at 7/31/2009 01:52:00 pm No comments:
at 7/26/2009 10:48:00 pm 1 comment:
Trouens, in Suid-Afrika is iets soos "spontane onluste" eintlik 'n non sequitur. Maar tensy die Sweedse regering, die Anglikaanse kerk, Wêreldraad van Kerke of die Britse of Amerikaanse geheime diens soos in die verlede weer besig is om opstand teen die regering aan te blaas, vind daar vandag iets baie ongewoons plaas. Swartmense betoog en pleeg openbare geweld uit protes, nie omdat hulle ideologies vanuit Londen of Stockholm gemotiveer en - belangriker - befonds word nie, maar vanself!
Hierdie feit van spontane onluste bevat 'n belangrike boodskap wat nie geïgnoreer kan word nie. Moontlik - selfs, waarskynlik - staan Suid-Afrika op die vooraand van die gewelddadige revolusie van die Afrikatipe wat al dikwels vir die land voorspel is maar nog nooit gematerialiseer het nie.
Dít waarvan De Tocqueville in sy beroemde ontleding van die Franse revolusie praat, die sogenaamde "revolusie van stygende verwagtigings" is besig om sienderoë in Suid-Afrika te gebeur. Volgens De Tocqueville, pleeg arm mense wat aan gebrek en hongersnood lei nie revolusie nie (anders as wat ons aldag deur die alwetende joernaliste in ons hopelose koerante vertel word). Die kiem van revolusie word juis gesaai as 'n voorheen ondergeskikte klas (of ras, in ons geval) se lewensomstandighede verbeter. Die opheffing van ekonomiese en finansiële sanksies, asook 'n gunstige wêreldekonomie, het sedert 1994 tot die langste opwaartse ekonomies siklus ooit in die land gelei. Hoewel werkloosheid hoog gebly het, het die rekordbelastinginkomste van die staat aan die ANC-bewind die moontlikheid gebied om 'n welvaartstaat op die Europese model in te stel waar tot 13 miljoen mense vandag een of ander vorm van toelaag van die staat ontvang.
Terselfdertyd het die ANC met sy praatjies van "'n beter lewe vir almal" verdere verwagtings geskep dat daar inderdaad en binnekort werklik so 'n lewe sal aanbreek, waar die gemiddelde swarte as't ware by die klub van SEB-miljardêrs kan aansluit. Trouens, in die ou Suid-Afrika het die verskil tussen ryk en arm geen revolusionêre potensiaal geskep nie, want blankes het tot 'n ander kultuur en 'n ander orde behoort. Diegene wat apartheid as 'n soort feodale stelsel getipeer het, was in dié opsig nie ver verkeerd nie en ons weet dat feodalisme eeue lank in Europa sonder veel kritiek of teenstand verdra is.
Die gesig van 'n middelklasblanke in die ou Suid-Afrika wat in sy toentertydse Volkswagen-kewer klim om na sy middelklashuis in 'n blanke woonbuurt te ry, het geen woede of nyd by die breë massas swartes ontketen nie. Slegs die verpolitiseerde elite wat deur die radikale kliek aan die stuur van die anti-Suid-Afrika-veldtog aagehits is, het om bloed geroep en met die reusepropagandamiddele tot hulle beskikking revolusie gepredik. Weereens, dat daardie revolusie desnieteenstaande hul geld, internasionale invloed en beste pogings nie plaasgevind het nie, spreek boekdele aangaande die maatskaplike toestande wat destyds geheers het.
Aan die ander kant word die gemiddelde inwoner van 'n sogenaamde "township" of lokasie vandag gekonfronteer met die sogenaamde "swart diamante", die nuwe swart nomenklatoera wat op die rug van die politieke magsoorname en plundering van staatsbates, regstellende aksie en rykwordskemas bekend as "swart ekonomiese bemagtiging" ontstaan het. Enkele duisende swartes is "bemagtig" en verryk, maar die massa moes meesal sonder werk met 'n aalmoes in die vorm van toelaes klaarkom.
