Rossouw Modern cordially invites you to an Art Exhibition
Posted on November 26th, 2008 by Richard Catto 1,741 views
Rossouw Modern cordially invites you to an Art Exhibition
of Damian Osborne’s Collection Of Works
Les Secrets De Paradis
Early evening first solo-exhibition production, hosted by Rossouw Modern, of young and gifted artist, Damian Osborne’s original art, opera singers, fire spinners and delightful Groot Constantia wine, all taking place at the impressive cellar and surrounded by magnificent gardens and vineyards, a spectacular event for you and your family if you are creatively minded or want to invest in an up-and-coming talent. Follow the Rossouw modern directions as you enter the gates.
WHEN: Friday December 05 2008 at 19h30
WHERE: The Cellars Groot Constantia Estate, Constantia
PREVIEW AND SALES: DECEMBER 01 – 19 2008
The Exhibition runs until December 19 2008
PLEASE RSVP TO: info@art10.co.za OR 028 313 2222
Tags: Art
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It’s better to help than to hate: Niall Mellon Township Trust
Posted on November 24th, 2008 by Richard Catto 4,741 views
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has fully endorsed the Niall Mellon Township Trust.
While some hate, others choose to help, which is certainly the case with Niall Mellon, an Irish businessman who in 2002 at the age of 35 visited Cape Town and was touched by the grinding poverty of those living in our shanty towns, in particular the one in Hout Bay called The Imizamo Yethu township.
Despite opposition from many of the wealthy white residents of Hout Bay, Mellon set up the Niall Mellon Township Trust and together with Irish volunteers built 450 homes in Imizamo Yethu. Since then the trust has built 10 000 homes in the Western Cape, and is expanding their efforts to include Gauteng. Their first project up north is in Thembisa.
In 2002, despite it being 8 years after Apartheid had officially ended in South Africa the attitudes of white property owners in Hout Bay were still deeply racist with them clinging to the idea that Hout Bay was “their area” and many openly opposed the development of Imizamo Yethu because it would cement their presence in the area and thwart their goal of forcing them out.
“It is amazing what is happening. Some of the rich whites from across the river, those we work for, are beginning to help us. When we lived in shacks they would not even come into the township, but now they see we are human beings.
“A few whites are paying to build their staff homes, and others are helping by buying things like furniture. We have dignity and pride now because of our homes, so they see us differently, but it is the Irish who led by example.” – Sophia Morris, one of the first recipients in 2003 of a Niall Mellon Township Trust house.
Sophia Morris, a resident of Imizamo Yethu, said that things have changed somewhat since those days and nowadays some local white residents are pitching in to help uplift the township by building houses for their staff and furnishing them. But, she notes, it took the Irish to lead the way.
This is a sad indictment of the lack of transformation of many white attitudes towards black South Africans who still cling to their old Apartheid privileges and selfishly do not want to help others. This is an extremely short sighted attitude and tends to sow the seeds for violent revolution where the disenfranchised rise up and take what they need and want by force of arms as has happened in many impoverished parts of the world throughout human history.
UCT has joined in supporting Mellon’s efforts by requiring that their CEM students spend some of their time involved in building Niall Mellon sponsored houses in the townships. In September 2007, UCT students worked in Mfuleni township in Blue Downs which is close to Khayelitsha. A student who was involved in that project blogged about his experiences here.
At least one local construction business, Saint-Gobain, has also joined in and so far contributed over R1 million worth of building materials. Saint-Gobain staff also participated in a volunteer day in Thembisa, Gauteng.
The Niall Mellon Township Trust is most famous for its so-called “building blitzes” in which a large number of houses are completed by thousands of volunteers in a matter of days. The next building blitz is in 4 days time. More details of this can be found here.
If you wish to get involved personally and put your shoulder to the wheel to build a better South Africa for all, then you can volunteer your time, labour and money and participate in physically building a home for someone less fortunate than yourself. Details are available at these links: Corporate, Individual, NGOs.
Tags: Hout Bay, Imizamo Yethu, Niall Mellon Township Trust
Filed under Building a better South Africa | 3 Comments »
Lessons we can learn from the Skielik shootings
Posted on November 23rd, 2008 by Richard Catto 8,967 views
On January 14 2008, South Africa was shocked by the random shootings of 11 ordinary (black) people in the Skielik settlement near Swartruggens. Johann Nel, a 17 year old white Afrikaner, was sentenced on Friday November 21 2008 to 176 years in prison for shooting his fellow South Africans, whose “crime” was being black.
