Where are our talented Youth!!

How many of you out there have been watching or just taking note of the Inaugural Youth Olympic games? I am for one very excited about this new addition to major competition. I do understand that this might mean more stress for younger athletes but what an amazing opportunity for the youth to be able to compete and mix with different cultures of the world in preparation maybe of things to come!! Syrop

South Africa got nine medals according to other official sources and SASCOC sources 11 medals. Not quite sure but could be combined Africa relays that got us the 2 extra medals!! 5 medals were won by Chad le Clos of Westville Boys High for Swimming with One Gold and Jacques Du Plessis got the other gold for Discuss throw.

I know that all these athletes tried really hard and did a great job for South Africa but I have one question…

Where are all our talented youth!!!!

We have one of the best sport schooling systems in the world. Not many countries have such an integrated sport education system. Even in our close rival countries (Rugby and Cricket) like Australia, New Zealand and England they do not have sport in schools like we have besides a few elite private institutions. So how does the wealth of talent that exists in this country even at that age slip through the cracks.

My son is at senior primary level and many of you will have been to the school athletic meetings many schools are holding this term. Did you notice that talent!!!! I certainly did. What happens to it!! Too many schools are so wrapped up in there quests to be the best Rugby / Cricket schools around that they forget that talents of all sorts should be nurtured on the playing fields at schools.

I heard about an inter schools athletic meeting that they hold at Kings Park in Durban. 3 Meetings over 7 or 8 weeks. What a well organised day the first meeting was. I told a person from school to give the schedule to the sports masters at school. Their response was – ‘I hope she (me) doesn’t expect us to officiate!!!! No you bumbling oafs – I expected you to notice that talent at our inter house sports day and put the schedule in the weekly monthly news letter! I expect you to inform those parents whose kids did well that such a meeting exists and why don’t they take their children down there to compete if they so wish!! And yes that you won’t be there to officiate but hey Parents – He can’t be expected to do everything at school and not teach a class!!!

We probably all have been following the Caster Semenya story. Last Monday on the news the ANC publically congratulated her on her run in Berlin! I for one do not want to take that away from her!! But…what they failed to do as far as I’m concerned was to publically congratulate Chad le Clos on bringing 5 Youth Olympic Games medals home to South Africa!!

Sam Gideon SASCOC last week made this statement about the commonwealth games - “If we can lay the foundation with medals from athletics and swimming, the other codes will add to it, but we need to have our swimmers and athletes firing on all eight cylinders. If not, we will have serious problems!!” and with this in mind they fail to honour an up and coming swimming youth!! Take away Chad’s 5 medals and you do the math on the 9 we bought home!!


Sam also said. “We have to think about what we’re doing in South African sport. Other countries are miles ahead of us, I felt so sorry for those athletes. Let this be a warning to the various sporting federations as they will be asked to account for what is going on. If the youth in Singapore were anything to go by, what have we got in store for 2016 and 2020?”

This is after he made this statement on Sunday March 7, 2010 where he was speaking after a two-day President’s Council meeting at Birchwood, Boksburg that good progress has been made in taking South African sport forward but as always, there’s work to be done. How could he have got it so wrong 5 months ago!!!! I mean our basketball team and Hockey team never won a single match

Reading through various articles people are still complaining about colour in Sport and why we have no black swimmers (Just look how many blacks go to the Olympics world wide and maybe they are barking up the wrong tree). They say that on a national level the federations must bring in more sportsmen of colour etc etc etc…..(I’m yawning now) SO boring actually because in my view this is what needs to happen!!

SASCOC, lotto funding, all other concerned ANC citizens and the Minister of Education 14 years down the line need to stop moaning about white sportsmen and post to ALL schools in the rural areas a dedicated Sports teacher/ Coach/ Mentor who is accountable for what they do in this position in promoting and finding talent in their school. This way talent is scouted young and they will not have to push athletes of sub standard into teams at high level for quota purposes because we would have enough talent coming through!! They will stop blaming the whites and just get on with it! We on the other hand don’t care what colour they are as long as the flag is flying high and our athletes are doing us proud!!

So well done to the BOKKE for your great win yesterday - You did us proud and if anyone from SASCOC is reading this blog and you can see this white blonde head jumping around at the back of the crowd trying to be noticed. Pick me please for a Sports coach talent scout in a local rural school. I won’t toi toi and strike and you will get the results you are looking for… That I promise!!!

