SPRINGBOK CYBER NEWSLETTER
October 2002 edition
One of the more encouraging developments since the fall of Rhodesia in 1979 has been the establishment of a number of vibrant expatriate Rhodesian organisations around the globe. Among these have been Rhodesians Worldwide, the Rhodesian Christian Group, the Rhodesian Army Association, the BSAP Association and the Flame Lily Foundation - indeed at times the list seems endless.
Those behind these movements are to be greatly congratulated, not only for keeping the Rhodie "diaspora" together and looking after the well-being of the more vulnerable of their numbers, but also - perhaps more importantly - for keeping the Rhodesian ideals alive.
It has also been most pleasing to see that a high proportion of members of these organisations still retain an interest in that piece of land between the Limpopo and the Zambezi, and have become actively involved with opposition movements seeking to remove the despot Mugabe and his ZANU-PF regime from power. As was predicted by the Save Rhodesia Campaign during the 1970s, the replacement of Rhodesia by Zimbabwe has brought nothing but death, destruction and devastation - both for Blacks and for Whites. There is indeed much truth in the comment that whereas it used to be said "Come to Rhodesia and see the ruins of Zimbabwe", now it is said "Come to Zimbabwe and see the ruins of Rhodesia".
It was therefore most astonishing to hear a supporter of one of these expat Rhodesian organisations and active campaigner against the Mugabe regime recently state that he did not regard himself as a Rhodesian, but preferred to be referred to as a "Zimbabwean". We do not wish to "name and shame" this man; he is a good and friendly person who is apparently simply naive and confused in the extreme. His wife subsequently chimed in to assert negatively that "there will never be a Rhodesia again", and had no answer when it was pointed out to her that most people said that "there will never be a free and democratic Russia again" during the dark days of the Soviet Union and the Cold War.
Of course if everyone was to adopt such a defeatist attitude then Rhodesia will definitely never be reborn - but if we were to adopt the opposite stance and have full confidence and optimism in the future then possibly, just possibly, the tyrant Mugabe will be deposed and eventually replaced by a new dispensation which will re-establish the ideals of Rhodesia.
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SPRINGBOK CLUB SEPTEMBER MEETING
The Springbok Club held a very successful and enjoyable meeting in September which was addressed by Mr. Peter Ward from New York, the editor of the shortly to be published anthology of African stories entitled "Africa Par Adventure", which several members of the Springbok Club have contributed to.
Mr. Ward gave a highly enthralling and humourous talk about the history of the book project, which was accompanied by some most amusing readings from the book by one of his co-contributors.
[The Springbok Club will be stocking copies of "Africa Par Adventure" as soon as it is published, and full details about ordering copies will therefore be given in future editions of the SCN.]
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SPRINGBOK CLUB LONDON BRANCH MEETING
The London Branch of the Springbok Club will shortly be holding their next meeting, the details of which are as follows:-
Date : Tuesday 15th October 2002
Time : 19.00 hrs
Venue : The Morpeth Arms (the upstairs function room), 58 Millbank, Westminster, London SW1.
Mr. Allan Robertson (Chairman of the London Swinton Circle and Deputy Chairman of the Springbok Club) will be present at this event, and will give a brief key-note talk.
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PETER FISHER
As many supporters will know, Mr. Peter Fisher, the current Chairman of the Springbok Club, has been suffering some serious health problems for the past few months which have prevented him from attending several recent Springbok Club events. Peter will be undergoing an operation next week, and we feel sure that all supporters will join with us in wishing him a full and speedy recovery, so that hopefully he will be able to resume an active role again soon.
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SPRINGBOK CLUB BRANCH NEWS
The next meeting of the Kent Branch of the Springbok Club is still planned to be held in the Medway Towns during November, but unfortunately the next meeting of the Chilterns Branch has been put back to November as well (probably to be held in Amersham). Full details of both these events will of course be given in next month's edition of the SCN.
The problems caused by an original supporter of the Lancashire Branch of the Springbok Club pulling out after initially agreeing to hold an inaugural braai at their home are still alas handicapping the official launch of this branch. It is anticipated that the branch will be officially inaugurated early next year however. All those in the Lancashire area (or who know people in the county who might be interested) should contact the branch direct at:-
manchesterspringbokclub@hotmail.com
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UDI DAY DINNER
This year's annual Springbok Club UDI Day Dinner has now been fixed for Saturday 16th November in central London, and the guest of honour will be a prominent member of one of the largest expatriate Rhodesian organisations based in the UK. Full details will be circulated in a special intermediate edition of the SCN as soon as all the precise details have been finalised.
