Wednesday, October 5, 2016

#Ibaredmychest


I am a contributor in the book #Ibaredmychest. 

 Here is a snippet of what my chapter is like: After a year a friend took me to a shop that specialised in prosthetics for mastectomies. I walked out that shop with my shoulders back and the bra and prosthetics against my skin. Suddenly I felt like a female again. I love the fact that my clothes fit me better; I love the fact that my stomach looks smaller but I hate those prosthetic things. For some reason I can’t stand to look at them. They are jelly-like wobbly bits of silicone. Imagine a man ripping off your bra in the heat of passion and one boob plops on the ground and then the other plops on the other side. I think I will do it with the bra on…If I ever get lucky again.  For more info on the 21 women from 21 countries who have contributed to this book, click on the link below: 

 http://bit.ly/BareChestPressKit

Monday, October 3, 2016

EUGENE DE KOCK - Part 11

Picture taken while still in prison but helping prosecutors (illegal photo)
Eugene was missing !!!! And no one knew where he was, where he had gone to; his family had not heard from him and his clothing was still in his cell.  Three months went by and still no one knew where he was.  Obviously I was beside myself with worry because it could quite easily have been that he had been taken out and his lawyer, JK, did not even know where his client was.  It was then that I contacted Conrad.  Most of my dealings with Conrad was by mobile phone while Ben and Conrad Kruger communicated via email.
Apart from making my daily phone call and my daily email to the presidency, I was also getting myself involved in anything that I thought might help Eugene in any way.  I remember phoning and then writing to the Shadow Minister of Correctional Services.  He was a total waste of time, telling me that the law had to take its course and there was nothing he could do.  I found that a pathetic excuse for a Member of Parliament.  My frustration level was beyond description.  No one seemed to be taking me seriously.  PP would also not respond when I tried to friend her on FB (she blocked me) or inboxing her.
I hunted down Adriaan Vlok and got his home telephone number.  I phoned him a couple of times, but the first phone call is stuck in my memory.  When I asked him if he could do anything  to help Eugene, he told me that Eugene could rot in jail – quick off the mark, I said that I hoped HE rotted in hell.  Such a heated argument I realized would not assist me in getting information on Eugene so the following evening, putting my pride in my pocket, I played the Christian role – the one that Adriaan played.  I reminded him about washing the feet of Frank Chikane and then asked if he thought that Eugene too could not be given a second chance.  All I got from him was a promise to pray for Eugene.  I felt like saying that his prayers were too poisonous, but left it at that.  Not even my contact in DCS knew where he had gone to other than telling me that 3 men took him out of his cell and never returned him.  All Eugene's belonging were still in his cell. Trying to deal with TM was a waste of time.  He knew nothing other than the fact that he still held our t-shirts.  His promises were pie crusts, melting in the mouth before taking a bite.  It was at this point that I found out that he had only recently been visiting EdK and NOT since he had been in prison as the media wrote.    

Sunday, October 2, 2016

#Ibaredmychest

This is so much more than just a book.  It is a social movement started by 21 unstoppable women with 21 chapters from 21 countries and will be launched on 21 November - please share. 

