin.)

They arrested the two suspects and drove to get them to the police station.
Mick was driving, and Murray was on the back holding his shotgun at the suspects.
Suddenly one suspect lunged at Murray with a knife. A scuffle broke out, and the suspect wrenched the shotgun from Murray. He aimed at Murray, but the safety catch was on, and Murray was able to run away and hide in the sugar cane.
Then the (now) gunman turned the gun on Mick and shot him through the cab window. Safety catch was turned off, obviously.

This suspect was trained, and he had been taught, many things about this kind of tactic. His upbringing and what people as CIA and others taught him allowed him to achieve this goal.

He is a criminal let out of jail, and the police use him.

See the E-mails, which I sent to some other neighbors.

The (Natal) Witness report, 28 September 2013, is a pathetic version. I was told by his neighbor to get the right version from the Witness newspaper, and from the local Security company. So I bought the copy of Witness and Google Magma, I did not expect to find what I read. (Neighbor's wife did not like my asking relevant questions.)

Story no. 2 and sort of linked to the first story.

Timeline of Thulani Sokhela.
The Africans who know him refer him to as Spot-on. In addition, someone gave him the name Shadrack.

Born between 1958 and 1962 on the Hilton College Estate.
He has an older sister, Spongeli. And a younger sister Bonseli.
His mother is Mandlovu Sokhela and his father died while on the Hilton College Estate about 1969. I did not know him.
His mother took on another person called Fannit Sikhakahane. He died sometime before 1980.

It is obvious that his uncles are the twins, Dr. Patrick Sokhela and Mr. Protus Sokhela.

His mother with her family came to work for my father about 1972. Working in citrus orchards, cutting sugar cane and felling wattle trees etc.

He likes to be close to Europeans, trying to think and behave like them. He has a skin on the pale side. About 5 ft 8ins or 5ft 10 ins., (I did not measure him.) Athletic build, slim and quick actions. He does not stand out from the rest.

During the 1980s, he and his family went to work for the Natal Parks Board and for Mr. Errol and Mrs. Ruth Carr on the farm The Crags.

21 June 1994 Thulani Sokhela, Mswanwenkosi Sokhela and Into Sikhakhane attacked Mr. Errol Carr and Mrs. Ruth Carr at The Crags house. Both were hurt and went to hospital for the night.
They were arrested about a week later. Case number, 31/6/94, Cramond.
They were found guilty and sentenced to six years jail.

Early 1995 Thulani escaped from the new Pietermaritzburg prison. He threw a blanket over the head of a warder and escaped. The police found him in the Sweetwaters area and shot him dead for resisting arrest.
The Natal Witness published the article.
Mr. & Mrs. Carr was glad he had been shot.

Early 1996 Bongani Ndlovu told me that Thulani is alive and well, married and living happily in the Sweetwaters area.
Bongani and Thulani had both worked for me.

Middle 1996 Capt Lionel Peters, an Asian Indian police officer told me, "I shot him in the balls." (Sic)

A year later, Capt. Gweliwe, also SAP, told me, "I shot him in the balls. . ." (Sic).

Both were lying and covering up what happened to Thulani.
How could two police officers shoot the same person in the balls? This report was made up.

About 2000 Bongani told me that Thulani now lives in the Table Mountain area and is extremely happy. He had moved. He gave me contact address in East Street, PMB, where I could find people who knew where he is staying. I did not follow that up.

30 October 2008 Hilton College teacher, Mr. Derek Veenstra "jumped" mysteriously off a cliff on the Hilton College Estate. A police helicopter found his body on 31 October 2008 at the bottom of the cliff. Thulani Sokhela is a suspect. This case has not been solved.

28 August 2010, Erika Croeser was attacked in her cottage on Msinsi Game Park and had her throat slashed. She died on the scene. Her husband, Mr. Morne Croeser was later arrested and stood trial. He was found guilty and sentenced to 23 years in jail.
Morne never admitted he had killed his wife. He was having an affair with a Mrs. Sinclair at the time of the killing.
He testified that a black male had killed Erika and left the scene, running out of the house.
I went to see the NPA State Prosecutor, Advocate Irene Neyt and told her that Thulani Sokhela had killed Mrs. Erika Croeser. I did not see him do it; however I had strong suspicions. Adv. Irene Neyt said to me in her office. "What you say is not farfetched. . ."
She did not call me as a witness. She did say that I could come to court. I did not like her approach, and I felt my life was in danger if I attended the Pietermaritzburg High Court.
She made it clear to the court that Morne was a liar and certainly a criminal. . .
She did not accept that Morne stood by his word that he did not kill Erika.

