I am now more confident than ever that one of the good decision I ever made was to go to the UK, to explore the world, to see how things are done in the 1st world and to make up my mind about SA. I found that many Saffas living abroad live a lie, by constantly reminding themselves of how bad life is in SA and how grand it is over there. The harsh reality is that I was one of them, until I could no longer face the lie I was living in.

The other excellent decision I made was returning to this glorious country of ours. I truly feel at home and welcome. I can see that our daughter grows with enormous health here as the air is a lot cleaner, the food (yes believe it) a lot more healty.

People should focus and look at the positives. A culture shift is needed where all people, especially the ones from the poorer communities realise how important it is to be well educated. They will be pleasantly surprised to see how much this country offer. We must help ourselves and should not wait for the government to do it for us. The reality is that any government can only do this much …

Kortes (John in UK) Strauss

Time will tell.

Homeland – author Michelle Frost.

Ten years ago I was a serious optimist, now I’m just really sad and if it all turned around tomorrow I would be ecstatic, but this country needs objective commentary, not your puppy dog optimism.

We have a president that quite frankly should marry Rober Mugabe already… I mean they’ve been courting for so long they may as well make it official. His “quiet diplomacy” is an absolute farce. Now we are seeing the repercussions of that lack of action. By not taking a stand and action against Zimbabwe we have reached critical boiling point in our own country. It had to happen sooner or later. Now we are left to pick up the pieces from this monumental xenophobia situation. Come on speak up… write us a new “insightful” article.

People from Britain come to settle down there. People from Mauritius, Pakistan and India find it a good place to settle and run a business. Water, electricity and needless mentioning the food are so cheap. With a salary of R5000 per month in Durban one can easily live and fill one’s fridge.

Your article is so genuine and factual that it has re-kindled my heart and given me a new sense of awakening.

It is just the crime rate that is affecting the lives of people. Fear of the unknown and intimidation can be the scariest experiences in one’s life. Hence, this is what happens when one is a victim of a bad experience. Like myself, I have judged the whole state because I was attacked and robbed.

I think much effort is needed from the Government to tackle crime in South Africa because apart from affecting the lives of simple people in many areas it has and is still affecting business on a large scale. Johannesburg and Hillbrow used to be oosmopolitan, safe and people could walk anywhere they want without any fear. But look at the city now. Buildings in ruins. no-go areas, derelict and investors have ran away to run their business elsewhere. This would not have happened if policing, patrolling and arresting criminals were more tough. The UK has the most number of CCTV cameras in the whole world – South Africa has the financial resources to employ more police with the latest fighting crime technology.

I have often been told that police in SA are not well paid and therefore they do not want to risk their lives for peanuts. So, the general attitude is that many of them will turn a blind eye when a crime is being committed. They need to be motivated and properly paid.

Anyways, SA is only going down on the crime rate but going down like Zimbabwe? No, I don’t think so. I miss my braai man at Blue Lagoon in Durban man.

P.S I’m very happy for black folk to make billions I think it’s awesome, not though when it’s done through means that cripple their own people. When an ANC politician spends funds on themselves meant for the uplifting of a poor community that annoys me.

Sir… there seems to be in your writing another motive, Something sinister. You see… I am truly pro South African… not white nor black but South African. I don’t want to see just some elite politician ( which I by no means see as a small problem) at the top taking the cream… I want to see all South Africans benefit from this…. Did you do something during apartheid that you need to ease your conscience?

You see… I don’t have any white guilt… to express guilt for sins I didn’t committ would be ridiculous. I think that’s exactly it… Maybe you treated maid or your gardner poorly during apartheid and this is your remorse? Jumping on the ANC propaganda band wagon and spewing out all their PC words… or maybe their is some way that you are benefitting from BEE and so it suits you to say all that you do.

All I can say is Viva the cry babies, because it will be a sad day for South Africa when that democratic voice is squashed. You may want a dictatorship Hans… I want to see a truly democratic SA where nothing is based on skin colour. That is the South Africa Nelson Mandela envisioned. Weather it be for 1 year or 14 years or 46 years injustice to any race is wrong. The kind of South Africa your prepose Hans makes you sound just a little like a Fascist. You want to oppress the voice of South Africa’s diaspora. There is a reason their is a mass exodus of South Africa’s youth. Again young folk who have nothing to do with the Apartheid regime other than the fact that they share the same lack of tan with PW Botha…. You can use pretty words like affirmative action and bee…. but when millions… MILLIONS of innocent white South Africans are displaced because they are not afforded the same rights as black people that is racism no matter how you paint it or what politically created word you insist on using. You talk about deliberate strategies from the government. You talk about it being just a clinical administrative process… that sounds exactly how Hitler and the Nazi party painted the beginning of their rule in Germany.