Robert Strobel – My Life and Times

I’ve been sitting reading a lot today about an attack on Zimbabwean people in a province of South Africa, where there has always been an ill ease of existence between the South African tribes, who let’s be honest, can barely get along with each other at the best of times, and our Zimbabwean brethren.

From what I can gather large scale attacks were aimed at Zimbabwean refugees who had taken up residence in the De Doorns area of the Cape Provence began on the weekend, and gained in frenzy, displacing some 2,400 Zimbabwean community from the elegant and picturesque setting in the infamous Cape wine area. As economic pressures take their toll on the African economy, local residents see the Zimbabwean settlers as “job stealers” and therefore a threat to their livelihood. In many ways, it is frustrating to watch these events unfold, as from a rational point of view it is possible to understand the underlying fears that drive these situations into melt down in such a way.

However, knowing the blood thirsty nature of the native South African’s, especially those of the Cape area, and having seen firsthand the brutality and viciousness of the tribal South African, it is of little wonder that we have not heard of deaths and extensive casualties from these disturbances. I was not surprised to learn that there had been no Police involvement in protecting the settlers, as it has been rumoured extensively that in the run up to the 2010 world cup, that the South African authorities are going to be clamping down on vagrant beggars and people found loitering around aimlessly, in such manner as refugees and job seekers might do.

With this type of aggressive targeting from the defence forces, how are Zimbabwean settlers, who incidentally should be protected under parliamentary law passed in South Africa, meant to survive? I have pondered to myself if such measures and out bursts of violence might not be state instigated quietly behind the scenes! It is not a massive jump to consider that as Mugabe has done in Zimbabwe itself, that the South African government may be using violent groups of thugs to target large groups of migrant workers that they view as a threat to stability and security for the 2010 World Cup. It will be interesting to watch going forward if this is just a warm up to more targeted and specific actions throughout the country. With well over 4 million Zimbabweans believed to be in South Africa, it is with deep concern that you begin to wonder what lies in store for our people as pressure mounts on the South African government to “clean up” ahead of the World Cup games around the country, and in the light of the dwindling job numbers as recession takes hold in South Africa.

If we look back through history, migration has always lead to tensions between settlers and locals, immigrants and residents. There is nothing unfamiliar about the situation in South Africa, for it has happened many times over in many places around the world. Circumstances in Zimbabwe have lead to a mass exodus from Zimbabwe into just about every country south of the equator. In some area’s the wealth of knowledge that comes with the Zimbabwean migrants has been recognised as a positive thing and welcomed those who have chosen to take refuge in such areas. However in other places, such as South Africa, our nations commitment to education and disciplined up brining has meant that Zimbabwean’s tend to take better jobs, more easily than the local work force, with envious results from the local population.

Envy and resentment is easily stirred and I have a tendency to believe that the South African authorities know this all too well. They are also far too familiar with the volatile nature of their population and it won’t take much of a spark to begin a genocide on the scale of Rwanda and Burundi. The trouble with South African situation is that much of the violence within the South African community is armed. There are large number of surplus weapons easily available on the black market and it is a well known fact that large proportions of the South African population have armed themselves. As migrants and immigrants on either work visa’s, refugee papers or illegally in the country, Zimbabwean’s are not entitled to arm themselves, and so expectantly look to the authorities to protect them. However, if as I suspect, as evidenced by the lack of police presence in De Doorns during this attack, we discover that the South African authorities are involved with the cause of the violence, where next can these people turn?

To flee back to Zimbabwe is returning to a fate less than attractive. To aim further afield is to leave loved ones behind as the costs associated with such trips are restrictive and often far out of reach of the average man or woman. For those left behind is the constant fear of reprisal or persecution at the hands of angry war mongers. No better words can really be found to describe these people. You may wonder why I use such expressively descriptive words for the South African people. Let me enlighten you as to my reasoning.

It is common place for news agencies and reporters to use buzz words or highly enlightened wording that removes the impact of a situation and desensitises the general public to the horrors of what is really transpiring on the ground. Take for instance the buzz word associated with the attacks on Zimbabweans in South Africa. Any report you read talks of Xenophobia, which when defined describes a fear of an unknown people of those that are different from one’s self. In a way it makes it sound like someone who suffers from any type of phobia, from a fear of spiders or snakes to fear of the outdoors or closed up spaces. The full horror of a “Xenophobic” attack is removed through the use of the buzz word, and people are able to deal with the news issue without blinking their eye.

