Shanaaz Ebrahim

When I think of the relationship between a government official or a celebrity and his/her media liaison officer, I think of a monarchy.

The high profile individual is like a king or queen which is merely a figurehead that follows the lead of their respective prime minister which in this case would be their media liaison officer, acting on the best interests of the parliament i.e. the political party or organisation which they represent.

My blog today is not really about the ‘high profile celebrity’ but rather his liege.

“Julius Malema does not speak to community radio stations!” That was the answer I was given by his spokesperson, after requesting an interview with the ANC Youth League President for our Drivetime show.

And yet the honourable Mr Malema, who found himself on the back foot this week when his personal assets were audited by the South African Revenue Services, happily sat in the studio of another broadcaster this morning!

I was then advised to make contact with the regional executive of the ANC Youth League in the Western Cape.

But the nerve of the man!

Everyone knows that I don’t think much of the motor mouth but the attitude of his arrogant minion, yoh, yoh, yoh!

This man put me on hold for several minutes before dismissing my enquiry. He gave me a telephone number of a Youth League representative “who speaks to community radio stations…they must talk to the constituency!”

So what about Julius? Does he not serve the constituency in his role as Youth League President?

Even JZ rubs shoulders now and again with the ‘ordinary people,’ what makes Malema so special?

Just before the general elections last year VOC interviewed the ANC national spokesperson – Jessie Duarte – in a special edition of Tuesday Debate. She encouraged me to give Malema the benefit of the doubt and invite him on air because “he is very intellectual and has lots of interesting viewpoints!”

What was I thinking!

After all, a phenomenal 70% of VOC’s onliners voted Comrade Julius the Nincompoop of the Year Award for his verbal diarrhoea – that’s two years in a row!

[The words of BA Barracus of the A-Team comes to mind: “sucker fool!”]

But today, my fight is not with him but is spokesperson.

Often media liaison officers should do what their job script say i.e. liaise with the media.

That doesn’t mean blasting off an interview opportunity that could possibly help restore the image of his superior in the eyes of a community that doesn’t think much of him.

As journalists and radio producers, this is a daily battle for us.

We are told to e-mail interview requests, forward pre-determined questions and not forgetting my personal favourite: “give me your number and I will get back to you!”

Uhm…I am still waiting!

For the record, there are a handful of spokespeople who are pleasure to work with. They are really efficient and often go out of their way to help us confirm interviews – often under tight deadlines.

But it remains frustrating when a media liaison officer does not meet us half way.

I have found that the easiest way to circumvent this problem is to phone them up, introduce yourself and the radio station to them.

From there on, we just hope from the best.

But is it not the duty of the media spokesperson to be aware of if not all but most newspapers and radio stations, who are their audiences and which community would be of interest to their superior?

VOC has a listenership of more than 240,000. That is 90,000 listeners more than some national talk radio stations – whom some spokespeople, like that of Malema’s, bend over backwards for.

But why not community radio?

So Floyd Shivambu…Just because you didn’t make my life any easier by dismissing my request, you are the cause of your boss still being bad mouthed and ridiculed in public.

At least an interview with VOC would have saved some face in the eyes of our listeners because he would have made an effort to speak to them.

Without the community your eloquent leader would not have been elected and you wouldn’t have had a job.

So I suggest, you better open up the books and start swotting.

Public Relations is a tricky job and peeving off the media is definitely not a good way to start.

Whilst on board a flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town on Sunday evening, six Turkish nationals caused a stir – claiming to be victims of Islamophobia – because they were asked to change their seats next to the emergency exit. 

I was witness to the spectacle, which made me cringe in my seat as the other passengers looked on in disgust.

Mere minutes before, as I made my way to my seat which was directly behind them, one of the gentleman – seeing that I was clothed in Islamic garb – quickly greeted me with an excited ‘assalamu alaykum’. 

Shortly before take off, the flight attended had the task of informing the foreigners about the required procedures in the event of an emergency. 

Civil Aviation Authority regulation requires that the passenger seated next to the emergency exit, must be able to understand the language spoken onboard or at least the instructions given by the pilot. 

