INSIGHTS

These last two weeks have been the most argonising one that I have experienced in ages. I turned to journalism for the reason that presented itself in the last week. Xenophobic attacks, displaced people, pure utter thugery all in my own back yard. I would never have thought it possible. I honestly thought one day I would be travelling to OTHER African countries to cover stories like this.

Now I get to cover it without stepping off my door step…

Makes you wonder --- doesn’t it?

These same people who think its okay to beat up innocent people need to take a look at what they really trying to achieve with their nonsense.

I mean – do people know that this has been the first necklacing (where pple are burnt to death by a tire round their neck) since Apartheid – almost 20 years ago!!!!!

Has South Africa lost its soul?

There are many reasons as to why this seems to be happening and even though it may have started as Xenophobia its honestly changed to something worse -- feels amazingly evil. When have you ever seen Johannesburg city dead at night???Never!!! But its become like a ghost town of late. Mobs of youngsters inciting violence and also just looting for the fun and sake of it. That to me is definitely not Xenophobia.

I went to the refugee camps and I was brought to tears to see young children who have been born and schooled in South Africa asking “Why is this happening?” with the heaviest South African accent I have heard. Innocents with the only fault that their parents are not from South Africa. “Can you brings us chocolates and biscuits and colouring books when you come again?”

That’s all they ask for even though they are now living with out a roof over their heads!!!! In make shift tents in the grounds of Jeppe Police Station they stay with their mothers and other children, while their fathers or older male siblings stay in the cold under the night stars.

Huddled together for warmth I find a group of Zimbabwean blind people who are in dire need, as what ever blankets that were distributed they were forgotten about in the ensuing stampede. They are blind they cannot reach the people handing blankets out -- they are the forgotten!!! When do we ever turn on the disabled????? I read a letter written by them to the South African people --- do you know what they say --- They THANK us for allowing them to beg to gain a little money!!!! They Thank us!??!?!?!?!? Do we not get it?!??!?!?

There’s a group of people dancing and singing praising the Lord… they don’t do it because they happy, they do it because they hope something better comes from it…they do it so that they can find a way to stay warm…they do it because there is nothing else they can do while they wait for help.

Given only four slices of bread for the day these people are starving, destitute and with the weather conditions the way they are at present most likely to freeze to death.

Anyone wishing to help in any way you can contact:
Islamic Reflief and Gift of the Givers are based in Mint Road, Fordsburg and take donations at their offices. Alternatively Gift of the Givers has a huge truck taking donations outside Village Walk in Sandton today until about 6pm.

Or MAIL ME: zahirakharsany[at]gmail.com

Anything welcomed including your time as only 10 volunteers were present at Jeppe when I visited.

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No this is not a post on the Euro 2008 though I am looking forward to it but the picture has some meaning below...

People say that to blog you need to do it more regularly and on a continuous basis. But some people forget that not everyone is privileged enough to have access 24/7.
Why this train of thought...well if I had the access i would be religiously publishing everything that happens in my life all the time and for that matter voicing my opinions more on the fact that I have an opinion.

But back to the reason of this ‘outdated’ blog. I have so much anger and frustration pent up in me that I have decided to do something physical. Yes I have taken up football. Now as most of my guy friends would know…I can kick the ball, I can pass the ball, I can foul a player, but I CANNOT for one sec run with the damn ball. God alone knows why so many years down the line I finally decide to take up the one sport I have the biggest passion for.

I’m not ashamed though I don’t think I would ever want my ‘guy’ friends to come see me play (well until I become more confident in my atrocious skills). But damn since I can no longer swim in Johannesburg due to the falling temperatures I sure need an outlet for my energy.

O which reminds me the damn Eskom and their tariff hikes as well as the fact I don’t experience load shedding does not mean they have let us (my house and those on our road) off easy. We suffered two power surges which has left us without a television and microwave (though the micro has been fixed now) and no cellphone chargers as well. The idiots forget we rely on these basics. Let me explain…for the week in which the micro and lights went we were resigned to having to warm up small amounts of food in the oven which uses more electricity ---stupid stupid Eskom and City Power. The next surge left us without a television.

Yes we still have no television but thanks to Joe I have series and movies to watch, which helps but every time I want to watch sports I need to find somewhere else to do so. (Anyone with a spare tv to lend me???) Generally this would not be an issue, since I have been catching UEFA Champs league with the guys from the Swoosh blog but when I want to check the home grown football (which is really exciting this season seeing as the top three are not the high flyers and the title race is wide open) I cannot :P fooey. Eskom makes my blood boil but when we lodged the complaint we were surprisingly notified that the reason was some idiots had cut the wires and stolen the copper cable. Eish and the situation just seems to get worse by the day.

Some facts…

1. Eskom doesn’t ‘foresee’ the future and the government doesn’t build new power stations.
2. Eskom decides the only way to help the current situation is to Load Shed.
3. Eskom then realises to do even more a ‘necessary price’ hike is required to fund the building of a new power station and to buy power from other countries like Mozambique.
4. Poor people feel the pinch in their pockets and start protesting against immediate hikes.
5. Some idiot trying to get a little money to feed family (I’m assuming he is doing this for good reasons and no other) steals the copper cables so that he can resell them and the chances that Eskom ends up buying them back is great (I did an interview so its likely).

Now all this combined with the fact that we need power to live our lives – our everyday lives – leaves us all a little hot under the collar. O wait did I forget to say that its OUR fault we short on power and because WE don’t help by turning off appliances WE will be living with this situation for a good couple of years.

GO FIGURE!!!!!!

O btw ever wondered what your Brazilian football name would be? Well if you want to know go check ut BrazilianName. Leave the name and your shirt number in my comments if you wish :)

Another thing which seems to be a bit of a bother is the annoying fact that I’m single and okay with it. People have this idea that I should have someone and guys should be lining up but in truth they are not and I am comfortable with the fact. I think the only real problem is the occasional longing one may have but that is natural especially after coming out from a long intensive relationship. (Yah I know you cynics its been over a year but fooey I like being single right now!!)

I long and wish for better things but I’m only human (and a woman amazingly) so its natural but it does not mean that the next person who comes along I will fling myself at them. To me right now that’s no more important. I want to just follow my dreams to see were life takes me.

No I am NOT saying I will not get married, what I am saying is the urgency that may have been there 2 years ago no longer exists. Neither am I saying I will not meet people because for my parents sake I should (since I aint getting any younger) but it still means that there is no rush. When it comes and it’s meant to happen it will and I will stick by that philosophy through and through.

Oi Dude – yes you – I know you reading this --- I am not Scaring you away --- don’t runaway now – stay don’t go and you never know there still maybe hope…

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