Now let me take you through the realities of a Xenophobic attack, the nature of what we read about when we hear of Zimbabwean’s being targeted by South African hooligans. In South Africa it is common place for gangs of young men to traverse an area armed with machetes, shambok’s (a long leather whip), old tyres and thick tree branches. When these gangs come across a group that they deem warrant a good beating, they plough into the middle of the squat, yard, area, wherever it maybe, and lash out mercilessly at whomever is within reach. In most instances the majority of the group will disperse with prompt efficiency, needless to say it does not take much encouragement to flee a persecutors thrashing. It is now and then however that one or two might fail to make the necessary escape from the clutches of the mob, and are set upon until huge welts of skin are removed as the shamboks rain down mercilessly on the human flesh writhing on the ground.

As the group work themselves into a frenzy heaven help anyone who might fight back or say the wrong thing to the wild mob. In instances such as these heavy vengeance is levied against the perpetrator, used as an example of what happens to those whom might choose to stick up for themselves. Caught and beaten, the victim would then have his thigh muscles cut above and below the knee to the bone. This is done to prevent the victim fleeing as a tyre is tied around their neck, all taking place in indescribable pain and emotional suffering. The victim is doused in petrol, and taunted and victimised as the group reaches the apex of its frenzy, setting light to the poor individual who has been chosen to receive the burning necklaces that Johannesburg made famous in its townships in the 1980’s.

This horror is not just handed out to one or two unlucky members of the masses that are targets by the ethnic violence. This is common place, four, five sometimes many more turning up at corners throughout the township, a vivid and emotive form of terrorism that spreads fear among the targeted group, quelling them into a quivering supplication for fear of similar reprisals. This is the Xenophobia that the news reporters speak so freely about, without adequate feeling or respect for those who have suffered such humiliation and torture at the hands of these murder squads. This is why I choose to use such powerful words when describing the violence that meets anyone whom would stand in the way of an angry South African mob. It is true that when the mobs riot in South Africa, the police fear to go anywhere near the trouble.

So who I ask, who do our people turn to? Zimbabwean’s in South Africa are caught between a rock and a hard place. Living in fear of persecution, escaped from a life of poverty and persecution my people are faced with a difficult existence. It’s a shame really. When independence came to Zimbabwe in 1980, so many believed that they would have a better life and be entitled to enjoy the riches of the land that they called home. Yet even today they are prevented from enjoying the land of their forefathers. Zimbabwean’s have had a raw deal in many ways, under years of subjugation by the white man, and now at the hands of greed and corruption within their own ranks. I wonder if there will ever be any easy answer for our nation. How we all long for the day we can return to a free and fair Zimbabwe, but the truth is that such a dream is a long way off, and much suffering stands between us and that dream. How much blood will flow before the world stands up and takes notice of the wrongs that befall African people on the African Continent?

My heart bleeds for the victims of this latest round of abuse in South Africa, and if I was able I’d be suggesting to Zimbabweans residing in the boarders of South Africa to lie low and safe until such time as the World Cup has come and gone and you no longer pose a threat to the authorities under pressure to keep law and order during the games. It is not an easy road that you have chosen to walk, and you walk in the valley of the shadow of evil more so than any others of us. Guard your safety and protect your life, for tomorrow is another day, another hour that we might meet in unity and fight our corner to free our home land. Right now it is time to be selfish, for your life is worth more than a meaningless death. It is up to the rest of us to highlight the plight of those trapped in a society that neither wants nor tolerates our brothers and sisters. It is our job to write, and speak out and inform the world about the wrongs of against society in these ways. Let us stand our ground on behalf of our brethren and unite in one call. Change.

Christmas time in Africa was such a laid back and family orientated affair. Looking back in time, I miss those days, when the entire family would all group together somewhere, be at a hotel restaurant, out at the farm, or just playing round the houses as we all trooped from one house to the next.

You were always guaranteed to have a bit of Canadian Christmas cake, and if you were sly maybe even two slices. There was always a bottle or two of JC Le Reux floating around somewhere, and for the men a beer or three. Pressies under the tree, and sweets and peanuts on all the tables, and cousins you’d almost forgotten about to watch in awe.

The thing I loved about Christmas in Zimbabwe was not just that it was thoroughly a family time, but it was also a community time. Not only did the celebration encompass spending time with your family, but all your close friends, and you made the effort to look in on each other, and in most circumstances on one or three occasions you were all together at a night club on night, a braai the next day and a booze cruise the day after.

I recall how it was always tradition for old year’s day to have a massive braai around our place, everyone that was anyone was invited. The Manduwi family would pop around and say happy new year, Biggy was always around, in later years Dixion and his family would join the celebrations. I can never remember the name of the Major across the street from us but he’d always pop over for a drink. People from church would be around, there was plenty of people to talk to about all manner of things. We’d all eat about 7pm and then sit around for several hours looking like stuffed pigs, waiting for that hour when all the youngsters would troop off into town or Sam Levy’s village for the party to see New Year in. The clear up operation would then swing into action. All the ladies in the kitchen chuckling away as the gossip flowed freely and all the men watching the embers burn down appreciatively. Yes those were the days.

