White South African granted refugee states in Canada

31 Year old Brandon Huntly has been granted refugee status in Canada because of the "clear and convincing proof of the state's (south African government) inability or unwillingness to protect him."

This is the first time that a white South African has been granted refugee status in Canada on the basis that white people in SA are being persecuted by blacks.

Mr. Huntley was attacked seven times by black South Africans and was stabbed on 3 occasions. The attacks happened with attempted robberies and muggings.

During these attacks the black South Africans called him "a white dog" and "a settler."

This raises a few questions:
1.) Does this pave the way for future refugee claims?
2.) Are whites really under attack in SA?
3.) Is the Government actively turning a blind eye or are they just hopelessly bad?
4.) Is this decision justified?

Bad SA healthcare

Despite the health of women and children being a priority for the democratically elected government, South Africa is one of only 12 countries in the world where the mortality rate for our children has got worse since 1990. Each year, an estimated 2 500 mothers die, 20,000 babies are stillborn, another 21,900 die before the age of one and an additional 52,600 die before their fifth birthday, most from preventable and treatable causes," according to authors Mickey Chopra and colleagues.

Reading the intro to the above article by Kerry Cullinan at allAfrica.com, it reminded me of the conversation I had with my cousin, whom is a young doctor, working at a government hospital. It was with absolute shock when he told us how babies and young kids would die right their in his arms, just because of a lack of availability of basic medicine to treat infections etc. These things happen right in the middle of South African cities and are common placed.

As a young doctor, he is already setting his sites on Canada. He says, he just can’t continue working like this. It is a complete mess. The places are dirty and he simply can’t take the horrible working conditions anymore. He also just feels emotionally tired of watching people die unnecessarily.

Some people are quick to "judge" South African doctors and nurses that leave SA. I think that is very unfair. Most of us, in whatever job we do, can only take so much abuse and horrible working conditions, before we say enough is enough and we quit. It is the same for these people. Plus many of them still have huge study loans that needs to be paid back and government doctors doesn’t get paid all that much.

I for one can’t judge people for looking to improve their lives.

Neill Blomkamp and Sharlto Copley Interview

Below is funny interview with South Africans, Neill Blomkamp and Sharlto Copley from the block buster movie District 9. There are a lot of interviews with them on Youtube, but I think this was the funniest and most entertaining of them all.

Gift ideas

Many of us South African men grew up with a pocket knife or some multi-tool of sorts. We would carry it around and at braais we would take it out and compare size. Lol! Not quite but for many of us, carrying a knife or multitool is just part of life.

I myself have a Leatherman Wave and I recently got a Leatherman Expanse knife from my wife for our anniversary.

So ladies, if your husband, boyfriend or son is having a birthday soon, this is an extremely good item to give as a gift. I don’t know a man that wouldn’t be happy to have one of these.

(This post is a public service to all men out there.)

Greta Steyn of Fin.24.com hates my grammar. So what?

Greta Steyn to me: She took the time to send me an e-mail.

"I stumbled across your site and I must say I am SHOCKED at how bad your grammar is. No-one with this kind of grammar should be doing anything involving writing."

Me to Greta

Hahaha! How sad are you? Are you actually going around commenting on bloggers grammar? What are you like the blog editor of the world? Get a life lady.

This is a blog. I'm not a journalist and I'm certainly not trying to be one. I do this for fun and if people don't like what or how I write, then they don't have to visit my blog.

That includes you.

Jonathan Trott makes starting 11 for Ashes Test

With South African expat, Kevin Pietersen, injured for the next Ashes cricket test between England and Australia, the English selectors decided to call up another South African expat to strengthen their batting line up. Jonathan Trott has been called up for the final Ashes Test. As I previously reported, Jonathan was called up to be in the squad, but at that stage it was uncertain whether he would actually make the starting 11.

Congratz to Jonathan. I hope you have a good knock!

District 9 Tops Box office

District 9, written and directed by South African expat, Neill Blomkamp, has topped the box office in the US with a whopping US$ 37 million ticket sales in the first weekend. The movie cost approximately US$ 30 million to make and the way things are going it will surely top US$ 100 million after the world wide release.

Critics say it is the best movie of the year and maybe one of the best sci-fi movies of all time. The South African actor Sharlto Copley that plays the lead in the movie, has been praised with one of the best acting performances of the year.

Before the opening of the movie, there was fears that a two hour movie filled with South African accents, which played of in Johannesburg, will be a little too much for American audiences.

There are already talks of a possible sequel as well as a possible Oscar for special effects. What makes the good box office earnings so special is that the movie is rated R, which effectively keeps out kids. Family films traditionally earn on average much more at the box office.

Well done guys! Also a great thanks to Sony pictures that took the risk on the unknown South African cast and director to make this movie.

District 9

The South African expat movie director, Neill Blomkamp, has made his award winning short film, District 9, into a full length feature film. The movie which was written by himself is also being directed by him and is being produced by none other than Peter Jackson. For those of you who don’t know who Peter Jackson is, he is the dude that made Lord of the Rings and King Kong.

District 9 is a action packed movie located in Johannesburg. The underlying theme pokes fun at the South African mindset. The movie deals with Aliens (the space kind) that has landed in South Africa. They are being kept separate (like in apartheid SA) in a location called District 9 (shacks) and are being treated, well, pretty much like black people was treated in apartheid SA.

The Aliens will off course complain about not getting jobs and being oppressed and not getting any service delivery.

The special effects in the movie looks absolutely amazing.

Below is the trailer for the movie.

Meteor shower

If you have a little free time tonight, step outside and if the skies are clear, have a look at the stars. The chances of seeing a couple of "shooting stars" is very good. This is thanks to the annual Perseid meteor shower, when the earth moves through the debris left by comment Swift-Tuttle. As I write this the meteor shower has already moved past its peak but it should still be pretty good tonight.

South African Braai in Europe

There will be a South African braai 22 August @ 15:00 at Gasthaus zum Schwanen Oberursel. Go here to book and see this for more info.

Enjoy.

SA Expat called up for Ashes squad

South African expat, Jonathan Trott, whom has been playing cricket for Warwickshire for the past eight seasons has been called up to join the England squad for the final Ashes test. He was originally called up to replace the injured Flintoff, but latest news indicates that Flintoff will be ready to play the final test.

The inclusion of Jonathan Trott in the squad doesn’t mean that he will actually play in the next test, but he is surely knocking on the door.

If you are in the UK, also have a look at the online newspaper, The South African.

Biltong and droëwors

If there is one thing many South Africans miss from the old country, than that would be decent Biltong and Droëwors.

So out with it! As an expat, where do you find yours? Share the secret! If you make your own and wish to sell, leave a comment here so that we know.

Come now, don’t keep it all to yourself...