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LONDON SWINTON CIRCLE
Details of the next London Swinton Circle meeting are as follows:-
Date : Tuesday 22nd October 2002
Time : 18.45 hrs for 19.00 hrs.
Guest Speaker : Lady Ann Winterton [Lady Winterton was official opposition spokesperson on Rural and Environmental Affairs up until very recently, and has been Conservative MP for Congleton since 1983. She is married to Sir Nicholas Winterton, the Conservative MP for Macclesfield, who was knighted in this year's Queen's Honours List.]
Venue : The House of Commons, Committee Room 6 (everyone is reminded, however, that Committee Rooms may always be changed at the last minute: enter the Houses of Parliament by the St.Stephen's entrance and ask any official in Central Lobby to be directed to the room where Lady Ann Winterton will be speaking.)
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PRO-GIBRALTAR DEMONSTRATIONS
A very successful pro-Gibraltar demonstration was staged outside the Spanish Embassy on Gibraltar Day (10th September) at which several dozen people were present, including several supporters of the Springbok Club. Perhaps the most encouraging feature of this demo was the constant "hootings" and "thumbs-up signs" which came from passing motorists.
A further pro-Gibraltar demonstration is planned to take place in Whitehall outside Downing Street on Thursday 7th November - the date of the referendum to be held in Gibraltar on the question of sovereignty. This protest will be held between 12 noon and 14.00 hrs, and at 13.00 hrs a letter addressed to the Prime Minister will be delivered to 10 Downing Street calling upon him to accept the decision of the people of Gibraltar in this regard. All supporters are encouraged to attend this event.
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CAN YOU HELP?
Patriot collects all items of Rhodesiana. If you can assist then please contact:-
jsinclair1690@yahoo.co.uk
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KRUGERRANDS FOR SALE
Krugerrands. Limited edition from an issue of 600 Natura Prestige set of 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/10 Kudu 1999, voted the most beautiful coin in the world. Boxed and with papers these cost over £900. Sell for £600.
Anyone interested please 'phone Peter on : 01258 471234.
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HOME BILTONG MAKERS
The "Biltong Team" have developed and are manufacturing a Home Biltong Maker. It is a wonderous piece of equipment that allows you to make your own fresh biltong in the comfort of your own home. It's easy to use (available in both 110 and 220 volt models), economical, and pays for itself in a couple of batches of biltong. The Home Biltong Maker has been received with much enthusiasm by ex-South Africans around the world in such countries as the UK, the USA, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand.
To find out more information visit the Home Biltong Maker web-site at:-
http://www.biltongmakers.com
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BOOK OFFERS
William Cooke from Baltimore, Maryland, recently had his second novel, "The Evil We Do" published.
It is available on the web at:-
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0595239188
or at
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0595239188/thefalklandssoci
The book, which is about a disturbed priest, addresses the conflict in Northern Ireland from a Unionist perspective.
William Cooke's first novel, "The Box" may also be of interest to readers. Ordering
information about "The Box" and more information about William Cooke and his books can be found on Bill's website:-
http://www.williamcooke.com
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BILTONG SALES IN THE UK
Biltong Brother produces top quality, handcrafted biltong. 100% British beef is used, no artificial flavourings or preservatives.
There are 5 types, Traditional, Garlic, Pepper, Hot & Spicy and Ostrich.
We pride ourselves on our fine quality and friendly and efficient service. For your 'taste of Africa' visit the Biltong Brother web-site at:-
http://www.biltong-brother.co.uk
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OLD ALBION PRODUCTS
The Old Albion company - who retail "British Goods for British People" - offer an increasingly wide range of products bearing various patriotic symbols, including clothing, towels, clocks, mouse-mats, and even a 1924 map of the British Empire!
Their recently updated and very comprehensive web-site can be accessed at:-
http://www.oldalbiononline.co.uk
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WHERE ARE THEY NOW ?
No.47 : IAN WILLIAM McPHERSON of Carltonville.
Lorraine Turner has recently contacted us with the following request for information about her former husband:-
"I am writing because I was wondering if you could help me locate someone in South Africa, or at least point me in the right direction. In 1997 my eldest son was murdered in Carltonville, South Africa, and as a result myself and my two remaining sons returned to the U.K just over a year later. I was divorced from the boys' father, and as a result of leaving South Africa they have lost contact with him. This has caused them even more trauma, for having suffered the loss of their brother and having experienced massive culture change due to leaving South Africa, they now have the added problem of having no news from their father. His name is Ian William McPherson, and his date of birth was 25.11.41. He is retired from East Driefontein Goldmine, and was last known to be living in Carltonville. His mother living in the U.K. would also like to make contact with him as his father passed away last year. We would all greatly appreciate any assistance that could be given."