Christmas in the UK. Well, I find it kind of strange how the whole system works here in the UK. You’ve barely got over the January sales, and outcome the Valentines days stuff. Once that’s all done and dusted, the Easter stuff hits the shelves. Then comes the summer bbq and gardening stuff, and then come July Halloween hits the shelves. No sooner is Halloween over than Christmas hits the television screen, the news paper, the shops and anywhere else that you really care to look.

I know of one food and drink chain that have their Christmas tree put up in July to start attracting Christmas bookings. Now I realise that while I lived in Zimbabwe I was incredibly lucky in that Christmas falls in summer and that means you’re able to spend a lot of time outdoors and enjoying your time with friends and family, however when I look back at the value of Christmas and what it meant to us then and what it means to people here, I am ashamed to say it’s nowhere near the same thing.

Yes we had gifts, but we lived in a country that much of the time has been under sanctions or in a money crisis and didn’t have the fancy range of toys and gifts that are available to the average child in this country. In Zimbabwe a home was lucky to have one television or at the very most two. Never did I know a kid my age with his own telly in his room. This seems the norm today, with their own dvd player, Sky digi box and a collection of movies to make a cinema envious.

Never before do I recall seeing Christmas stuff on display in October with sales starting in November to try ensure that the shops Christmas stock was all moved. To me the thrill of Christmas began when school finished for the term and we began to visit town once or twice a week to find out what had been put out on the shelves. The Christmas tree went up a few days before Christmas, and I remember how thrilled I was when it became my responsibility to be mom’s helper to decorate the tree. I remember how I used to insist that the Christmas tree lights were used every year, even though they were almost 30 years old and mostly blown. The day of Christmas was always such an event, there was everyone rushing to get ready for church, then everyone rushing to get the lunch ready, then everyone sitting around feeling rather full! As a family we’d always open our gifts at about 8 pm on Christmas eve, all grouped around the tree, and exploring, or tearing through the paper, eyes wide at what was coming next. Mom has this uncanny way of making sure we always got what we wanted within our needs and I never really remember wanting any more than I ever got. We were taught to be happy with what came.

Now that there are just two of us, Christmas has lost that sparkle for me. By the time it arrives I am so sick of hearing about it on the box that I just want to forget it ever existed. The cost of a half decent Christmas in this country is another reason that I’ve learnt to despise it. You go to the shops in November and see a product marked at £49.95, yet go on the January sales and find the exact same thing, in the exact same place, in the very same store marked for £24.95. I’m sorry but daylight robbery is not my idea of Christmas spirit, and so over the last few years I’ve rather said no thanks, wait to find a gift I really want later in the year than feel forced to get me something at these inflated prices.

Family in the UK are all split up and ranged over a fair distance, and the houses in the UK are a tad too small for us to realistically be able to enjoy a Christmas together. Plus there is the reality that as we’ve all grown up, that thrill of all getting together to meet and have fun has dissipated somewhat as we’ve all chosen to go our separate ways. It is not a common thing for British people to welcome you into their home in the way that it was back home, and so that social element of Christmas in the UK is not the same for people from Africa. For us meeting down the pub is not something we do daily and certainly not something we do on Christmas day, so there is a large cultural barrier that often makes Christmas for anyone from Southern Africa a rather lonely affair while living in the UK.

So this year I’ve had a bit of a brain storm. Anyone that knows Rob knows that I’ve been working on a project called African Connexions, a way for African’s who live in the UK to build social networks within the areas that they live so that we have a way of living some of that close social interaction that we are familiar with. So I’ve decided to do an open house this year. It’s not a massive house, but there is enough space for a whole host of different people to pop along, visit, have a drink or three, a bite to eat and enjoy some traditional welcome and Christmas spirit. It’s a hatchling idea as yet, and one that I am sure will turn into a very different beast by the time Christmas arrives, but that is the idea for now. I want to put my money where my mouth is and say that yes, this is a project I really do believe in. It’s something I am passionate about and something I really want to see come up off the ground and get underway. What better way and time to do it? So people watch this space, or no actually rather watch the African Connexions space, and let’s see what we can do to make Christmas 2009 a very African Christmas for us all right here in the UK.

Africa, my Precious Africa
Made of dust and sand, ripples on the waters body.
Cast of gold and diamonds, ruby’s and pearls.
Bought of blood and sweat, made of toil and war.
Africa, my Precious Africa
Your tears of heartache show the scars you mourn.

