SPRINGBOK CYBER NEWSLETTER
September 2000 editionNewly-elected Springbok Club Chairman Peter Fisher organised a private party to celebrate the 100th birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in Hampshire last month.
It turned out to be a marvellous occasion which was greatly enjoyed by all who were present. The venue was absolutely packed, live music was provided by an excellent local band, and a well-researched history of the Queen Mother's life was recounted.
There were a high number of expatriate South Africans and others with connections to Southern Africa present at this event, which should not be surprising in view of some of the anecdotes about the Queen Mother which were told. We learnt, for instance, that she still refers to Rhodesia as Rhodesia, and still regards the Royal visit to South Africa in 1947 as one of the highlights of her late husband's reign, and to this day retains the greatest respect for that great South African statesman Jan Christian Smuts.
It is a total tragedy that subsequent events drove a wedge between the Royal Family and their previous most loyal subjects in Southern Africa. It serves no purpose to accredit blame, but let us just hope that the Queen Mother's favourite grandson inherits his grandmother's respect and love for his kith and kin in Southern Africa after he ascends to the throne.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
SPRINGBOK CLUB A.G.M.
The 2000 Springbok Club A.G.M. was successfully held in South Croydon at the end of August. The office-holders for 2000/2001 were elected as follows :-
Chairman - Peter Fisher
Deputy Chairman - John Samuel
Organiser - Alan Harvey
Secretary - Grace Healey (though the Organiser will act as secretary until her return from South Africa)
Treasurer - Bill Yates
Branch Development Officer - Tony Waller
Liaison Officer - Kelvin Sanderson
A number of other important decisions were taken at this A.G.M. concerning future Springbok Club activities, which will be detailed in the relevant sections later during this newsletter.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
SPRINGBOK CLUB AUTUMN BRAAI
The Springbok Club Autumn Braai will take place during the afternoon of Sunday 24th September (commencing at approximately 14.00 hrs) at the home of Mr. Tony Waller at :-
1 West View Road, Crockenhill, Swanley, Kent, BR8 8JP.
(This is only 15 minutes walk from Swanley Railway Station, and close to junction 3 of the M25 via the B2173 and B258. If you have any difficulty finding the venue then either 'phone Tony Waller on 01322-666303 or Alan Harvey on 07711-188430)
Meat, rolls, utensils and braai-ing facilities will be provided, though we ask everyone to bring their own liquid refreshment and other requirements. Admission will be free for Full Members of the Springbok Club, £2.50 per head for Associate Members and £5.00 per head for non-members. Payment may be made on the day itself, though we would ask all those who anticipate attending - if possible - to inform us prior to the event, so that we can make catering provisions accordingly.
After the braai itself Tony Waller will give a "report-back" on his recent trips to Sweden, which he not only visited on Swinton Circle business, but also had the opportunity of liaising with Lars Karnestam (the Springbok Club's Scandinavian co-ordinator) and other supporters of the Springbok Club's embryo Stockholm Branch.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
UDI DAY DINNER
The Springbok Club will be staging a special UDI Day celebration dinner on Saturday 11th November in South Croydon. We are anticipating welcoming a high-profile Rhodesian personality as our Guest of Honour for this event, and hope to be able to confirm the person involved in the October edition of the SCN. The dinner will however involve a three-course meal and table wine.
At the recent SC AGM it was decided by majority vote that - in view of the special nature of this event - there would be a set charge of £20.00 per head for everybody in attendance. Tickets will be allocated on a "first come, first served" basis, so if you are interested in attending please inform us as soon as possible. In view of the fact that, following the election of our new Treasurer, the Springbok Club will shortly, at last, be obtaining its own separate bank account, we ask everyone not to send any money for the dinner at this stage. Simple notification of your wish to attend will be sufficient to make a provisional booking.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
BRANCH DEVELOPMENT
The Hampshire Branch of the Springbok Club staged a small but happy and successful foundation meeting at the beginning of August. With other supporters in Hampshire who were not able to attend sending their apologies and best wishes, the omens for the growth of this branch therefore seem very good. Future meetings will probably be held in the Southampton area.
The Kent Branch of the SC also held another successful "pub evening" in Herne Bay during August. It was especially good to see a number of London-based supporters coming down for this event.
Neil and Sandy Griffin are also very keen to meet up with other supporters in the Chilterns region (specifically the Aylesbury/Leighton Buzzard area). If you live in this region, or know of any other potential supporter who does, then please let us know and we'll put them into contact with Neil and Sandy with a view of establishing a Chilterns Branch.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
S.A.PATRIOT-IN-EXILE APPEAL
At the SC AGM much discussion took place concerning the worrying financial situation of S.A.Patriot-in-Exile. Although the magazine is a distinctly different entity from the SC itself, the publicity which it gives to the SC and the fact that it is the nearest thing which we have to our own journal means that it is essential that it appears more regularly.
