SOUTH AFRICANS CANNOT ALLOW THE CURRENT STATE OF LAWLESSNESS IN OUR NEW DEMOCRATIC ORDER TO CONTINUE ANY LONGER

BY SUBRY GOVENDER The tragic killing of a nine-year-old school girl in an hijacking incident in Shallcross, Durban, on the morning of Monday, May 28 2018, is yet another reminder of the manner in which our new South African democratic society has degenerated and is descending into anarchy. It is totally shocking and unforgiveable that the young girl, Sadia Sukhraj, being taken to school by her parents is killed in an incident involving car hijackers. The shooting of the Shallcross school girl took place at a time when the broadcast, print and the social media reported the killings of two young girls, aged 16 and 17, at a school hostel in the North West Province at the weekend. A 19-year-old teenager was arrested for the murders. At the same time two teenage sisters and a baby were murdered by two men in the Kathelong area in Johannesburg. Also at the weekend an MK veteran, Samson Madonsela, was shot dead during an ANC Youth League regional conference in Mpumalanga. One person was arrested. The Shallcross tragedy took place almost at the same time when South Africans were informed of yet another cash-in-transit heist, this time outside the city of Polokwane in the Limpopo Province in the early hours of Monday morning. One person was injured as the violent thugs made off with an undisclosed amount of cash. VIOLENT CRIME IN ALMOST ALL RESIDENTIAL AND BUSINESS AREAS The killing of the young girl in Durban, the cash-in-transit heist outside Polokwane, the murders of the two school girls in the North-West, the slaughter of two sisters and a baby in Kathelong and the murder of the MK veteran are the latest in a series of killings, hijackings, cash-in-transit heists, political killings, taxi murders, and general lawless deterioration that have intensified in our beautiful country recently. This lawlessness has been festering in almost every part of our business and residential areas for nearly two decades. LAWLESSNESS HAS GRIPPED OUR NEW DEMOCRATIC SOUTH AFRICA This is shown by the antics of majority of taxi drivers who show no respect for the rules of the road. They stop anywhere and don’t care about motorists behind them. No one dares to confront the taxi drivers. Motorists fear that taxi drivers will have no qualms about pulling out their guns and firing at anyone who is brave enough to speak up for their rights. POLITICAL KILLINGS Political thugs and their cohorts have also come to the fore. These opportunists only want to enrich themselves and their allies and they show no mercy when they are exposed for their corrupt and deviant activities. They hire hit men to take out their opponents and over the past year or two a number of politicians have been gunned down or killed in gruesome ways. The latest political killings bring back memories of the everyday killings that took place between political enemies in the 1980s and early 1990s in KwaZulu-Natal and the Johannesburg region. More than 20 000 people lost their lives violently during this period of political war in KwaZulu-Natal alone. The latest political killings have reared their ugly heads at the same time as violent criminals roam the length and breadth of South Africa wreaking havoc on the lives of South Africans. They roam the streets without any fear of being arrested by the police. VIOLENT CRIMINALS THINK THEY CAN OPERATE WITH IMPUNITY As already stated, these violent criminals are found in almost all fields of life and all citizens live like prisoners in their own homes. Hard-working and tax-paying citizens have to go to extreme lengths to protect their lives behind high walls, guard dogs, barbed wire and electric fences, burglar guards and armed rapid response security. But despite these costly protective measures, many South Africans are still killed in their homes by violent criminals who monitor the movements of their victims. They brutally break into the homes of people and show no mercy to victims. The killers are so ruthless that they smash, hammer and shoot their victims irrespective of whether they are senior citizens, women, or children. It seems they operate with impunity. VIOLENT CRIMINALS HAVE DISRUPTED THE STRUGGLES FOR A "BETTER LIFE FOR ALL" Since the dawn of our new democracy in April 1994, our successive governments since the first democratic order of President Nelson Mandela did everything possible to improve the lives of the people. But sadly while trying to create “a better life for all”, at the same time violent criminals, thugs, drug lords, war lords and other violent scums have flourished in every nook and corner of the country by taking advantage of the liberal policies of the new democratic order. REFERENDUM SHOULD BE HELD ABOUT THE DEATH PENALTY One of the liberal actions was the withdrawal of the death penalty from the legal statutes. Our new leaders had been of the view that the death penalty was not necessary in our new democratic dispensation. They felt that the death penalty belonged to the archaic past and that in the new South Africa the people would respect the rule of law and they would also respect the right to life of citizens. But sadly the growing number of brutal killers show no respect for the rule of law or for the lives of fellow citizens. BARBARIC BANDITS SHOW NO RESPECT FOR THE RIGHT TO LIFE OF CITIZENS These bandits have created a climate of lawlessness, anarchy and fear in our new democratic order. Over the past few decades hundreds of families whose close relatives and friends had been tortured and killed have seen no closures because the most of the brutal barbarians have not been brought to book. I personally know of three family members, one a medical doctor, who had been gunned down by robbers between the mid-1990s and 2 000 but the killers have not yet been brought to book. The families have received no information from the police about whether there has been any progress in tracking down the killers and bringing them to justice. It seems the police files are collecting dust in rusty cabinets of some police officers. I am certain many thousands of other murder files are also collecting dust in police cabinets. ARE WE MOVING INTO A STATE OF ANARCHY? The intensified killings in KwaZulu-Natal and other parts of the country have just shown that our country is descending into a state of anarchy. Enough is enough. We cannot put up or tolerate this type of lawlessness any longer. PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA MUST ACT AS A MATTER OF URGENCY Our government under President Cyril Ramaphosa must be told in no uncertain terms that he must take steps to counter the violent thugs, warlords, drug lords and other lawless elements. President Ramaphosa, in addition to shaking up police actions, must initiate steps for a referendum where the people of South Africa can decide on the question of whether the death penalty should be introduced to combat violent killers and murderers. In addition to this action, we the citizens must also take action where ever we reside. Every street must have a street committee in order to monitor the criminals and to work with the police to bring the wanton murderers and killers to book. We have had enough. The buck now stops with President Ramaphosa. VIOLENT CRIME SHOULD NOT BECOME PART OF OUR LIVES IN A NEW DEMOCRATIC ORDER EVEN THOUGH WE FIRST ATTAINED OUR FREEDOM 25 YEARS AGO IN APRIL 1994. Ends –subrygovender@gmail.com May 28 2018