The flight attendant – speaking in a dignified and respectful tone – had a tough time explaining why the Turkish nationals had to move seats. They were even offered space in Business Class! 

Unfortunately, the Turkish nationals, who had already made themselves comfortable and who was also enjoying the extra leg room, were adamant that they would not move, as it was just ‘another action against their religion.’ 

The more the flight attendant tried to reason with them, the more the foreigners responded in a hostile fashion, retaliating in Farsi. 

To avoid any further conflict, the flight attendant called his superior, who calmly ran through the CAA rules again and tried to explain that as they did not understand English very well, they could not be seated next to the emergency exit. 

One of the men, a rather burly fellow with an air of arrogance about him, put his foot down and said they will not move and can follow the procedures to the T. 

Agreed that speaking to the men was like banging his head against a brick wall, the flight attendant ran through the procedures. He then asked the man to repeat the exact instructions, which they could not do. 

With the pilot’s warning that they were ‘ready for take off,’ the flight attendant shuffled to his own seat, counting slowly to ten and taking deep calming breaths. 

Another passenger, seated behind me asked me if it was necessary for “you Muslims to behave like that?” 

It was embarrassing! 

I then found myself defending my deen and explained that it was unfair to generalise – to both the local passengers and the foreigners. 

We Muslims in South Africa, are in a unique situation. 

We can practise our religion freely, walk around with a hijab or fez and don’t have to feel as if we are living our lives under a microscope. 

One of the Turkish guys acknowledged that they may have overreacted but was keen to find out more about Islam in South Africa. 

A while later when beverages were being served, the same burly fellow with an air about him, asked the flight attendant what kind of wines were on offer? 

What was up with that? 

Again I found myself on the back foot, having to defend why Muslims do not consume haraam…talk about a crash course in Halaal. 

I would like to consider myself to be a fairly level headed person with lots of patience. 

I know that I have no right to question how they practice their religion but to scream foul because you feel that you are a victim of Islamophobia and then to openly consume alcohol on board the very same flight is taking things way too far. 

In retrospect, I can understand that Muslims around the world – especially in Europe where Islamophobia is rife; with the banning of minarets in Switzerland and the hijab in France among others – have become accustomed to defending their religious freedom. 

However, I would like to think that the rights that we are afforded in South Africa to practice our religion freely and openly, whilst respecting those around us, should ease these kind of tensions amongst out Muslim brothers and sisters. 

This incident just proves to me how much more work needs to be done to educate those around me about Islam and of the responsibility we have as Muslims to educate those around us.

A dear friend of mine is busy preparing for one of the biggest days of her life – her wedding.

Listening to Nuroo Ismail share her experiences brings back fond memories of my own wedding.

Her struggle to find a balance in fulfilling her religious and cultural obligations while pleasing her family and her future in-laws, is the story most brides have to endure.

The following post is a feature I wrote just days leading up to my Nikah. I hope this serves as some inspiration…

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FEATURE – It’s amazing what a few intimate moments with a knife and a chopping board can do to a person. While chopping kilos of carrots and pineapples for konfyt, I came to this realisation: I am getting married.

My family has been consumed by wedding fever since my wedding announcement was made with an engagement nine months ago. I tried to remain immune to the madness by escaping Cape Town for a few months to work as a radio journalist in Bloemfontein. My intention was to lead as normal life as possible. Or at least that’s what I thought.

I was inundated with telephone calls from my family asking questions like: “When are you going to fly home to choose your wedding dress fabric?” “Did you book a venue?” “Do you want the chicken samoosa or the steak pie to be served at the reception?”

The few months of solitude quickly faded into a distant memory as I now sit between aunts and uncles who are planning the next few days of my life. Listening to all the ceremonies, wedding quirks and never-ending to-do list, I now understand what people mean when they say: “We live for this day.”

I was born into a traditional Indian khoknee family. Though fully South African, they have a stronger affinity to the land of their mothers than the country of their birth. Preparations are being made for the Watna, Bhari and Mehndi. These are smaller cultural customs, which together with the Nikah forms part of the week-long wedding celebrations.

