Nelson Mandela

[happy daze john in oz]

Yes Alf you are now the second member after Jim to remember the Criterion. For some odd reason very fwe do, but then again there maybe a reason for that. Once inside it was not easy to get out before sailing. I do recall one day being spoken to by Jock the owner who told me there is a lady over there who wants to know if she can get you into bed, and me not even tired at that time, but being a gentleman I secumbed to her wishes.

[leratty]

I wonder when we think of South Africa if we ever thought of the less than well off whites who lived there? The reason for the comment is at lunch over the weekend that country came up as someone was saying there are none, or so few they are not noticed living here in France. I held my tongue there but looked skywards (: Anyway I suddenly thought back & recalled a white Sth African in Aus who had been a plumber there. I was amazed at the time to think they had white tradesmen. After Mandela he got to Aus, worked there for a couple of years did not like it & somehow got into the US. Ironic as the Rhodesians or Zimbabweans are liked as with most people though they do not have that Sth African arrogance.

[cappy]

don't know about poor whites ......but on the same thing iwatched were the burial of nelson mandelawas and was amazed at the rolling hills which looked like very fertile land ....but nothing growing.....this after question time African person saying take the farmsback from the white farmers ,,,,,,,this to me is Africa don't do just take......while the new president takes millions for private use ......it will be the same in a 100 years

[Ivan Cloherty]

Cappy the only good advice they took from us was taken by Mandela's parents or guards who gave him the name 'Nelson'

[Captain Kong]

I have been wondering about Mandela, over the last few days of international mourning.
Is it a case of "The Emperors New Suit". No one dare say a word against him, Shock Horror , if you do.
I remember him saying he would rid South Africa of slums and shanty towns.
In 1976 when I was there for three months with Court Helicopters, I was driving back along the long road from Cape Town Airport to the city. All along the road were hundreds of new bungalows with grass lawns in front of each one, all empty.
I asked our Pilot what they were, he told that they were for all the residents of District Six, a very run down slum area over a hundred years old in Cape Town. The big riots were on at the time, August 1976, They wanted to bulldoze District Six and move the people into these new bungalows, So they rioted.
In 2009 I drove back up the same road to the Airport and on Both sides of that road ALL the way, were nothing but shanties of plastic sheets and corregated iron continuously for miles. The `new ` bungalows were virtually all destroyed a with broken windows, every wall covered in graffiti and the lawns were not there anymore, just piles of rubbish.
I wondered what happened to Mandelas promise, the new building was before Mandela, after it is a shambles.
Mandela was living in a huge mansion, after 27 years in Robben Island how come he became so wealthy and the promises to the people so empty.
I saw Mandela in Robben when I was flying prisoners and stores into the island. The Pilot told me he was a terrorist.
trained in urban and guerrilla warfare in Moscow and Odessa in the Ukraine.
So what do we believe??????????????? Is it the `Emperors new suit syndrome` or not, ??????
Cheers
Brian

[robpage]

I once went to a church meeting where an African from Niger spoke , he explained that if you are in power , whether it be the Premier or the town Mayor . you look after your whole family as far as all the cousins , then you set up a foreign bank account for the day you get kicked out . After that your time and the taxes are your own

[John Pruden]

for someone who spent 27 years in nick he knocked some kids out the size of his family? he was cold one night the screw put an extra bar on?jp

[cappy]

same in this country

[alf corbyn]

just remembered john. the criterion was where I had my first ginger square and next to the vasco da Gama was the eagle taxi company. mostly women drivers, you could dance with the coloured girls in the café and then you in the taxi would pick the girl up round the corner, and run you to the black area up near the bluff.

[Gulliver]

..then there's the joke(I've forgotten it !) but it's something to do with the phenomenon of South Africans gathering at every principle Japanese car showroom in every town throughout SA to celebrate the life and times of the esteemed NM. The Punchline is to do with Nissan maindealers !