SOUTH AFRICAN GREAT-GRAND-FATHER STILL PLAYING COMPETITIVE GOLF AT THE RIPE OLD AGE OF 90

(MERVYN BOOTH ON THE 18TH HOLE AT WINDSOR PARK GOLF COURSE IN DURBAN AT THE END OF THE FIRST DAY OF THE 36-HOLE TOURNAMENT HE PARTICIPATED ON HIS 90TH BIRTHDAY ON SATURDAY MAY 12 2018) BY SUBRY GOVENDER A great-grand-father in South Africa who took up golf in 1956 to keep fit and healthy is still gracing the golf courses today, 62 years later, at the age of 90. Mervyn Rodney Booth, who was born at Durban’s Addington Hospital on May 12 1928, competed in a two-day 36-hole championship tournament on his 90th birthday at Durban’s Windsor Park golf course this past week end on May 12 and 13. The tournament was organised by his club, Athlone Golf Club, which is based at Windsor Park.

(MERVYN BOOTH (CENTRE) WITH TWO OF THE GOLFERS HE PLAYED WITH AT THE 36-HOLE TOURNAMENT) Mr Booth, who is known as “Baba” Mervyn, played in the C Division medal tournament with scores of other golfers, many years younger than him. Unlike a number of his fellow golfers who participated in the tournament by riding around the golf course in a golf cart, “Baba” Mervyn pulled his own cart and walked the 36 holes over the two days. He also played from the back competition tees instead of the senior “white” tees. At the end of the first day (Saturday, May 25), the club officials and members showed their appreciation by celebrating his 90th birthday.

(MERVYN BOOTH WITH ATHLONE GOLF CLUB DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON, LOU ZIETSMAN, AND ANOTHER MEMBER ON THE 18TH HOLE AT WINDSOR PARK GOLF COURSE AT THE END OF THE FIRST DAY OF THE 36-HOLE TOURNAMENT) “We celebrate Mervyn as a legend because we believe he is the oldest golfer in the world to have participated in a two-day tournament,” said Lou Zietsman, deputy chairperson of the Athlone Golf Club. “He is an example to all of us that you don’t give up on golf or any other sport when you reach such a ripe old age in your life. “We want to wish Mervyn many more years of life on the golf courses.”

