alcohol – praag.org

Breathable booze thrill Britons

Britons, it seems, are thrilled about the new entry in the capital’s already saturated drinking scene: breathable booze.

The pop-up bar, Alcoholic Architecture, uses a humidifier to pump a gin and tonic vapor into an enclosed space. Patrons absorb their alcohol from the “Cloud” by breathing in the vapors and by soaking it in through the skin and eyes.

Descending into a basement on the south bank of the Thames, customers are handed plastic ponchos to prevent the smell from permeating their hair and clothes, then are led into a corner of the bar sheathed in plastic strips.

They walk in. And breathe. Deeply.

Sam Bompas, one of the project’s designers, says the alcohol “goes straight into the blood stream, bypassing the liver.” Patrons are limited to one hour in the Cloud so they don’t get too inebriated.

Medical experts don’t share his excitement. Dr. William Shanahan, a consultant psychiatrist at Nightingale Hospital, which specializes in addictions and mental disorders, called the method “a gimmick.”

“The alcohol avoids first pass metabolism in the liver and goes directly to the brain, which makes it much more intoxicating and the intoxication is very rapid,” he said. “This has the potential to cause serious side effects as well as brain damage in the developing young brain.”

Dr. Niall Campbell, an alcohol addiction specialist at the Priory Hospital in Roehampton, was even more blunt. “The last thing this country needs is another way of ingesting alcohol.”

Source: AP

State money for drug and alcohol parties

State money was spent on drug- and alcohol-fuelled parties, gambling, cars and buying expensive properties.

In less than six months, two black senior Justice Department officials, allegedly together with five co-accused, swindled the department out of R3.2-million.

Lovelock Modiba, 41, a senior accountant, and Floyd Vumani, 36, were convicted on Friday of racketeering, money laundering and fraud and face being condemned to life behind bars.

The state is to apply for court authorisation to seize their assets, including 4×4 vehicles and homes.

Modiba and Vumani pleaded guilty to stealing the money between September 2012 and March 2013. On Friday, Modiba was convicted by Johannesburg magistrate Fehmida Hoosen on 48 counts and Vumani on seven counts.

In her judgment, Hoosen said the pair had shared the money equally, using it to support their families and splurging on alcohol and drugs.

Police close to the case said the two also gambled with some of the money.

The case of Modiba and Vumani’s five co-accused – three individuals and two close corporations – continues this month.

The group’s modus operandi involved transferring batches of money, ranging from R33894 to R342775, to either their personal bank accounts or to those of the two close corporations.

The close corporations allegedly involved in the scam were Knowledge and HR Footprint CC, and Purple Fly Trading CC, which were represented in the alleged scam by Tseop Mosadi and Zanele Taleni, respectively.

Both Mosadi and Taleni allegedly had control over the companies’ bank accounts.

They will be joined in the dock by Seroke Molefe, a senior manager in the Justice Department.

According to the charge sheet, as senior managers, Modiba and Molefe had access to the department’s accounting system and the bank account against which its operations’ expenses were drawn.

They allegedly registered Vumani, Mosadi and Taleni as service providers on the department’s database, apparently transferring R3.2-million in 23 transactions.

The charge sheet says the money made its way into personal and business accounts of the accused.

Payments were allegedly made under the pretext of services rendered, such as training of staff and provision of stationery, when no such services were provided.

Molefe and Modiba were accused of being the ringleaders in the plan to defraud the department “on an ongoing or continuous basis” and of recruiting the other accused, including Vumani, a junior in the department.

As time went on, the accused appeared to have become more brazen with regard to amounts allegedly illegally transferred.

In one day in January last year, Molefe and Modiba allegedly transferred more than R400000.

In March, shortly before the alleged scam was uncovered, more than R600000 was transferred.

Molefe, Modiba, Vumani, Mosadi and Taleni were arrested in June last year.

