Mandela's Great Grandaughter Died After World Cup Concert

JOHANNESBURG (AP)—It should have been a moment of triumph—Nelson Mandela, basking in the cheers as Africa’s first World Cup opened.

Nelson Mandela with his great-granddaughter Zenani, who was killed in a car accident following Thursday's kickoff concert. (AP Photo/Peter Morey)

Instead, South Africa’s beloved anti-apartheid icon stayed at home with his family Friday in northern Johannesburg during the opening ceremony and game, mourning his 13-year-old great-granddaughter Zenani, who died in a car crash on the way home from a tournament-eve concert in Soweto.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation said the tragedy “made it inappropriate” for the former president, who is 91, to attend the opening ceremony in Johannesburg.

We are sure that South Africans and people all over the world will stand in solidarity with Mr. Mandela and his family in the aftermath of this tragedy,” the foundation said, adding that Mandela “will be there with you in spirit today.”

Johannesburg Metro police spokeswoman Edna Mamonyane said the driver of the car had been arrested and charged with drunk driving. Mamonyane said the driver, whom police didn’t identify, could also face homicide charges.

“The Metro police found that he was drunk,” Mamonyane said. “He lost control of the vehicle and it collided with a barricade.”

Police spokesman Govindsamy Mariemuthoo, who earlier said the driver would appear in court for a preliminary hearing Friday, said that had been postponed for further investigations, and that the driver was not being held. Mariemuthoo said that was not unusual.

“It’s a decision of the prosecutor,” he said.

The Mandela foundation denied reports that the former president’s ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was in the car, but said she was treated in a hospital for shock after being told of the fatal accident. She was discharged after a few hours.

She was on the VIP list for the opening ceremony, and a press box official confirmed she was at Soccer City, but the foundation said later that Madikizela-Mandela did not attend.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, who was in South Africa to lead his country’s delegation to the opening ceremony, were among those who offered condolences.

South African President Jacob Zuma, calling Mandela by his clan name Madiba — a term of affection—referred to the death in the Mandela family in an address to the crowd before the Mexico-South Africa game started.

He said Mandela had wanted to be there, “but unfortunately there was a tragedy in the Mandela family.”

“But he said the game must start. You must enjoy the game,” Zuma added.

Mandela has achieved glory as a politician and human rights campaigner, but suffered many personal tragedies.

In 1969, three years after arriving on Robben Island to serve a life sentence for sabotage, Mandela received a telegram from his younger son, Makgatho, informing him that his eldest son, Madiba Thembekile, died in a car crash.

Prison authorities refused to allow Mandela to attend the funeral.

“I do not have words to express the sorrow, or the loss I felt,” Mandela wrote in his autobiography. “It left a hole in my heart that can never be filled.”

Thirty-six years later, Makgatho died. Mandela announced his last surviving son died of AIDS-related complications, saying the only way to fight the disease’s stigma was to speak openly.

Mandela’s family life suffered during years devoted to politics, as an underground anti-apartheid fighter and in prison. Two marriages fell apart, the second to Winnie. He began his 27-year imprisonment only four years after marrying her.

Mandela was freed in 1990. Four years later, his lifelong battle over apartheid won, he became South Africa’s first black president. He served just one term, then devoted himself to international causes, including fighting AIDS.

He has announced his retirement and desire to devote time to his family several times. Increasingly, those close to him and other South Africans have said the reward for all he has done for his country should now be freedom from the public’s demands.

On his 80th birthday July 18, 1998, he married Graca Machel, a veteran of the anti-colonial struggle in her native Mozambique, former education minister, noted international child rights advocate and widow of Mozambique’s first president, Samora Machel.

Graca Machel once told a television interviewer she helped Mandela reconnect with his family. Family photos released by his foundation Friday showed a relaxed and smiling Mandela with Zenani and other great-grandchildren.

Zenani was one of the anti-apartheid icon’s nine great-grandchildren.

Source:Yahoo Sports

The Oleh-Oleh Rendang

Hantu Laut

After having feasted almost perennially the past week on oysters and succulent Aussie's beef an accidental find of this little Malay restaurant on the quiet side of Hay Street gave me salivating nostalgia of home-cooked food. The spartan interior is typical of most Malay restaurants back home.First thing that came to my mine was, who cares, as long as the food is good.

I am not on a gastronomical journey but simple plain good food is certainly more desirous than pretentious ambience.As good as the food can be a bad service can kill your appetite.

The restaurant was empty except for a table of three launchers at the far end of the room.Malaysians, I guessed, but not sure whether tourists or residents.

Perth had a fair share of Malaysians permanent residents as any other immigrants.I have many Chinese friends that have migrated here.Some have become citizens of the country.

After browsing through the menu I decided to order 'beef rendang' with rice.Scanning the room I noticed some empty plates of previous meals still uncleared from the table next to me.By now I have the gut feeling that I have come to a wrong restaurant.

The guy at the counter spent most of his time talking in Malay on his cellular phone with his friend or girlfriend occasionally leaving his work station to go outside the restaurant to continue with whatever secret conversation that he didn't want anyone else to hear.