Africa, my Precious Africa
Men and woman, some fathers others mothers .
Born to poverty, Sons of the soil.
Rich in our culture, pure in your soul.
Africa, my Precious Africa
Shout your name from now till forever more.

My Precious Africa, Oh Africa
When dust storms come, the lightning strikes.
Wild and untamed, natural and unexplored.
The savannah gives way to the rocky kopje.
The land of My Precious Africa.
The roots of my home my shores.

Africa, our Precious Africa
Forget not your people, let none be forgotten.
Through words our nations have changed.
By bullet and by violence our creed formed.
Africa, our Precious Africa
Give all your people that hope of joy.

Oh Africa, yes Africa
Free and forgotten, Fraught with despair.
Your heart bleeds for the unburied child.
Your cry heard for the woman scorned.
Oh Africa, yes Africa
This is your life, your words, your story.

Our Africa, yes This Africa
Proud, Alive, Productive, Creative.
Spare not your pity upon me.
Cast not your sorrow in words.
Our Africa, Yes This Africa
Is arising, standing, forming, uniting.

For one day every African shall stand
Shoulder to Shoulder, Man to Man.
For not yet is our time, not yet at this time.
But the day shall come when all agree
Mighty Africa,
THIS IS AFRICA

Written by R Strobel – 10/11/2009

Have you ever sat in the presence of a great man and felt totally at ease? Ever spoken to a person that has travelled the world and felt as though you are talking with a friend? I wonder if you’ve come across a celebrity and though felt totally humbled to be next to this person, been treated as a complete equal while with him? No? Allow me to tell you of my experience of meeting such a person.

Personally I have met a number of famous people through my life. On the whole most of them have been full of their own importance, eager for you to hear of their exploits and haughty of their own success. On occasion I have met people that I consider to be more of a celebrity than perhaps others, and this could be the way such people are viewed by the international scale of A list sliding downwards, but potentially also because celebrities are different all over the world for cultures, creeds and traditions.

So the person of whom I speak, many would not give a moments second consideration for, but on the other hand where I come from the man in a pillar of society, a respected icon, and I discovered a man of warmth, passion and human intellect. I use these three words with special cause as I shall explain in a moment as I equate why I would set this celebrity aside from any of the others that I have met in my time. Some of you may agree with me, others might smack their lips and wonder what I have been drinking, but my reasons for these thoughts are genuine and heartfelt.

So let me introduce this man of which I speak so highly. While attending a function over the weekend I had the chance to sit and listen to the poetry of a man much covered in the media over the years. As I sat here wondering what I could say about a man that has accolades from any number of press agencies around the world, a man who’s won the heart of a nation and become a true representative to the Zimbabwean people, I felt there was nothing I could tell you that you have not already read in some write up here or there. But I was struck by something fundamentally different about this man. Despite who he was, regardless of his success and no matter with how much regard the world hold him in their eye, he is first and foremost a man, a father, a friend and a human.

Albert Nyathi speaks with an undeniable passion when he reads his poetry. To be totally honest I didn’t even know the man did poetry, I’d only heard mention of his name as a singer who has performed at many Zimbabwean functions, but I have since discovered that the man is a national asset for his work in the arts, both written, acted and performed. As I listened to the man give a number of renditions of his word, I was bemused at his over tones and theatrical presentation of his work, and was clearly watching a man who not only loved to perform through his words, but also thrived on the feeling that his words meant something to those sitting around him listening. Even when he was speeding through poems of the native Ndebele tongue, I was struck by a sense of involvement though I knew well I was unsure of what the words meant. As he explained each piece he had written, he took us down a path of adventure, even though we were sitting in a hall hired in the middle of Birmingham, I might as well have been walking a dusty path in rural Gwanda as I listened to him. I smiled, frowned, laughed, cringed, became involved and felt his words evoke emotions within me, especially when he recited his poem My Daughter. The man has a powerful presence in the room, and has mastered his trade well, but these are words you already know. These are things that have been written by every journalist who’s ever written a review on his performance.

So what is it then that made this man so special to me? It was meeting him in person after the performance. The Albert Nyathi that I sat and spoke with was a proud man who loves to tell a story, but is a humble man who has a warmth about him that makes you feel comfortable right there and then sitting chatting with him. I might as well have known the man all my life. He welcomed my questions and responded with truth, discussing his opinion freely and being the type of person that you’d expect to go out with on a Friday night, spend a quality night out with and go home having thoroughly enjoyed yourself in his company. He has a way of being completely attentive to everyone around him without really ignoring you and when he does communicate with you its genuine and real communication, not a prepared mish mash of words to make you feel you are in the presence of a great man.