Anyone who can help Lorraine in this respect should contact her direct at:-
lorraine@rossiehill.fsnet.co.uk
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RECOMMENDED WEB-SITE OF THE MONTH
We have recently been informed about a very useful web-site entitled "Support Gibraltar" whereat all supporters can post messages of support to the people of Gibraltar. It can be accessed at:-
http://support.gibraltar.gov.uk
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
TRACK FAILURE
Sirs,
As an ex-immigrant to South Africa (16 years) I regularly receive the SCN and really enjoy them, as mostly I can agree with the contents. In your latest issue you give your opinions about the Commenwealth Games. I used to be an athlete myself during our stay in SA, even have Natal colours for Athletics, and was very involved in the administation at the time, and of course still keenly follow events. I also have numerous friends I keep in contact with, and had several young athletes staying with us in order to help further their careers. If you have the wrong colour of your skin you have a problem in today's associations in SA, and I think that applies for just about all sports. At least athletics is an individualist sport and if a White 100 metres runner wins his race they cannot put that under the table. But when it comes to selecting teams they have to be 4-times better to get in (especially the borderline cases!!!) and they get almost no support, be it financially or medical-wise, from their association. The son of friends of ours is a good athlete and was also at Manchester. Their 4 x 100 m relay team (who won the silver medal at the Edmonton World Championships last year) did not even get through the qualification rounds. My opinion is that they did not have the support for proper preparations for such an event.
During the past two weeks we had 3 South Africans here for business and also discussed the sports issue. The rugby and cricket teams are suffering under the so-called "Quota-System" where a certain amount of the team members have to be Black, and in these sports they are not necessarily the best in the teams, so no wonder they are doing lousy internationally. Apparantly their respective associations wanted to change back to the best players being selected, but there was a general outcry in SA from all sorts of organisations, so the system stays with the results all can see. It is absolutely not surprising that the medal table of the South Africans turned out the way it did.
Yours etc.,
Margrit Stutz-Laube, Switzerland
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QUEEN'S AWARD
Sirs,
It is with great pleasure that this year, the Queen's Golden Jubilee year, I have been able to attend the Springbok Club's Empire Day Buffet at the Civil Service Club, the SC Kent Branch Summer Braai at Old Wives Lees, and the Patriotic Forum meeting at the House of Lords. I would be most grateful if it would be possible to have any further information concerning the UDI Day Dinner in November and the Day of the Vow commemoration in December.
Yours etc.,
Robert Shipley, Gillingham, Kent, U.K.
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COLONIAL COMPARISONS
Sirs,
I am at a loss for words over the latest news from Rhodesia. It seems that the forces of evil are running rampant at present.
No matter what led the remaining 3,000 White families to remain or what their views were, deep and long forgotten memories and insecurities arise within me when I see pictures of White families in rural settings besieged by hundreds of Blacks.
On a positive note, I did receive the latest SCN and I was pleased to read mention of the [real] South African flags which appeared on stickers at the Empire and Commonwealth Games. Again, though, it is very disheartening to read of the numbers of farm families who have been murdered by the ANC and their supporters, and I am horrified to see the news of what some of the savages have been doing to young girls in South Africa to resolve their own self-inflicted Aids problems.
I was chatting to a (White) Kenyan yesterday afternoon and he saw absolutely no real hope for Africa. Only the return of the White man, ruling with fairness, integrity and force, could start to solve Africa's problems. They say that it is always darkest before the dawn, so I do hope that this turns out to be true.
Yours etc.,
Frank Harvey, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
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... AND EACH ONE'S A REFEREE
Sirs,
Thanks for the latest Springbok Cyber-Newsletter. Trust me to be critical again!
You stated that "an oafish spectator ran onto the pitch and seriously assaulted the highly-respected referee, Mr. David McHugh of Ireland. The perpetrator of this foul act may have been White, but has any incident better symbolised South Africa's descent from first-world civilisation to third-world savagery?" This question begs a response.
I agree that Piet Van Niekerk was oafish. He was probably intoxicated as well at the time. But the referee, David McHugh, was far from "highly-respected" by the crowd, including a Kiwi commentator. McHugh made some really bad decisions during the game, which affected both teams but more so the Springboks, as he nullified two Springbok tries, and awarded the All Blacks a try that they probably wouldn't have scored anyway. I think you will find that McHugh's career as an international referee will suffer as a result of his bad refereeing. Correct me when the next World Cup comes along, if I am wrong.
