Saturday (March 28, 2009)

I went on a walkabout around the Hong Kong Stadium during Day2 of the Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens, most notably the infamous South Stand.  South Africans in all shapes, sizes and colours were all over the place.

Here are some pictures, for more pics from the Hong Kong Sevens, have a look at our Flickr albums:

Cheers Oom!  A Bok fan on the South Stand (Day 2 Saturday)

Ag Please Jannie… squeeze me!

BlitzBokke.com is THE website to be on for all the latest direct and as it happens from the Hong Kong Stadium!  Pics of Springbok fans, regular updates on the weather, game-by-match score updates and a little more from the Bok games.

Go there NOW!

Outsiders SOC GEN Pyrenees stormed into the Cup round on a day of upsets at the GFI HKFC Tens on Wednesday (March 25).The French team won all three of their Pool B matches on day one of the tournament at Hong Kong Football Club, including a stunning 7-5 upset of second seeds Aliens.  Pyrenees – with former French international scrumhalf Philippe Carbonneau pulling the strings – also recorded a 17-7 victory over the HKRFU Chairman’s X and beat China Agricultural University 49-0.

“Everyone is very happy,” said Pyrenees co-manager Bruno Leroy. “The key game was obviously against Aliens. We were leading 7-0 when we got a yellow card and at that time we really showed we were all together.  “Although Aliens scored a try while we were down to nine men, we defended very well and got the victory.”

Pyrenees won the fourth-tier Shield on their Tens debut last year and were not expected to put up such a strong challenge the big teams this time around.

“We didn’t expect to finish first in the pool and now we will try to go as far as possible in the Cup, but of course we will need some luck as well,” added Leroy.

Aliens won their other two games to finish second in the pool and secure a place in the Cup competition on Thursday (March 26).

Hosts Hong Kong Football Club produced another shock result with a 7-5 victory over South African newcomers Scatterlings of Africa, who had 2007 Rugby World Cup winner Bobby Skinstad in their line-up.

That victory helped Club to second place in Pool D – and a place in the Cup – behind winners Borneo Eagles.

Scatterlings, the fourth seeds, finished third in the group and will play in the Bowl competition.

Top seeds Penguins won Pool A with three victories over Devils Advocate Wanchai Wanderers (61-5), Wild Titans (22-7) and Hill & Associates TROX AITCS HK Barbarians (22-5).

“Our aim today was three wins and we achieved that, so we’re happy,” said Penguins manager Craig Brown. “Things didn’t always go our way and the second two games were quite hard, which we’re pleased about because we don’t want to turn up on day two undercooked.”

The Titans, the first German team to compete in the Tens, finished second in the pool to progress to the Cup.
No.3 seeds the Alternative New Zealand Legends – sponsored by a group of 15 rugby fans from the hedge fund industry – topped Pool C with victories over the Champion Systems Overseas Old Boys (36-0), Playmore Phantoms (17-12) and the Irish Vikings (47-0).

Playmore Phantoms won their other two matches to advance to the Cup.

Sixteen club and invitational teams from around the world are competing in the Tens. The tournament concludes on Thursday with knockout matches for the Cup, Plate, Bowl and Shield. Play begins at 10:15am and tickets costing HK$200 can be bought at the gate.

The Tens is once again title sponsored by global cash and derivatives broker GFI

The Scatterlings of Africa Ten-a-side rugby team made their debut at the GFI HKFC Tens in driving rain this morning.  The team was clad in a unique leopard-skin print rugby jersey with a red African-continent motif on the chest.

Scatterlings of Africa warming up in drivng rain (Bob Skinstad in No.2)

Scatterlings of Africa is led by former Springbok captain Bob Skinstad who last played competitive rugby in the SAR during the 1997 Sevens Rugby World Cup, when the Springboks lost to Fiji in a thrilling Cup Final.

In a hard-fought game against the HK Football Club (HKFC) the wet conditions prevented the game from being the spectacle of running rugby that everyone expected, and the South African unfortunately went to 7-5 to the local side.

