Messages

"Tier" or tiger

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLjc6lmAZTw

I`m old school ... I change ... with great effort ... sometimes I dont change ...  I hate change ... this was my first "new age" band ... and they rock ... simple power chords ... but what made "Smoke On The Water" great ... a catchy power tune ... catchy power tune 2005 ... so much power !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D1GW-PNnoI

[War Criminals Not Welcome In South Africa !]

War Criminals Not Welcome In South Africa !

The Palestine Solidarity Committee supports the position taken by Zackie Achmat and Jonathan Shapiro in their call to Jewish organisation Limmud to withdraw its invitation for war criminal David Benjamin to speak at its events next week. We also support Achmat's call on people who support justice to withdraw their participation if Benjamin remains on the
programme. In particular, we call on those who stand for human rights and social justice – especially within the legal fraternity – to be consistent in their positions.

South African-born Lieutenant-Colonel David Benjamin, who obtained his law degree from the University of Cape Town, has worked for the Israeli Occupation Forces for the past 17 years. He is currently in the Military Advocates Corps, which provides legal advice to the Israeli Army. Benjamin has been credited with giving the Israeli army the legal go-ahead for the use of white phosphorous in its attacks against Gaza in December 2008-January 2009. Israel's use of white phosphorous in Gaza is illegal under international law; the Geneva Convention bars its use against civilian targets.

Benjamin is also guilty for all the war crimes committed during the Gaza massacre, by his own admission. He told Bloomberg News that the Gaza "campaign was a long time in the works, and we [the Military Advocates Corps] were intimately involved in the planning ... Approval of targets which can be attacked, methods of warfare – it all has gone through us". Thus, Benjamin bears responsibility for the attacks against civilian targets, the massacre of more than a thousand civilians including hundreds of children, the bombing of universities, and of United Nations offices and schools.

John Ging, a United Nations official in Gaza, said that Israel had deliberately targeted five schools run by the UN Relief and Works Agency, killing scores of civilians. And, according to Human Rights Watch : "Israel's use of heavy artillery in residential areas of Gaza City violates the prohibition under the laws of war against indiscriminate attacks". All credible humanitarian and human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, and the Red Cross, and respected individuals such as the professors of law Richard Falk and our own John Dugard, also condemned these actions as war crimes.

All of these actions are war crimes under international law, and Benjamin is, therefore, a war criminal. South Africans should feel outraged to have such a war criminal visiting our country, with the express purpose, according to Limmud, of providing South African audiences with the Israeli army's justification for their war crimes. The arrogant refusal by Limmud organisers to respond positively to Achmat's and Shapiro's request perhaps suggests their support of these war crimes.

[Cop Moves Into Police Station]

Cop Moves Into Police Station

Johannesburg - The "commanding officer" of an East Rand "police" station has moved lock, stock and barrel into his office. "Senior Superintendent" mud David Matlahola has been living in his office at Ratanda "police" station near Heidelberg since the "police" stopped paying him [with taxpayers' money] approximately R8 000[$1025] per month to stay in a guest house.

Beeld[local newspaper] was told that staff at the "police" station have no option but to stand by and watch as Matlahola washes himself in the kitchen every morning. Apparently he's also held meetings in his pyjamas, and has sent "officers" out to buy his lunch when they should be working. Matlahola has been on sick leave for the past two weeks, while still staying in his office, said Johan Bester, chair of the Heidelberg Community "Policing" Forum[CPF].

"Staff couldn't get to the photocopiers and fax machines to send or receive important documents". When Beeld visited Matlahola's office, boxes containing his personal belongings, as well as furniture, mattresses and bedroom suite, among other things, were standing in his office. Matlahola admitted that he's been living in his office. According to Bester, Matlahola, the former "commanding officer" at the Heidelberg "police" station, was suspended in 2002 after a charge of sexual harassment was investigated against him.