I would like to consider myself as a contemporary Muslim woman who is versatile in balancing the personal and professional aspects of her life. But when I heard that I was expected to cook a pot of vermicelli the morning after the wedding for my new family, I honestly started panicking. I immediately sought the counsel of one of my aunts who gave me a crash course in what was expected of me as a nouri (bride).

The Watna takes place a few days before the wedding. During this ceremony, a scented powder consisting of barley flour, turmeric and mustard/coconut oil is applied to the body of the bride. The event is quite festive as it is presided over by the elderly women in my family who sing traditional songs during the ceremony.

According to my aunt, Latiefa Ebrahim, the Watna is a custom, which does not have any religious significance. “It is a custom which comes from India. The ceremony includes rubbing the bride with a paste, in preparation for the wedding. There is no real significance for the Watna, but merely to create a festive atmosphere for the people in attendance.

“You must understand, in India a wedding is a very big thing. People travel from afar to come and attend your function. So this is just one event to make the arduous journey all the more worthwhile. It is also an honour for the family to host the guests,” said Aunty Latiefa.

The Bhari and Mehndi take place on the eve of the wedding. This is a mainly lady’s function where friends, family and relatives come together to apply mehndi (henna) to the hands and feet of the bride. It is another song and dance celebration for the family who anxiously awaits the upcoming nuptials.

With all the preparations taking place for these cultural rituals, yet more effort is exerted for the wedding reception. The venue has been booked, the caterers are confirmed and the audio-visual guys are already setting up to capture those moments which I can show my grandchildren in years to come, Insha-Allah.

I am very humbled by the fact that my family and friends are going all out to ensure that my day is special. I must admit that I was extremely cheesed off because I felt sidelined when decisions were made about the wedding. It felt as if my wedding had been commandeered by my family. Whatever I suggested was shot down from all angles for some or other reason.

But then I had an epiphany; this is not my wedding. It is my family’s day. It is the family’s names which are boldly printed on the wedding invitations. They chose to undertake the task of planning my wedding, not because of duty, but because it was an honour for them to do so. For this I am truly blessed. Once I accepted this, I breathed a sigh of relief, relinquishing the little say I had about the wedding to my loving mum.

So much effort goes into fulfilling the cultural aspects of the wedding and now I only have one concern. Why is there not the same amount of effort going into the religious ceremony - the Nikah? To avoid getting lost in all the cultural-isms, I believe you need to draw a line and stand still for a few moments to reflect on the journey you are about to embark on.

Despite reading books, speaking to imams and countless round table discussions with my family and friends, I still don’t know how to make that pot of vermicelli, or how to not-flop a flop-proof cake. But I do know this; marriage is one of the greatest forms of ibaadat – a supplication to the Almighty. I pray that He showers me with His choicest blessings and guide me on this path which He has paved, Insha Allah. VOC (Shanaaz Ebrahim)

Posted on www.vocfm.co.za on 31/03/09

Over the past week or so, I have been battling with the powers that be at the Department of Home Affairs to try and found out how in the world could they not have processed my passport application, which is dated 15 April 2009?

It is some seven months since I went to the DHA’s Wynberg branch. I needed a passport urgently because I was due to travel to Malaysia within a matter of three weeks of notification, to cover a halaal conference. 

I am well aware that a passport takes between six to eight weeks to be approved and as such, applied for a temporary travel document. I got this one, just two days before I had to fly to Kuala Lumpur. 

For a few weeks after my return, I kept calling the DFA Passport Helpline to try and find out how long it would still take before my travel document would be approved. 

All I was told was that “your application is being processed!” 

What a lie! 

It turns out my application was filed away in some God-forsaken cabinet because it required a full set of fingerprints…a set which I already submitted seven months ago with my original application! 

I was hell bent on laying a formal complaint with the new Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma’s ‘Compliments and Complaints’ hotline but what a waste of time…after 15 attempts, no one answered any of my calls nor did anybody respond to any of my messages! 

What is the point of setting up such a forum when it actually defeats its own purpose? 