Thank goodness she does not teach in OUR classroom!!

I am sure most of us were effected by the strikes this end of last week. If not because you too had to do something with your kids because you did have to go to work!!! I was personally furious when I got the call to go and fetch my son at 10h00am on Friday morning at school. Precautionary measures I was told. I saw no bus and dancing elephants which infuriated me even more. Why pander to the whim of these very uncouth people.

The ANC manifesto in 1994 was impressive with regards to learning…

An ANC government will:
•introduce one education system that provides ten years of free and compulsory education for all children;
•start utilising all existing school facilities;
•provide more classrooms and repair and modernise inadequate facilities;
•double the number of free text-books within one year;
•allow mother-tongue instruction and education in the language of choice;
•provide a national bursary and loan system;
•provide adult literacy programmes;
•assist youths who have not been able to complete their education;
•focus on ways of providing pre-school educare;
•give special assistance to women…”

A closer look at our Bill of rights states that;
~ Education: You have the right to basic education, including adult basic education, in your own language (if this is possible).

~ Assembly, demonstration, picket and petition: You can hold a demonstration, picket and present a petition. But you must do this peacefully.

~ Freedom of association: You can associate with whomever you want to.

I am a strong believer that teachers need to be uplifted in our Society. They play a pivotal role in the education of our children and even although we say that children learn all their morals and values at home we all know from experience that it was teachers that hooked us onto something in life for life or just as easily killed that dream! I was told I really battle with French, so I gave it up. I now speak 5 languages including French which I speak like English and really all it was, was influence (not necessarily bad!!) from the person I was sitting next too. I had fun and didn’t concentrate too much!! That was after getting 80% the year before!!

So the question is: should they be asking for more money?

Yes they should!!!

For me it is not in what they are asking for but the way they are asking for it.

Our Bill of Rights states that education is a right. Teachers take an oath like a doctor or lawyer. However, they seem to ignore this undertaking.

Children have a right to be in the classroom learning right now. No one has a right to intimidate the rest of us like that. Matrics have a right not to be threatened by this action when they are in their final moments before the big exams.

Our Bill of Rights also states that demonstrations and picketing must be done peacefully and that we have Freedom of Association. Surely if a teacher does not want to strike that is their choice!

I have also had the amazing experience of facilitating certain subject matter workshops and OBE workshops for teachers and am very often appalled by the fact that at starting time 08h30 for 09h00 we have 10 teachers of 60 sitting ready to start. The rest arrive periodically throughout the morning making sure they are there for lunch and they disappear just as fast afterwards. One bunch over a 5 day workshop were so excited to be in town they ‘casinoed’ and drank till all hours at their own admission and slept all day in the class. How do these people instil a love of education and learning when they themselves are lacking!

What comes first: upliftment of the job and more pay or respect for the job and then you are rewarded for your dedication and passion.

I unfortunately do not have all the answers. I just know that constitutionally speaking what is happening today with the educator strikes is wrong. I also know that I would not want to send my child to a school where educators create havoc and trash things and then expect the kids in a few weeks time to sit quietly in the classroom and listen with respect. I know that when my son goes back to school he has every reason to respect his teachers but how many out there will not have that same opportunity!!

Would you want this person to be teaching your children!!

And I dread the day I have to go to hospital and these ones have to stick a needle in my arm!!!

I'm looking for someone!

As you know, we in our neighbourhood, are concerned about the delightful Thai people that have moved in!! I've been looking for the Thai pimp as I need to discuss something with him!! I'm a bit concerned as H of Arabia is talking Glenda's python....Niels talking about sending me a gymnast (something to do with tricks) and I'm worried about Lobo spinning around ;-). This could mean a lot more nocturnal activities keeping me awake at night!!
In fact I want the little Asian man to get hold of Faisal Bassa for me, he's the owner of the house and a little bit scarce this month (religious reasons I'm told!!) I just don't know how I'll recognise him!!! That was untill Garith posted the answer on his face book page yesterday!!!!

You heard WHAT...on the radio!!

You read THAT…. in the news? Enjoy it while you can folks because very soon it will all become a distant memory if this new tribunal takes effect. I have visions of all us sitting in our cellars listening to a world war 2 crackling radio or people in the streets walking along in long trench coats and as they pass you they hand you a clandestine pamphlet on current local affairs. Highly unlikely! Just my imagination but scary thoughts in a post apartheid South Africa in 2010.