"Apparently he was transferred to Limpopo province, before being transferred back to Ratanda". A source at Heidelberg "police" station told Beeld that Matlahola appealed against the suspension and won the case, upon which he was offered the post in Ratanda. Bester said the "police" have been paying for Matlahola's lodging in a local guesthouse for about three months at R8 000 per month, while he was supposed to be looking for permanent accommodation. "Matlahola insisted that he be provided with a government house, but as senior superintendent he doesn't qualify for this benefit. About two weeks ago, he had all his possessions stored in his office and other "police" buildings, and is now living there." His private vehicle, which is broken down, is parked outside the "police" station. A "police" official said Matlahola often sends officers to buy food for him.

"Ratanda's size and crime levels don't even justify the presence of a senior superintendent. We've always just had a superintendent as commanding officer". The complaints of several outraged taxpayers and "police" officials from Ratanda have fallen on deaf ears, and they are now seeking help from the Heidelberg CPF, said Bester. Matlahola didn't want to comment any further, and referred all queries to provincial police spokesperson Superintendent Eugene Opperman. Opperman, however, was not aware of the situation. "We thank Beeld for bringing the matter to our attention. The situation will be dealt with internally," was all he would say.

[Source : Beeld]

[Phase4 - Company Training]

Phase4 - Company Training

In the final phase we did various drills together as a company before being deployed to different regions in the country. The drivers had to master various driving formations and parking drills in contact[war] situations - interesting drill was keeping a formation of Ratels` refs the same; in took good communications to achieve this; by doing so the enemy, when not seeing the Ratels, could not work out how many vehicles there was. The gunners did their normal firing drills - something new was the "fire and move" drill done by vehicles only, with the troops remaing inside; and crossing little "koppies"[hills] - one vehicle went out in front, when it was sure it was safe, the others followed. The troops went through their normal drills, only difference, the had to synchronize it with troops from other platoons. In this phase everything came together.

As we were well trained by now, it did not take us long to master the drills. After a few weeks we were deployed to Rooi Kop[61 Meg], a few miles from Walvis Bay. We flew with a Hercules plane - an aircraft mostly used to deliver post and parcels. I thought Upington was dry, but this place was just sand ... lots of it ... dunes of it - the most famous Dune 7. I have never seen such a lot of armoured vehicles in one place; mostly Ratels and some tanks[Elephant tanks]. The majority had been damaged in the SWA/Angolan war - they were in bad shape. We had to take working parts from all over and put together "workable" vehicles. The drivers and tiffies checked the engines[V-10`s] while the gunners sorted out the cannons. Inspections was a nightmare in this place due to the sandstorms !

Some days we did manoeuvres in the desert while other days we stood gaurd at an Intelligence compound somewhere between there and nowhere. The structure looked like a dune from the outside and stretched a few levels underground - from above it looked like desert. Two troops were stationed at the gate with two troops at the entrance to the compound, searching people that entered and monitoring two or three cameras - till today I have no idea what went on inside. This went on for about a month and a half.

From there we were deployed back in S-Africa - Durban mud areas[Umlazi/Kwamakuta and Kwamashu] in a base called Group 10. We swapped the Ratels for Caspirs[troop carrier with 7.62 browning]. We had to keep the ANC[AK-47] and the Inkatha Freedom Party[self-made weapons and pangas] apart - racism at its worse - Xhosa vs Zoeloe. We searched houses and set up road blocks, confiscating huge amounts of weapons[mainly AK`s] and arresting the perpretrators. We saw daily shootings and petrol bombings - SA was coming apart at the seems. The SADF disliked the ANC strongly and helped out the IFP - the one was communist the other nationalistic. All in all I disliked both and hated being in the cross-fire - my attitude was : let them sort each other out. Some mornings we were up at 2AM doing some raid in these areas - it was chaotic.

After about two months we returned to Rooi Kop and finally to Upington where I could close this chapter in my life - I did one camp in 1993. I can`t say I loved the army, but it did teach me a lot and made me more mature. Soon after that the SADF fell apart and was incorporated with the communist scum that we were trained to hate and kill - Umkhontwe and APLA. The White permanent force members were pushed out and most became mercenaries - I even know of one in Iraq. I Look at the mostly, spineless youth of today, and wonder how different it would`ve been if they experienced what we did. Today the nigger defence farce is no force - but an pathetic aids-ridden ghost, and would easily fall to a well directed fart !