I also telephoned the Wynberg branch again to investigate the circumstances why my passport had not been processed. 

I spoke to the branch manager, Mr Samaai, who took down my details and promised to call me back in 30 minutes…I am still awaiting his call. 

I spoke to another official who explained that the application was incomplete and that I would have to come in with new photographs and a new form! 

Not having any of it, I made my way to the Wynberg branch where I demanded to speak to a senior official. 

I was sent from one counter to the other for about 15 minutes before someone was available to speak to me. What is it with government officials? They can see that there are rows of people in need of service, yet they sit idly twiddling their thumbs, are on an ever-long tea break or is not in a position to listen to any query! 

No wonder the number of service delivery protests in this country is spiralling out of control. 

Do you know what the reason was they gave me why my passport was not processed…they migrated to a new computer system for online applications in September! 

Hello, I applied in April already…that gives you five months before they migrated to the new system. Why didn’t they approve the passport during that time? 

Then I was told that I needed fingerprints. Instead of admitting that they slipped up by losing my fingerprints, I was told I never took a full set! 

How is that possible when my original application which they had filed away somewhere, actually indicated that I had submitted a full set of fingerprints! 

Then the best is yet to come… “Ms Ebrahim, we called you twice on your cell phone to let you know that Pretoria could not process your application…” 

Uhm…I didn’t get a call. I am a journalist and I am always available 24/7 on my mobile and would remember a call from Home Affairs! Clearly if they did speak to a certain Ms Ebrahim about her passport, it wasn’t me! 

Why are most governmental departments dysfunctional? 

Do they operate like this because they love to see us ordinary people squirm? Why are some of these officials arrogant and unhelpful? Is this the way to speak and treat the voting public? 

I bet you one thing, they will think twice before sending a visitor to this country for the FIFA 2010 World Cup from pillar to post! 

What’s with the double standards? Why are we not treated with same respect and dignity? 

I suggest that DFA catch a wake up and smell the coffee! I am no longer going to sit back and be one of those victims. 

No, I am not going to toyi-toyi and burn tyres although I felt very strongly about doing that last week. But I am going to press forward with a campaign to ensure that government and all its structures are held responsible for their actions. 

I suggest that if you ever had a bad experience at Home Affairs or the like, spam their emails and flood their post boxes with complaints letters. 

Make a nuisance of yourself by resorting to a moderate degree of ‘stalkership’ by visiting their offices until you are helped. 

At the end of its all, and if they not too dumb, they will get the picture and get you sorted out and out of the way as soon as possible to that they can go back to medial task of counting flies on their wall as the poor people sit patiently, waiting their turn for efficient service, which in the DFA has officially dropped to an new all time low of non-existence.

When was the last time you heard something positive about the South African halaal industry?

The on going debate whether ‘to eat or not to eat’ Cadbury chocolates and last week’s debacle over the halaal status of commercially slaughtered poultry, are just two stories in the last month alone, which continue to leave the Muslim community in a state of confusion and panic.

The question remains: what are those individuals – responsible for ensuring that the Muslim community consume halaal – really doing to allay these fears?

The answer: definitely not enough!

The reason for this, I believe, is that the rivalry between the various halaal certifying bodies, are overpowering their religious obligations to the Ummah.

In all the time that I have been reporting on halaal stories, I have come across issues such as the issuing of counter fatwas (religious rulings) and even the poaching of clients, amongst other distasteful and ‘underhanded’ activities.

I am not an Islamic scholar but are these kinds of actions not merely in contradiction of what the term ‘halaal’ really means?

Due to the lack of information forthcoming to them, Muslim consumers are looking to other avenues to find answers to their halaal questions. This has prompted many to channel their questions and concerns through a medium such as the Voice of the Cape (VOC), which runs a weekly halaal focused programme.

Now, if you think that as an ordinary person you have experienced some difficulty getting answers from the ulama, try being a journalist.

This may be an arbitrary statement, but I have often come up against many brick walls when researching or gathering information on a particular product and/or service for a halaal story.

It is not just a journalistic principle, but also an Islamic one, to ensure that all sides of a story is reflected in an article, that the reporting is fair and objective.

