Phuthu Stay Phut, Don't go!

My desk, my paper tray and my precious cat, Frank.

Just had to share it with you…

If you like cute pictures of cats and kittens, you’ll love CanIhasCheezburger.com

We are trying to get into the minds of our fellow South Africans to see what they really think about the upcoming Soccer World Cup, so please take a moment to hit one of the buttons below:

A heartwarming homecoming story – Nicolette Coetzee tells us why there’s no place like South Africa!

Where in the world did you emigrate to?

We lived in Dublin, Ireland for 4 years.

Why did you go? Huh huh huh? Why?

We wanted to make money!!  We were both well qualified with degrees and could get good jobs.  We were also young and looking for a bit of adventure.

More importantly what made you see the light and come back to South Africa?

After 3 years over there, we thought that’s it, we’re staying.  We loved the Irish, the travelling…and making money!  But then my son was born and my father-in-law got ill…and things just changed.  Suddenly we realised how much we miss our family and friends.  It was really tough thinking my kids would speak English with their Oumas and Oupa and the rest of the family. We missed out on big family events like weddings, christenings, birthdays…even funerals!  Most of all, our children will miss out on being close to nature.

What do you love about South Africa?

Family, friends that know words like “lekker” and “eish”!, nature, the weather, a proper kuier en braai – not in a pub, at home! Being able to afford home help, spacious homes and big gardens, the food, speaking Afrikaans, animals, our sense of humour, I could go on and on!!!

What would you tell other South Africans who are thinking of emigrating.

Think twice!!!  Try it out for a year or two first if you can.  You WILL miss your family and friends.  Technology helps a lot, but pictures are not the same as being there in person, giving a sickly relative a hug or feeling the soft skin of a newborn family member.

You might not think you’ll miss South Africa, but after a while you’ll feel yourself welling up when you hear the anthem sung at a rugby match, or start crying when you suddenly come across a “Spur” restaurant in a shopping centre like I did!

Things are VERY different over there.  The food, culture, banks, language, transport – you’ll be a “foreigner” for a long time.

Only the very well off can afford home help and childcare is ridiculously expensive.

You might think you’ll be earning tens of thousands of rands each month – just remember a cup of coffee or to have your hair cut cost about half that!! (Not really, but things are expensive!)

That said, I loved my time over there.  If you have an opportunity to go for a few years go on, by all means.  You’ll have amazing experiences, you’ll learn that you’re much stronger than you thought,  you’ll meet wonderful people, you’ll see beautiful sites and will have great stories to tell.  But when you’re done, COME HOME, we need you…

Nicole runs a lovely website called Touchit-Design, that sells products designed and made by South Africans

Okay so we know it’s well past Christmas time but Nicolette sent this pic of her “African” Christmas Tree and we couldn’t resist showing you!

We share with you our personal letters to our dear President:

Louise

Zuma.

What are we going to do with you?
I don’t know what you could say to make matters right.
Cajoling won’t suffice -
Your words no longer enchant us.

It just seems too late -
Your image has been tarnished,
And our interest has waned.

Shower roses and corruption trials,
Empty promises,
And lies.
Who knows what else?

Step down, we ask.
You’ve had your chance.

Elzet

Dear Mr. President

Firstly I’d like to ask you to take the time to read some of the emails that are flooding your inbox at this moment. That would require humility and time on your part as you will have to put your own agenda aside for half an hour or so. Secondly I ask of you that you acknowledge and respect the earnestness with which every single letter was sent. This was not done to complicate your life. Safety is a basic human right and something the people of South Africa are desperate for.

Be humble enough to take the criticism and turn it around so that our country can reach her full potential. You are in the position to do so.

I leave you with two inspirational quotes on leadership:

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader” - John Quincy Adams

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Please deliver to the people what you have promised them:
A safe country.
It’s time now. Dammit.

Kerry

Dear Mr President

I would like to know why you and the ANC have not improved on crime, how difficult is it to pump money and incentives into the police force to attract new genuine people that would be proud to serve this country and protect its people? Why can’t our police officers be better educated, so that they understand peoples constitutional rights, know how to eradicate crime syndicates and have the knowledge to arrest them within the law, so that the criminals remain in prison and are not let out two weeks later on a technicality because some person didn’t do his/her job properly?

Speaking of rights is it not unconstitutional for people to live in fear of being raped, or of having a gun held up to their heads because some useless parasite decides he want a cell phone or a car? They have no rights when they decide to rape and kill, we do, we deserve to be protected from these people and I would like to know why you are not doing your upmost to make sure this is happening?

Mr President, the time of a transitional government is over, you would think that 20 years is long enough to get your ‘stuff’ together. There are no more excuses, you have all the resources available to you and it is up to you to make a difference and make it happen. Now get on with it and sort out our beautiful country.

Other posts you might be interested in:
Police the Police
JZ: Hero or down to Zero?
Dear Mr. President – Take a stand

The anti-climax following Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation Address has left hundreds of thousands of South Africans feeling frustrated and totally demoralised with their government. Not only do we have a philanderer as a president, but an administration that seems to be hell bent on running this country into the ground.

With all the vague meaningless promises, the South African people are looking to take a stand which would force Jacob Zuma to sit up and actually work for his position as our country’s leader. People have finally woken up to the fact that they deserve better than the meagre scraps that the ANC are providing, Hallelujah!

Dirk Hermann, deputy head of Solidarity, said that a campaign has been launched to get South Africans to send an e-mail directly to Zuma to highlight the severity of the crime problem in the country.

This happened after Zuma, in his most important speech as president yet, failed to provide concrete plans to deal with South Africa’s biggest problem: crime.

Only 2% (120 words) of his speech of about an hour, was spent on how his government will be fighting crime this year.

Hermann said that Solidarity wants “thousands of South Africans to stand together against crime. We want to send the government a clear message that we won’t rest until crime is the number one priority.”

Ok, this is how you do it, there are two methods-

• Go to www.dearpresident.co.za
• You enter your email, name and telephone number
• Click on the submit button, and a standard response displayed in the main window will be sent through to the powers that be.

The second option

• You can type out a personalised email message, which can be emailed to the following address- geagtepresident@solidariteit.co.za, it is my understanding that your emails will then be sent directly to The President’s inbox.

Mr President, the time of a transitional government is over, you would think that 20 years is long enough to get your ‘stuff’ together. There are no more excuses, now get on with it and sort out our beautiful country.

Reference: www.news24.com

By: Kerry

….these energetic souls were at the start of the non-stop Dusi.(yes, the whole of traditional Dusi in 1 day!)

Getting up at 4.45am, making two flasks of 5 Roses and driving to Pietermaritzburg is energetic enough for us…

I got tired just watching. Sometimes it’s nice just watching..

It’s a long day out there.. but for the paddlers, the non-stop Dusi is all about the adventure…one I’ve yet to do…