SOS – Steve On Sunday

Sunday 19 July 2020

SOS – Steve on Sunday

THE WEEK THAT WAS

13 July to 19 July 2020

Well, that was indeed one lovely week was it not? A week filled with both good and bad news.

I must of course start with the good news.

Pardon? There is no good news?

I beg to differ. There may not be much good news, but there are a few good stories. May I highlight them for you before heading on to the really bad news? Lots of bad news, just have to filter it somewhat.

The good news…

It rained quite a bit in some places that really needed it. Filled up some dams too I believe.

South Africa is the only country in the world to have banned alcohol and nicotine because of the virus. This is on specialist medical advice which does not say much for the rest of the world’s medical expertise. For once we are world leaders in something other than crime related matters. Definitely a feather in our leader’s caps. Good news! World leaders!

You may drink alcohol in your own home and yard, but not in your car. That’s good news. Yip, could be worse. Like if you forgot to stock up…

It got very, very cold in certain places which may well be a bit of good and a bit of bad news. All depends on where you are living at that exact moment when the temperature reaches – 3 degrees. If you are in a warm bed it is good news. If you are not…

Glory Glory Leeds United…

My English football team I have supported since 1965 – that’s 55 years – have finally won the English Championship and after 16 years languishing in the lower leagues have gained promotion to the Premier League next season. Well done Leeds United. I never thought it would happen in my lifetime…

Marching on Together…

That’s not all, there’s more…

Despite news to the contrary, the famous Kimberley Club has NOT closed down. Which is good news. Like virtually every hotel, lodge, b and b and guesthouse in South Africa and Kimberley it is temporarily closed due to the plague induced lockdown. With no tourists travelling or visiting Kimberley the Club will remain closed until allowed to open.

Now the bad news, filtered quite dramatically. This was tough as there is always so much bad news.

No alcohol to be bought or sold, or carried in your car. Interestingly the regulations that I read also state you are not allowed to drink alcohol in your car. So drinking alcohol and carrying alcohol in your car are the same thing?

I received a message on Friday that I can purchase a 750ml bottle of Richelieu or Scottish Leader for a mere R380 per bottle. This a matter of five days into the current banning. Please tell me you did stock up and were not caught alcohol free? That would be really bad news.

Still no let up on the cigarette ban. For 11 million South African smokers this is seriously bad news. For us non-smokers it could be either bad or good news. All depends if you have lots of money to pass over to the crime lords , or if you are married to a smoker or non-smoker.

Cecil Rhodes continues to be in the news for all the wrong reasons. In Cape Town someone went to the Rhodes Memorial on the slopes of Table Mountain and decapitated Rhodes using an angle grinder. This is certainly not good news for tourism although I am sure that certain sectors of the world community will be hailing it as a victory of sorts.

Some reporter had the headline “The day Rhodes lost his head” in attracting readers to the blurb. Not factually correct as it was Rhodes’ bust that lost his head that day. I am sure that Cecil Rhodes “lost his head”, or rather his cool, on numerous occasions during his lifetime.

Here is one incident where he lost his cool…

One morning during his last visit to Kimberley in June 1901, he drove up in his cart to De Beers Head Office on Stockdale Street and found the place ‘close tyled’ as is the case when diamonds are being moved around and security is paramount. He knocked loudly on the door but received no response, and repeated the knocking several times. There was still no response, so getting red and angry he walked into the middle of the road and ran towards the door, giving the solid teak door a mighty kick. He fell on to his rear end on the road. Within seconds the man responsible opened the door and quite indignantly Rhodes rushed in with the icy comment “Don’t let this happen again when I am in Kimberley.”

I am sure he used different wording but who am I to argue with a person who was at the scene.

He was known to lose his temper quite often, and just as quickly get back to normal as so many publications about the man testify.

More bad news.

The curfew has been re-introduced from 21h00 to 04h00 each night. This may in fact be good news as crime in Kimberley climbed sky high when Level 3 came in and the curfew was lifted. However it does restrict one from running around the streets looking for alcohol and nicotine after 9pm. Hopefully, it shall also restrict the criminals. I do have my doubts.

Our fine leader of the men and women in blue, the man who wears a hat all the time, ‘The Bek’ Mussolinicele, is absolutely delighted as his charges can revert back to doing what they know best – controlling roadblocks and arresting curfew breakers and people carrying cigarettes and alcohol. They now have an added job to their long list of whom they may arrest. Not wearing a mask in public? You can now get arrested, be fined and/or jail time and have a criminal record. Lovely is it not?

No mention of catching criminals breaking and entering your premises/house nad/or murdering left right and centre throughout the country. Just trying to keep you and the rest of us safe from this Chi**** vir**. Thank you, I feel so much safer knowing our law enforcement officers, many of who still struggle to wear the mask, are now enforcing these rules and regulations.

Goodness. After that, could there be more bad news?

Okeydokey. One more.

No rugby yet. I do not follow cricket after the shenanigans 15 to 20 years ago and am glad I do not after reading this latest blow up which I shall not mention cause I will probably get banned. I shall note a coincidence in that all three of the former Protea players who have been called naughty boys – Pat Symcox, Boeta Dippenaar and Rudi Steyn, all hail from the city of no diamonds – Kimberley.

I shall leave it to the coincidence angle before somebody comes up with a conspiracy theory.

Those who enjoy drama will be pleased to know that each and every day in this great country there is a NEW story breaking. Sometimes two or three. Just keep up to date with the newspapers – those that are left – and on reputable social media sites, and you will surely be kept enthralled.

Alcohol free, nicotine free, masks to be worn if there are two or more of you in a bed, and no outside exercise after 21h00. But enthralled you will still be.

Have a good week.