South Africa: Wednesday

Protest at JohannesbergA fun day training today as lunch was interrupted by a protest outside the main building.

The protest was against the Editor of the Sunday Times (amongst others) who have been in the middle of a bit of a political storm around investigative stories published about Health Minister, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang.

You can see a whole special section on the story at the Sunday Times website.

The phrase rent-a-crowd springs to mind but this has to be the most tuneful protest mob that I’ve ever encountered. UPDATE: I’ve since been told about some of what they where singing – tuneful but perhaps not the nicest sentiment 

Luckily we where in the middle of talking about video so a good many of the group rushed outside with phones and cameras poised to record it. And so did I.

Here’s a snippet

Shot with a Sony Cybershot w35 (The original footage looked great and the sound held up well.)

South Africa trip: Sunday

Just getting to grips with being in Jo’berg, South Africa for a week of training.

I’m having fun. I’ve had a wander round some big mall’s, eaten a great steak and seen a statue of Nelson Mandela that close up looks more like Hugo Chavez. (maybe it was the wine)

800px-nmdsquarestatue.JPG
Picture for Wikipedia ( better than mine!)

But one thing that confused a bear of very little brain like me was coming across a Woolworths. In the UK a chain store for cheap toys etc. In SA it’s Marks and Spencers by another name. Very strange.

Woolworths UK Woolworths SA