In a nutshell the situation is as follows. The re-establishment of S.A.Patriot in the form of S.A.Patriot-in-Exile during the early 1990's meant that we were forced to take out two loans in order to establish an infrastructure and to print and distribute the early editions. Although there is no danger of these loans being "called in" in full, we do even so have to make regular monthly repayments in order to cover interest payments etc, and unfortunately we currently find that the income from sales etc which we receive barely covers these interest costs. To make matters worse, moreover, we are now receiving enquiries from subscribers asking when the next issue will be appearing.
It has therefore been decided to launch an appeal fund in order to try to clear both these loans as soon as possible, so that we are therefore faced with no further interest payments, and as a result all future income can be put directly towards publishing and distributing new editions.
At the moment the total of these two outstanding loans stands at £3754.34 - not a particularly vast amount. We hope therefore that all our supporters who are in a position to assist us in this appeal will be prepared to help. All donations should of course be made payable to "Patriotic Press" in Sterling and sent to : BCM SAPAT, London WC1N 3XX, UK.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
CAN YOU HELP?
Niel Pretorius writes to ask whether anyone can help him find employment in the catering industry in the UK. He is a 47 year-old White South African with 23 years experience in buffet catering for old-age homes and retirement villages. His wife has experience as a bank manageress.
If anyone can help Niel please contact him direct at : marethapretorius@Intekom.co.za
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
LOOKING FOR SOMEONE
Pat Boyd (nee Clark) writes from Canada to ask whether anyone can help her trace an ex-schoolfriend, Penny Hendry. They attended Mabelreign Girls High School together during the 1960's, and it is believed that Penny married an old Etonian, Lord Elseworthy, and also worked in the British Foreign Office.
If anyone can help Pat please contact her direct at : Pat_Boyd@telus.net
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"FREEBIES" WEB-SITE
This web-site designed by ex-Rhodesian John Allman, now living in York, has recently been upgraded.
This new "green" and environmentally friendly web-site is to help people re-cycle items which they no longer use or want. The idea is that others in your community will visit the site, see useful items, and claim them. No money changes hands, all transactions are free, although you have to make your own arrangements to collect the items you want. If you see something you want, just claim it. No mailings will be used for commercial purposes.
To find out more visit this "freebies" web-site at :-
http://www.freebiesrus.co.uk
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NEW BOOK
"Many Shades of Black", which is sub-titled "Inside Britain's Far Right", is a newly-published book by John Bean. Although this work chronicles the development of various Right-wing movements in Britain during the fifties, sixties and seventies, and although John Bean himself was a leading figure in many of these groups, he himself now emphasises that he has moderated his political views in recent years - although he will still not endear himself to today's Politically Correct lobby.
Of particular interest to South African readers will be those sections detailing pro-White South African and pro-Rhodesian demonstrations in Britain - not all of which can be described as involving and being organised by the far Right.
Copies of "Many Shades of Black" are available price £8.95 from John Bean at P.O.Box 97, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 8WT, UK. Cheques should be made payable to "John Bean", though the equivalent value in overseas currency is also acceptable.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
BOOK OFFER
COVOS BOOKS of South Africa are specialist publishers of Africana, and offer a range of most interesting and illuminating books which will appeal to many of our supporters. Amongst the titles they stock are:-
FIREFORCE - One man's war in the Rhodesian Light Infantry, by Chris Cocks. Hard cover with dust jacket, 228 x 155 mm., 368 pages, 120 black and white and colour photos, plus maps and sketches. Widely acclaimed as the classic account of counter-insurgency warfare in Africa. Includes the RLI roll of honour, citations and operational orders. Price R185.00.
HOW WE KEPT THE FLAG FLYING, by Donald MacDonald. Hard cover, 213 x 137 mm., 303 pages, with frontispiece and 7 illustrations and various diagrams. This enduring story of the Siege of Ladysmith is the first in a series of Anglo-Boer War reprints. Price R169.95.
PAMWE CHETE - The Legend of the Selous Scouts, by Lt.Col. Ron Reid-Daly. The revamped, rewritten version of the best-selling "Top Secret War". With new, previously unpublished material, including the roll of honour and full schedules of citations and wings. New photo sections. The definitive account of this exceptional unit's short but distinguished service in the field of counter-insurgency operations during the Rhodesian Bush War. Price R225.00.
