After months of applications, appeals and public backlashes, Mpenjati Beach near Trafalgar on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast was finally declared naturist-friendly over the Easter weekend.

More than 100 naturists defied the threat of arrest and a confrontation with angry residents at KwaZulu-Natal's first nudist beach as they let everything hang loose at the unofficial opening this weekend.

Hundreds to peel off for nude beach trial Hundreds to peel off for nude beach trial
On Friday, Hibiscus Coast Municipality averted a crisis when Margate police and the Concerned Citizens Group arrived at Trafalgar Beach to arrest the group, among them a pastor and businessmen, who had travelled from all over South Africa for the long weekend.
The 250m stretch of beach, which falls under the Mpenjati Nature Reserve, was given official nude-beach status by the municipality in November.
But despite the green light from the municipality, a group of irate residents from neighbouring towns remain vehemently opposed to it.


The Concerned Citizens Group argues that although the municipality has given the go-ahead, the proposed bylaw changes authorising the nude beach have not yet been passed.
The Rev Mike Effanga, who heads the group, said he had opened a charge of flouting municipal bylaws with Margate police. "They are in violation of the beach bylaws, which are yet to change. We cannot accept any contravention of the law."
According to the laws, "No person shall be on the seashore or in the sea or any other place to which these bylaws apply, other than a booth, toilet or change room, unless so dressed that, if a female, her nipples are concealed from view and, if a male or female, [their] private parts are concealed from view, and in each case by a suitable article of opaque clothing."
However, the municipality intervened and asked the police to back off. Spokesman Simon April said: "Police were misinformed and we had to explain that council still stands by its resolution."
April said the official opening of the beach was delayed because the council was still dealing with objections. "The delay does not mean council is not convinced [about its] position on the matter. We made a presentation to the portfolio committee for economic development and tourism recently. They recognise that the nude beach is a potential catalyst for tourism," said April.

The red tape hold up did not stop naturists from hitting the beach stark naked yesterday to surf or skinny dip.
Serge Pavlovic, chairman of the South African National Naturist Association, said the police had no grounds to arrest them.
"We are here legally. There is a lot of emotion around this - people don't understand that naturists want to be one with nature. There is nothing sexual about this," he said.
A Johannesburg pastor, who did not want to be named, said going nude did not "take anything away from my religion".
"In fact, it has brought me closer to God," she said. "But I have to keep this a secret - my church will not understand."
An agreed-upon list of no-nos drawn up by the municipality and the naturists' organisation include no photographs unless permission is granted and no sexual contact of any kind.

Source: TimeLive

A Zimbabwean worker holds a piece of rough diamond from the country's Marange diamond fields, inside a polish and cutting shop in Harare February 10, 2014.
Image by: PHILIMON BULAWAYO / REUTERS
An employee at one of Zimbabwe's biggest mining firms allegedly tried to smuggle 10 diamonds out of the plant in a ballpoint pen, the Manica Post newspaper reported on Friday.

Shakespeare Marange, 26, wrapped the gems in black insulation tape and stuffed them down the pen's barrel while on his shift as an electrician at the Mbada diamond mining company's plant in Marange, eastern Zimbabwe this month.
At the end of his shift he had pass through a scanner before going home.
"Marange passed through the scan where it was noted that he had stolen something," the Manica Post said.
The man has appeared in court in the eastern city of Mutare charged with theft and possessing diamonds without a permit.
Mbada is one of the biggest companies operating in Marange district, the scene of a bloody clampdown in 2008 which saw around 200 villagers and illegal diggers killed when the military wrested control of the diamond fields from locals.
Smuggling of diamonds from Marange, much of it believed to be organised by well-connected syndicates, is an ongoing concern. A Canadian watchdog said in 2013 that diamonds worth US2 billion had been smuggled out of the country since 2008.
President Robert Mugabe's government announced earlier this month that it would nationalise all diamond mining firms.

 

Pam Gardiner says that she doesn't know whether or not to stay with her cross dressing husband Dave Gardiner.

She says she loves her husband Dave but cannot bear his female alter-ego Cassie.

Every morning before going to work in an insurance office Dave Gardiner joins wife Pam and their two young children for breakfast.

But when he goes to work, he is dressed in pencil skirt and heels as his alter-ego Cassie.

Dave, 37, is living a double life: wearing women's clothes by day, and "dad clothes" of jeans and T-shirts at home in the evenings. And it is tearing his family apart.

"You read about wives who readily accept this sort of thing," says Pam. "But the situation is killing me. I married a man, not a woman, and every time I see Cassie my stomach churns."

Pam, 44, from Cheshire, is desperately trying to make their complicated relationship work for the sake of their young children, but the struggle is taking its toll.

She has lost friends, is drinking more and has even attempted suicide.

And she fears she may ultimately lose the fight to save her marriage.