So when I chose to describe Albert Nyathi as a man of warmth, passion and human intellect, I chose them because in my experience Albert Nyathi shows off everything that is good about Zimbabwe. He shows off a passionate side to his Africanism, that makes you admire where he has got to, the achievements he has made, and the pride he has brought to our nation, without losing any of his charm and humble nature as a Zimbabwean gentleman. He has a warmth that every true Zimbabwean displays and that I have written about before in previous posts on this blog, a nature that makes you feel welcome and cherished in a genuine way while you’re in his presence. And more importantly to me than anything else I could say about the man is that Albert Nyathi remains very much in touch with his place in society and through his intellect and humanism he inspires, touches and builds those around him up. When you leave having met this man, you have a warm glow of satisfaction, a positive feeling of respect for all that is good in this world, and it is his ability to touch your heart in this manner that leaves you satisfied at having spent time with a truly great man.

Zimbabwe is a great nation, and has produced a number of successful exports to the world of celebrity that we know so well, but I take a lot of comfort from the fact that in meeting Albert Nyathi, my pre-conceived notion that he would be like any other celebrity who has reached such high accolades throughout the world was shattered and I stand corrected that even through international success and recognition, Mr Nyathi is still a normal Zimbabwean in every way.

It is a well known, but little talked about fact that Zimbabweans worldwide are among some of the most educated and respected people in their individual fields. The Zimbabwean education system was once the pride of Africa, and most certainly one of the highest standards throughout the modern world, so it is without surprise that you frequently hear of Zimbabweans making tracks in their own respective industries.

It is somewhat sad then to see how little regard is given to those Zimbabweans who achieve so much behind the scenes. It is only when someone has gained approval and won awards that thrust them into the lime light of society that there is a scramble to associate with them and be seen as the trend setters in the presence of great people. Sometimes I feel there are times when we should stop and regard the hard work of our people and give praise where praise is due.

Recently I was inspired to think along these lines while reading on the BBC website of a Zimbabwean senior nurse and lecturer from the University of Wolverhampton. Moses Murandu has spent many years working hard to achieve a Masters degree in Medical Sciences and has worked in Africa, the US and the UK in his field. A respected member of the NHS staff at Selly Oak Hospital, Moses has taken the humble remedies that his father taught him as a child, and won recognition and funding for an in depth study of the effects of Sugar on open wounds.

It sounds fantastical and slightly weird to consider applying sugar granules to an open wound and then bandage it to promote healing, but from his experiences as a child he knew from his father’s treatment of a cut on his own leg that sugar helped reduce the pain and promoted healing. When laughed aside by his colleagues within the NHS, Moses stuck to his guns, funding the first six months of his research himself as he doggedly fought to get his results noticed.

Moses Murandu has finally been awarded the prestigious Fondation Le Lous Scientific Research Innovation Award. He has secured a further £25,000 in funding to continue his work, and believes that he has proved that the simple, cost effective remedies that Zimbabwean Medical personal know of, and have used successfully in the African theatre of operation, can be used to radically alter practice within the NHS, improve healing times in large scale operations, and cut costs drastically.

It is this dedication and commitment to producing results that has put many Zimbabweans at the heart of research and technological advancements that are changing the face of our world today. But very often these people pass us by without acknowledgement of their achievement and commitment to their role in society. It is through them that you will find that anywhere you travel in the world, Zimbabweans are regarded as the hardest working, most well educated work force in the world. Zimbabwean medical staff are sort after all over the world. Zimbabwean teachers are welcomed with open arms in almost any country throughout the globe. Engineers from Zimbabwe are hard at work on projects from China to South America. This is just the story of one of Zimbabwe’s success stories. There are countless others and I’d like to make it known that if you are a Zimbabwean, or know of a Zimbabwean that you feel should be credited with the work they achieve in their skill set and field of influence then write to me and I’ll be happy to profile that individual so that we can begin to appreciate our national pride throughout the world. Lets join together in acknowledging those within our society that bring credit and success to the Zimbabwean name. Lets tell the world of our achievements and let’s not be shy to praise those among us that make us proud to call ourselves Zimbabwean.

So X Factor has its first rock week since the competition has started. Big surprise Cheryl, you voted a rocker through in boot camp and for the first time the competition has a self declared rock singer in Jamie Affro, so why is it a shock to you that there would be a rock week when your special guest star is none other than Jon Bon Jovi!!! You couldn’t exactly have him performing a guest slot on a POP Diva night could you, or am I just too far out of touch to understand the rule book of X Factor anymore?

