Operation Wanya Totsi

Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg, the venue for the opening game and the final of the World Cup.

Photograph: Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters

South Africa sets out hardline crime policy

When it was announced that South Africa would become the first African nation to host the World Cup Finals, some prophets of doom in the press grumbled that its sky-high crime rate would make it an unsuitable location to host such a big event.

Fans, particularly those travelling in family groups, would be frightened off by South Africa's deadly reputation, they said. Well, as the finals approach, it is becoming clear that the group that should be most frightened isn't the fans - it's the criminals. With admirable straightforwardness, South Africa's deputy minister for police has announced that there will be a shoot-to-kill policy for armed criminals.

The name of the security operation for the World Cup Finals? Operation Wanya Tsotsi, which translates as "You will soil your pants, criminal." He said, "We say we are going toe to toe, tooth for tooth, nail for nail with the criminals. Street by street , corner to corner, we will find you."

We like. The minister for police has given the operation his backing, saying, "We are tired of waving nice documents like the constitution and the human rights charter in criminals' faces... We are going to meet these thugs head on, and if it means we kill when we shoot, then so be it."

South Africa's parliament will consider amendments to the law allowing the police to take a much tougher line on violent crime within the next few weeks.

The Guardian reports that currently police are only allowed to shoot to kill if their lives or the lives of bystanders are threatened. Civil liberties groups fret that the new proposals could mean a return to "apartheid era policing", when police could shoot fleeing criminals in the back. South Africa's top cop made his pledge as six armed thugs were killed by police during the robbery of a cash van in Pretoria Permalink

AbR 2009

A snapshot of the Africa by Radio executive who were all at the first ever AbR Continental Convention held in Johannesburg, earlier this month. The next one should be held in Accra, Ghana, if plans work out.

Paradise has its downside

Been an eventful few days. Was in a little church Wednesday night, and afterwards we went back to our #1 eatery in Pemba, the Pemba Dolphin. Had me some prawns. Lovely big ones, that seemed fine.

Next morning, the damage was done, and Thu-Sat I was in great discomfort. It is hard enough having food poisoning, but in a place where medical attention is sparse, it is a problem.

Fortunately, I travel with decent meds, including oral rehydration salts, whicjh I reckon saved my bacon this time. I could have, should have, also travelled with a broad spectrum antibiotic, but didn't - that was a mistake.

The Pemba - Joburg flight was most uncomfortable, and there is a good clinic at the airport. It's all cash up front of course, and plenty of it, but within minutes I had a drip in, some meds for the nausea, and I was starting to recover.

By this morning, I was much better. The tum is a bit sore still, and feels highly bashed around by those demon-prawns! There is more in my Facebook and Twitter.

Happier Times

This lovely photo was taken on our last Sunday in Johannesburg, before we embarked on our great adventure of moving to the UK. I hadn't looked at these for a while, and remember this great group of people with much affection. Sometimes I dream of Africa ...

Gautrain Progress

Spending time in Joburg and Pretoria over the past two weeks, I have wondered about the progress of Gautrain, the ambitious project to build a high-speed train connecting Pretoria, Sandton, and Joburg CBD's to OR Tambo Airport. Some people are filled with enthusiasm and optimistic it will be running well by the time the World Cup Soccer reaches fever pitch here in 2010. Others grumble about bungling, delays, and the sinkhole that appeared recently in Rosebank, causing closure of Oxford Road for an indeterminate period.

I am awake now!

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I sort dozed early this morning, concious of the crazy traffic on the nearby N1 highway at even 6.30 in the morning, and then this sun popped up over the roofs in this complex and was 'in my face'.

Cheer's Bob! So long Thabo.

Mark's mom, Marlene, with her sister-in-law Yvonne, just before leaving South Africa tonight, at the end of her holiday. She spent the last few days with Dale and Yvonne in Joeys, before setting out from Oliver Tambo International Airport, for her new life in merry England. We guess that Dale snapped the photo, as it arrived earlier tonight as an MMS. Clever these Chinese. Mom gets to us on Friday.

Sunrise at home

This is a picture I took about 30 minutes ago, of the view from our bedroom window.

It is spring here in Johannesburg, and as I woke up around 5.30am (typical for me on a day when I could sleep in!) I saw the light from behind the much appreciated pecan nut tree.

The darker clump near the top right of the tree is one of those plants that attaches itself to a tree and just lives there. Has been there all the time we have lived in the house.

Hail storm 'like snow'

A hail storm on a hot summer's day, 2nd January 2005, in Johannesburg (well, Roodepoort really).

Almost a White Christmas

Sunday 2 January 2005 - you would expect a hot summer day in Johannesburg, and it was, around 27 degrees Celsius by noon. We were enjoying a braai with friends under the shade of our large pecan nut tree. Quite suddenly the refreshing breeze became strong gusts, the sky went dark quickly and we rushed all the barbeque stuff inside as it started to rain, then hail. The hail became a thundering noise, shredding leaves off trees and plants, filling up gutters, and covering the lawn so thickly that when it was all over our humid summer's day had become a temporary winter wonderland! We made 'snow' balls out of pellets of hail about the size of peas, and even managed an angel in the snow ... well ice really. 18 hours later our gutters still have ice in them (just a little but it is there) and our poor garden is a real mess of finely chopped leaves over everything!

Prayer Walking No Longer Just a Fad

Prayer walking - something I once thought quite 'faddish' and a passing phase, but recently our church has been active in prayer walking, and we've begun to understand the value of simply walking around the suburbs which surround the church, and praying for the people who live in the houses and apartments. It has opened doors (sometimes literally) and allowed us to encourage people, but also gain deeper appreciation for the importance of the church being genuinely connected to the people we live amongst to serve for Christ.

The article in this link I found whilst looking for help on how to do prayer walking. It has some good ideas and advice.