We all remember the poignant TV coverage of many tanks facing one man in Tiananmen Square. Not shown on local Chinese TV. Soweto riots that we now see that was viewed internationally and not by ourselves at the time. The Second World War exploits of Hitler that Americans and other allies knew about but only whispered about amongst the local population as the Jews were fed lies about these wonderful environments they were supposed to be going to! Is that what it will be like here? Are we as locals going to be the last to know?

I don’t believe this was Mandela’s ANC. Mandela’s ANC wanted freedom for all people Black and White and we know this because the 1994 ANC Manifesto states that the ANC wanted an open Society; The ANC will strive for an open society that encourages vigorous debate. People must be free to express their views without fear, including criticising the government of the day. Freedom of the media will be essential for a flourishing of democracy. The 2004 Manifesto states that; we must broaden access to the rights contained in our constitution, so that more and more South Africans - especially the poor, women, youth, children and persons with disabilities - can enjoy all the benefits of freedom.

The corner stone of this democratic freedom is the freedom to write what you like!! (Yes I did have to change the word WOT to be different!!) Does JZ have such a short memory on media freedom!! He, JZ is saying that the ANC would never do anything that would undermine the spirit of the Constitution and which would erode the dignity and rights of other people, regardless of their standing in society and because of this he has asked that media to allow the ANC and the public the right to freedom of expression. Whose freedom of expression is this? If the ANC doesn’t say it then we can’t write it – OMG this sounds pretty draconian to me. In the old days anti-apartheid writers such as Nadine Gordimer, André Brink, Mary Benson and many others works were banned in South Africa for writing against the apartheid government. And now…Watch out folks because if you are anti ANC your works will also be banned! JZ would have you believe that all smear campaigns against the ANC are totally unfounded and only there to cause sensationalism therefore rendering the ANC squeaky clean at all times.

Even Malema has a say here. He was hauled out of the woodwork and said that they the ANCYL were assaulted and vandalised by the media and that they couldn’t do anything because the media could destroy a person's future without fact. Because of this editors and media owners should not try to get the government to discuss whether a media tribunal should be established, but how the tribunal should be set up to prevent future dictators from abusing it to kill media freedom!! Have you ever on that logic!! Methinks he should go back to his woodwork class!!

Anyway who said apartheid was a white on black issue. In the passed yes but now it’s an elite ANC against the rest of us and they are still blaming transformation even though many reporters are black! In fact wa Afrika who was detained recently is a fellow black South African but the ANC says ‘We are the people who fought for the freedom you enjoy today (...) some of us died for it and we have put our view before you, and that is our right,” And this is the freedom they talked about in 1994!! Of course this proposed media tribunal and media ownership is supposedly because in their view - Print media does not have, nor is in a process of developing a transformational charter, despite the regrettable degree of transformation.” Why is it that a problem is always blamed on transformation! There are many fellow black reporters but are they being overlooked because they do not come out and support the ANC at all times so does transformation only now apply to how many ANC members have a job? That’s for you to decide but I am off to build my cellar and buy myself a trench coat!! It could be needed in the not too distant future!!

OMG - A brothel in the neighbourhood!!

We used to live in a nice neighbourhood until that couple sold their house!! The new neighbours were considered dodgy for us locals because they were never at home at night. When asked if they were running a business from a residential house (sacrilege) and not living there at night we complained. The girls arrived at eight and left at five in super secretarial outfits and insisted they did the night shift at the casino. They were arriving home at eight and leaving for work at five!! A steady stream of cars visited during the day. All male drivers!! Exhausting actually working night shift and having friends visit all day!!

Well us busy body neighbours got together saying we didn’t like the constant supply of male visitors. The owner insisted he had no idea what the tenants were doing and the tenants were asked to leave. And then the new neighbours moved in. Reminds me of that delightful book my son had called “New neighbours – pass it on”. Quiet shy Thai neighbours. No one noticed the daily visitors and even less so the constant comings and goings at all hours late at night and early mornings until someone said something and then we all looked again!!

The ADT guards reported a constant citing of cars during the day that drive up and down so they know where to come late at night or they simple duck in there and then. We do not live in a through road area so it’s very easy to spot the visitors! At night plenty cars drive in and out, they hang around the pavements outside and the local pimp is forever running down to the traffic lights to wave the cars on up the road. You cannot miss the house actually. It’s like the red light district hiding behind one lone thick red drape. At night with the light shining inside an eerie red shadow shines out showing every one that this is the house!! Like a light house actually! The difference being the one is warning you of the dangers on the rocks below and this one, if you’re into that sort of thing is beckoning you in!!! Night and day the curtains are drawn shut – looking after those lily white skins by day I suppose and creating the red glow by night.