It has been a very frustrating two weeks in watching first Miss Frank and then Rachel fall to the voters count. It’s a rather irritating trend to see the judges leave the difficult decisions to the public as they fail to be able to look credible and talented artists in the eye as they see them leave, while the dastardly duo remain in the competition week after week. What is more sad is the realisation that once again this year Louis is more interested in the boys in his category as he shows no regret or disappointment at seeing both his girl entries dismissed in the opening stages of the competition. I think it is accepted protocol now that if you’re a female in Louis Walsh’s category you’re in trouble.

It makes my stomach turn when I listen to Louis criticise the other acts on their voice, performance and quality of presentation when he knows full damn well that his last remaining group are only making the real essence of the X Factor a total farce. I did admittedly think that when Louis was away that he was the balancing act that stabilised the judging panel but I have come to realise that while there is a banter between the other judges, when it comes to Louis he really does not have any idea. To fool himself into believing that the twins would sell more albums than Danni Minogue is beyond me.

Is it just me or has Dermot O’Leary become way too big for his boots this year? Last year when my close friends and family were saying that he was too full of himself and far too touchy feely with the male contestants, I was defending him as what I believed then was the best presenter of the program, but this year, I don’t know what it is but he seems to be far too cocky and almost out of it when he’s on stage. Every night thus far he’s cocked up his words and made himself look simple on live television. Ok it is live and that takes an extremely cool character, but compare if you will Ant and Dec that even when cocking up make it seem part of the act or something worth giggling at, there are other people that I feel could be doing the program a lot more justice as the lead presenter.

It would seem that there is a growing support for Stacey as she seems to sail through the competition totally unphased by the dog fight going on around her. I can’t say I enjoyed her performance this week, but that is me being biased as she sang one of my favourite all time songs. I guess it was good, but can’t say I enjoyed it. I did however think that Rachel did a phenomenal performance of her song, another classic that I love, and she did it with a touch of class, so when it came to vote time I was stunned that Simon couldn’t draw a line under the lack less performance of our dear Lloyd.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Lloyd and think he deserves his place more than two others I can think of, but over the last two weeks he has very much looked out of his depth in this competition, cold or not, I found a bit mystifying considering that the Saturday performance was strained yes, but not through flu, and in the team performance at the beginning of the Sunday night performance he appeared ok. What I did take pride in was his attitude, and Lloyd remains a credit to adult behaviour and should be used as an example of how to handle disappointment in the public eye. I’d suggest that the teacher of the group take a close look at the 16 year old who makes you look childish when you see how he reacts and responds with such maturity and strength of character.

Danyl’s performance was a total train smash. From the sulky stroppy face, to the complete failure to perform, all because he was voted into the bottom two the week before. Hmmmm, I guess the truth was that the cocky attitude in him never believed he could be in the bottom two. He said he was shattered at the comments he’d seen on Twitter and didn’t know how much more he could take! So if he was to win, does that mean the first time the press are nasty he’s going to throw a wobbly? I really do think someone needs to take a reality check and have a close look at themselves.

Truth be told I was a little disappointed with Jamie’s song choice this week. I figured that on Rock week, he have given it a belter of a song, but it was not the case. I don’t think that did him any favours, as he kind of slips into oblivion as the likes of Lucie, Olly and Joe turn up the heat. These are the three front runners at this stage of the game now I think. While Simon might not have liked Lucie much last week, I felt she had a storming performance. Olly has been fantastic and he is an entertainer that is rising to the challenge and showing a real positive side and a likeability that I think will carry him through to the end, and then there is little Joe. He is a real dark horse. He’s got such a dynamic and fun loving character, and I love his ability to giggle at the judge’s comments and seems to be growing daily as he thrives on this experience.

From my initial expectations that this year would be one of the most amazing yet, I feel that somehow we got it wrong. Yes maybe more people than ever before are watching but I don’t think that this has proved to be such a great competition as the X Factor slides into a very average and expensive karaoke competition. Simon would probably have my job for saying that were I a member of the press world, but I really do think that the real substance of X Factor being a competition based on pure talent and real quality has taken its biggest knock yet. Not even the very annoying Chico Time made the show look this amateurish. Let’s hope that the overall outcome doesn’t totally discredit one of my favourite reality TV programs.

This video is really cute and made me smile. It is a great example of how when we are presented with something and told we may get something better if we wait, how hard it is to not take what we already have and enjoy it then.  Also demonstrates our weakness of putting something right in front of our noses and told no. It’s a lot easier to not worry about eating a marshmallow if there is no marshmallow sitting right in front of your super sensitive nose!

I have written a number of times about how Zimbabwean’s should unite and focus on a targeted theme of revival within our country through a unified call for change. I have been very much encouraged by the private mail I have received from many corners and people who would prefer not to be as outspoken on the issue of regime change in Zimbabwe, but I am furthermore encouraged to see how other African nations are using the power of social media networks to unite the people in Diaspora to bring about change within their own government.