Die gewone swarte op straat sien, terwyl hy soos 'n sardien in die taxi ingeryg en vasgedruk sit, die huidig bevoordeeldes verby hom ry in hul luukse blinkswart sedans; hy neem waar hoe hulle sorgvry in die winkelsentrums alles koop wat hulle begeer, dikwels op skuld wat die banke maar te graag aan hulle toestaan. Sal dit ons verbaas as Jan Alleman in sy lokasie waar die lewe maar min of meer soos tydens apartheid sy gang gaan, verraai voel? Op die TV is daar aan hom vertel dat hy aan 'n grootse "bevrydingstryd" deelgeneem het. Nie net het hy daardeur abstrakte "vryheid" en "demokrasie" - begrippe waaroor dooie wit mans al honderde jare lank dik boeke geskryf het - verkry nie, maar ook die reg om as globale verbruiker saam met sy bevoordeelde medeswartes aan die SEB-partytjie te mag deelneem.
Voeg hierby stygende energie- en voedselpryse, asook die staat wat skielik 'n afname in sy belastinginkomste ondervind wat sy welvaarstelsel toenemend gaan bemoeilik en ons het - om nou 'n cliché te gebruik - 'n resep vir revolusie.
Waarskynlik vind daar op die oomblik meer onluste en openbare geweld as gedurende die bewind van PW Botha plaas. Die verskil is egter dat die BBC en die Britse pers dit nie aan die groot klok hang nie. Onluste onder blanke minderheidsregering is voorbladnuus, maar onluste of selfs burgeroorlog in Afrika onder swart regerings is niks om oor huistoe te skryf nie. En natuurlik weet die Britse en Amerikaanse regerings, asook die horde linkses en liberales in Suid-Afrika wat hul multikulti-ideologie klakkeloos napraat, veel beter as ons hoe om hierdie dinge te "bestuur".
Die Anglo-Amerikaanse slimjanne wat vir ons suksesse soos 'n "demokratiese" Zimbabwe en Kenia met die wonderlike stabiliteit en voorspoed in daardie lande geskep het, gaan in elk geval nie lees wat ek hier in Afrikaans skryf nie. Dus wil ek myself tot ander "dom Boere" soos ekself rig. Behalwe dat ons oor 350 jaar se ervaring van ons kontinent en sy "donker oog" (Laurens van der Post) beskik, lees ons ook al jare lank die groot filosowe en politieke denkers. Vir die Britte en sekerlik vir hul napraters soos die liberale Kaapse maatskappy genaamd met die ontoepaslike naam van "Nasionale Pers" is ons "dom", maar self is ons nie onder kalkoene uitgebroei nie.
Enigeen wat bietjie terugstaan en hom afvra wat nou eintlik aan die gang is met die huidige onluste rondom sogenaamde "dienslewering", kan net bekommerd raak. "Dienslewering" is 'n kodewoord vir die gunste en gawes van die welvaartstaat wat veronderstel is om die stemme en berusting van die swart massa af te koop terwyl hul broers in die party en in die comprador-burgery van Johannesburg soos varke in die Gucci-en-BMW-trog smul.
Nóg die ANC-staat, nóg sy korrupte amptenary wat nie in staat is om papier in die naaste fotokopieerder te hou nie, beskik oor die vermoë om hoegenaamd die Suid-Afrikaanse welvaartstaat in bedryf te hou. Weens die komende begrotingstekorte, asook die inploffing van munisipale en staatstrukture onder die gewig van regstelling en grypsug, gaan "dienslewering" nie plaasvind nie. En diegene wat dink dat Trevor Manuel se nuwe Stalinistiese beplanningsdepartement 'n jota verskil gaan maak, moet weer dink. Finansies is die maklikste departement om te bestuur. Solank die Ontvanger van Inkomste se rekenaarstelsel werk, sorg die privaatsektormaatskappye se ouditeure dat hul belastings op datum bly. Manuel is net so 'n hopelose en bose linkse warkop soos die res van die oud-terroristiese narre in die ANC en sy "suksesvolle" tydperk as minister van finansies bewys net mooi niks.