List of South African government corruption (so far)

1. Multi-billion $ Arm’s deal
2. E-tolling
3. Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla Homestead Project (Project Prestige)
4. Nkandla Freeway Project
5. Misuse of the plastic bag levy funds
6. Police Buildings and the exorbitant lease saga
7. Travelgate
8. Tony Yengeni’s arrest
9. Jackie Selebi and everything about the trial
10. Jackie Selebi’s parole
11. Shabir Schaik’s trial, during which Zuma was implicated but no prosecution followed
12. Schabir Shaik’s parole on medical grounds, but suddenly, he has fully recovered
13. Richard Mdluli’s slush fund
14. Richard Mdluli’s abuse of safe houses
15. Richard Mdluli’s travel agency scam
16. Richard Mdluli’s abuse of state owned vehicles
17. Manto Tshabalala-Msimang’s liver transplant
18. Nathi Mtethwa’s private residence upgrade with public funds
19. Julius Malema’s Limpopo feeding programme
20. Ntau Letebele’s transport tender in Limpopo
21. Julius Malema’s transport tender in Limpopo
22. School feeding schemes in the Eastern Cape
23. Ms Dina Pule and the ITC Indaba
24. Limpopo textbooks saga
25. Moses Kotane Development Agency corruption
26. Msunduzi municipality officials using more than R1m of taxpayers’ money to fund an ANC rally.
27. Mthatha corruption case over fraudulent legal jobs didn’t exist
28. Ekurhuleni municipality corruption in awarding water meter contracts to Lesira-Teq
29. Thaba Chweu local municipality’s misuse of R3m in 2009
30. Endemic corruption at Nala Local Municipality to the point that treasury have cut them off
31. Desiree Tlhoaele’s axing after going after corrupt officials in sports, arts and culture
32. Viking testing station’s corrupt examiners
33. Police officers Linda Mlambo and Mahlang Shaku fraudulenty conning motorists out of cash
34. Sandton officers arrested for corruption after extorting money from a motorists
35. Willie Hofmeyer’s axing
36. Mvula Trust and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs’ job creation fraud to the tune of hundreds of millions of Rand
37. Government’s endemic over-use and over-pay of consultants
38. Glynnis Breytenbach’s axing
39. The spy-tape saga
40. Thosan Panday corruption in KZN
41. KZN’s misuse of R785m in 2011
42. Madibeng municipality awarding millions in tenders to its own employees
43. Madibeng municipality’s taxation scam with its employees
44. Madibeng municipality paying money to fictitious companies for fictitious work
45. Madibeng municipality paying for funerals that never took place
46. Madibeng municipality paying for home renovations for its employees
47. Taung municipality paying triple digit increases without consultation
48. Morake Incorporated Attorneys & the Rustenburg provincial department – R13m paid in fees for a disciplinary hearing
49. Endemic corruption at Mbhashe municipality to the point of the mayor and 7 others being fired
50. Corruption exposed by SIU at Rustenburg and Madibeng local municipalities
51. Corruption exposed by SIU at Moses Kotane
52. Corruption exposed by SIU at Bojanala District
53. Corruption exposed by SIU at Ventersdorp
54. Corruption exposed by SIU at Greater Taung
55. Corruption exposed by SIU at Tswaing
56. Corruption exposed by SIU at Ramotshere Moiloa
57. Corruption exposed by SIU at Mahikeng
58. Corruption exposed by SIU at Dr Kenneth Kaunda District
59. Corruption exposed by SIU at Maquassi Hill
60. Corruption exposed by SIU at Moretele
61. Corruption exposed by SIU at Lekwa-Teemane
62. Corruption exposed by SIU at Ngaka
63. Corruption exposed by SIU at Modiri Molema District
64. Corruption exposed by SIU at Ditsobotla
65. Corruption exposed by SIU at Kagisano
66. Corruption exposed by SIU at Kgetlengrivier
67. Corruption exposed by SIU at Ratlou
68. Corruption exposed by SIU at Dr Ruth Mompati District
69. Corruption exposed by SIU at Naledi Local Municipality
70. Awarding of tenders to Vivian Reddy following Zuma intervention
71. Twenty five cases, involving R768 827 043 in KZN in 2010 alone
72. The Glen Agliotti case
73. Diverting of public funds to Swazi King
74. Diverting of public funds to Robert Mugabe
75. Diverting of public funds to Zanu-PF
76. Funding of military equipment in Zimbabwe with SA public funds
77. Zuma’s corruption in numerous cases prior to his presidency
78. Fraud, corruption, tender-rigging, kickbacks and irregular appointments at Tshwane municipality
79. Endemic corruption at the heart of Mpumalanga municipality including physical violence to avoid publication of facts
80. Public Works’ endemic misuse of public funds for private residences of government officials, disguised as security upgrades.