To achieve these ideals, it is necessary for me to make the necessary inquiries by speaking to the relevant parties and to ask some tough questions to the halaal certifying bodies or their representatives.

I have found this to be a difficult task as those responsible for educating the Ummah about halaal and haraam were not always amenable to answering questions of this nature. Alims were either too busy, unavailable or prepared to comment ‘off the record.’

Take the poultry saga for example which has been brewing for more than a year. The furore erupted in the northern regions of the country between a fringe group calling itself Scholars of Truth and the South African National Halaal Authority (Sanha).

The halaal certification body was accused amongst others, of approving the non-Muslim owned poultry plants belonging to Early Bird Farms, where the tasmiyyah could not be recited on each and every bird as the line speed of the conveyor belt was too fast.

This issue could have been cleared up a long time ago but unfortunately it dragged on in the public domain with the publication of ‘articles’ and legal documentation in community Muslim newspapers published by the Majlisul Ulama in Port Elizabeth i.e. The Majlis and The Shariah.

The nature of these so-called reports questioned the credibility of the halaal certifiers Sanha and the MJCHT, and even went on to challenge the integrity of many learned and respected Islamic scholars in South Africa.

What made this story interesting was the fact that the plant was actually one that was certified by the Muslim Judicial Council Halaal Trust (MJCHT) – a Western Cape based religious authority – who gave Sanha permission to inspect the plant, situated in Mpumalanga.

These two halaal certification bodies have always had their differences, and it was actually interesting to see them sitting on the same side of the fence last week, when news broke of the legal battle where they both found themselves respondents in the matter.

Given the atmosphere of ‘religious politics’ in which we find ourselves living in, with the question of race, culture and mathahibs still creating khilaf in our community, it is easy for an ordinary person to believe these articles to be true, without questioning the merits or verifying them according to a strict journalistic or Islamic code.

These kinds of unverified and subjective reports have merely created more fitna in the community and confusion.

I don’t blame any person for believing these articles to be true, since it is “written in Islamic publications, and it is written by an alim,” a VOC listener once told me.

When I asked him to elaborate, he said: “I don’t trust these halaal people. They make a lot of money off their certificates and don’t want to tell us what that money is used for. After reading the Majlis, I am now more convinced that the halaal industry is just a money making business.”

“I don’t trust these imams who tell me what to eat and what not to eat. If I look for advice, I am told to submit a written request and then had to wait weeks for an answer. Why must I do that when it is the duty of my alims to educate me?” he said.

This is just one of many responses from people from our community who remain confused about the issue of one of the core principles of Islam.

Following the news that the Scholars of Truth had taken legal action against Sanha and the MJC, the latter held a press conference at their offices last week to clarify their position.

“The MJC gives you the complete confidence that all chickens slaughtered under the supervision of the MJC, as well as poultry slaughtered under the supervision of all other halaal certifying authorities in SA is halaal and good for Muslim consumption.” “It is absolutely important for the Muslim community to embrace this directive and to be contented that the MJC will not falter in its responsibility and amanat that what Muslims consume is halaal,” MJC President Moulana Igsaan Hendricks was quoted as saying.

To further clarify the subtle differences in the mathahib which the ulama body said was deliberately being ignored to make it seem that “certain viewpoints are accepted and others are not”, the Mufti of the MJC, Maulana Yousuf Karaan was called upon to provide a more detailed explanation.

“Generally in Usulul Fiqh we are taught that when any command (amr) is stated in the Quran, then it is compulsory upon Muslims. And when any prohibition is mentioned in the Quran, it is also compulsory to abstain from that.”

Where the slaughter of animals is concerned, Karaan said, the command is not stated unreservedly for halaal. According to the alim, Imam Shafi’ holds a different view on the matter, than Imam Abu Hanifa.

“…there are three different opinions. One says ‘eat only that on which Allah’s name has been pronounced’. Some say it is wajib, it must be uttered otherwise it is haraam. Imam Shafi’ says it is sunnati mustahab – that when you slaughter any animal it is not wajib to recite the tasmiyyah.