"Dave and I don't have sex any more and we frequently have blazing rows," she says. "I'm just not sure if this is something I'll ever get used to, or if it will end in divorce."

Dave, meanwhile, reckons his cross-dressing is good for his family.

"I dress as Cassie to keep our family together," he says. "Before, I was stressed out, anxious and turning into an angry person. I was on the verge of a breakdown.

"Cassie was the lesser of two evils. I could allow myself to be her at work or lose my sanity – and where would that have left my wife and children?

"Making a clean break is not an option. I love Pam dearly and I never think it does children any good when parents split. Cassie is helping us survive."

He says he is denying himself the chance of going permanently female for his ­family's sake. "I'm prepared to sacrifice transitioning further to keep them," he says.

Stuck in the middle of this chaos are their children, a girl aged five and a boy of three. Pam admits: "I worry seeing their dad dressed as a woman will affect them and I question if they will be OK."

While Dave promises not to dress as Cassie at home, he spends hours online chatting to other transgender people about their experiences. "Essentially he is bringing Cassie into our home," says Pam.

When their little girl sees Dave dressed as Cassie for these photos, she bursts into tears and says: "I miss Daddy."

He insists he does his best to limit the children's upset. "I know it must affect them," he says. "But it's better my children have a loving father than one who is desperately unhappy and angry."

Dave dropped the bombshell he wanted to live a double life during a family caravan holiday last summer. It came after he accidentally "outed" himself, posting personal details on a transgender site he thought was closed to the public.

Pam recalls: "He said 'I've just outed myself'. He told me he was transgender, a woman trapped in a man's body. I was so confused and I didn't know what think.

"I loved Dave and knew he loved me, but I feared for our relationship. I didn't even really know what transgender was."

Dave's gender confusion began when he was 10.

He told Pam when they first met that he liked to dress as a woman, but she thought it was just an occasional thing.

The couple wed in a romantic ceremony in the Dominican Republic in 2006, but Dave now says alter-ego Cassie has been "in a coma" for most of their marriage.

Pam says: "Until last August he never said he felt like he was in the wrong body. I didn't have a clue it was coming. I had no reason to doubt we'd live happily ever after as a conventional family."

When the truth came out, Pam felt she had two options: to let Dave dress as Cassie by day, or to deny her children their father.

It's a choice that not everyone can accept. She says: "I've lost friends who don't understand, and my half-sister Barbara says the fact Dave dresses as a woman in front of me is disgusting and disrespectful."

Dave says he was devastated at seeing his wife so upset, but insists that he cannot control his feelings.

Source - Mirror

Pokello Chilling with Davido in Night Club – pictures. The Zimbabwean Queen of SWAG posted these pictures on Instagram with the Nigerian Artist David Adedeji Adeleke well known as Davido. I am pretty sure Elikem was close by coz i would not leave such beauty unattended alone.

After the Freshlyground was deported most Zimbabweans posted their views in support of the Government’s decision.

Zimbabweans support Government’s decision to deport South African group Freshlyground that was billed to perform at the closing ceremony of the Harare International Festival of the Arts on Sunday.The group failed to secure visas and temporary employment permits to allow them to work in the country.

However, the band on its Facebook page claimed that Hifa organisers and themselves had followed all requisite permit requirements and “indication prior to this was that the band would be allowed to perform in the country. It would seem the powers that be have yet to find a sense of humour,” wrote the group.



The post drew fire from Zimbabweans who lauded the Immigration Department for sending the group back to South Africa on Sunday.
In 2010 the group released the song “Chicken to Change” with the video denigrating President Mugabe as a dictatorial caricature and urging him to “chinja” in an apparent reference to the opposition MDC-T slogan.

Mr Munya Chikwanda Mike said: “You know why you were denied entry. You do not sing funny, degrading songs especially about the leadership here! We will treat you like politicians if you behave like them”.


Ms Vimbai Precious Tawengwa said: “A lot more people in Zimbabwe love Robert Mugabe and therefore singing about him in an insulting manner rubbed a lot of Zimbabweans up the wrong way.

“Dead or alive, the majority of Zimbabwe are pro-Robert Mugabe and the elections spoke as much, just like how the majority of black African leaders admire Mugabe and wish they could have the courage to do what he has done in his lifetime. We are not too worried about popularity.”

She added: “If our President is not good enough for Freshlyground, neither must our money be. They must stick to singing and looking good for the stage, they are not politicians. You cannot love our money and disrespect our President. It is just not possible. Well done Immigration. Freshlyground must stay out of Zimbabwe.”

Ms Michelle Nomthandazo asked: “Would you make fun of Madiba (the late former South African President) like that? I do not think so. If it was supposed to be funny then you should have included your people. Do not make your music political. You guys are too good for such underhand marketing gimmicks, respect people even if you do not agree with their values.”

Mr Takesure Chinhara said it was amazing that the people who were calling for change in Zimbabwe were South Africans, yet the Boers were telling them to go to hell in their country.