81. Public Works leasing back property from its own employees for official use, while footing the initial bill too
82. BEE fronting for SAPS land deals outside of the main contract for PTA head office through Roux Shabangu
83. R2.4bn in improper bonuses paid out by SABC to directors
84. SABC paying fictitious staff
85. ANC controlling SABC with threats of fund withdrawals
86. SABC awarding tenders to its own employees
87. Ekurhuleni employees signing off on deals that do not exist
88. Land fraud in KZN worth R50m involving three officials and a businessman for farms and other properties
89. Department of arts and culture misuse of R42m during the soccer world cup
90. Loss of dockets relating to high profile corruption cases
91. Education department officials involved in examination selling
92. Parastatals’ inflated sponsorship of events hosted by the Guptas and New Age
93. New Age website having massive funds diverted its way from government budgets without readership stats to speak of
94. The City of Johannesburg rigging a large tender in favour of Regiments, an ANC-connected empowerment firm central to a consortium that made the JHB mayor’s wife a *multimillionaire.
95. On-Point Engineering securing Limpopo tenders through Julius Malema and his accomplices
96. Amathole district municipality awarding irregular tenders relating to vehicle tracking
97. John Block’s R112m tender fraud relating to water purification equipment
98. Gaston Savoi’s R112m tender fraud relating to water purification equipment
99. DoC official awarding R500k tender to his wife
100. Martin Masemola from Dept of Minerals & Energy receiving financial kickbacks and land for favours to friends and family
101. Bosasa and Correctional Services corruption to the tune of R3bn in tender rigging
102. Public Works corrupt relationship with Saab and the blacked out agreements that not even they are entitled to
103. R63 million tender fraud at Limpopo traffic department involving Mbhazima Sithole, 45, Felix Baloyi, 34, Mphateleni Musubu, 43, and Lufuno Muladi, 27, all directors of various companies that secured tenders illegally
104. Gauteng Finance dept awarding R23m in IT tenders fraudulently
105. Kelly Group securing labour broking tenders worth R372m by BEE fronting
106. Eastern Cape health department and their tender fraud worth over R800m in just one single case
107. Obed Mlaba securing tenders to the value of R3bn in KZN
108. KZN misuse of public money to the tune of R532m in 2009
109. Public Works in Limpopo involved in tender fraud for undisclosed sum late last year
110. Tshwane kickback scheme for tenders to the tune of R1b
111. Tshwane maladministration in their financial dept for undisclosed sum
112. Philemon Mohlahlane (ex Land Bank CEO) embezzling R19m out of the Land Bank for his personal and business use
113. Prestige Portfolio tender corruption at Public Works as investigated by SIU (this appears to be linked to Project prestige – Zuma’s development)
114. Bobby Motaung’s multi-million rand fraud involving stadium tenders
115. Ekurhuleni Metro IT tender for R21m that was used to buy Porsches and Mercs
116. Limpopo transport tender fraud of R63m
117. Limpopo Premier Cassel Mathale’s influence in awarding tenders
118. Buffalo City Metro tender fraud of R12m
119. Ekurhuleni Chief Financial Officer Mr Zakes Myeza, Chief Director Water and Sanitation Mr Slindokuhle Hadebe, Acting Head of Department of then Roads and Stormwater Mr Moses Maliba, Junior Official Water and Sanitation Ms Nomusa Malimabe and Independent Contractor Mr Miyelani Holeni’s all involved in tender fraud worth R166m
120. Julius’ cousing Tshepo Malema involved in corruption and fraud through the government worth R63m
121. Pikitup tender fraud relating to contracts awarded through City of Johannesburg for undisclosed sum
122. Vivian Reddy’s company awarded an inflated contract of R1.25bn for smart electricity meter reading in Joburg despite never having done anything like it before
123. Xhariep district mayor Mongi Ntwanambi’s fraudulent travel expenses claims costing half a million rand a year
124. Free State Government paying R140million for their website created with a $40 WordPress template
125. Limpopo Health’s unaccounted for R739m tender spend for 2012
126. Gauteng Health’s R1bn corruption in 2010
127. ANC’s investment body, Chancellor House, receiving yet another state tender worth billions of rands
128. ANC’s investment arm, Chancellor House, receiving millions from the Medupi & Kusile deals
129. ANC’s investment arm, Chancellor House, to benefit significantly from R40bn Eskom tenders
130. The spending of more than R13.5m on Nomvula Mokonyane’s home. A home that was purchased for R11.5m