EUGENE DE KOCK - Part 10


Email to James, Ben and Dewalt
22/04/2015
Gentlemen - it was never about the money - I used that to get the info we wanted out of him. (info I wanted out of JK).  All I asked him was "How much would it cost for you to get EdK out on parole tomorrow"  JK thinks I am stupid and I prefer to keep it that way. 
I read that you say it is not prudent to change lawyers now Ben.  However, there is no harm with two or three other clear thinking lawyers having a look and giving another opinion. (and they are not charging us/me)  I will revert with the responses later today.  In the meantime let us see if JK allows me to speak to EdK at 4.30pm today as promised.  A few  members have asked me where they can pay money in for E.  I gave them  the original account that Miempie gave. xxx
(This is what used to piss me off with James Marx – he was always the echo of Ben.  If Ben said jump, Marx would do or say the exact same thing.  What use was he really?  He would even delete posts of mine, without even telling me the reason.  I felt that he had absolutely no respect for my intelligence.  He pissed me off regularly)
On 21 April 2015 at 19:19, James Marx wrote:
I agree with Ben. JK must get his payment from the state as E is still in their custody and not on parole as stated by the minister. As far as anyone is concerned there is no money for legal costs. (and I rest my case about Marx)
On 21 April 2015 at 15:34, Dianne Lang  wrote:
“I think he knows his costs are excessive and that is why he is prepared to negotiate depending on how much cash we have - which I will tell him we have fuck all but in a really nice way.  Expecting a call from him and from the other lawyer.   The Regshulp Raad is only available before you go to court and not after the event.   Are you satisfied that the money he received was actually from us or did it come out of Piet's pocket as is assumed by JK”. 
Now I realized we were dealing with a crooked lawyer (asking for money when he had said he would do it for nothing in exchange for the media coverage he would get) and secondly, we also now knew that the advocate was not charging us either.   The phone call that JK promised me that EdK would make from his office never happened.   I was right about JK being slack and no one knew that he was also representing Clive Derby-Lewis at the same time.  For sure, EdK did not know that.  What kind of lawyer were we dealing with?  Between visits from ANC to my bedroom, and phoning the presidency daily and writing letters, I was looking for a good lawyer that could take over from JK.  I did not know how I would do that without EdK’s knowledge but I knew I would find a way.
Back at the prison, Eugene got to see the Mama family which got a lot of coverage in the media – this being one of the conditions why Eugene’s parole had been denied.  The Correctional services had not completed the necessary forms of those victims that Eugene had seen, and JK did not check his papers before going to court.  Eugene had to spend more months in prison because the Department of Correctional Services and JK had not done their jobs properly.
Our small, but effective Operation Free EdK was itching to go, but we decided to wait until the next hearing.  If Eugene did not get parole, we were going to take him out ourselves.  Every eventuality was in place. (No one knew of this – not even Ben).  I think if he had known he would have flown to SA to put masking tape over my mouth.
I was also having financial problems that came with my health issues during this time, and Jim Hooper sent me some money to use for myself for medications.  How or who started the rumour that I was piggy backing on Eugene to make money for myself, who knows?  But I had already enough enemies in PP, JK and TM for any one of them to start this shit.   I spoke to our alternative lawyer, Conrad Kruger, who never asked for a penny and he took over.  We used Eugene’s brother, Vos, as the conduit to enter into the fray to find out about Eugene.  The silence surrounding Eugene was ominous.   Through one of my sources I heard that persons unknown had removed Eugene from his cell three days before the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Michael Masutha Judge withheld parole for Derby-Lewis but gave Eugene de Kock parole.   I therefore know the outcome of the decision but even this was not shared with anyone.  This is how I knew “The train has left the station”.   It was therefore no news to me that parole had been granted.
However, when no one heard from Eugene, and I had contacted TM and JK and they had not heard, my mind did summersaults faster than my stomach.  How easy it would have been to take him out?  Both TM and JK placated me with “he is out on parole” so there is no need for any more lobbying.  I was frightened for his safety and a few days later I again contacted JK to find out where exactly Eugene was and who were the people who had removed him from his cell three days before he was officially given parole.  He did not know which means that he was not on top of the case.  With my urging, he agreed to try to find his client.  Well, what do you know – straight to the media it went (his payment).  He was given parole on the 20 January and yet, not one person knew where he was.  By March, I was beside myself with worry and got hold of JK to do something about it immediately.   He seemed quite calm and unperturbed but he did make sure that his name was again in the newspapers.