Dr Irma Labuschagne, a forensic criminologist, testified at his trial in mitigation of his sentence, saying “I don’t think even he knows [why he did it].” I find that to be a disengenuous statement. I think it’s clear why he did it – he formed a deep and implacable hatred of black people, and from an early age too. Previously, at age 14, Johann Nel had shot at Petros Mabe, later testifying that he thought Mabe was a baboon. In hindsight it seems highly likely that this was a lie Nel told the court. Nel most likely knew full well that he was shooting at a black person and what is true is that Nel thinks of black people as being baboons.
What is very sad to me, is to read comments online of obviously white Afrikaans people defending Nel’s actions and justifying them by saying that black criminals routinely murder white people with no consequences. That is false, but it seems many white Afrikaners have decided that in their reality black South Africans get a free pass to kill white South Africans. Nothing could be further from the truth and they would quickly disabuse themselves of this racist and false notion by paying more attention to events which are reported in the media. They could also sit in on trials and witness for themselves black criminals being sentenced to long sentences for murder, rape, armed robbery etc.
No-one of any colour in South Africa is given a free pass to commit crimes against others. That is the truth of the matter and anything other than this truth is mere racist propaganda.
However, it is this ongoing racist propaganda, circulated amongst certain white South Africans that led to the deep disatisfaction and hate that spurred Johann Nel to commit his acts of murder in the first place.
At his trial, Labuschagne listed a number of criminal events that impacted Nel that she feels helped shape his views on black people. Essentially, the crimes perpetrated on members of his family and friends helped Nel decide that black South Africans were the problem and his personal enemy. Killing all black people was his way to solve the problem of crime against his (white) community.
It would perhaps be more forgiveable if Nel had taken the time and trouble to investigate and identify the actual people responsible for these crimes and execute them instead of random people who had nothing to do with the crimes that had touched his life. But this is the shortcut that racists take – they brand everyone with hate, instead of clinically targetting those responsible.
Tags: Johann Nel, Skielik shootings
Filed under Crime, Racism, racists | 5 Comments »
Will the global downturn scotch the 2010 World Cup?
Posted on November 22nd, 2008 by Richard Catto 1,469 views
In a BBC news article the ever optimistic Irvan Khoza of “stop thinking like a kaffir” fame postulates that the South African Rand (ZAR) could drop to R20 to the dollar by December [2008] which would still motivate tourists to vist our country (despite the economic downturn) next year for the runner up to the World Cup, the FIFA Confederations Cup. Currently the USD is worth ZAR10.38.
But there is a real worry that the global economic crisis could spell doom for the 2010 World Cup slated to take place in South Africa.
Danny Jordaan, chief executive of the 2010 World Cup organising committee, admits that if visitors do not come in 2010 then there will be real problems.
Tags: 2010 World Cup, Danny Jordaan, Irvan Khoza
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Hasta Siempre by Nathalie Cardone
Posted on November 21st, 2008 by Richard Catto 2,700 views
This haunting balad is a tribute to Che Guevara written in 1965 by Cuban composer Carlos Puebla, and performed by Nathalie Cardone, a French / Spanish actress and singer.
Spanish Lyrics to Hasta Siempre!
Apprendimos a quererte
Desde la histórica altura
Donde el sol de tu bravura
Le puso cerco a la muerte
Aqui se queda la clara
La entrañable transparencia
De tu querida presencia
Comandante Che Guevara
Vienes quemando la brisa
Con soles de primavera
Para plantar la bandera
Con la luz de tu sonrisa
Refrain
Tu amor revolucionario
Te conduce a nueva empresa
Donde esperan la firmeza
De tu brazo libertario
Refrain
Seguiremos adelante
Como junto a ti seguimos
Y con Fidel te decimos
“Hasta Siempre Comandante”
English Lyrics to Hasta Siempre!
We learned to love you
from the heights of history
with the sun of your bravery
you laid siege to death
Chorus:
The deep (or beloved) transparency of your presence
became clear here
Commandante Che Guevara
Your glorious and strong hand
fires at history
when all of Santa Clara
awakens to see you
Chorus
You come burning the winds
with spring suns
to plant the flag
with the light of your smile
Chorus
Your revolutionary love
leads you to a new undertaking
where they are awaiting the firmness
of your liberating arm
Chorus
We will carry on
as we did along with you
and with Fidel we say to you:
Until Always, Commandante!
Chorus
Lyrics/Music: Carlos Puebla, 1965 (Cuba)
Tags: Che Guevara, Nathalie Cardone
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