Rape now almost as common in Sweden as in South Africa

As a result of immigration and government cover-ups, rape statistics in Sweden have shot through the roof. Sweden is the only industrial country that gets anywhere near South Africa, the so-called “rape capital of the world”.

According to international rape statistics per capita, South Africa is right at the top, while Sweden comes in at number six, after three Southern African countries (Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland), as well as Bermuda. How come Sweden, renowned for its social welfare system and hard-core feminism, could top the charts in Europe when it comes to female violation, just like politically correct South Africa has shown the world what sexual tyranny looks like?

Foreigners (the red bar) commit most rapes in Sweden, yet the government refuses to acknowledge the fact

According to this Swedish graph, rape is disproportionately committed by immigrants. UN figures, as reported by the left-wing Swedish daily Aftonbladet, show that the incidence of rape in Sweden steadily rose per 100 000 population members from 2004 to 2008:

2008: 53.2

2007: 46.6

2006: 40.6

2005: 36.8

2004: 25.1

Last year, in 2013, Sweden’s rate was even higher at 63 per 100 000.

As Aftonbladet puts it: “Only in the small African country of Lesotho were more rapes reported than here,” ironically forgetting about the “heavyweight champion” in this domain, South Africa.

However, the Swedish academic and government elite refuse to acknowledge the obvious, namely that rape is fuelled by immigration. Here is what professor Niklas Långström, an expert on sex crimes at the Karolinska Institute, has to say:

“The high figure does not necessarily mean that Swedes are actually at greater risk of being raped than others. The reason is that the propensity to report a rape may be higher here than in other countries.”

‘It’s the drink’

Professor Långström also blames a greater propensity to consume alcohol among Swedish men for the rise in rape statistics.

“We consume more alcohol and it is seen more in outdoor environments than before. This increases the risk situations. Say that two to three percent of the male population would be willing to commit sex offences in certain circumstances. Now they are exposed to more opportunities than in the past,” he says.

Government officials also regard the rise in sex crimes as a statistical anomaly due to “better reporting”.

Toronto Council strips Mayor Rob Ford of powers

Toronto’s City Council voted overwhelmingly Friday to strip Mayor Rob Ford of some of his powers, trying to box in the brash leader who has rebuffed huge pressure to resign over his drinking and drug habits and erratic behavior. Ford vowed to challenge the measure in court.

