US forensics expert and a key player in the Fred van der Vyver trial, Pat Wertheim, was asked to deliver a paper titles “The Fred van der Vyver story” at a conference of the International Association for Identification on August 21, in Louisville, Kentucky. According to the associations website, the paper deals with how “evidence was fabricated to seal the fate of an innocent person”.

As you know Fred was not only declared ‘Not guilty’ but also ‘innocent’ by the judge who went on to say that the police investigation was “incompetent”, “unreliable” and “dishonest”.

Now the police are attempting stop prevent Pat from presenting his paper to the conference. This was confirmed by National police spokesman Director Sally de Beer who said that a senior officer in the police’s criminal records centre had written to the association to inform them that Fred had instituted a R46-million civil case against the ministry of safety and security. She went on to say that it had not been proven that any police official had fabricated any evidence.

I can see why the police would be embarrassed by the revelations of their incompetence and shoddy work at this conference, but they have no-one to blame but themselves. To date we have seen no fallout from this case, so one doesn’t have to wonder for very long why they wish to sweep this under the carpet!

Wertheim has often commented that he is surprised that the police have not acted in any way against the officers involved and that they should reimburse Fred and his family. His strongest opinion which is echoed by many people is that the police should at least re-open the investigation, which up until now they have not.

Everyone should be asking these kinds of questions and demanding not only answers but also action. If the courts found Fred not guilty, then the police have a duty to re-open the investigation - preferably with new investigators! Why has this not been done? Do they still believe that Fred is guilty - even after the court case?

Why has no action been taken against the original investigators who botched things up so much? During the trial we heard of the gross incompetence of some of these officers, yet there has been no follow-up from either the police themselves or from the Ministry of Safety and Security!

We at Blog South Africa would like to wish Nelson Mandela a very happy 90th birthday.

May the coming year bring you health and happiness.

Paul Joseph Watson
Prison Planet
Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Three top scientists have once again contradicted the claim that a “consensus” exists about man-made global warming with research that indicates CO2 emissions actually cool the atmosphere, in addition to another peer-reviewed paper that documents how the IPCC overstated CO2’s effect on temperature by as much as 2000 per cent.

Professor George Chilingar and Leonid Khilyuk of the University of Southern California, and Oleg Sorokhtin of the Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences have released a study that they claim completely contradicts the link between CO2 and global temperature increases.

“The writers investigated the effect of CO2 emission on the temperature of atmosphere. Computations based on the adiabatic theory of greenhouse effect show that increasing CO2 concentration in the atmosphere results in cooling rather than warming of the Earth’s atmosphere,” states the preamble to the paper.

The full study, which appears in the Energy Sources journal, is sure to cause ire amongst climate cult adherants.

No global warming has been observed for the past 10 years as temperatures have gradually declined and studies indicate that there will be no further warming for the next 10 years.

In a related development, the peer-reviewed Physics and Society journal has published evidence proving that the UN IPCC’s 2007 climate summary “overstated CO2’s impact on temperature by 500-2000%.”

Read the rest of this post »

Spectacular aerial portrait urges world leaders to act on the global food crisis

Contact:
In Jo’burg, Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu: tel. +27(0) 84 542 8441
In London: Kate Nustedt: tel. +44 78 4166 2296

Take action! Thousands of young people in Johannesburg gather to create a visually spectacular human portrait of Nelson Mandela to tell world leaders: “Freedom from hunger is within your reach.”

Alexandra, Johannesburg, 15 July 2008 – In this sprawling township in northern Johannesburg, over 2,000 school children will gather to form a visually spectacular human portrait of Nelson Mandela with the message ‘Freedom from Hunger’ that can only be seen and photographed from the sky.

The children will be choreographed by aerial art experts, Circle Up Now, in order to create the visual statement and be part of a never-to-be-repeated campaign moment, the news and image of which will travel around the world.
“Nelson Mandela is one of the world’s most outspoken leaders on human rights for all, and especially on the eradication of global hunger,” said ActionAid South Africa Country Director, Zanele Twala.

“On his 90th birthday, the youth of South Africa are celebrating this great milestone by reminding global leaders that people all over the world are experiencing insufferable hunger and we need an urgent resolution to the current food crisis.”

The price of basic necessities is at an all time high, and families previously able to eat three meals a day have cut down to the bare minimum with most unable to afford commodities like bread and rice. Three days before Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday, the youth will celebrate Mandela’s life with an important message to world leaders: “Hunger is no longer just an issue of need and circumstance but an issue of justice and responsibility. Take charge!”

ActionAid and its partners ‘Circle Up Now’ and ‘Twenty Thousand Drums’ are mobilising South African youth to send out a message to world leaders about the right to food for all as one of our basic human rights.

Where: Atrek Sports Complex, next to East Bank High School, in Alexandra Township, Johannesburg.

When: 10 a.m. to 2 pm. 15th July 2008

This is a unique opportunity to create hope for a HungerFREE World by reiterating the vision of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – that hunger will be eradicated when all states respect, protect and fulfil the basic human right to food. ActionAid is working in partnership with the ‘Every Human Has Rights Campaign’ celebrating the 60th anniversary year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

ActionAid is an international anti-poverty agency working in over 40 countries, taking sides with poor people, to end poverty and injustice together.

Circle Up Now is a global art and human rights experience that is uniting, inspiring and motivating individuals on every continent to stand up and celebrate their rights, as well as commit themselves to defending the rights of those who cannot. Using human aerial artwork the Circle Up Now team are producing a series of live global events to benefit the human rights movement and the organisations that work for its advancement on a daily basis.

Twenty Thousand Drums: Transformation Through Celebration (20 000 Drums) is committed to personal empowerment, moral regeneration, social cohesion and community development, skills transfer and job creation. 20 000 Drums concentrates on previously disadvantaged individuals and communities.

Circle Up Now: www.circleupnow.org. ActionAid: www.actionaid.org
The Elders: www.theelders.org Twenty Thousand Drums: www.20000drums.org.za

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This event has been submitted by one of the blog readers

Another old South African icon has passed away.

Former SA heavyweight champion Mike Schutte, one of the most unforgettable characters in SA boxing and wrestling, has died at the age of 57. He had been ill with cancer for some time.

Schutte made his professional debut in May 1971 when he stopped Doug de Wet and remained undefeated in his next 13 fights. He subsequently lost on a disqualification to Johnny Britz.

Known for having the shortest reach of any SA Heavyweight boxer, he not only dominated the SA boxing scene but also a number of international contenders.

Among those he beat were Roy “Cookie” Wallace, Joe “King ‘Roman, twice, Bill Carson, Obie English, Pat Duncan, Tommy Kost, Terry Hinke, Rodney Bobick and Chuck Wepner.

His biggest and most memorable fights were from 1972 - 1975 against Jimmy Richards.

One of his other memorable fights was the 1977 bout against up-comer Gerrie Coetzee which has often been termed ‘the dirtiest fight ever seen’. He lost due to disqualification in the 6th round.

Another amazing match was his bout with Kallie Knoetze in 1977 where he was KO’ed in the second round.

Following his bout with Neil Malpass from England, he announced his retirement on June 18, 1979.

Mike went on to become a professional wrestler where he provided people hours of entertainment - particularly when he put up his fists and teased his opponent.

Mike was also well known in the music industry as an entertainer.

To the Schutte family and friends, Blog South Africa wishes to express our sincere condolences and thoughts in this sad time.

Thanks Mike for all the entertainment you gave us over the years. We will not forget you!