I genuinely believe that a responsible approach to the demand for change in Zimbabwe is needed, and it will only come from those of us who are in Diaspora to engage, co-ordinate and drive forward an agenda of change. Engaging with each other and talking on the same wave length can only bring about a general consensus that will pave the way for a charismatic leadership to take shape and promote our cause.

I recently became aware of group of Nigerians advocating for their government to provide more reliable power infrastructure. Their movement aims to highlight the problems caused to Nigerian people by the lack of a constant power supply in Nigeria and raise awareness of the situation globally. An unreliable power supply cripples industries and hinders advancements in health care and industrial growth they claim on their website.

This group have had a magnificent impact globally, and while their campaign may not be political, their tactics have brought international recognition to their plight and has people talking about their movement and situation all over the world. Through international attention, their situation has gone global and the international media are gearing up for a peaceful protest in October in Lagos, Nigeria. At this time the Nigerian government will fall under the spotlight as the international media comes to town to see how the government tackle the issue of their people demonstrating for change.

Ok fair enough, the impact of their efforts is uncertain granted, but I find it very exciting that a nation have proved my point, that through a combined effort, a unified approach, using the opportunities before us, and the tools we have such as social media, petitions, worldwide demonstration and public pressure, the attention is brought to town, and while change has not yet happened, I am optimistic that change will eventually come to Nigeria as their government realise that they have an entire world calling for them to deliver.

“Africa’s future is up to Africans,” President Obama told us when he visited Ghana on July 11. It is true that so many of us have come to this conclusion and I cannot stress enough how important it is for us to realise this sooner rather than later. The time of waiting for America and the world to sort our problems out has past. International politics are changing in ways that will mean foreign governments are more engaged with matters at home than engaging in international rescue operations.

“You have the power to hold your leaders accountable, and to build institutions that serve the people,” Obama said. Ok, those are strong words, and maybe what he is talking about is that we as a nation need to start talking with one voice and demanding better from our leaders. Perhaps if we as Zimbabweans are willing to unite and call for Mugabe to go, we will gain international support. Maybe what the new order are looking for is for us to take the initiative and paving the way for change to happen.

In whatever way Mugabe leaves, I don’t think that we really care anymore if he is brought to justice for his crimes. I guess there are those who are hurting enough to want to see him pay for his crimes against humanity, and maybe those that believe he should repay what he stole, give back what is not his and be stripped of what he has, but if this is our ultimate goal, how can we expect the man to willingly submit? To be fair I would tend to believe that most of us would just be happy for him to step aside and live out his days in whatever manner he chooses, as long as he does not interfere in politics in anyway shape or form. I do believe that there are people within the Zanu PF regime that very much fear prosecution and put pressure on Mugabe to remain in power to hide behind his frills in a manner of speaking. Truth be told, I do not believe that holding anyone to blame for the mal-governance of our nation is only going to prolong the ransom that Zanu PF holds over our nation.

It is for this reason that I say we need a responsible and reasonable call for change to take place. An unreasonable call for change is only going to prolong the course of change until such time as those who are suitable well fearful for their future are no longer in the picture. However a realistic route to repatriation through a process of reconciliation where people are mature enough to see beyond the past and look towards the economic stability and national security of the country is a course of change that becomes feasible.

The Internet is a powerful tool in empowering people. International and world opinion changes by what they see in the media, but more and more blogs, social media and interaction between people from all walks of life mean that we are more and more able to understand and engage with each other. This blog has opened a door to a whole world of people who may or may not agree with what I say, but who are willing to discuss my opinion and engage in meaningful dialogue. From Iran to China I have spoken with people who read and follow what I have to say. It is the power of this medium that Africa needs to use to its full potential.

Good governance begins with me. A statement that I resoundingly echo as I read it. By making the first step in the direction of engaging with others, by taking an interest in the thoughts and feelings of those around us, we are able to engage in a change. Good governance is the new key words in the cyber world of politics, as so many people analyse the leadership and expectations of their government. Engaging with the grass-roots is the key to becoming powerful and is what most analysts have credited the Obama campaigns success to. His support of online tools to engage with middle America is what gained him huge popularity. The youth of today live through social media. I have watched as two children sitting right next to each other would rather text each other than engage in conversation. The reason is simple. It is easier to say in words the things you are too shy to say in person.