The motion, approved in a 39-3 vote, suspends Ford’s authority to appoint and dismiss the deputy mayor and his executive committee, which runs the budget process. In a separate vote, the council voted to give the deputy mayor authority to handle any civic emergency. The effort will continue Monday when the council moves to strip the mayor of most of his remaining powers.

The votes capped another frenzied week of twists and turns in the scandal that has consumed Canada’s largest city and financial capital for months.

Newly released court documents showed that the mayor became the subject of a police investigation after news reports surfaced in May that he had been caught on video smoking crack. In interviews with police, former staffers accused the mayor of frequently drinking on the job, driving while intoxicated and making sexual advances toward a female staffer. Ford stirred up further controversy – even offending Canada’s oldest football team – when he used profanity Thursday while angrily addressing the latest allegations.

Most city councilors are frustrated by Ford’s refusal to step aside but they lack the authority to force him out of office unless he is convicted of a crime.

An unusually subdued Ford said he had no choice but to fight the motion in court while also saying he understood why the council was taking the measures – a typical display of defiance followed by a flash of remorse.

“If I would have had a mayor conducting themselves the way I have, I would have done exactly the same thing,” Ford said.

The mayor, a conservative who touts his efforts to curb public spending and keep taxes low, later made it clear he intends to seek re-election next year.

“Councilors spoke today. The taxpayers of this great city will have their say Oct. 27,” Ford told a crush of reporters, referring to the date of the municipal elections. City Hall. A few hecklers shouted “Resign! Resign!”

Ford’s lawyer, Dennis Morris, called the council’s actions a “coup” and said they have hired a municipal law expert to challenge it.

The vote came a day after yet another series of antics from Ford that outraged city councilors, anti-drunk driving advocates and even Toronto’s football team, which protested when Ford wore a team jersey while making a profanity-laced statement.

“We need to take away his power for the good of the city,” said Councilor Denzil Minnan-Wong, a former ally. “The tide has turned and there are very few people that are prepared to defend him given his vulgar comments and his admission that not only does he takes drugs but that he seems to be comfortable drinking and getting behind the wheel.”

Morris, Ford’s lawyer, said he thought the council’s overwhelming support to strip the mayor’s power came about because of the public outcry over the obscenity that Ford spouted a day earlier while denying that he pressured a female employee for oral sex. The mayor said on live television that he was “happily married” and used crude language to say he enjoys enough oral sex at home.

“If it wasn’t for that stupid comment he made yesterday no one would have thought this (the council’s action) was appropriate,” Morris told The Associated Press. “It was a turning point for public sympathy. That type of remark is never every appropriate in public. There’s no doubt about it, he’s going to have to do a lot of leg work to gain back public confidence in him.”

Morris said the “media have been attacking him like jackals” and Ford “lost it.”

Ford announced Thursday that he was seeking help form a team of medical professionals, though he declined to provide details. Although the mayor has admitted to excessive drinking and using and buying illegal drugs, he and his family have insisted he is not an addict and does not need rehab.

But even Morris said the recently released court documents corroborate the fact that the mayor has a problem with alcohol. Morris said he doesn’t understand how police allowed him to drink and drive while the mayor was under surveillance the past six months.

“The problem drug Rob has is alcohol, that’s obvious,” Morris told The AP. “What I found very strange is that the police allowed a lot of this to go on under their supervision. If he was drinking and driving and he was impaired they should have stopped him.”

Ford’s troubles began escalating in May when news reports of the crack video surfaced. After months of evading the question, the mayor admitted to having smoked crack when Toronto police announced they had obtained the video. Police have said the video does not amount to enough evidence to charge the mayor and it has not been released because it is evidence before the court.

Revelations have rapidly surfaced of other startling behavior, including a video showing the mayor threatening to kill someone in an incoherent rant.

It has been a stunning decline for the 44-year-old mayor who was elected three years ago with fervent support from Toronto’s conservative-leaning outer suburbs, where many voters felt angry about they considered wasteful spending and elitist politics at City Hall.