After the trial, I approached Mr. Morne Croeser's senior council, Advocate Pitman, but he did not encourage me to pursue this matter. He put me off.
Another person told me that Mr. Morne Croeser fears for his children, by Erika if he names the person who slashed Erika's throat. That is why he is not exposing Thulani. He is also by law not allowed to expose Thulani.

1) The Witness Protection Act gives a person like Thulani Sokhela immunity from any prosecution, no matter what he does for the authorities.
2) Under the Criminal Procedure Act 25 (2 A) a person carries out instruction from the police (SAPS) or someone with authority under the police, and even if he/she kills someone he/she will not be charged nor arrested.
3) Section 47 of Criminal Procedure Act. 'This act empowers a member of the public (or farmer) to take into custody using force if necessary, or even to shoot dead someone who has committed a crime such as murder, rape, theft, robbery, serious assault or arson. If suspect cannot be stopped in any other way or tries to escape.' (Check this out, as changes to this law might have happened.)
As it stands, Thulani, if he did the crimes such as killing Mr. Mick Hampson, no police officer, magistrate, state prosecutor, judge will take him to trial.
Others might be caught, but no one will betray Thulani!

End of Timeline concerning Thulani Sokhela.

Story no. 3

Mr. & Mrs. Errol Carr retired to Mrs. Ruth Carr's farm about 1980. They had farmed in the Boston area all their married life.
Early 1994 I went to have afternoon tea with them.
Mr. Errol Carr showed me where he kept his .38 Revolver, on the mantelpiece, hidden from view. He told me that, "This is where I keep it and will use it if I have to. . ."
Unfortunately, he told everybody who came to his house where he kept his revolver.

21 June 1994 at about5pm, he walked outside to feed his dogs. He was immediately attacked by three black males. (See list in the text above.)
Thulani attacked Mr. Errol Carr. Mr. Carr put out his hand to strangle Thulani. Thulani bit him on his hand. However, Mr. Carr was able to throttle him, to some extent.
The other two grabbed Mrs. Carr and escorted her to the gun safe. She was frail. She told her attacker to release her so she could show them the keys to the gun safe. She was released and immediately she pressed the panic button. The two fled and ran out of the house, and Thulani followed. When Mr. Carr went to get his revolver, it was gone.
It was recovered after the suspects were arrested.
They knew where it was and took it.

Mr. Mike Mackenzie told me, "I was expecting the attack. I am listening to the VHF radio channel and was driving on the Greytown/Pietermaritzburg road when the news came through. I went directly to help the Carrs. . ."
The Carrs' used the 29MHz channel to send out the Mayday call. Who knew what was going on and told Mr. Mike Mackenzie. Why did he "know" that they would be attacked?
See!

They decided to sell The Crags, and I bought it and moved on at the end of 1994.
Mrs. Erika Croeser lived about 2km away from the bottom of The Crags when she was murdered.

Thulani is well versed in attack and counter attack. His going for Murray Hampson with a knife is typical how Thulani thinks. His wrenching the shotgun from his grip is also his modus operandi.
Murray Hampson has never been told how to capture a person.
It is well known in security circles. A person pointing a handgun at another who is six meters away. That person whose handgun is pointed at can attack the gunman and disarm him before the gunman has time to pull the trigger. This is capable of those trained in martial arts.
It is call, "Action and reaction". Reaction is always faster than action. . . Learn the subject
Murray should have made the suspects turn their faces towards the ground and lying down while on the bakkie. Or kept a distance from them. Or tied them up etc.

Thulani would have seen Murray's weak point and taken him on and won. . . Taking the shotgun away and killing Mick.
The law was/is on Thulani's side"

This whole thing needs to be talked about and exposed.

American companies such as Monsanto are some of the beneficiaries if they can buy land cheap.
It is cheaper to undermine a farmer then it is to pay him the full price for his farm.




So there we go, it is just fascinating to read the stories of ordinary people who are concerned about crime and land distribution the African way. Intimidate the farmer, force him to leave, make his life a misery, it is easier to distribute the land……..

Cheers,
Your friend,
Laura