25 years ago

A KIMBERLEY Anglican priest, who is the editor of a monthly newspaper, was yesterday fined R200 (or 50 days) in the Kimberley Regional Court for unlawful possession of two banned publications. He was charged with possession of “Torture in South Africa” and “South Africa, A Police State”.

CONTRARY to popular belief, I sometimes do have “aha moments”. And this past weekend I had one of those.

Now I’m not 100% sure if it was actually an “aha moment” or just the tiredness affecting my brain. Whichever one it was doesn’t really matter as at least it is brimming with positivity. Trust me, we need a lot of that especially nowadays.

Instead of wallowing in selfpity and having a “woe is me” attitude, do something about your situation.

That is exactly what I decided to do this weekend. I have been in a bit of a slump the last couple of weeks, not feeling too good about myself.

I decided that maybe changing the colour of my hair would make me feel a little better. So off to the hairdresser I went and got some highlights put in.

Besides making me feel better I thought that maybe I could counter the attack of grey which was just taking over.

Sadly to say, that just didn’t do it for me. I need to point out, however, that I’m a natural dark head and the stylist that did my hair last month was quite happy to point out that I have a lot of red pigmentation in my hair.

So no matter what colour was put on my hair, the red would always come through.

I must say, it has been somewhat of an adjustment after getting the highlights.

It’s taken some getting used to as I’m now a bit spotted.

Some pieces are whiter than Billy Idol’s hair, some spots are black, then there is some patches from arch-enemy the grey, while other places – as someone pointed out – look like an “orange-atang” with some yellow thrown in for good measure.

Needless to say this wasn’t really working for me.

It was therefore after catching a glimpse of my reflection that I decided that was it. I’m tired of looking the way I look in my tired old clothes, I’m tired of having my shaggy hair that doesn’t actually have a style and is multi-coloured, I’m just tired …

I then started Googling what clothes, hairstyles and colour would suit me.

Boy, did I have fun. I never thought I would be so interested in such “girly” stuff.

I then decided to be proactive and went to a clothing shop and went to fit on clothes which Google said would suit my body shape.

I have to give it to them they were spot on!

I can’t wait for pay day now to go and fetch them.

I’ve also consulted with a stylist to try and fix my unruly mop.

Although I haven’t physically changed anything about myself, I already feel better about myself.

Most of you know if you don’t feel good about yourself you are not going to feel good about others. And trust me that is extremely true.

That is why I find it so frustrating when people, especially teens, start body-shaming their peers. I just wish I could shake them and make them realise that it is not what you look like on the outside, but who and what you are.

It’s like somebody pointed out to me recently, if people look and judge you on your size, just think to yourself you are more intelligent and cleverer than they are. That is so true too.

Recently World Obesity Day was celebrated and just like Aids, TB and mental illness have stigmas attached to them, so too have obese people.

It’s time we dropped the tags and stigmas and love and respect people for who and what they are instead of what they look like. THE UNIVERSITY of Cape

Town (UCT) is in the process of returning the remains of nine people found in its archives to their descendants in the Northern Cape.

This is part of furthering transformation and redressing past injustices, according to the institution.

The skeletal remains had been traced to a Sutherland family, said UCT Vice-Chancellor Mamokgethi Phakeng.

She said they had limited documentation for the skeletons, but that the people died in the 19th century and at least nine of them were probably Khoi who were captured and forced to work as slaves on a farm in the Northern Cape.

UCT senior lecturer Dr Victoria Gibbon said the remains were brought in by a person named CG Coetzee of the Kruisrivier farm in the 1920s.

“There are 11 remains, and the nine we are focusing on are from Sutherland.

“Eight of them come from one farm and they were brought here by the great-grandson of the original farm owner who did not live in the time they lived.

“They lived, worked and died on the farm and were laid to rest on the farm. For some reason in the 1920s he dug them up and brought them here,” Gibbon said.

She said she would start examining the remains to be able to provide a biological report.

“We have not looked at them. We only met with the families a week ago on October 1. The only information we have is from the person who brought them and we are not sure how accurate it is.”

She said the remains consist of four male, two female, two children and one unknown.

“In terms of the cause of death the family was very interested in that, and there is not a lot of information in the records but it suggests one was ill; children would have died of illness around that time, so I would argue that is why. One had tetanus, two were elderly and one the records show they may have been killed.”

Sensa Mietas, a family representative came along with her uncle, Alfred Stuurman, and they both said they were happy to be part of the process to return the remains. They said families would often wonder about who their ancestors were and where they came from.

“I think at this moment we feel very happy and we are satisfied that the remains have been found and that the rightful family has been found,” Mietas said.

– Staff Reporter