John Filion, the councilor who introduced Friday’s motion, has said the goal is to prevent Ford from firing executive committee members who speak out against him. A motion to be considered Monday, already signed by 28 of the 44 council members, will take away his budget and appoint the deputy mayor as head of the executive committee.

Earlier this week, the council voted overwhelmingly to ask Ford to take a leave of absence, but the motion was non-binding. – AP

Cricket chief lashes out at ‘racist abuse’

Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland has lashed out at “racist comments” directed at Muslim Fawad Ahmed after the leg-spinner asked not to wear a kit displaying the logo of beer brand VB.

Pakistan-born Ahmed, who became an Australian citizen in July after his application was fast-tracked, did not have the logo on his shirt during his international debut in last week’s T20 matches against England.

It emerged Tuesday that he had “expressed discomfort with the conflict this created for him, due to his religious beliefs”.

Cricket Australia agreed with his request to wear an unbranded shirt, but this sparked critical comments on the Cricket Australia website and other social media.

“Legitimate reason RELIGION, no its not, it’s a game of cricket, not praying at a church,” said one reaction.

“It is driven by money and fans not by religious fanatics. Those who don’t like the Australian culture should leave, or keep misguided values to themselves.”

Sutherland said he was disgusted with such comments.

“Cricket Australia would like to express its extreme disappointment over racist comments towards Fawad Ahmed on social media… some of which are falsely attributed to former Australian cricketer Dean Jones,” he said in a statement late Tuesday.

“CA does not condone racism in any way, shape or form.

“CA is fully supportive of Fawad’s personal beliefs and he is a valued and popular member of the Australian cricket team and the wider cricket community.”

South African batsman Hashim Amla, also a Muslim, is another player in a similar situation and has been permitted not to wear the logo of Cricket South Africa sponsor Castle, a beer company, on his kit.

The sensitive issue also reared up in English football with striker Papiss Cisse pulling out of Newcastle United’s pre-season tour this year, saying he was not prepared to promote the club’s sponsors, money-lending company Wonga.

But the Senegal international has since donned a Newcastle shirt featuring the logo after talks with the club and Islamic teachers.

The rise of Ahmed, a former refugee who fled his home in the Pakistan border region near Afghanistan, where he said he was targeted by the Taliban, has seen him become a hero to some in Australia’s immigrant communities. – Sapa/AFP

Western Cape fights Coloured drug and alcohol abuse

Coloured youth smoking a substance in the Western Cape

The Western Cape provincial government has budgeted R87 million to fight drug and alcohol abuse, premier Helen Zille said on Monday.

“Our commitment in this regard has led to a doubling of our annual budget for interventions to address substance abuse over the last four years, from just R42 million when we came into office in 2009, to R87 million this year,” she said.

“This budget also includes increased allocation for public information provision and early intervention services to help prevent the onset of drug and alcohol abuse.”

She said half a billion rand would be invested in the awareness and education programme over the next five years, should the Democratic Alliance remain in office.

The provincial government was also in discussion with the health department and the Sultan Bahu treatment centre in Mitchell’s Plain, with a view to establishing South Africa’s first outpatient opiate replacement programme.

“This initiative is aimed at addressing the harms associated with shifting trends toward heroin abuse in the province.”

She said the province had made great strides in reducing drug and alcohol-related harms over the past four years. – Sapa

15 illegal Soweto taverns shut by police

Fifteen illegal taverns around Soweto were shut down on the weekend, Gauteng police said on Sunday.

“The owners were arrested and the liquor confiscated,” said Warrant Officer Kay Makhubela.

He said the taverns were found in Eldorado Park, Zola, Diepkloof, Protea Glen and Dobsonville.

A number of other arrests in those areas were conducted on Saturday night – many related to drug dealing and abuse.

Makhubela said the arrested would appear in various magisrate’s courts on Monday. – Sapa