CRIME & COURTS / 20 March 2015, 07:52am
Louise Flanagan
Johannesburg - Eugene de Kock is out of jail but still in custody. In a situation reminiscent of apartheid-era activity, De Kock has apparently been secretly handed over to the security forces for indefinite detention.Now his lawyer is planning to use a legal weapon not much used since the apartheid era’s mass detentions – a writ of habeas corpus, which is a demand to the authorities to produce a missing person in court so that the court can decide whether his continued detention is legal.Eugene de Kock's lawyer is still trying to find him. (Great comfort from the lawyer JK)This week, the Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services, the State Security Agency and the SAPS would not talk about what has happened to De Kock.His Pretoria lawyer, Julian Knight, doesn’t know where he is but has received instructions from him, asking for help.“We are instructed by our client that, to date, he has not been released from custody and has not been handed over to Community Corrections to commence his parole.
“Our client also advises us that he is currently being held against his will,” Knight wrote to Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Michael Masutha on Tuesday.
Knight demanded that De Kock be handed over immediately to the Department of Correctional Services’ Community Corrections section, which oversees parolees, given his parole conditions, and that he be released on parole.
“Should you and your department fail to accede to this request, we hold instructions to proceed to court on the basis of urgency for a writ of habeas corpus,” Knight said in his letter.
It is understood that De Kock is being held by security services in a house on the pretext of an undefined threat against him, with no indication of a release date.Protective custody normally requires the consent of the person involved.“They said initially that he was in protective custody because of a so-called plot against him,” Knight told The Star.
“His cell is locked with all his belongings still inside. This is not indicative of a person released on parole… All the paperwork at the prison indicates that he is in the care, custody and control of the SAPS; they have signed responsibility for him.”
While in jail, De Kock has routinely helped the prosecution services with attempts to resolve cases of those who went missing during the apartheid era.
De Kock is a former police officer who commanded the apartheid police hit squad based at Vlakplaas.He was sentenced in October 1996 to two life sentences plus 212 years for offences including murder.On January 30, Masutha announced at a public briefing that he had approved De Kock’s parole.This followed various parole applications by De Kock and court action demanding a decision from the minister. “In the interests of nation building and reconciliation, I have decided to place Mr De Kock on parole,” Masutha said at the time. “He has requested that the actual date and conditions of his release should not be made public. I have acceded to this request.” The decision about keeping De Kock’s release details secret appears to have made the secret handover possible. It is believed he was handed over before the minister’s announcement on his parole. The SAPS did not respond to requests for comment on whether De Kock was in its custody.The State Security Agency referred all queries to Correctional Services.The Ministry of Correctional Services would not comment either.“We have acceded to Mr De Kock’s plea to not give details of his release, so no media enquiries will be entertained on his release except queries on the minister’s decision on his parole,” said ministry spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga.
Now there were rumours that I was using Eugene to feather my own nest.  I was very upset about it.  Not one penny had I taken for myself and it had in fact, not only cost me time over many years, but had also cost me in postage etc.  And on top of all that, I had a niece of Eugene’s giving me a tough time via inbox because she SO LOVED pp and “I had vokol te doen met die familie”.  I wondered where the hell she had been all those years.    I have a big mouth but a very sensitive heart so her bashing me and on top of that being accused of taking money for Eugene for my own use was very soul-destroying for me.  I remember crying bucket loads of tears because of that.  It was during one of these very tearful phone calls that Hannelie  told me about Conrad Kruger.   I even remember that Hannelie gave me some airtime and that we talked while I was in hospital in Bloemfontein.  Three months after his release on parole, no one had heard from Eugene, not even his brother, Vos. 
Conrad said he would take on the case and represent Vos, and in that way, find where Eugene was without JK getting his cock in a knot.  Of course, I was also upset about being accused of taking money meant for Eugene.

Friday, September 30, 2016

My Fight Song


Like a small boat
On the ocean
Sending big waves
Into motion
Like how a single word
Can make a heart open
I might only have one match
But I can make an explosion

And all those things I didn't say
Wrecking balls inside my brain
I will scream them loud tonight
Can you hear my voice this time?

This is my fight song
Take back my life song
Prove I'm alright song
My power's turned on
Starting right now I'll be strong
I'll play my fight song
And I don't really care if nobody else believes
'Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me

Losing friends and I'm chasing sleep
Everybody's worried about me
In too deep
Say I'm in too deep (in too deep)
And it's been two years
I miss my home
But there's a fire burning in my bones
Still believe
Yeah, I still believe

And all those things I didn't say
Wrecking balls inside my brain
I will scream them loud tonight
Can you hear my voice this time?

This is my fight song
Take back my life song
Prove I'm alright song
My power's turned on
Starting right now I'll be strong
I'll play my fight song
And I don't really care if nobody else believes
'Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me

A lot of fight left in me

GofundMeSA


For the first time ever, South Africa (and Africa) will have their own crowd-funding page. 
It will be launched on Monday, 3rd October, 2016. 

 If you want to get onto the page before the official opening, all you need to do is to email me at dianne.lang1@gmail.com 

 What I need is a small to the point story (500 words) of what you want and why. 
Then I need a picture or two that will make your funding proposal stand out from the crowd. 
After that, I need to know how much money you want and when do you want it.  For example, you need R1500 by the end of October.  The amount of money and the time period are important. 
There is no cost to you and a small 3% admin fee to gofundmesa after the money comes flowing your way.   No money - no fee.  Simple. 

 Let's get on and just do it.  That thing you have wanted for so long ... that thing you wanted to do forever ... that friend who needs a new something or other .... come to gofundmeSA. 