By now 20 minutes has passed and there were still no sign of my food.I called the guy and enquired about my food and all he said was it's coming.Goddam hell! I know it is coming but when without saying it aloud.The cardinal rule and always bear in mind that if you are not happy never scowl the waiter till you have finished your meal.

We all know 'beef rendang' is pre-cooked and can be served almost immediately unless the moron think I am not Malaysian, an idiot and do not know what rending is.

Beef rendang, empty restaurant and it took over 20 minutes to get my food to the table.It was rendang exclusive, without anything on the side, not good, not bad but just edible. By the time I finished my meal I would have spent at least 40 minutes in the restaurant and guess what? The empty plates on the next table were still there.Just imagine what the service would be like if the restaurant was full.

The Malaysian Chinese restaurant that I have been to in the Gold Coast and here did not suffer from such lackadaisical attitude.

The owner, whoever he is, is either equally incompetent with his "tidak apa" attitude or as clueless as when he first left Malaysia for this land.He might just as well run his food business from the warong in KL.

You certainly can't take the kampong out of this Ahmad.He has brought his whole kampong to Perth.

The next time you are in Perth try the "Oleh-Oleh" restaurant along Hay Street and hopefully I was wrong or too hasty in my judgement.

Is Kevin Rudd In The Rut?

Hantu Laut

While Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's popularity has soared to 72 percent as of late, in the land of the kangaroos, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's popularity has plummeted to a low ebb.The dire consequences of broken election promises and the new controversial super tax on the mining industry that Rudd is determine to introduce to enhance government's revenue.

David Hogan, the publisher of Scoop of Western Australia described him as Australia's most terrifying politician.

Kevi Rudd came to Perth and about 2000 miners, supporters and families rallied in a park outside the hotel where Rudd was to address a media lunch.


Instigated by mining bosses

Western Australia is where Kevin Rudd's new super tax going to take a deep bite and mining magnates are pulling their firepower to demolish Rudd's ruddy tax on the mining industry which has made some ruddy Australian billionaires.

Rudd's visit to Perth yesterday which the Sydney Morning Herald described as 'Rudd's journey into a lion's den could be a turning point' was indeed what it is.

Opposition to the super tax is confined to a loud but narrow sectional interest group.Out of 500 locals who turned up for Rudd's community cabinet meeting (never heard of it in Malaysian politics) only two raised the super profit tax.

One lady said if the mining bosses think they could not continue mining under the new tax scheme, the government should call their bluff and take back the mining licences and give them to someone else.The other, a man said the only problem with the super tax is that the government has not done enough to explain its benefits to the "man in the street."

Western Australia and Queensland are the two biggest mining states and opposition to Rudd's super tax could come from these two states as it could effect their financial health as the mining bosses would like to put it.

Will Kevin Rudd and his Labour party go the way of Gordon Brown?

The average working class Australians that I spoke to do not think so.They are more concerned with how it's going to effect their welfare and their pockets.

Kevin Rudd's political campaign to preserve his image has also taken on a new perplexing dimension........Japanese bashing, which got the Japanese being one of its biggest trading partners in a state of anger and confusion.

Ruddy Rudd contemplating taking the Japs to the World Court on its anti-whaling policy.

Will Kevin Rudd be in the rot with the Japanese?

The average working class Australians that I spoke to said to hell with the Japanese.

Australians don't eat whale meat and are very annoyed at the idea.

Will Kevin Rudd be in the rut?

The average working class Australians think too early to tell and said don't pay too much attention to the media.

On the home front, Najib's raising popularity may not necessarily translates into votes.Malaysians imbibe party more than personality.

The Westminster system has its drawback.If they think the party is rotten than Najib could become a casualty.If they think the head is rotten than the party become the casualty.Gordon Brown can testify to that.Labour lost mainly because of his lacklustre performance.

Unlike Westerners, Malaysians tend to hide what inside them.Opinion poll, can be misleading and become purely academic, particularly in this part of the world.

Najib not out of the woods yet.

Joining The Communist Party Of Australia?

Hantu Laut

Anyone for joining a Communist Party? Well, I did, for about 20 minutes, not for the ideology but for the cause of the day.....the damning of Israel.

Since the Australian government was mealy-mouthed about the cold-blooded killing of innocent humanitarian activists on the Gaza's aid flotilla, the Communist Party of Australia has taken upon themselves to send the message that what Israel did was murder and should be severely condemned.

The peaceful protest and public rally was held this morning on Perth's busy Hay Street, a shopping and commercial center of the city. It was an incongruous mixture of the discontents, the want to be seen activists and over-zealous members and supporters of CPA.The disinterested and the unperturbed but curious anyway staying on the periphery.A group of policemen staying on the side just in case.

Some photos of the demonstration.

A friend once asked me how come the British banned the Communist Party in Malaysia but allowed Communist Party in Britain and Australia.Maybe, we all know the answer to that.

That's the true test of democracy.As long as they don't take up arm struggle they should not be a problem.That's how the British looked at it.Unfortunately, the CPM (Communist Party of Malaya) decided that intimidation, violence and killing are the answes to taking over a government. The CPA (Communist Party of Australia) is now 90 years old and has not made much progress.The Australians are happy with a government that takes care of its citizens from the cradle to the grave.