Dead give away is the washing line – yes you guessed it; its 80% red. Red bras, red panties, red blankets and red sheets and who told you ladies out there it was black we we’re supposed to wear!!

We can’t profess to be the Heidi Fleiss of America as she knew her customers personally. All we have are faceless, nameless, pleasure seeker’s number plates from the cars. ZN, NC, NKR, NJ and even GP. 2 digit, 3 digit, 4 digit and 6 digit number plates on Mercedes, BMW’s and old VW’s. The personalised ones are a dead giveaway but hey not much we can do with that ever growing list. We’ve given that to the police, the lawyers and even carte blanche.

Tow trucks, taxies, tiling companies and even a tour company have visited our area - There is a down side to advertising your business on your cars! Maybe they were being rewarded for hard work during business hours or just using company time and petrol for their own pleasures. The funniest are those studs late at night turned on by exploits that I can only imagine who rev their cars up on departure and you can hear that sound forever until it fades into the dead of night!

Thursday nights is different to the rest. Lots more laughter and lots more noise. We wonder if in that world that we only understand by the documentaries or movies we might have watched whether they have a happy hour at midnight or a buy one, get one free special. Maybe its night off and the girls and pimps share drinks and stories…..

Hey guys, what you do and when you do it is your prerogative. It’s where you do it that we, on our road, have a problem with. Would you like your woman and children to be living right there? Probably not which is why you visit our neighbourhood. So if you’re visiting other areas for your ‘pleasures by the body’ please move it from that neighbourhood into yours and remember we are all watching you, your number plates are traceable and you're not welcome anymore!!!.

Sunday nights Soccer world cup Final - A different view

I have a different view to Sunday nights final. Not that I know much about soccer. I was wearing the soccer Friday shirts for 10 weeks before the SWC began. I ran out onto the streets at midday on that Wednesday to show my support. I went to 2 matches in Durban supporting the team outwardly from the colour schemes I could find in my cupboard and spent much time in Florida Road and the beachfront enjoying the fans and taking pictures that captured the fun before the matches. But let’s get back to soccer and the game.

Would I avidly watch all these players playing for the different leagues in Europe or elsewhere on Super Sport– highly unlikely? I mean most these soccer players spend there time falling to the ground with tears in their eyes holding their ankles and shins and surreptitiously glancing up to see whether the ref had noticed their amazing fall and pain (that never lasts too long – unbelievable how they jump up and limp for 2 steps and then its back to running round that field waiting for their next moment.) In the meantime they have caused a yellow card to the player from the opposing team and they are really proud of that. I mean let’s be honest here. 2 grown men running for a ball. One will reach that ball a split second before the other. The first man will connect with that ball and the 2nd man will connect with whatever is there now in place of that ball. 9 times out of ten it will be the ankle or some body part that’s still lingering after the action. Have any of you tried to stop an action already in motion when going hammer and thongs to get there first. It is difficult, I would think!

So Sunday nights final! The Netherlands team played hard soccer. They had to stop the Spanish possession play! We all knew, even if we did not follow much soccer before this SWC that the Spanish players were brilliant on possession and speed. The Netherlands team had to put a stop to Spanish possession. They had to go for the ball and yes they missed many times and their connection came late. Do you sit back and watch the other team play or do you try as hard as you can to get the ball. This is soccer after all and when 2 people run for a ball, one will invariably win the race. The Spanish were good at winning that race but that was not what they were only good at. They won first prize for their acting tactics and falling over onto the floor. As someone said; soccer ref should also hold a pink card, I don’t need to explain what that is for!

Heitinga got a red card for putting his hand on Iniesta’s shoulder. What did Puyol get for putting his arm round Robbin’s waste!! The difference here is Iniesta fell forward after 2 steps and Robbin did not play act the fall! As far as I’m concerned Iniesta deserved the pink card! It is not because the Netherlands played good hard football that will have me looking at Rugby and the Tour De France cycling and other sport on Super Sport but the likes of the Spanish team who should have all been dished out with Pink Cards!!! The fact that I had an Orange outfit in my cupboard and an Orange hat might mean that I am a little biaised!!
To see more fan pics from Durban go to http://welcomewozani.com/