Capture the power of this medium and you can start a whirl wind. And this is where our potential power lies. I firmly believe that Zimbabweans can achieve their greatest goals, and that we will overcome. Rome was not built in a day, and people engage through a dialogue that takes weeks if not years before real substance is gained. Focusing our attention at this early stage in the right direction is our ultimate goal. We will gain recognition, engage with other people and build credibility for our cause. In this way we can only gain support and this ultimately will bring us to our goal. Like every Zimbabwean I know, we want a prosperous, viable, free and fair Zimbabwe to call home once more.

What really possesses men to dig a hole to 4.5 km beneath the surface of the earth? How do you dig a hole that big, and more over how many people does it take to make a hole that big? And what is so important that we have got to risk the rewards of such a dangerous adventure? The simple answer is gold.

ANGLOGOLD have embarked on a project to deepen the flagship Mponeng gold mine in South Africa and extend the life of the mine to beyond 2040. The current life of mine runs to 2017 and a project is underway to deepen the mine to further exploit the Ventersdorp Contact Reef (VCR), pushing the life out by another nine years via declines.

In September 2007 the Mponeng gold mine retook the record to become the deepest point in the world, pushing down through 3,770 metres. Their extension project, which is thought to cost R9bn, would push the mine down to between 4,300 and 4,600 metres.

The project is designed to maintain feed at the nearby gold plant steady at 160,000 tonnes a month. Mponeng has been exceeding feed to the plant and there is a 40,000 tonne stockpile sitting in the plant which makes you wonder how we can really be in a pickle financially around the world when gold is at an all time high price wise.

The project will entail the construction of three vertical tertiary shafts to access the VCR. Experiance from other mines which attack the same ore deposit give the Mponeng team a good idea of what to expect from the reef. It is considered a very uniform body with a steady volume of gold ore extraction as they follow the seam.

One of the key issues management has to consider in advancing the project is the safety of its workers, who will be dealing with rocks at a temperature of 70 degrees Celsius, and in an area where seismicity is an issue, particularly at depth. Over 5900 people are employed in the warren of tunnels under the city and safety is of paramount importance to the company who have set safety records in many ways over the last 10 years. The likely option is that the work will be as mechanised as possible, keeping as large a gap between workers and danger as possible.

The Mponeng main shaft, which reaches to 85 level (some 2,300 metres below surface) was commissioned in 1986 and the sub-shaft in 1993. More recently, the shaft deepening project down to 123 level was undertaken to access the Ventersdorp Contact Reef (VCR) to extend the life of the mine by three years.

The mine extension consists of four parallel decline shafts that are to be sunk from the 120 level to gain access to the Ventersdorp Contact Reef on levels 123 and 126, some 3,600 meters below surface. The declines will be equipped with a conveyor belt, monorail and chairlift to service the new mining area.

The project, from which production will start in 2013, is expected to produce 2.5Moz of gold over a period of 10 years, at a capital cost of $252m, and will extend the life of the mine by approximately eight years to approximately 2024. It also creates further opportunities to access additional potential projects in the Mponeng area, including Western Ultra Deep Levels (WUDLS), further to the south which ultimately will take the mine beyond the 4km zone as it pushes ever deeper.

Since the commission of the main shaft in 1986 some 422,011 ounces of gold have been recovered from the Mponeng mine operation at an average cost of $236 per ounce. This works out at approximately $9 billion in costs to operate the mine, but gives a profit in excess of $34 billion at today’s gold prices. The volume of earth removed from the core of the mine is staggering when you put into scope the 160,000 tonne target that the mine aims to produce each month. Conversely the total of square metres mined has increased from 20,000 m2 a year to 27,500 m2 a year since 2003.

Ventilation is critical for this project and extending the mine further has presented a huge engineering problem. However Mponeng is one of AngloGold Ashanti’s showcase mines, as reflected in its use of technology. It boasts the world’s only ice plant of its kind, used for ventilation cooling in a mine where the rock temperature can reach close to 70°C. The ice plant consists of six units, each capable of producing 800 tonnes of ice a day. With one of these acting as a contingency unit Mponeng produces 4,000 tonnes of ice a day, and this is done by using vacuum conditions to induce the formation of ice at the triple point of water. The ice is mixed with brine to prevent it forming blocks, and is poured down the ventilation shaft to 84 level (some 2,300 metres below surface). With the ice having five times less specific gravity than water, the mine reduces by that factor the amount it is required to pump to achieve the same cooling.

When you think about it, there is very little that man is incapable of, and our demand for minerals and raw materials is insatiable. I sometimes sit and think to myself, we must have removed millions of tonnes of gold from the earth below us already. Where has it all gone. Man has been panning, mining and speculating for gold as long as history can remember yet our thirst for more drives us to dig many miles below the crust we trust as being safe, just to ensure that somewhere someone is in power over the rest of us, by having massive stock piles of the world’s most precious resource.