Bobby Skinstad will be the guest speaker at the SA Association in Hong Kong Sevens Dinner tonight where the Association of expatriates will officially welcome the SA Sevens team to Hong Kong.

I just received the following e-mail regarding the voting procedure for expatriate South Africans here in the SAR.  I quote:

This email is directed to all South Africans who wish vote in the National and Provincial Elections on the 22nd April, 2009.

Please note that all information relevant to the elections is available at http://www.elections.org.za/

Important dates to remember:

Friday, 27th March, 2009 is the last day you can apply to the Independant Election Committee for the right to cast an overseas vote.

Wednesday, 15th April, 2009 is the day you may cast your vote at the South Afrcan Consulate’s office in Hong Kong if you have met the registration requirments and have your passport and green ID book with a barcode.

Procedure to follow:

In order to vote, you have to have your name on a voters’ roll in South Africa. You may check at the above website, by entering your ID number, to see if you are registered.

If you voted in 1994, your name does not appear on the current voters’ rolls. You must have registered as a voter after 1994. The voters’ rolls have closed. Thus if you have not registered, there is no way that you can take part in the upcoming election.

If you are a registered voter, you have passed the first hurdle. Next you must ensure that you are registered with the Independant Election Committee as an Overseas Voter.

In order to do that, you need to complete form VEC10 and email it to vec10@elections.org.za by Friday, 27th March. I would advise that you check that the IEC has received and registered your application.

There is no information on the website how to do this. Maybe you will receive an email confirming that you are registered.

Now that you are registered, you have to arrive at the Consulate on the 15th April 2009 with your passport and your South African ID book. Please note that the ID book must be the new bar-coded version.

The Consulate will inform us later of the voting times.

Please note that the IEC will forward the names of the people eligible to vote in Hong Kong to the Consulate. You will not be allowed to vote if your name does not appear on that list.

If you have any questions, you may contact me or Ms Zozo Dyani at the Consulate. Her email is: dyanien@foreign.gov.za

To add to the above, my personal understanding is that expats cannot cast a vote for the Provincial Elections, but only a National Vote.

Watch this space…

Man, Hong Kongers CAN throw a tantrum!  I just picked this gem up on YouTube and comes hot on the heel of another classic Hong Kong tantrum at the Chek Lap Kok Airport.  The woman in this clip freaks out when told that the eatery has no more shark-fin soup. Ai Yaaa!

Enjoy!

(Johannesburg  12/03/2009 13:38)

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) said it was ready to accommodate registered voters living overseas, following Thursday’s Constitutional Court judgment on the matter.

“All we have to look at now is the numbers we are talking about,” said chief electoral officer Pansy Tlakula after the judgment in Johannesburg.

In two judgments, the court ruled that all registered voters living overseas can vote for national assembly representation on April 22 provided they notify the commission of their intention by March 27.

But, the court did not support an application to allow registration overseas, nor a vote for provincial representation.

“We are relieved this is over,” said Tlakula.  “There is certainty on the matter and we will able to start preparing for overseas votes.”

Contingency plans

About 5 000 people had already notified the commission of their intention to vote.

“We expect the numbers will maybe double or more.”  She was relieved the court only ruled for registered voters.

The commission always planned for a “worst case scenario” and had previously had to provide three million extra ballot papers in a last minute court success by the African Christian Democratic Party in a previous election.  “We had some contingency plans so it wasn’t a problem for us.”

Willie Spies, lawyer for Pretoria teacher Willem Richter who got the Pretoria High Court to support his bid to vote while he works in the UK, said he was very pleased with the judgment.

“His mother (Richter’s) is here and she will probably SMS him straight away,” said Spies.  “We got exactly what we asked for.”

Anthony Penderis of the A-Party, who had hoped to get unregistered voters the right to register abroad, said the right to vote while abroad was a democratic success and they would work on the overseas registration.

Afriforum’s Kallie Kriel said they would now concentrate on getting the overseas registered voters to get in touch with the IEC before the March deadline.