Enigiets kan gebeur en afgesien van oorblyfsels uit die ou stelsel soos 'n paar Casspirs en 'n hand vol blanke polisiemanne wat nog nie uit die stelsel gesuiwer is nie, is daar niks om 'n groot skare wat op loop gaan te stuit nie. Die potensiaal vir onluste, plundery en 'n algemene verval in wet en orde - kortom, vir revolusie - was nog nooit so hoog soos nou nie.
Elke regdenkende Afrikaner behoort sy wapen/s byderhand te hê, met die maksimum wettige (en dalk onwettige) hoeveelheid ammunisie om hom en sy gesin te kan beskerm indien dinge, soos hulle sê, handuit ruk. 'n Voorraad kos en water en ander basiese lewensmiddele spreek ook vanself. Begin maar weer blikkieskos opgaar. In 1994 was dit nie nodig nie, want toe was daar nog blanke amptenare en het die staatsdiens, polisie en weermag gefunksioneer. Danksy transformasie en alles wat daarmee saamhang, geniet ons in 2009 geen staatsbeskerming meer nie. En as jou liberale bure vir jou lag, laat hulle maar lag. Liewer Bangjan as Dooiejan. Regoor die wêreld tref mense voorsorg vir onverwagte gebeurlikhede; om op die onsekere toekoms voorbereid te wees, is die kenmerk van 'n beskaafde mens.
Waarheen hierdie kranksinnige samelewing op pad is, sal net die tyd leer. Intussen bou die onweerswolke op. Die graad van geweld in Suid-Afrika is reeds hoër as in vele oorloggeteisterde gebiede soos Irak of Afghanistan. Met die politieke dimensie wat nou bykom in die vorm van gewelddadige onluste rondom "dienslewering", beweeg ons al hoe nader aan die rand van die soort totale verval in geweld en wanorde wat tradisioneel heet: revolusie.
at 7/26/2009 08:30:00 pm 1 comment:
Jul 22 2009 08:32:43:700PM - (SA)
at 7/26/2009 01:59:00 pm No comments:
Jul 23 2009 08:15:55:850PM - (SA)
at 7/26/2009 01:55:00 pm No comments:
at 7/26/2009 01:51:00 pm No comments:
Mnr. Nicolaas Els wys hoe 'n rower se skoot hom net-net gemis het. Foto: Brendan Croft
Jul 24 2009 07:43:39:970AM - (SA)
at 7/26/2009 01:44:00 pm No comments:
Jul 24 2009 07:57:00:540AM - (SA)
at 7/26/2009 01:39:00 pm No comments:
at 7/26/2009 01:29:00 pm No comments:
at 7/26/2009 01:21:00 pm No comments:
at 7/26/2009 01:18:00 pm No comments:
'When I got out I found him lying on the ground bleeding'
Ionn, Blignault's 22-year-old son, was woken up by the commotion while sleeping in his bedroom, which is situated right next to the lapa.
"My dad usually woke up around the 5am to work in the lapa, but on Saturday morning things did not happen as usual."
'We have noticed that people are being senselessly killed in their homes'
"Because I usually go to bed late, I'm in deep sleep at that time. But on Saturday morning I was woken up by his screams and about four gunshots in the backyard. When I got out I found him lying on the ground bleeding," said Ionn.
"We bought this house here specifically because we wanted to be close to nature as that is the kind of person my father was. He loved the outdoors and this place was just ideal," said Ionn.
"We have noticed that people are being senselessly killed in their homes and the murderers do not even take any of their possessions.
"We are employing crime intelligence and doing pattern analysis to determine what exactly is motivating these murders," said Pruis.
at 7/26/2009 01:17:00 pm No comments:
at 7/26/2009 01:02:00 pm No comments:
at 7/26/2009 01:00:00 pm No comments:
On Wednesday Wim van den Bosch, whose parents were murdered in a house robbery on Good Friday, came close to losing his own life when he was shot as he and other residents raced to the rescue of a friend's farm workers who were being attacked by a gang of armed robbers.