(MERVYN BOOTH BEING CONGRATULATED BY A LADY GOLFER AT THE 18TH HOLE ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE 36-HOLE TOURNAMENT) In addition to playing in the club’s tournaments on a Saturday, “Baba” Mervyn is a regular at Windsor Park every Tuesday and Thursday. On a Tuesday, he plays in the Brian Angel tournament and on a Thursday, he plays in the Wimpey competition. Recently on Tuesday, May 8, “Baba” Mervyn playing off a 28 handicap beat his fellow golfers by winning the Tuesday tournament with a score of 44 points. He told me he took up golf after he was inspired by golfers of the calibre of Papwa Sewgolum, Gary Player and Vincent Tshabalala. “In my younger days I was a damn good golfer and won many tournaments in Durban and at other golf courses on the south and north coast.”

(MR LOU ZIETSMAN, DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF ATHLONE GOLF CLUB, ADDRESSING THE 90TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION OF MERVYN BOOTH)

(MERVYN BOOTH CUTTING THE CAKE AT HIS 90TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AT THE ATHLONE GOLF CLUB ON SAT MAY 12 2018) Life for “Baba” Mervyn, who speaks fluent IsiXhosa and IsiZulu, has not been an easy ride. At the age of seven, his parents moved from Sydney Road in Durban to Swartberg, near Kokstad, to work on a farm called Balmoral. His uncle, Harry Conolly, leased the farm and he recalled that some “political” people should seek shelter on the farm. “I was a young man and I did not know what was going on. But I was told by my parents that my uncle provided shelter for some very important people who were fighting for freedom. “It was only later I found out that some of the people he provided shelter to at the farm were Oliver Tambo and Walter Sisulu. My uncle also provided them with transport to move them from one hide out place to another.” After attending primary school in Lusikisiki and Aliwal North, young Mervyn attended a trade school for four years at the St Andrews Mission and the St Jospeh’s Trade School.

(ATHLONE GOLF MEMBERS CELEBRATING THE 90TH BIRTHDAY OF MERVYN BOOTH) After working in Kokstad for six months as a carpenter, young Mervyn moved to Durban at the age of 18. He stayed in Prince Edward Street and at the young age of 24 in 1952 he married Conctance McNeal with whom he had five children – three boys and two girls. When his wife passed on in the mid-1960s, Mervyn Booth married Kathija Sayed from the Grey Street area in Durban. Despite the prejudices of that time, Mervyn and his “Indian” wife continued with their married life and produced two children – a daughter and a son. Mervyn is now a great-grand-father and has outlived two of his sons. “Despite the hurdles of my early life and my tough working life as a carpenter, I managed to spare some time for golf. “I believe being involved in golf has given me long life. I will continue to play until my last. I want to be an inspiration to others who reach the ripe-old age like me,” he said. – ends (May 18 2018) mjio908(subrygovender@gmail.com)

(MERVYN BOOTH CUTTING THE 90TH BIRTHDAY CAKE AT THE ATHLONE GOLF CLUB ON SAT MAY 12 2018)