COVOS BOOKS can be contacted at : P.O.Box 6996, Weltevredenpark, Transvaal, 1715, South Africa. Tel.: +2711-4769926, fax.: +2711-4769927, e-mail : covos@global.co.za
We are happy to be able to confirm that the Springbok Club can now supply copies of all these books, prices being £20.00 (Fireforce), £15.00 (How We Kept the Flag Flying) and £27.50 (Pamwe Chete). All payments should be made payable to "Patriotic Press", and sent to: BCM SAPAT, London WC1N 3XX, UK. (Please add 10% for p.& p.).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
WHERE ARE THEY NOW ?
A regular feature in which we ask whether anyone knows the current whereabouts of a friend or colleague who has lost contact.
No.25 : Mr. CHARLIE ROBINSON of Durban
Charlie Robinson worked for the Durban Corporation, where he was a very good friend and colleague of that great South African patriot, the late Mike Skelly. Charlie and his wife Cherylene lived in the Sarnia Road, Bellair, Durban, a house which they took over when his father, Vic, retired to Northen Natal. Vic Robinson also proved to be a good friend, and was an active and reliable supporter of all Conservative candidates who stood for election in south Durban during the 1980's. We would also be most keen to learn of the current whereabouts of Cherylene and Vic as well as Charlie himself.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
RECOMMENDED WEB-SITE
Most readers will remember how Bill Cooke from Baltimore in the United States visited Britain earlier during the year, and gave a fascinating speech to the Patriotic Forum (of which the Springbok Club is an affiliate) whilst here. Bill has subsequently returned to the United States, but has constructed a web-page featuring the pictures which he took whilst in the British Isles. It can be accessed at :-
http://members.fortunecity.com/dasflugzeug/britishisles.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
NATIONAL SPORT
Sir,
Actually I was hoping that they'd get the World Cup so as to show the world the "new" South Africa. I would have loved to see all those liberal news media getting mugged, raped and murdered. I really wanted to see how they would report it.
Yours etc.,
Francis Harvey - Pennsylvania, USA.
------------------------
GARDEN BOY
Sir,
Nelson Mandela arrived in Australia and was treated like a hero. His history of "necklacing" Black opponents of the ANC was not mentioned. What details do you have on his rule and that of the ANC in South Africa? Please advise.
Yours etc.,
Geoff Muirden - Victoria, Australia.
[ Anyone who can help Mr. Muirden with detailed information about the convicted terrorist Mandela should contact him at : nedrium@netspace.net.au ]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
OBITUARY
It was of course with great sadness that we recently learnt the devastating news of the sudden death of Mr. Jaap Marais.
Jaap Marais was not only a highly-respected politician, but was also someone who we were proud to call a personal friend.
Although Jaap and the party which he led, the HNP, obtained the image of being very anti-English-speaking, this was never the impression which we gained from the man himself. He was certainly an Afrikaner nationalist who fought all his life for the preservation of his Afrikaner culture and language, but this did not make him antagonistic to his English-speaking fellow South African Whites. He gave nothing but encouragement to us when we founded S.A.Patriot in 1981 (and indeed wrote for us on subsequent occasions), worked as an official interpreter for Germiston Town Council, translated Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" into Afrikaans, and was an honorary patron of the Durban Parliament - hardly the attributes of someone who was anti-English!
Jaap Marais was a man who would never give up, and the title of his most famous ideological work "Stryd is Lewe" ("Struggle is Life") was therefore most appropriate. He was convinced that his interpretation of political developments was correct, and was fearless (especially in view of having been born handicapped with a club-foot) in his non-stop attempts to awaken his fellow-countrymen to the treacherous nature of successive NP governments which were selling-out the country. History, of course, has proved him completely right.
Alas Jaap Marais had one great failing. He was an absolutist, and refused to compromise one iota with those who did not see exactly eye-to-eye with him. In normal circumstances this may have been regarded as a virtue, but when the entire future existence of the South African nation was at stake it was alas a catastrophic disaster. Dr. Treurnicht and Gen. Viljoen may not have possessed the full vision and political acumen of Jaap Marais, but they were both sincere patriots who he should have co-operated with more fully in order to present a united front against the de Klerk treason.
We choose, however, to remember the talents and achievements of Jaap Marais. In fighting for the preservation of his own Afrikaner nationalist he was actually fighting for the rights and liberties of ALL White South Africans. One of his last actions was to draw everyone's attention to the fact that it was actually the British colonial administrations which invented apartheid (separate development). He also never compromised in his desire to maintain a complete and united South African nation, rather than back any idea for a small and unviable "Boerstaat". We must always therefore remember the contribution that Jaap Marais made in his struggle for the well-being of all White South Africans.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally, if you would prefer to be deleted from our "Springbok" mailing list then simply send us an e-mail with the word "unsubscribe" in it. Alternatively, if you liked this Cyber-Newsletter and think that any of your friends would like it also, then please let us have details of their e-mail addresses!
See you again next month!