I think what Van Niekerk did on the field in Durban was stupid and irresponsible. But he is one individual, and you find such idiots in all societies. What he did pales in comparison to the way New Zealanders behaved when the Springboks were in NZ in 1981. Hordes of them swarmed all over the pitch and attempted to assault the South African players. They sprinkled the field with metal nails and tacks, bombed the players from the air with flour, and generally behaved in a most uncivilised manner. Yet you fail to mention this at all in the SCN.
The misbehaviour of sports fans is certainly not generally confined to non-Whites - take English soccer supporters for example. We tend to think that Whites are civilised, therefore they should know how to behave better. One problem that racists have is to condone what Blacks do on the basis of their being lesser humans, whereas Whites are judged by civilised standards. The great missionary David Livingstone displayed such tendencies, as did philanthropist Albert Schweitzer. Lord Soames, while interim Governor of Zimbabwe-Rhodesia in 1980, condoned Mugabe's party's acts of terrorism and gross intimidation during the elections by saying, "this is Africa". No wonder Britain and the rest of the so-called West is impotent in dealing with the despotic rulers of Africa when they adopt this attitude.
Of course you know the definition of a White racist - a person who hates Blacks more than necessary. And a Black racist? There's no such thing!
Stay well and keep writing. The SCNs are thought-provoking, even if I seem to be critical of certain things you say.
Yours etc.,
Johan Geelvink, Pretoria, Transvaal.
[ A hard-hitting criticism of the crypto-terrorist tactics used by New Zealand leftists against the 1981 touring rugby Springboks appeared in S.A.Patriot No.9 which was published at the time. Ed.]
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ROGUES GALLERY
Alas the last month has seen a resumption of problems encountered on the Internet - what is colloquially referred to as "cyber-terrorism".
We have received two obscene and highly offensive e-mails from a couple of individuals named Pierre Burger and Gordon Waring. Judging from the e-mail "headers" on his message Burger appears to be connected to the South African State President's Office, so therefore is probably a Coloured apparachik with some form of chip on his shoulder. Waring of course has caused us problems in the past; he claims to have lived in both the UK and the US, before returning to South Africa to live in Somerset West where he claims that life is far preferrable to anywhere else he has lived - thus flying in the face of every other report which we have received from those still based in the "New" South Africa! One wonders, however, why if Waring is so sure of his ground in this respect he has to resort to childish four-letter-words in order to make his point?
We have also recently been inundated with unsolicited e-mails from an individual going under the odd name of Greg Weilo. Initially his postings were of an anti-Semitic nature, but more recently they have contained articles advocating the deranged idea that "the White Race must be abolished". It would appear therefore that Weilo is some form of Islamic fanatic.
We don't know whether these latest trouble-makers have any connection to those sad and sick malcontents who have caused us problems in the past - Kemp, Tuohy/Strickland (thought to be one and the same person) and Plaistowe - though the phraseology used by Burger seems to be very similar to that of the latter of these. Be this as it may, we would still be most grateful to receive any information which anyone may know about these trouble-making characters concerned.
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OBITUARY
It was with much sadness that we recently learnt of the death of Cyril Foley.
Cyril was one of the earliest subscribers to the SCN, and was a great friend and colleague of Nick Maine, with whom he was attempting to establish a branch of the Springbok Club on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia,
Cyril had run a computer business in South Africa, and had a certain amount of training with the South African Defence Force where he had learnt to fly and did many parachute jumps, in one of which he unfortunately became entangled and was seriously hurt. On coming to Australia he again became involved with computers and did voluntary work with the Air-Sea Rescue Service. About 4 years ago he received news that a car in which his son and daughter were travelling in South Africa was attacked when they stopped at robots and his daughter was killed. He sunk lower and lower as a result of this news - a great brain went to waste.
Our sincerest sympathises are extended to Cyril's family and friends at this sad time.
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THE ZIMBABWE VICTIMS' COALITION
We have recently been informed that the correct details for contacting the Zimbabwe Victims' Coalition (see September 2002 SCN) are as follows:-
Private Bag X 122,
Centurion,
Verwoerdburg,
Transvaal, 0046,
South Africa.
Tel: +27 12 664 0704
Fax: +27 12 664 2436
e-mail:-
pdutoitinc@mweb.co.za
Ray@pdtgroup.co.za
or
zimvictims@hotmail.com
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See you again next month!
