I will never return…
I have no wish to slag off about South Africa, so I'll just tell it like it is.During a five-week trip back to South Africa in April and May my sister-in-law was shot and wounded during a raid on her home, a former colleague was shot and wounded during a car hijacking, and a friend was shot at (but missed), also during a car hijacking. That's all too traumatic for me. I will never return to holiday in RSA again.
James Byrom.
(Via e-mail)

There is no strike more vexing than one by civil servants: doctors leave their patients, teachers their pupils and nurses put their thermometers in their pockets as they take to the picket lines. The state stops being able to provide the most basic services to the poorest people; inevitably the middle classes do not feel the impact because they have bought out of the state sector.
– Mail & Guardian

‘Would the cheetah have won at Loftus last week? That's the thought that went through my mind as Bryan Habana picked up that loose ball, squirted through that tackle, half dummied to kick before propping off his right and skinning the defender on the outside on the way to the tryline.’
– Radio presenter John Robbie

‘Lucas Zwane, William Makena and William Leshaba, all department inspectors, ran for their dear lives when the employer... allegedly opened fire against them.'
– Department of Labour spokesperson Zolisa Sigabi, on how a Delmas employer treated three labour inspectors.

Hysteria and paranoia – two symptoms of a growing political pathology in SA that distort the truth, complicate the quest for solutions to problems and inflame the climate of fear, suspicion and acrimony as the ruling party approaches its watershed national conference.
– Mail & Guardian

I gave George Parker a hard time for his bold (Super 14) predictions at the beginning of the season – South Africa would have a multitude of teams in the upper echelon of the table he predicted, whilst Australia would not find a team in the finalists! Whilst I accused George of smoking non-regulation cigarettes in making that prediction I am left eating humble pie! Great tipping George – will never doubt you again!
Roger Eaton

I was happy to learn that Beau Brummel's mom was still going strong at a great age. Unless she has changed I remember that she was rather cagey about her age. Our families were good friends and I remember how proud she was of her son.
Groete
Belle Dewar
California

Thank you for a regular informative newsletter on SA. It warms my heart to read (now and again) of the progress which is made back home.

Those who have left SA and look back as the country slides into anarchy are amazed to see that people are desperately rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic, but we're even more shocked at the amount of foreigners who are breaking their necks to move to SA and join them as the ship sinks. The apartheid government hid the ugly reality from the world, and the communist, collectivist ANC does exactly the same thing. Sad, but true.
Robin J Elliott Vancouver, Canada

I think Mr Lekota has to look at the difference in crime levels between SA and the other countries that his fellow South Africans have been emigrating to.

If Apartheid was not sanctioned officially by the ruling ANC Government, SA would be a great country in which to live.

I think George is a very good and realistic writer on Super 14...but he has clearly got on the green stuff with this prediction...four of the top six being SA teams with the best Aussie team below that?? Roger Eaton

It was with deep sadness that I learnt of the murder of one of South African's finest tourism promoters.

I am disgusted by the reports that members of the public were threatened by police when they suggested that Killer McBride was 'blind drunk' after he rolled his car.

The Homecoming Revolution (www.homecomingrevolution.co.za) which is sponsored by FNB and encourages skilled South Africans to return home and to see the potential their country holds for them has now tied up with Referendum SA.

It is great news that Gerrie Germishuys is well on the way to recovery after surviving an armed robbery ordeal at his home.

Like, with Rudolf Straeuli, the powers that be will only realise after the World Cup, that they should have dropped Jake White before the World Cup - not after when it is too late.

I find it pathetic for South Africa and Australia to write off international matches as 'building' for the World Cup. Management and players should realise that every test match should be played with the best team and played to win.

Jeremy Hooper, Treasurer of SOS Children's Village in Vancouver, Canada writes: SOS Children's Villages does excellent work in Southern Africa and round the world.

In my eyes, SA is all about freedom. In that spirit, we wish all permanent expats well.

I felt it only right to respond to recent letter in fromSAwithlove.

I am somewhat horrified by the way South Africans berate other South Africans for either leaving or returning to SA, and at the same time 'rubbish' our country.

After living in Canada for nine years and dealing with many SA ex-pats, I can tell you unequivocally that the only South Africans that return to SA from North America, England or Australia are losers that couldn't cut it in their new, civilized, first world homes.

I still have family living in SA, but there is no way I would return.

So now they want to rename the airport.... again! It's a shame that the government truly cannot find better things on which to spend its money than giving the main airport in SA a name that is not instantly recognisable worldwide.