African Gangster
Jester Kisingo chose to move into the world of the African gangster. He had no need to - his father was a rich man, and he had opportunities aplenty - so the decision was deliberate. The poverty and desperation of Africa's slum towns breed exceptionally dangerous criminals, men who kill and torture and rape without compunction - sometimes they are referred to as 'feral'. Their activities are admired and copied by the young. One of the first things they learn is that brutality earns respect, and extreme brutality earns total respect. For Jester to have thrived in that environment is evidence of the levels to which he stooped.
Nigeria is earning a reputation for exporting its criminal classes. Many of the rackets in South Africa, such as prostitution and drug-peddling, are run by Nigerians. Nigerians, too, have adapted quickly to the opportunities offered by the internet, becoming famous for the 419 scam, often run from Britain.
Jester Kisingo chose to move into the world of the African gangster. He had no need to - his father was a rich man, and he had opportunities aplenty - so the decision was deliberate. The poverty and desperation of Africa's slum towns breed exceptionally dangerous criminals, men who kill and torture and rape without compunction - sometimes they are referred to as 'feral'. Their activities are admired and copied by the young. One of the first things they learn is that brutality earns respect, and extreme brutality earns total respect. For Jester to have thrived in that environment is evidence of the levels to which he stooped.
Nigeria is earning a reputation for exporting its criminal classes. Many of the rackets in South Africa, such as prostitution and drug-peddling, are run by Nigerians. Nigerians, too, have adapted quickly to the opportunities offered by the internet, becoming famous for the 419 scam, often run from Britain.
STEALING FARMS IN ZIMBABWE
To whom does any farm belong? Like all property, farms are legally bought
and sold within the laws of the state. But what if, as in most states in Africa,
the regime that made those laws has been superseded by a new, independent
regime which does not recognise the legitimacy of its predecessor? So Mugabe's Zimbabwe does not recognise acts which were passed by either Ian Smith's Rhodesia, itself an 'illegal' regime, or by the regimes which went before. In particular, the government, supported by the majority of the people, felt that the land which was owned by white farmers did not belong to them.
Even at their zenith in 1951, whites accounted for only 6.3 per cent of Zimbabwe's population; by 2001 the proportion is under 1 per cent. Yet one third of the land - and threequarters of the best farm land - was still owned by some 4,500 white commercial farmers. Mugabe argued that this land had to be returned to the African people who had held it in common before the coming of imperial Britain. That these Africans, Bantu peoples who had migrated from the north some 1,500 years ago, had 'stolen' the land from their predecessors, the Bushmen, did not enter into their thinking.
As part of the 1980 independence settlement, the UK agreed to provide cash to allow the new government to buy out large amounts of underused, white-owned land, but only on a 'willing seller' basis. At first, Mugabe went along with this but few sold so, under pressure from his war veterans, by 1997 he was authorising that land be grabbed, and the agreement failed. As a result, hundreds of farmers were evicted, often intimidated and attacked beforehand, with no compensation. Many were left destitute and fled abroad, clutching the legal titles to land which was no longer theirs.
The land which was seized was supposed to be divided up amongst the thousands of families who had previously been crowded onto African 'reserves'. In some cases, this happened, but the subsistence farming they practised could not replace the vast amounts of maize, wheat and tobacco that the old farms produced, which made a major contribution to Rhodesia's large balance of payments surplus before independence. Worse, many of the farms were handed out to the regime's cronies and were then left unworked, so the land quickly deteriorated; machinery was stolen, infrastructure went unrepaired, skilled workers left; the land became useless.
From being a net exporter of agricultural produce, Zimbabwe now depends on food aid.
To whom does any farm belong? Like all property, farms are legally bought
and sold within the laws of the state. But what if, as in most states in Africa,
the regime that made those laws has been superseded by a new, independent
regime which does not recognise the legitimacy of its predecessor? So Mugabe's Zimbabwe does not recognise acts which were passed by either Ian Smith's Rhodesia, itself an 'illegal' regime, or by the regimes which went before. In particular, the government, supported by the majority of the people, felt that the land which was owned by white farmers did not belong to them.
Even at their zenith in 1951, whites accounted for only 6.3 per cent of Zimbabwe's population; by 2001 the proportion is under 1 per cent. Yet one third of the land - and threequarters of the best farm land - was still owned by some 4,500 white commercial farmers. Mugabe argued that this land had to be returned to the African people who had held it in common before the coming of imperial Britain. That these Africans, Bantu peoples who had migrated from the north some 1,500 years ago, had 'stolen' the land from their predecessors, the Bushmen, did not enter into their thinking.
As part of the 1980 independence settlement, the UK agreed to provide cash to allow the new government to buy out large amounts of underused, white-owned land, but only on a 'willing seller' basis. At first, Mugabe went along with this but few sold so, under pressure from his war veterans, by 1997 he was authorising that land be grabbed, and the agreement failed. As a result, hundreds of farmers were evicted, often intimidated and attacked beforehand, with no compensation. Many were left destitute and fled abroad, clutching the legal titles to land which was no longer theirs.
The land which was seized was supposed to be divided up amongst the thousands of families who had previously been crowded onto African 'reserves'. In some cases, this happened, but the subsistence farming they practised could not replace the vast amounts of maize, wheat and tobacco that the old farms produced, which made a major contribution to Rhodesia's large balance of payments surplus before independence. Worse, many of the farms were handed out to the regime's cronies and were then left unworked, so the land quickly deteriorated; machinery was stolen, infrastructure went unrepaired, skilled workers left; the land became useless.
From being a net exporter of agricultural produce, Zimbabwe now depends on food aid.
14
One of the racecourses Ron King visited was the Happy Valley racecourse in Hong Kong. It was here he first saw racing under floodlight - and this was what he dreamed Pembane racecourse would look like in his lifetime.
ROYAL PRINCES' ACTIVE SERVICE in the UK ARMED FORCES
Prince William, second in line to the British throne, is a lieutenant in the Royal Navy, a Lieutenant in the Household Cavalry, has his RAF wings and is currently (February 2009) training with the RAF to become an operational RAF Search and Rescue helicopter pilot.
His brother, Prince Harry, is training to become a pilot in the Army Air Corps and is a lieutenant in the household cavalry, serving for two months in Afghanistan.
Prince Charles served as a Flight Lieutenant in the RAF and, as a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, commanded his own minesweeper, HMS Bronington, and flew helicopters on board the commando carrier HMS Hermes.
Prince William, second in line to the British throne, is a lieutenant in the Royal Navy, a Lieutenant in the Household Cavalry, has his RAF wings and is currently (February 2009) training with the RAF to become an operational RAF Search and Rescue helicopter pilot.
His brother, Prince Harry, is training to become a pilot in the Army Air Corps and is a lieutenant in the household cavalry, serving for two months in Afghanistan.
Prince Charles served as a Flight Lieutenant in the RAF and, as a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, commanded his own minesweeper, HMS Bronington, and flew helicopters on board the commando carrier HMS Hermes.
PHOTOS courtesy of - Hong Kong Race Course: Rudolf A Furtado (Wikimedia Creative Commons Licence); Prince William: Phooto/Gridge (Wikimedia Creative Commons Licence).
HORSE RACING
First started in the 18th century, horse racing is a popular sport in South Africa today, with race courses in all the main cities - Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban - as well as in many rural locations.
First started in the 18th century, horse racing is a popular sport in South Africa today, with race courses in all the main cities - Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban - as well as in many rural locations.