EUGENE DE KOCK - PART 9

The very sad part of this story is the fact that we had to destroy everything ever written on our group about Eugene.  I felt that it was an unfair request given the timespan we had to do it in.  Without those details, it is difficult for me to remember everything that went on.  Although I remember a lot, it would have been better if we had those posts as a reminder of what went down.  Even still, Eugene could now have seen how hard we worked for him and where TM, JK and PP entered the game.   Ben believes that Eugene knows what he is doing with the previously mentioned people, but I do not agree.  Eugene has been institutionalised and he is a very private person – who would he or could he have trusted other than those three who popped up long after the dance had started.
I now have to rely on the emails to remind me of all that happened.  When one is in the middle of a war, we don’t remember the individual bullets and that is what has happened to me.
JK was pushing hard for money from the group.  On the 21 April 2015, I received an email from JK.  I am going to type out the email so that you can see what a slimy character we were dealing with.
Hi Dianne
Please see the email that I sent to Piet Croucamp.  I was under the impression that the was handling the money situation.  I double whether there is sufficient money to cover the total bill but what I suggested was that we see how much has been collected and then negotiate with counsel regarding his fee.  (All the fees were for the state and not for the advocate nor JK.  I have dealt with many parole hearing issues and have never heard of a prisoner having to pay) As for the last weeks work Gene had R10 000.00 paid in (by us)   R1000.00 went (sic)the sheriff for urgent service and copies.
Counsel and I spent 2 full days in court.  This excludes the drafting the day before.
We are meeting with Gene tomorrow.  I however don’t know what is going on and still have not received his parole conditions.
In short I don’t know what to say about getting Gene out and what we will still need to do.  I am enclosing for your information a copy of the Application.  I look forward to hearing from you.  Best regards, Julian”.
One of the emails he forwarded to me was dated 13 February 2015 which reads:  “Dear Piet, Advocate Roelof Du Plessis contacted me to ask what the situation was with regard to the payment of his account or a portion thereof is.  Can you please let me know what the situation is regarding this.  Best regards”
On 21 April 2015, I sent an email to Ben Kruger, Dewaldt Louw and James Marx.  “Gentlemen, I have got this out of JK by playing his game.  Please peruse everything carefully and remember that the last application – the costs went to the state. (why then was he asking for money when the state paid for the parole hearing?) I have forwarded all the legal documents to another criminal lawyer who has been in practice since 1991.  He knows E personally and was with him as a policeman at Vlakplass.  I will hear from him later today or night with how we can proceed”.  I then attached the documents showing that Clive Derby-Lewis was also being represented by JK (and I had been told that EdK had specifically requested that JK not represent any other person) and that the money requested was also for Derby-Lewis.
Ben’s response to me was:  “There is just no more money. Period.  Piet Croucamp is welcome to raise whatever he wants, but as far as I am concerned our group has been tapped dry.    Ben had not given much thought to the attached papers and answered me too quickly.  Thus, I had to explain in my next contact with him.
“Ben…but this game I played to get this info out of JK. All I said is that Piet does not hold the keys to the group or the money. The money is not the problem – the problem is for us to get someone else to take over because JK obviously does not give a continental shit.  Even his argument (in my limited knowledge) is flawed in the papers.  Apart from that – how the fuck could he charge the charges he has charged??
Please go through the documents careful and give me a way forward.  If we do not get JK removed and someone else onto this, we may as well wave goodbye to Eugene.  See us all back in the same damned place in six months time.  MC
This was a very busy day for me – the 21st April.  My next message to the gentlemen after I researched case law was this, “…it is the legal documents that go with it that is of concern to me.  How to get him out without JK being involved.  How do I get E to fire JK.  I have someone who can go and be at JK’s offices tomorrow when E is supposed to be present – but I don’t trust the time frame and therefore need someone to sit there with JK until E arrives and before they go back to court.  I have a criminal lawyer who is prepared to take on the case tonight after he has perused the documents…was all geared up to go this morning and now I can’t even get out of the fucking bed.  I am so frustrated with this”.
It was at this point that we hatched the plan to pull Eugene out and no one knew about it, least of all Ben, Dewaldt and James Marx.
Ben did send me a rather telling email “…and remind him (JK) that he told Piet Croucamp  in the beginning that he would take the case for free because he will get a lot of publicity if successful”.   Ben did not think it was prudent to change lawyers at that stage but I knew that we would lose the parole hearing – which is exactly what happened on the reasons I thought it would happen.  So back to prison went Eugene.    And now Ben told me that I could tell JK to go jump in a lake … I wanted him to drown.  I am not a lawyer but I had spent 7 years on this case so I was very clued up on the parole process – I knew that JK had fucked up and that Eugene was going to go back to prison.  I was right but it gave me no satisfaction because we were back at square one.  I was frustrated and angry because I knew that JK was fucking up big time, I could not get to see EdK myself and all his visits were being controlled by TM, PP and JK.
In the meantime, Eugene was being used by the prosecutors to sort out cold case files. He was taken out of prison by the prosecutors a number of times to help them.  Sadly, after I was asked to remove all trace of Eugene on FB, I also, once he was properly free (and I will explain that properly later) I destroyed the photographs that I had of Eugene when he was still in prison with a group of prosecutors.
I still get very angry when I hear the words “prime evil”.  He deserves a pardon – even if he is out on parole (and who knows what those conditions are apart from him not being allowed to speak to the public?)   Eugene will unfortunately never know how hard and how many people were rooting for him.
When I was first asked by JK to remove the FB group, my response was “Not a fuck.  Not until I hear it from the mouth of Eugene de Kock myself”