Strange things happen in the world of computers. You'll probably be delighted to know that even "pro's" like myself get caught out from time to time! Yes, the Sasser worm got my other computer and not (for a change) keeping abreast of the latest news, I thought it was hardware failure. Swapped the main board twice (a new Intel arrived sealed but was dead as a doornail), swapped memory and then did what we consider as the first option (normally) by re-formatting the hard drive. That same week I fixed four computers (at home) with the same problem. At least I'm more jacked at work - only had one so far!

Back to business - I wonder what the ANC government will be blaming the desperate shortage of money on this time. We're way past putting the blame on the "old regime" and "past discrepancies" or whatever else they thought of. Ten years of democracy and we're not even close to all the promises made in 1994. 22 Million people out of work, close on 5 million HIV/Aids cases, the rich getting richer and poor poorer.

In ten years this country has 500 newcomers joining the ultra rich. According to a report in the Sunday Times (May 9) the criteria is the R200 million mark. 150 White families were once the "elite". Mostly old money as well. Today there are nearly 700 of these ultra rich! According to VIP Forum (an international banking watchdog), there are 25 000 Dollar millionaires live in South Africa with a total (wait for it..) of $300 billion in private wealth.

And news for the "poorer" is that dear car prices are under investigation. Toyota already paid a R12 million "administrative" fine for dictating to their dealers the allowable discount on the new Corolla (since 2002 when it was launched). I reported before on Daimler Chrysler dropping the price of some of their top models but here's a twist. A guy who bought a Merc for R1.2 million now wants the discount back as he bought the car two months before the discount was announced. His brother bought a similar car for R1.3 million when the Rand was 6 to the Dollar some eight months previously. He bought his with the exchange at 10 to the Dollar - explain that one. And to show that bad service is bad for business, Mercurius Mercedes in Alberton is to close it's doors. Justice for the paying man!

And remember one Tony Yengeni of arms deal scandal fame? He has been walking around a free man even though he was given a four year prison sentence for his part. This was after he admitted to wrong-doing. The appeal is still out and his next court appearance will be within the next month or two. Justice? Who knows what happens in the courtroom corridors.

Government knows how to drag their heels when it comes to justice. The seventy people arrested in Zimbabwe on suspicion of being mercenaries (after a tip-off by the SA government - as was reported by the Sunday Times at the time) have been living with leg shackles for a whole week whilst in prison. These were only removed once the SA government appealed to the Zimbabwean courts about this inhuman situation. And that was only after the South African families got a lawyer to put pressure on government. Tricky situation as these men will have to extradited back to South Africa if it can be proved that the SA government knew about their alleged activities beforehand. They're facing numerous charges in Zimbabwe amongst which is the intention of acquiring illegal arms in that country. Best of all is that it's a Zimbabwean government organisation that supplied (or made the deal to supply) these guys. It still has to be proven that they were on their way to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea.

Back to the West Rand where the battle continues to save life's on our roads. A dangerous (fourway stop) crossing where the R28 starts (Krugersdorp - Pretoria highway) has claimed many life's over the past year or two. The "R28 Action Group" is taking class action against the Gauteng department of transport. According to a report in the Krugersdorp News (May 7) the department responded by saying that it will cost more than R40 million and that these funds were simply not available (for a new interchange). Traffic lights are under consideration and would take "two to three years, if all goes well and funds are available". Wonder how quick things will happen if one of their (department of transport) family members had to die at this intersection? And even though this falls under Krugersdorp municipality, they made sure that someone else gets the blame. The municipality is hoping for government to bail them out of their financial crisis. But a deficit of R71 million does not stop them for making new loans. This accumulated since 1997, when are they going to wake up? Yet, municipal services debt is being "written off" every year. But that won't happen to the whites though. We're the only one's who's electricity is cut immediately if you dare fall in arrears. And that is fact!

Things aren't going too well for WITS either. Students went on the rampage over study financing and interest on debt. Loans are given to students in order to study at WITS but due to student organisations unable to understand anything financial, they decided on a violent protest when certain students got expelled over unpaid debt. Of course they claim that the faculty's management is incompetent and demanded them to leave. Dunno what the hell these guys are doing at varsity - definitely not to study!

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