Such Sad news

I guess it was going to happen sometime, but last night we heard Ryan's place where he lives in Rondebosch was broken into on the weekend when he was away camping with some friends, and they were cleaned out. He lost a lot of what is is really important to him. You can replace computers (both his new laptop and his desktop) but he is very upset about the photos he had and a lot of his work stuff on his laptop. they also took his bicycle, some camping stuff and tried to take petrol from his car. I suppose it is at times like this that Jan and I say "thank God he is okay, and he still has a car..."

I will say this, as a comment, that Eskom power cuts were a laughing point, but when they openly list when and where the cuts are going to be , and at what times, If I was a thief, I would thank them for setting up my route that I could use to break into places. Alarms will not work, Armed responses don't get called, and in any case they just broke down the security door and not only stole Ryan's stuff, but each of the other 4 people whom he shares the house with's PC's, Passports (not Ryan's) and DVD players, TV's the works. They must have had a truck to cart the stuff away.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?

Has the country degenerated so badly in the last few years?. Jan's cousin was beaten up to within an inch of her life (with her brother) when robbers broke into their house a few weeks ago (and they were at home). We read every day of the out of control and rampant crime, rape, murder and fraud. Where does it stop. The arrogance of the deeds is laughed at - try stopping at a red traffic light and you simply get accosted by numerous street kids, beggars and such like. What gets me is that the people who live "back home" seem to think THIS IS NORMAL. Wake up people, you do not have to live your life in fear, behind bars, without power, bad quality water (the latest), being robbed, hijacked, and generally being in "survival mode" all your lives. Why do you have to pay some idiot to "look after your car" at the shops?, the rest of the world doesn't.

The Rand went to R 7.34 to the Aussie Dollar today - great stuff. I don't think it has ever been so weak. When we came here it was R 4.20 - LESS THAN 24 MONTHS AGO.

We now are allowing ourselves the ability to look to the future and plan ahead for things like retirement- because we can. I am sorry if I sound bitter, but I am. Someone said to me, "why do you think you owe South Africa something because you were born there and not somewhere else", I am an Afican, and I can't change that. I lived there for the first 46 years of my life. I love the place, I have Africa in my blood and will never get that out. I have been to places in Africa that many people will never see in their lives,- In Angola, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, the DRC and Namibia to name some of them, but I am glad I do not live there anymore.

I worry desperately for my family, Ryan, my Mom, Jan's Dad, Graham and this family and our dear friends. I feel powerless to do anything. We are certianly, and never would gloat that we got away from that. Australia has it's problems too, but there is a rule of law, Thieves get caught, people obey the norms of society by and large, and we have no alarms, security gates and my bike , Ian's bike and the shed remain unlocked at night and we don't have the same fears they do. I sleep at night, not having to worry that someone will break into my house and steal from me, harm us and be grateful for my life in the morning when I wake up.

We live our lives in a different world today to that we did 24 months ago.