“He says even if the bismillah is not said (aloud), that animal is halaal for Muslims, provided that the slaughterer must be a Muslim by his full senses. In fact, Imam Shafi’ says that when a Muslim slaughters a chicken, the bismillah is automatically in his heart. So it is only a Sunnah for him to recite it. If you disregard Imam Shafi’s viewpoint, then you bring hardship on a large population of Muslims.”

However, he said, the MJC had made it one of its rules that wherever animals are slaughtered for halaal consumption, the slaughterer must recite bismillah in order to accommodate all the other mathahib.

Now coming back my initial argument; I believe that the Muslim community could have been saved much of the embarrassment if only our halaal authorities issued a comprehensive statement, as the MJC did last week.

The halaal industry is a business worth millions of Rands and it is easy to get sucked into this web of gree

However, what we need to remember is that consuming and living halaal is a Quranic injunction and something we cannot forget.

Our learned men and women have a responsibility to us ordinary people to inform and educate, just as we have a responsibility to empower ourselves through knowledge.  

May the Almighty grant us all the sabr, taqwa and imaan to resolve these issues which continue to divide our community, Insha Allah.

We packed a bag, threw a few odds and ends into the car and headed off for the West Coast this past weekend.

I really love this part of South Africa.

Despite the odd fancy estate or beachfront apartments popping up along the way, there is still vast areas that remain untouched by greedy developers.

We spent most of the weekend in Langebaan, at Club Mykonos.

For me, the weekend was intended to be one of vegging out doing absolutely nothing.

Aqeel taking charge of the braai

However my restful weekend turned out to be one of fun filled days and nights of slominoes, sporting activities such as tennis, volleyball, good company and lekker braai.

We are a huge family and I don’t really get to spend much time with them because of my working hours but this weekend was one well spent with my cousins and their families. 

I was very excited at the prospect of driving further out to discover more of the West Coast.

But what would a road trip be without getting lost along the way? Having both my husband Iqraam and his nephew as navigators…that was surely bound to happen I guess.

Enjoying the winter sun on the beach at Club Mykonos

I was driving and was heading for Paternoster via Vredenburg. Unfortunately, my co-pilots didn’t give enough warning. I missed the turn off completely for Vredenburg and landed up on some God-forsaken road…heading no where slowly.

After blaming both navigators, but refusing to admit that I didn’t watch the sign board, I eventually made my way back on the right road to continue our adventure.

Common things we came across from the various little dorpies: a church, a post office, a liqour store and a school.

Vredenburg was the biggest ‘little’ town which we visited, which is situated near to Saldanha Bay.

Numerous business line the main road of Vredenburg, which literally means ‘the town of  peace.’ It is the largest adminstrative and commercial centre on the West Coast.

My cousin Saleem and his son Ra'id on one of their 'expeditions.'

In 1975, by government decreem Vredenburg and Saldanha were united as the Vredenburg-Saldanha Municipality.

Today the local government is known as the West Coast Peninsula Transitional Council, and it includes St Helena Bay, Paternoster, Jacobsbaai and Stompneus Bay, which makes it the largest municipal area in South Africa.

Next stop was Paternoster.

Paternoster

Driving through Paternoster, we followed the road to Tietiesbaai, which “forms part of the Columbine Nature Reserve and is frequented by campers and caranvers – especially in December.

I am fascinated at the lengths people will go to safeguard their loved ones and their property.

I live in a one bedroom, open plan separate entrance that is attached to the main house of my inlaws. I guess with at least 10 people being around at any given time, there really isn’t a need for the extra precaution.

However, this week my husband and I are house-sitting for a family member and never anticipated the action or drama that we had the unfortunate experience of enduring during the early hours of this morning.

To get a better understanding on what happened, I think it would be best for me at this point to describe our current surroundings.

The house is a double-storey with high walls, electric fencing, infra-red beams, motorized gates, state of the art alarm systems, burglar bars and security gates inside of the house…just in case.

