Love/ Hate is....

Love is… standing in a 4 ½ hour queue at the German embassy because your boyfriend is applying for a German visa.

(4 ½ fkcing hours!!!)

Love is… lending your girlfriend your car one hour into the wait so she can get her Croatian visa sorted in the meantime… Never having lent your car to ANYONE else.

Now that’s trust. And no, I didn’t then go and prang it, and no, I don’t know why the steering wheel is suddenly jiggling like that!

As soon as we walked out of the German embassy… sometime around mid-afternoon Tuesday, the flu hit me with an almighty whack. And I have been Woman Down since then. Sleep sweat sleep sweat sleep sweat.

Love is… letting your useless sick girlfriend suffer through the flu in your bed…and not burning the sheets as soon as she moves back to her own house.

I have tried to read up on the Xenophobia of Jo’burg’s townships, but have failed to concentrate past watching a Woody Allen movie.

I have tried to think who would able to give me some personal account – beyond my gardener’s geriatric mumblings of Diepsloot’s chaos. He told me that Indians are being chased from their shops, and that was about it. I see there was complete chaos in the field next to my old place of work, but my mates there are out of the country at present.

I don’t really know what to think or say. I watch news reports – I liked Special Assignment’s take on it – and wonder, does it matter that the government fkced up ten years ago to act on the in-pour of refugees. Is it Mbeki’s lack of action with Zimbabwe for so long, but most especially now, post-non-election. With our government and the UN refusing to declare the Zim in-pour as a humanitarian crisis and so these people would have been allowed refugee status and would have caused refugee action, rather than “economic emigrants”. Is it Mugabe or Zuma or the IFP stirring in the sickest of ways? Will the crowd turn on people beyond the impoverished foreigners? Is it a sign of things to come, like we have read about in history books?

My maid said that the Zulu mob (she really has a thing against Zulu people) have turned on the Pedis, and told them to also go home. But Zulus are not from Johannesburg? Should they not "go back" to KZN. Argh!! Does it matter??? People dying because of a label!??

WTF is going through people’s heads, while they hold machetes in their hands??

My colleagues went to the Central Methodist Church in town yesterday, to take donations from our office of clothes, food, blankets, toys etc. One colleague commented that while it is terrible to see all the “victims”, it is incredible to see everyone rallying around to help.

She said they desperately need oil and salt. If anyone is up for donating that today…

Last night’s Star had a list of places to donate. I forgot the article, so some internet browsing for now….

PLACES FOR DONATIONS:
Ekurhuleni spokesperson Zweli Mkhize appealed for donations (food, baby food, nappies and blankets for the thousands seeking shelter) to be taken to the metro's service centres and arrangements to collect bulk donations could be made by phoning 011-874-5025.

Refugee Children's Project assists refugee children with access to education and other services in SA. They are seeking donations in the form of non-perishable foods and clothing to help the displaced. In the long term they will need school uniforms, stationery and books once children return to school.
Contact them at 011 333 9266, or fax - 011 333 8737,
email: rcpsa@rcpafrica.org.za.
Banking details - First National Bank; Branch – Braamfontein; Acc.no: 62069671347; Branch code: 251905;

Sri Sathya Sai Organisation of Lenasia South - Roy 082 892 1814

Gift of the Givers - Dr Imtiaz Sooliman 011 832 1546 or 083 667 7179

Red Cross - 011 873 6364

Central Methodist Church - 011 333 5926 or 082 600 8892The banking details of the Central Methodist Church (Paul Verryn's congregation in the CBD) are FNB Pritchard Street, Branch code 251105, Account number 50450644817. Fax deposit slips to 086 6567461.

All Nation International Ministry - 084 285 3335

Chubby Chums - 011 825 7773

Germiston Police Station - Mark 082 468 6501

Winton Woodrooffe St Thomas Anglican Church - 082 379 8760 or 011 477 2508Cnr 8th St and 3rd Ave Linden

Yusuf Mustafa Institute for Islamic Services (IIS) - 012 374 1584 or 072 158 4088330 Carmine Street Laudium Pretoria

Christian Life Church - 011 804 2180 11 Downing Street, Buccleuch.

AL IMDAAD FOUNDATION - 086 178 6243 or 011 8302004 or 073 786 6899

Randburg Methodist Church (drop off point) 011 787 2104

Union of Jewish Women - Jody Beyachad 011 648 1053Oak Street (off Louis Botha Avenue)

Union of Jewish Women - Elizabeth 011 645 2523Elray Street/ Raedene

Union of Jewish Women - Dianne or Glynnis 011 783 7117Middle Road/ Morningside, Sandton

Oxfam (GB): Houghton, Johannesburg - Tel: 011 642 9283 Fax: 011 642 8790 - Website: http://www.prodder.org.za/reports.php?id=11431&report=website&url=www.oxfam.org.uk

Thanks for these details go to Michael Moss, who started a Facebook group, to raise awareness, conversation, and action!

I have heard mumblings of a march on Saturday:
Date: Saturday 24 May
Time: 9am
Place: Pieter Roos Park on Empire Road, cnr Queen Street, Parktown - near Clarendon Circle, Hillbrow to the Library Gardens between Simmonds Street, President and Market Streets and the Library
Bring placards, banners, friends!

P.S I cannot find a decent “Love Is…” site! It’s either all cheesy…or all porno!