I've been off air for almost 3 years here for a bunch of reasons but now it's time to return. I can't promise daily posts - yet - but rather I'll bring what I think is important to my readers here is SA and overseas.
I just completed a 6 day regular protection assignment for a VVIP UK government couple on a private visit and came back to an eMail box crammed with new investigations, the Oscar P sentencing, the SABC CEO is suspended, Julie Malema assaulting a restaurant customer and the start of the Dewani murder trial: you have to love South Africa!
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Sunday, October 17, 2010
We're back, after a hugely busy year securing visitors to the World Cup, conducting sad investigations into aircrashes, training a Special Investigation Unit and designing a total security revamp for 2 large universities.
We did manage to squeeze in a long weekend away at the Phantom Forrest in Knysna and a week of scuba at the Malindi Marine Reserve in Kenya.
But for now it's back to the business of business - including getting two new startup companies off the ground.
We did manage to squeeze in a long weekend away at the Phantom Forrest in Knysna and a week of scuba at the Malindi Marine Reserve in Kenya.
But for now it's back to the business of business - including getting two new startup companies off the ground.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Mercenaries pardoned in Equatorial Guinea
South Africa has a 50 year history of producing highly skilled, mostly white mercenaries. 'Humanitarian Gestures' like the Presidential Pardon just granted in Equatorial Guinea are almost always covert political deals designed to enrich the power brokers involved. Simon Mann and the South African mercenary leaders had been jailed for 34 years each for their role in the plot.
In theory the 4 South Africans should be prosecuted when they arrive here as arranging mercenary activity here was made illegal in 1998 under the Foreign Assistance Military Act,. Our government's policy is "30 Aug 2006 ... Mosiuoa Lekota, the defence minister, said the law would keep mercenaries from subverting democracy in Africa”.
Looking at the TV visuals of this sad looking, slack shouldered motley old crew it's obvious that the macho, Ramboesque image of the mercenary is pure fiction
In theory the 4 South Africans should be prosecuted when they arrive here as arranging mercenary activity here was made illegal in 1998 under the Foreign Assistance Military Act,. Our government's policy is "30 Aug 2006 ... Mosiuoa Lekota, the defence minister, said the law would keep mercenaries from subverting democracy in Africa”.
Looking at the TV visuals of this sad looking, slack shouldered motley old crew it's obvious that the macho, Ramboesque image of the mercenary is pure fiction
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
EX- SA Top Cop on trial
Interpol secretary-general Ronald Noble on Wednesday criticised the slow prosecution of former South African police chief Jackie Selebi.
"I've never seen happening what is happening in South Africa," Noble told reporters at a Southern African Police Conference in Johannesburg.He said he did not understand why it was taking so long to prosecute Selebi, who is accused of corruption."If they have a case against him, charge him... give him the dignity he deserves."Mr Selebi is an honourable man," said Noble.
He said accusing a head of any police organisation was "a serious charge"."I sure hope that South Africa is still a country where people are innocent until proven guilty," said Noble.
Selebi took special leave in 2007, when it emerged he was about to be charged with alleged corruption relating to his relationship with convicted drug trafficker Glenn Agliotti.Agliotti was also a co-accused in the murder of mining magnate Brett Kebble, whose funds were allegedly used to pay Selebi.Selebi faced two charges of corruption and one of defeating the ends of justice.
He made his first court appearance in February last year without arrest, and his actual trial had been delayed by various applications and counter-applications relating to the investigation against him.
His trial was supposed to have started in April this year, but at his last court appearance in Johannesburg in May, he was angered by the delays.The corruption trial was postponed to October 5.
Selebi served as Interpol president from 2004 until January 12, 2008. He resigned after being suspended as police commissioner over the corruption allegations.
"I've never seen happening what is happening in South Africa," Noble told reporters at a Southern African Police Conference in Johannesburg.He said he did not understand why it was taking so long to prosecute Selebi, who is accused of corruption."If they have a case against him, charge him... give him the dignity he deserves."Mr Selebi is an honourable man," said Noble.
He said accusing a head of any police organisation was "a serious charge"."I sure hope that South Africa is still a country where people are innocent until proven guilty," said Noble.
Selebi took special leave in 2007, when it emerged he was about to be charged with alleged corruption relating to his relationship with convicted drug trafficker Glenn Agliotti.Agliotti was also a co-accused in the murder of mining magnate Brett Kebble, whose funds were allegedly used to pay Selebi.Selebi faced two charges of corruption and one of defeating the ends of justice.
He made his first court appearance in February last year without arrest, and his actual trial had been delayed by various applications and counter-applications relating to the investigation against him.
His trial was supposed to have started in April this year, but at his last court appearance in Johannesburg in May, he was angered by the delays.The corruption trial was postponed to October 5.
Selebi served as Interpol president from 2004 until January 12, 2008. He resigned after being suspended as police commissioner over the corruption allegations.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Soccer World Cup Ticket Fraud
2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup tickets are being used by 'phishing' scams to try to get banking and other personal details out of people.
The scam has recently emerged and is being tied into the South African Airways 75th anniversary celebrations.
The scammers are eMailing and Tweeting people with the news that they have won free tickets and even accomodation and travel.
The scam has recently emerged and is being tied into the South African Airways 75th anniversary celebrations.
The scammers are eMailing and Tweeting people with the news that they have won free tickets and even accomodation and travel.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Impotent taxi drivers try to stop new public transport system
The R 3 billion ( US$ 400 million) City of Johannesburg Johannesburg Bus Rapid Transit system (http://www.reavaya.org.za/home) - branded ‘Rea Vaya’ - is one week old today and it seems to have had very few teething troubles.
This is really good news and augres well for our 2010 Soccer World cup readiness.
Our kombi/mini-bus taxi operators thumped their chests impotently and threatened strikes, law suits and even violence to try to stop this new competition from “taking our jobs” but at the end of the day the people spoke and won - by filling all the seats on the busses and asking for more.
Sadly two commuters were slightly injured when the occupants of a Toyota Quantum minibus shot at one of the new busses last Tuesday. This is the worst type of serious cowardly criminal action and should be dealt with harshly by the law.
And related to this issue, police are still trying to determine the motive behind the killing of the South African National Taxi Council’s deputy president, Mthuthuzeli Molefe, who was gunned down at his home in the south of Johannesburg on Friday night.Initial reports indicate that the murder was not linked to Rea Vaya but SANTACO’s Phillip Taaibosch says his murder could be politically motivated.
This is really good news and augres well for our 2010 Soccer World cup readiness.
Our kombi/mini-bus taxi operators thumped their chests impotently and threatened strikes, law suits and even violence to try to stop this new competition from “taking our jobs” but at the end of the day the people spoke and won - by filling all the seats on the busses and asking for more.
Sadly two commuters were slightly injured when the occupants of a Toyota Quantum minibus shot at one of the new busses last Tuesday. This is the worst type of serious cowardly criminal action and should be dealt with harshly by the law.
And related to this issue, police are still trying to determine the motive behind the killing of the South African National Taxi Council’s deputy president, Mthuthuzeli Molefe, who was gunned down at his home in the south of Johannesburg on Friday night.Initial reports indicate that the murder was not linked to Rea Vaya but SANTACO’s Phillip Taaibosch says his murder could be politically motivated.
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