Every evening is a mission as windows need to closed and checked, security panels to be put in place, heavy duty fireproof doors to be locked and lights to be switched off which in all can take up to 20 minutes. Then the alarm needs to be set by simply punching in the alarm code and then ‘Arm.’

But last night listening to the alarm being activated, I had a very strange feeling…like something was about to happen.

Now as a journo I have always trusted my gut instinct and last night was no different. I double and triple checked everything and then for good measure made another sweep of the place. I think this feeling of paranoia was amplified because I had been entrusted to take responsibility for someone else’ personal property.

But none of these ‘security measures’ could save me or rather my trusted car, aptly named ‘Witblitz’ (its a white tazz and I get way too many speeding tickets!), from being violated by a semi-pro car thief…(the moegoe left his woolen beanie in my car!)

We were woken up at 02h45am to the sound of a blaring alarm, which left us totally disorientated.

I jumped up immediately to deactivate the system, which took a minute or three as I tried to get my bearings. My eyes jumped anxiously to the telephone for a call from the security company.

My husband and I ran downstairs to check if everything was in order.

We switched on all the lights and opened the front door to see whether anyone tampered with my vehicle which was parked in line with the infra red beams.

Five minutes later, still no telephone call from the security company.

After having done a thorough check again, we activated the alarm and tried to get some sleep before we had to get up in an hour or two for work.

Still no call from the security company.

Then my husband woke me up to tell me that the car had been broken into.

On inspection, I saw that the rear passenger window had been removed and the passenger window had been rolled down. All my personal belongings, whatever few there was, was strewn all over the place.

Surveying the property, the security gate was slightly ajar and we found a footprint in the garden.

Still no call from the security company.

After making contact with the relevant family member, the security company’s technicians were sent out to ‘investigate the incident.’

I was fuming by this time and did not hold anything back when I went on a verbal tirade of the inadequate, inefficient, unprofessional service that they were rendering…and it wasn’t even my house!

So, after interrogating the security guys, it turns out that the elaborate state of the art system is not all that state of the art.

These guys explained that the alarm went off when the circuit by the security gate was broken. This makes sense as we found the gate slightly opened.

But why didn’t the security company phone when the alarm nearly woke up the neighbourhood? Their response…they’re just the technicians and the control has to answer that question! Are they not from the same company?!? Do they not wear the uniform and drive a bakkie which is branded by the said security company?!?

Now when it came to the electronic infra-red beams, it turns out that a cat or any sort of animal scurrying across its path will not activate the alarm. However, should someone walk through the path of the beam, the alarm will only be triggered if the alleged perpetrator walks through two consecutive beams.

But did you know that these beams are easy to dodge…all you have to do is duck lower when you pass it. If you are lower from where the beam is situated, then Bob’s your uncle!

Now coming back to my issue of the security company not calling  or coming out to check up on why the alarm went off; it turns out – according to one of the technicians – that even if you have a state of the art, top of the range alarm system, the signal is sent via another control room before registering as a ‘possible burglary’ in the said security company’s control room.

The technicians alleges that there may have been a problem with the signal relay that caused a delay in registering the alarm that went off this morning.

I spoke to the owner of the security company who told me that although they had a ‘fairly quiet night’ with a few ‘false alarms,’ they do not telephone nor come out to check up on the occupants of the premises if the ‘burglary alarm’ is not triggered.

Excuse me, but this is a cop-out.

As far as I am concerned, I expect my service provider to be out with sirens and all to come and check if I am not lying in a pool of blood or something. What else am I paying them for?

I often report on these kinds and other incidents of crime…but it’s different when you become a victim.

Now before you think it was all doom and gloom there was a silver lining…my vehicle, although it was manhandled, only suffered a damaged frame. The window was still intact and was lying in a potplant. The moegoe didn’t even steal my sound system…maybe because the very retro, 1980′s styled cassette player was not cool enough?

The only thing missing – which Mr Car Thief Man found to be of value – was my shocking pink shopping bag!

We really do live in a strange world!

But tonight, I will be sitting in full fencing gear waiting patiently to pounce on any suspicious looking character with a epee in one hand and a pan in another.

