On Fri, 20 Oct 2006 10:44:14 +0200, "Wildpicture.com"
wrote:

Marc, I can understand your reaction and indeed the website was
dominated by one view. But so is the website you mention. It too shows
only one side of life in South Africa.
Sure it only shows one side. That's why I mentioned it. If you picked
up on my poker analogy (I see you, and raise you...) you'd have seen
that. I don't, for one second, think that it's all wine and roses down
here. I just figured that countering one completely biased site with a
diametrically opposed site would even the playing field somewhat.

I honestly wish it were completely true.
Me too!

In contrast to so many South
Africans leaving their home country (we do have quite a few living over
here in Holland these days!) my wife and I would love to leave Holland
and settle in South Africa. We deeply love the country.
Me too!

SNIP
It almost seems normal these days
that government officials either use money for their own or give
lucrative contracts to their friends, disrespecting official tender
legislation and procedures. It is "not done" to criticize these things.
Just take a look at the present situation with SABC´s blacklist of
critical journalists.
What IS actually encouraging is that we KNOW about these occurences.
With our previous government we never even got to hear about illegal
practices, bribery, corruption, and press censorship. The very fact
that Snuki Zikalala is in the firing line of the press is proof that
these issues WILL NOT be fudged.

Such things should not happen in a truly free and democratic country.
"Embedded" journalists in Iraq?

And would about the democratic level of the ANC's attempts to change the
governing structure of the only big city which they do not control? "If
we can't get a democratic majority we will just change the laws".
Politicians form any country/party will do whatever is possible, in
any way, to gain as much power as possible. That's the nature of the
beast.

SNIP

Should tourists avoid South Africa? No! It is too beautiful a country to
avoid. And South Africa bitterly needs these tourists.
That is my point too! Encouraging tourists NOT to come here doesn't
solve any problems. In fact, that exascerbates the problem. My feeling
is that is exactly what Neil Watson aims to do. I believe that Mr.
Watson would love to see the country destabilised as much as possible
so as to give him more dirt to rake up. Let's face it, you have to be
extremely naive not to read "Kaffir" each time he refers to people as
"New South Africans" although admittedly he has tended to steer clear
of this pejoritive appelation recently.

But we should not
paint a more beautiful picture that it is in reality. South Africa
unfortunately does have some serious worries for the future.
There's no one who understands this, and agrees with you more than me.
If you look through any of my previous posts on this NG I hope you
will see that I have always (I hope) given balanced, sensible, and
responsible advice to visitors.

Regards,
Marc