Right to vote

Handing down the first of two separate judgments, Justice Kate O’Regan said the right to vote had a symbolic and democratic value and those who were registered should not be limited by unconstitutional and invalid limitations in the Electoral Act.

These had limited special votes to international sportsmen, government officials, people on temporary holidays and business trips.

A second judgment by Justice Sandile Ngcobo questioned why unregistered voters had left their court challenge so late, given that it could lead to an undesirable delay to electoral deadlines.

The limitations had been in effect since 2003 and they had not explained why they had left the matter so late, so they were denied access to the court.

He explained that the effect of the two judgments is: “South African citizens abroad and who are registered as voters will be allowed to vote. Those who are not registered will not.”

(SAPA)

Expats: Are you registered?

The Constitutional Court ruled on Thursday that registered voters living overseas can vote for the National Assembly in the April 22 elections.

They must notify the chief electoral officer of their intention to vote by March 27, the court ordered.

The IEC has not yet clarified whether South Africans living abroad will need to fill out the VEC10 form, which is the form those who applied for permission to cast a special vote submitted to the chief electoral officer.

Expats who have not yet registered will not be allowed to register ahead of the April 22 elections.

Registration with the IEC closed on February 11. In terms of legislation, the window for new voters to register closes when the election date is proclaimed by the President in the government gazette.

There are three ways to check if you are registered to vote with the IEC.

Expats can visit elections.org and enter their ID number and a verification code to check their registration details on line.

Inside South Africa, potential voters can SMS their ID number to 32810 or call the IEC on 0800 11 8000.

(Thanks to News24)

I was just listening to the Chief Electoral Officer of the South African Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Pansy Tlakula on Cape Talk where she clarified certain issues. 

I’ll try to summize:

1.  You can only bring out an national vote

2. You can only vote if you are already registered

The issue about registering while overseas has been referred by the Constitutional Court to a lower court for a ruling.  This will, however not happen in time for this year’s elections.

3. You have to notify the IEC of your intention to bring out a special vote by March 27, 2009

You have to notify the Chief Electoral Officer and NOT the South African Mission nearest to you. (more details on this will follow)

4. You can only bring out a special vote with a GREEN BAR-CODED ID

A South African passport will not do.

I want to vote, but do I do next?

Well, first of all (1) determine whether you are Registered.  You can only proceed if you are in fact on the Voters’ Roll.

(2) If you are, then find you green, bar-coded SA ID document.

(3) If you have this, notify the Chief Electoral Officer of the IEC.

I will contact the SA Consulate-General in Hong Kong to get the latest and place it on Howzit Hong Kong.

Please also have a look at the IEC website.

Stay tuned.

The Constitutional Court ruled on Thursday that registered voters living overseas can vote for the national assembly in the April 22 elections, but those who have not yet registered will not be allowed to vote.Those who can vote must notify the chief electoral officer of their intention to vote by March 27, the court ordered.

Handing down the first of two separate judgments Justice Kate O’Regan said the right to vote had a symbolic and democratic value and those who were registered should not be limited by unconstitutional and invalid limitations in the Electoral Act.

However, a second judgment by Justice Sandile Ngcobo found that unregistered voters overseas could not vote.

The limitations had been in effect since 2003 and the applicants had not explained why they had left the challenge so late.

Two judgments

He explained that the effect of the two judgments is: “South African citizens abroad and who are registered as voters will be allowed to vote. Those who are not registered will not.”

This follows an application by the Freedom Front Plus on behalf of a Pretoria school teacher working in the UK, as well as representation by the Inkatha Freedom Party, the Democratic Alliance, the A-Party, a lobby group, and an independent group of South Africans living overseas.

They had argued that it is their constitutional right to vote and that limitations in the Electoral Act which meant they did not fall into the certain categories allowed to vote, were unfair.

A judgment in favour of the teacher, Willem Richter, in the Pretoria High court in February ordered that the minister of home affairs and the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) extend the right to special votes to all categories of registered voters who are away from South Africa.

The IEC had to amend the Election Regulations accordingly.

Following that judgment the second judgment began, which relates to being able to register for the vote overseas.

(SAPA)