I advise all passersby, to do at own risk!

At his residence in Punts Estate with his beloved Iris at his side, Mr Norman Apollis passed away peacefully on Tuesday June 2 2009. 

He had the strength of character and resilience to survive the last moments of his conscious life with a most admirable sense of self-dignity and endurance.

Mr Apollis taught me and many thousands. I first met Mr Apollis at my treasured High School, Alexander Sinton.

In Memorium

My association with him spanned 43 years of continuous contact. We were inseparable. I have been away from Cape Town for more than 39 years, but whenever visitng my family, number 49 Maybank Road was a definite stop. During the mid-sixtys, No 50 De Wet Street Bellville was the meeting place.

Over the years my visits to Cape Town became more infrequent owing to academic demands of my chosen career. Mr Apollis played a pivotal role in guiding me through my career path and was influential in supporting my unknown career at the time, hence our family-bond.

When Mr Apollis took up his position at Alexander Sinton High School, he brought with him a taltent and quality second to none.

He was loved by all his students and staff. He enjoyed challenges and enjoyed supervising talented young students many of whom have gone on to gain international reputations. He equally spent time with those who struggled and that gave him the most joy to see the ultimate success.

He was a teacher par excellence. He fought the Struggle and the regime of the time with chalk and diligence.

He had very strong political views, he fought for educational freeedom and never wanted his chargers to be deprived of any commodity due to them.

He had a strong influence over all his students; he also knew that he had their support. It was not unusual for him to start with our Afrikaans lesson and end telling us about the future of passenger space travel! He had a vivid imagination and was always ahead of his time.

He made sure that deserving students entered University no matter what the circumstances. He fought the University bureaucrats with a quota system or not.

He was a leading member of the Teachers’ League of South Africa and was a prominent figure of the Non-European Unity Movement.

Mr Apollis had colleagues and friends all over the world and I was firtunate to have met some of them in London. His network of international friends fought many liberation battles – their main interest being education.

In the passing of Mr Apollis, we have lost a great and good man, above all I have lost my faithful mentor, master and guiding friend.

I feel cheated with the passing of Mr Apollis. He was first and foremost a family man and a devoted husband to Iris. He was an affectionate father to his many students and he was a special son to a special mother.

The character of the life he lived might be summed up in a few words: he was sincere, loyal and always self-sacrificing. His genial personality and the generous instincts of this fine man will be missed by all.

I found him at all times a man of understanding, sympathy, principle and integrity. He had tremendous respect for all his colleagues but had no reservation if in return he wanted to settle any score; his with and humour was part of his success.

He taught us many qualities, many words of wisdom, profund statements and unique intellect. We shall miss all that. He gave to education its moral soul.

The simplicity and sweetness of his character endeared him to all. His personal convictions, his intellect and energy resulted in him making a real contribution to many areas.

His belief in the importance for what he believed in influenced many young people and as such, his influence lives om. He was an endearingly compassionate and a very genuine person to all who knew him.

He was a passionate soccer lover and had great delight in telling the scholl’s soccer team when they lost complaining about the ball, that the opposition played with the same ball!

His involvement in many a charitable organisation contributed to the bettement of many. He was widely travelled.

We pause in our activities this day, to pay a richly deserved tribute to the memory of a devoted and highly esteemed individual, Norman Apollis, who passed to his eternal reward.

We are all comforted in the knowledge that he loves on in the minds and in peace, and may the Almighty grant solace and consolation to Mrs Apollis and the members of his grief-stricken family and friends.

Mrs Apollis, you have been a pillar of strength to the bitter end. You cared and made sure that Mr Apollis was always comfortable, for that, I thank you.

I would like to conclude with some small measure of consolation in the words of the poet, Walt Whitman, whose works Mr Apollis enjoyed:

He is not gone, He is just away
With a cheery smile and the wave of the hand,
He has wondered into an unknown land,
And left us wondering how very fair that land
May be, since he tarries there.

God Bless

Signed,
Hoosain M Ebrahim
Life-long student of Mr Apollis

(Fri, 5 June 2009)

Will keep everyone posted!