Bosch and the other residents were having a crime-fighting strategy meeting when they heard gunshots at his friend Ken Inngs's property. Their efforts were too late for Inngs's foreman, David Malema, 35, who was shot dead when he walked in on his colleagues being terrorised on their employer's Boschkop farm.
'He was all over them'
Two of Round's suspected killers were caught shortly after the incident when they fled across a hill into Faerie Glen where they opened fire on police dog unit members and officers in a helicopter tracking them.
'He stood up again and again and carried on fighting'
"He was all over them. They started kicking and hitting him, but he carried on fighting. He would not fall down. He stood up again and again and carried on fighting," the worker said, adding that he was finally bludgeoned and shot after opening fire on the men.
"When I heard the shots I tried to run, but I have just had a hip replacement and I could only hobble. I kept calling him telling him to hang on, telling him that I was coming, but when I got to him he was gone.
"I called his name and told him 'don't go', but when he did not answer I knew he was dead. I kept on praying that he would wake up, but he didn't. My Bob is gone," said Myra, wiping away tears.
Round said her husband was always concerned about his community's security and would radio neighbours every night to check that they were safe.
"He loved this community and its people. What has happened is such a waste. It is useless and is happening more and more," she said.
"As I began to question him I saw him move and I turned. As I turned he shot me in the chest," he said, adding that the robbers had escaped.
"He tried to help his colleagues and was shot," he said.
at 7/26/2009 12:53:00 pm No comments:
at 7/23/2009 10:27:00 pm No comments:
at 7/23/2009 09:11:00 pm No comments:
at 7/22/2009 10:18:00 pm No comments:
at 7/22/2009 09:58:00 pm No comments:
Jul 19 2009 08:13:28:923PM - (SA)
at 7/22/2009 09:53:00 pm No comments:
Jul 20 2009 09:05:47:023PM - (SA)
at 7/22/2009 09:45:00 pm No comments:
Jul 20 2009 09:05:47:463PM - (SA)
at 7/22/2009 09:42:00 pm No comments:
at 7/22/2009 09:28:00 pm No comments:
at 7/22/2009 09:08:00 pm No comments:
at 7/22/2009 08:58:00 pm No comments:
at 7/22/2009 08:56:00 pm No comments:
CCTV footage from Botha's home security system shows a white Toyota Corolla driving past his home several times shortly before the gunmen launched their attack.
The footage shows how the gunmen grabbed the keys of Botha's Opel Corsa, wallet and cellphone as he collapsed to the ground before one of them ran towards his wife, Ronel, as she went outside to investigate.
Minutes later, the hijackers drove slowly out of the driveway of Botha's home and made their escape.
The gunmen were forced to abandon the car and flee on foot when the vehicle's anti-hijacking device stalled the car.
"As I ran outside I saw two men driving slowly out of the driveway in Jan's car. I did not know what was happening and watched as they drove off," he said.
"It was as though they were not afraid of anything. It was as though they had all the time in the world and were not scared of getting caught," he said.
Engelbrecht said he kicked down the front door and found Botha's wife. He then rushed her outside.
"When I found her she was shaking. I grabbed her and a blanket and just ran. I did not know if there were more people inside and I wanted to get her out of the house as quickly as possible," he said, describing how they had helped Botha until an ambulance arrived.
Frans Esterhuyse, Botha's business partner and fellow CPF member, said they were shocked by what had happened.
"You do not expect this to happen, especially when it happens to someone who is so involved in looking after other people's security. Jan is very involved in the community and is always looking out for our suburb's safety," he said.
"We had some problems earlier in 2009 with serious crime, but we were able to get the community to come together and bring it under control.
"This attack is worrying and I am afraid that what is happening in other suburbs is going to start happening here with more and more violent attacks occurring," he said.
at 7/22/2009 08:53:00 pm No comments:
at 7/22/2009 08:49:00 pm No comments:
at 7/19/2009 04:15:00 pm No comments: