GUARDING AGAINST THE ENEMY WITHIN
IT HAS been a noisy week here in the Deep South as we celebrate Armed Forces Day with low-flying fighter jets and big cannon booms.
Some of Muizenberg’s older residents claim they haven’t seen such military activity since the British chased the Dutch from False Bay all the way to Retreat back in 1795 in what has gone down in the history books as the Battle of Muizenberg.
I believe the good folk of Muizenberg have been looking anxiously across the bay ever since then, ready to light the signal fires to alert the garrison at the Castle that the Brits are back.
Fortunately, the British are battling with problems of their own right now (and, yes, the Dutch are involved again).
The SANDF has the responsibility of keeping our country safe from her enemies. This time it’s not the British or the Dutch we need to fear.
South Africa’s enemies our now inside our borders, which is why military units have been posted to guard Eskom installations around the country.
Attacks on Eskom are most certainly attacks on South Africa. In the same way the burning of trains is an attack on the people of our country. Maybe the Eskom fiasco will be a wake-up call and prompt our leaders to post military units to guard the railways as well. It’s about time.
Every day hundreds of people pass my house on their way to and from the Simon’s Town naval base and I often wonder what they do there all day. I don’t see fleets of patrol ships heading out to guard our coastline. Now, of course, it all makes sense. We have to look inward – not outward – to spot the enemy.
I’m sure the members of the SANDF have had fun firing their cannons and anti-aircraft guns. They’ve made a truly terrible noise and caused an almighty traffic jam in Muizenberg.
Civilian volunteers were out all night, scouring the streets, collecting frightened pets that had fled the noise and were running about bewildered and lost.
The boom of the cannon fire actually rattled the windows of my house, all the way across the bay. My cats hid under the beds in terror.
Okay, we are all suitably impressed. I hope the defence force goes back home quietly now and gets on with the serious business of protecting us from our enemies.
This time they’re not coming from the sea. They’re already within our borders.
I hope those busy people in Simon’s Town are hard at work being trained to fight fires, chase and capture saboteurs and tend to casualties. Their expertise is going to be needed. Last Laugh
A movie director approached the teller’s window in the bank and asked to cash a cheque.
“I don’t know whether you remember me,” said the teller.
“I was in a musical show you once directed. I bet you’re surprised to see me working as a bank teller.”
“I’m not at all surprised,” said the director. “I remember your singing voice very well.”