June 3 2004

For years now our soccer supporters have been using what is called a vuvuzela to trumpet their support at matches. Some clever guy came up with the idea of mass manufacturing these "trumpets" and selling them at soccer matches and sports stores. Prices range from 45 to 70 Rand, depending on the team logo printed on them. Now a "church" decided it wants in on the pie by claiming that the vuvuzela has been used by them for centuries. If that's the case, I don't see why not. Obviously the manufacturer cannot patent the design nor idea but who really cares. As long as some of the profit can go to the originators.

Back to road safety - 160 000 cars use the N1 between Johannesburg and Pretoria every day. Jo'burg council now eventually realised that traffic is killing the city. Master plans are being drafted to get people onto buses and trains in order to alleviate traffic congestion. There are talks of introducing similar systems to Australia where special lanes will be set aside for buses and those traveling in cars with more than one passenger. Can you imagine the chaos with taxis? Obviously our taxis are in the process of being upgraded from the current 10 seater to 35 seater's which means these guys will be squeezing in about 42 people. They're doing 16 in a 10 seater, so I don't see a problem there. With unofficial taxi ranks where-ever they need them chaos will erupt, that's for sure.

In the Autodealer (a supplement of our local newspaper) Rob Handfield-Jones discussed the issue of "honoring" the late Dullah Omar - Minister of Transport. He mentions some scary figures on road deaths during Omar's "reign" and questions the tribute government wants to pay to Dullah. In 1998, 9400 deaths (25 per day). Arrive Alive (a government road safety campaign) quoted 40 deaths per day whilst Omar was still in charge. Unisa did a mortuary study and came up with closer to 18 000 deaths a year. That's 4 000 more than Arrive Alive claimed (for the figure-impaired amongst us). Shall they name a highway, a bridge or a tunnel after Omar? Obviously one cannot just look at his last failure as transport minister but need to take into account all of his life. This is where Rob comes up with a brilliant idea. Instead of spending all the money on the renaming of a structure of some sort, rather start a road safety school. A school where driving instructors can train and educate road users on the proper and safe way of operating a vehicle on public roads. Now won't that be something?

The Sunday Times reported on a story (30 May 2004) about a high court judge that ruled " that the constitution protects a female's right to terminate a pregnancy, and that this right applied to everyone, including those under 18". The Christian Lawyers Association challenged the act after becoming aware of several such cases where abortions take place without the parents being aware of it. Imagine what a mess a 14 year old girl's mind must be in after going through an experience like that. Imagine where the funds must come from to have a "legal" abortion. Imagine those that cannot afford the costs and resort to "back-yard" abortion "clinics". Would you want your child to go through something like that? Don't think so. Isn't this just another sign of the times where children have more rights than their own parents? Isn't this just a sign of the times where the whole world is busy falling apart? Old values? Of course. Look at us, most of us "older" folk have turned out alright. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with putting your child's interests at the top of your priority list.

The tragic shooting of a family member after mistaken identity has focused again on gun ownership and the law. Rudi "Vleis" Visagie shot his daughter after mistaking her for a car thief. Of course we're a trigger happy nation. Of course we have reason to be. Of course the cops cannot protect us nor is government too concerned about it. In one week I heard of two cases where robbers were shot dead. One in an attempted hijack where two guys tried to hijack a woman in traffic. A guy witnessing what was happening, got out of his car and killed both hijackers where they were standing. Another where a guy got robbed in his house. He got tied up, managed to get himself loose and shot and killed both robbers with a shotgun hidden under his bed. Fair? According to law you have to afford the "total stranger" a warning shot. Shouting at a perpetrator is not considered "fair warning". An East London woman fired a shot through a closed window after hearing someone fiddling with the glass. She shouted, she warned, she was scared to open the curtains and in desperation pulled off a shot. 50 Meters away they found a dead guy the next day. She got off. Good for her.

Cops don't bother with break-ins anymore. For insurance purposes you only need to report the case and submit your claim. Cops don't bother with petty theft anymore. You catch the thief, slap him / her around a couple of times and hope they don't come back with friends. Sad to say, but the more comprehensive the beating, the lesser the chance of anyone coming back - ever. Somehow this makes me think of the old apartheid days?