South Africa (catch all)

[davidbfpo]

A dour, pessimistic article on Julius Malema, an ANC "youth" leader, who has just been in Zimbabwe visiting President Mugabe:

If you ask me, Malema is the point-man for a powerful ANC faction whose motive is greed and whose chosen weapon is racial demagoguery of the most primitive kind.

The trouble is that this card trumps all others. Our underclass is huge, poorly educated and desperately poor. They know what happened in Zimbabwe, but even so, the prospect of loot is irresistible, and that's Malema's bait. Mandela gave them free houses. Mbeki gave them welfare grants, leading to a situation where five million taxpayers support 13 million indigents, with the total rising far more rapidly than our ability to pay. Now Malema and the faceless vultures behind him are offering them the rest. They are playing the death card, the Ace of Spades.

Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...eath-card.html

[carl]

Some of the saddest people I ever met were white South Africans with children. They are fearful, almost terrified, of what is coming and are desperate to get their children out, but mostly can't.

There is comment attached to the story about Julius Malema saying that the difference between Zim and South Africa is the white South Africans have no place to go. If that continues to be true, who knows what will happen.

We used to tell each other the critical point will be when Mandela dies. I guess we'll see.

[davidbfpo]

The other day there was a report:

South African police have foiled an attempt by right-wing extremists to bomb black townships ahead of the World Cup, according to the co[/URL]untry's police minister.

Link:[URL="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/africaandindianocean/southafrica/7686944/South-African-police-foil-extremist-attempt-to-bomb-black-townships.html"]

Today this:

Dozens of people have been injured in South Africa's coastal city of Durban on Sunday after an explosion in a train carriage, police said.

Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...explosion.html

Waiting for developments and hoping the two are stories are not linked.

[Kevin23]

The other day there was a report:

Link:[URL="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/africaandindianocean/southafrica/7686944/South-African-police-foil-extremist-attempt-to-bomb-black-townships.html"]

Today this:

Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...explosion.html

Waiting for developments and hoping the two are stories are not linked.

Let's hope so,

However from what I take it, the South African far-right has been fairly inactive and quiet about things even after ET's death.

[JMA]

Let's hope so,

However from what I take it, the South African far-right has been fairly inactive and quiet about things even after ET's death.

The soccer (football) World Cup starts in South Africa in a month or so. There is a real concern that some hothead will do something at one of the games that will start a chain reaction that will have far reaching effects for the nation.

Let me tell you its a worry out here.

[Kevin23]

The soccer (football) World Cup starts in South Africa in a month or so. There is a real concern that some hothead will do something at one of the games that will start a chain reaction that will have far reaching effects for the nation.

Let me tell you its a worry out here.

Of course it hasn't only been groups from within South Africa to worry about, Al-Qaeda has threatened to make an attempt on the games a couple of times.

[AdamG]

The soccer (football) World Cup starts in South Africa in a month or so. There is a real concern that some hothead will do something at one of the games that will start a chain reaction that will have far reaching effects for the nation. Let me tell you its a worry out here.

Funny you should say that...

The State Department has issued a travel alert warning U.S. citizens in South Africa to be aware of increased terrorism risks during the World Cup, which starts June 11.

"Large scale public events like the World Cup may present a wide range of attractive targets for terrorists," the alert said.

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/28...-south-africa/

See also

CAPE TOWN – South African soldiers will be on high alert during the football World Cup, the army boss said Thursday, as the government voiced concern about violent protests during the tournament.

The military will also begin patrolling the national borders on April 1, taking over the duty from police as part of a broader security realignment meant to allow police to focus on fighting crime, Lieutenant General Solly Shoke said.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/2010032...0-4bdc673.html