Uniforum SA’s non benign rule of the co.za SLD

Posted on December 12th, 2008 by Richard Catto 7,510 views

Yesterday, I sent a FaceBook message to Arthur Goldstuck, a highly respected South African Internet research analyst and journalist about my troubles with Uniforum SA.

This is what I sent him:

Hi Arthur

I added you as a FaceBook friend because I’d like to draw to your attention a serious problem I’m having with Uniforum SA’s heavy handed manner in which they are dealing with me.

On November 28 a domain of mine, postmaster.co.za was deleted because I failed to pay the renewal fee of R50 in time.

I subsequently re-registered it with my email address of rrcatto@gmail.com (which is the address I use to manage my domains) with the intention of paying it that same day. However before I could do that, Uniforum SA’s system deleted it and then blocked my rrcatto @ gmail address from further registrations.

I managed to re-register postmaster.co.za with another address (ctneditor@gmail.com) and immediately paid the R50 fee, which was accepted and the domain reflects as paid.

I then requested that they unblock my rrcatto@gmail.com address. Louis Bezuidenhout responded and referred me to Form 5 – http://www.coza.net.za/legal/form_05.pdf – and demanded that I fill in this form to get my email address unblocked.

The standoff is that I am refusing to do this because I feel it is unnecessary red tape.

The email I received from Bezuidenhout on Nov 28 2008 is as follows:

“You have been banned from further CO.ZA domain registrations for attempting to circumvent CO.ZA domain re-registration policies.
You are required to complete a form5 available at
http://www.coza.net.za/legal/form_05.pdf and fax it to +2711 314-0088 along with a copy of your ID to ensure further CO.ZA registrations can take place.”

I feel that I have proved my good faith by making payment for the domain (postmaster.co.za) and further demonstrations are unnecessary and a waste of my time.

Calvin Browne, also of Uniforum SA, wrote the following to me 15 minutes ago:

“If you want that block removed, you must fill in the form 5 as per the instructions on the form. This will be my final correspondence in this regard, and I will not be addressing this issue any further with yourself – I will be happy to take it up with your lawyers.”

How’s that for customer service? These people have blocked my email address for something I am not guilty of and are refusing to unblock it unless I jump through their hoops. That is how Uniforum SA deals with its captive audience.

His prompt reply blew me away because he shared with me that Uniforum SA had done the exact same thing to him previously. Uniforum SA blocked one of the most respected Internet consultants in South Africa and forced him to sign affidavits, as if his word alone could not be trusted.

It was clear from his reply that he was deeply upset and offended at the way they had handled him and I asked his permission to quote him whereupon he sent me the following message with his permission to publish it:

“This is hardly a unique experience, and I’ve been there too. This is probably one of the very few countries in the world where you can’t register your own lapsed domain, but anyone else is allowed to do so. The policy is simply stupid, but because it is Policy, with a capital P, nobody is willing to think it through. There is a deeper implication: Uniforum’s systems (not upgraded in a decade) and policies are symptomatic of a monopoly supplier of a service. They’re not doing themselves any favours, even if they have convinced themselves they have the moral high ground.” – Arthur Goldstuck, December 11 2008

Clearly, if this is the way Uniforum SA handles a man of Mr Goldstuck’s calibre, there is zero chance of me being handled with more respect. So I will have to resign myself to doing whatever Uniforum SA demands of me. If they tell me to stand on my head and twirl around before they will unblock my email address, then that is what I will have to do.

All hail Uniforum SA, dictator of the South African Internet!

Tags: Arthur Goldstuck, Uniforum SA
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Christmas gifts from Faithful to Nature

Posted on December 3rd, 2008 by Richard Catto 691 views

Cape Town news has negotiated a free Christmas gift for all my readers who purchase from Faithful to Nature.

With every order placed, you will receive a free “butter bath kiss”. Orders above R350 can also choose between three different varieties of a “spa bar” to receive free.

To receive your free gifts when ordering from Faithful to Nature, please use the following procedure:

Register and login
Choose the products that you want by clicking the Add to bag button
Click the Checkout link in the Shopping Bag aread (top right) and enter delivery and payment details
On the final page of the checkout process, in the Gift Message area type in CAPETOWNNEWS

Here are TEN great products (of many) that Faithful to Nature is offering. I’m sure you will find it easy to find the perfect Christmas gifts on their site!

Tags: Christmas shopping, Faithful to Nature
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Madonna at 50 still gets “it”

Posted on October 28th, 2008 by Richard Catto 607 views

Madonna remains one of my all time favourite pop artists. This single, “Give it 2 me” is a track off her Hard Candy album, released on April 25 2008. Hard Candy is the last album Madonna released via Warner Bros. She is now signed on with a new record company, Live Nation.

Tags: Madonna, pop artist
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Lying low life scum of the South African Blogosphere

Posted on March 11th, 2008 by Richard Catto 1,798 views

You may have noticed that on this blog and other blogs in the AAA publisher’s network that there is a banner advert being displayed to promote the SPCA’s Family Fun Day Fete and Dog Show on Sunday, March 16 2008.

Yesterday, a blogger known to many of us SA Bloggers as 6000 (of 6000 dot co dot za) wrote the following to the SPCA:

Dear SPCA,

I have just been emailed by a colleague who is up in arms that you are using and (sic) advertising agency called AAA to advertise your upcoming Mutt of the Year show. I was previously unaware of Mr Catto and his views, but having read some of the things on his website (I offer a delightful example below) I am disgusted that you chose this medium in order to promote your show. I can see exactly where my colleague was coming from.

I wonder how many people (especially those like my colleague described below) will now feel happy attending your show?

A little bit of research would not go amiss.

Kind Regards,
Trevor Marshall
trevor@ballacorkish.net

The SPCA received several variations of this complaint yesterday and it is likely that Trevor Marshall is responsible for all of them. In some he threatens the SPCA with cessation of financial support.

Note his glaring lie, "I was previously unaware of Mr Catto and his views…" - he is well aware of me and my views.

Also he did not discover the SPCA’s banner advert via a colleague’s email. He saw it himself on Sheena’s latest blog post where he was the first to comment yesterday. His comment on Sheena’s blog was at 14h00. His email to the SPCA was sent at 14h50.

This is who Trevor Marshall is – a low lifer who will stoop to using malicious lies and threats against a Charity Organisation in order to pursue his bitter and twisted vendetta against me.

I, personally, have as little as possible to do with Trevor Marshall. I posted articles on my blog which he took exception to and that has motivated his campaign against me and anyone who advertises with me.

This is the blogger who has also been nominated for several SA Blog Awards. He has duped you all. Trevor Marshall is not the kind of person you want anywhere near you. He is not a South African. He came to South Africa a few years ago from Sheffield, England. And he has come here to make trouble.

Tags: low life lying scum, SPCA, Trevor Marshall
Filed under Admin, SPCA, Trevor Marshall | 4 Comments »