FLIGHT OF YOUNG LOVERS - STORIES AND PICTURES OF LAUNCH PUBLISHED IN POST AND SUNDAY TRIBUNE IN DURBAN

FLIGHT OF YOUNG LOVERS LAUNCH STORY PUBLISHED IN THE SUNDAY TRIBUNE ON APRIL 29 2018

FLIGHT OF YOUNG LOVERS LAUNCH PICTURES PUBLISHED IN POST ON MAY 9 2018

MUNIAMMA FAMILY HISTORY BOOK LAUNCH IN PICTURES

THE DESCENDANTS OF INDENTURED ANCESTORS IN DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA HAVE LAUNCHED THEIR MUNIAMMA FAMILY HISTORY BOOK, "FLIGHT OF YOUNG LOVERS", AT THE ENCHANTED GARDENS CONFERENCE CENTRE IN THE CITY ON SATURDAY, APRIL 28 2018. MORE THAN 200 FAMILY MEMBERS FROM ALL OVER SOUTH AFRICA ATTENDED THE HISTORIC EVENT TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THEIR ANCESTORS WHO ARRIVED FROM TAMIL NADU IN INDIA IN MARCH 1882, THEIR TWO DAUGHTERS - MUNIAMMA AND YELLAMMA - AND THEIR SECOND GENERATION DESCENDANTS WHO GAVE BIRTH TO THE GREATER MUNIAMMA FAMILY. THE FAMILY TODAY RUNS INTO SIX GENERATIONS AND NUMBERS MORE THAN 500. THE BOOK WAS RESEARCHED, COMPILED, AND EDITED BY ONE OF THE THIRD GENERATION DESCENDANTS, MARIMUTHU SUBRAMONEY (AKA SUBRY GOVENDER), A VETERAN STRUGGLE JOURNALIST WHO WAS INVOLVED AS AN ACTIVIST JOURNALIST DURING THE STRUGGLES AGAINST APARTHEID AND WHITE MINORITY RULE IN THE 1970S AND 1980S. THESE PHOTOS ARE OF FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ATTENDED THE FUNCTION:

(THE BOOK, FLIGHT OF YOUNG LOVERS, DISPLAYED IN FRONT OF THE PHOTOS OF MUNIAMMA'S ELDEST SON, PERI NADASEN GOVENDER, AND HIS SECOND WIFE, SALATCHIE)

(PHOTOS OF THE FIRST GENERATION DAUGHTER, MUNIAMMA, AND HER HUSBAND, COOPOOSAMY GOVENDER, WHO GAVE BIRTH TO 14 CHILDREN, 11 OF WHOM WHO SURVIVED TO GIVE BIRTH TO MORE THAN 500 FAMILY MEMBERS, RUNNING INTO SIX GENERATIONS TODAY)

(PHOTOS OF MUNIAMMA AND SOME OF HER SONS AND DAUGHTERS THAT WERE DISPLAYED IN THE MEMORY STAND AT THE BOOK LAUNCH CEREMONY)

(PHOTOS OF DEPARTED SOULS OF THE FIRST AND SECOND GENERATION DESCENDANTS OF THE MUNIAMMA FAMILY DISPLAYED ON THE MEMORY STAND)

(SECOND GENERATION DESCENDANTS WHO ARE STILL AROUND TODAY ARE MRS AMOY MOODLEY (83), MRS SOUNDLER GOVENDER, WIFE OF PERI BOYA PERCY GOVENDER, AND IN THE WHEEL CHAIR, MRS SAVUNDALAY PADAYCHEE, OF THE NORTHERN KWAZULU-NATAL TOWN OF DUNDEE. THERE ARE ALSO THIRD GENERATION ELDERS IN THE PHOTO - MRS PANJALA NAIDOO AND RUMBA NAIR IN WHEEL CHAIR)

(SOME OF THE DESCENDANTS AND SPOUSES OF THE ELDEST CHILD, BAIGIUM NAIDOO. SEEN IN THE PICTURE ARE THE ELDERS - MR BENNY REDDY, SON-IN-LAW, AND MRS ANEE NAIDOO, DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AND WIFE OF BOYA NAIDOO)

(DESCENDANTS OF THE SECOND CHILD - PERI NADASEN GOVENDER)

(DESCENDANTS OF THE THIRD CHILD - CHINNA NADASEN GOVENDER)

(SOOBOO GOVENDER FAMILY DESCENDANTS)

(DESCENDANTS OF ISAAC MUNSAMY RUTHINSAMY GOVENDER)

(SOME DESCENDANTS OF VELAYADAM DICK GOVENDER)

(SOME DESCENDANTS OF SALATCHIE SUBRAMONEY FAMILY)

(SOME DESCENDANTS OF DUNDEE SAVUNDALAYA AUNTY FAMILY)

(SOME DESCENDANTS OF PATCHA FAMILY)

(SOME MEMBERS OF THE AMOY MOODLEY FAMILY) MIXED PHOTOS

(MORE MIXED PHOTOS)

(MORE MIXED FAMILY PHOTOS)

(MORE MIXED PHOTOS)

(ENDS - SUBRY GOVENDER - subrygovender@gmail.com May 2 2018)