April 15, 2018
I correspond with a freelance reporter in South Africa named Ntozakhe
Douglas Mthukwane.
Things are tough for Douglas on many levels; He is a journalist in a country that discourages free press, I believe he has a disability he hasn’t disclosed to me yet but I understand it keeps him from easily working as a freelancer, and he is a black man in white superior South Africa.
My last correspondent with him went unanswered and my previous correspondent with him leads me believe he may have lost his apartment and computer.
“When your email came through I was at a state hospital treated for
excessive smoke inhalation. I stay at a block of flats previously
designated for 'Whites only' by the apartheid government. So you find very
poor white fellows who've practically given up on life still staying there
amid an “I don’t care" attitude.
I'm using the description 'white' because it was an apartheid definition supported by various draconian laws.”
Douglas wrote he is using his cell phone to email me because he had to abandon his apartment to escape a fire. Reportedly, a drunk neighbor caught the place on fire after falling asleep while cooking.
“I was woken up by a frenzy accompanied by a thick cloud of smoke and black debris. I could neither see the palm of my own hand let alone the escape route, my flat has one entry door. I heard ambulance and fire brigade sirens outside, kicked the door with my bare feet, and managed to go out. I collapsed only to wake up in hospital 5 hours later.”
He went on to say “I’m okay now.” However, Douglas didn’t answer my last email, which leads me to believe is having difficulty getting re-established.
So, fellow writers, news reporters, photographers and journalists. When you are having a shit day, a monster of a deadline, or you are becoming mentally buried in the current “Fake News!” rhetoric, turn your thoughts to fellow journalist Douglas and wish him well.
I will give you a new report on Douglas after I hear from him.
Things are tough for Douglas on many levels; He is a journalist in a country that discourages free press, I believe he has a disability he hasn’t disclosed to me yet but I understand it keeps him from easily working as a freelancer, and he is a black man in white superior South Africa.
My last correspondent with him went unanswered and my previous correspondent with him leads me believe he may have lost his apartment and computer.
|
| Douglas, from his Facebook page |
I'm using the description 'white' because it was an apartheid definition supported by various draconian laws.”
Douglas wrote he is using his cell phone to email me because he had to abandon his apartment to escape a fire. Reportedly, a drunk neighbor caught the place on fire after falling asleep while cooking.
“I was woken up by a frenzy accompanied by a thick cloud of smoke and black debris. I could neither see the palm of my own hand let alone the escape route, my flat has one entry door. I heard ambulance and fire brigade sirens outside, kicked the door with my bare feet, and managed to go out. I collapsed only to wake up in hospital 5 hours later.”
He went on to say “I’m okay now.” However, Douglas didn’t answer my last email, which leads me to believe is having difficulty getting re-established.
So, fellow writers, news reporters, photographers and journalists. When you are having a shit day, a monster of a deadline, or you are becoming mentally buried in the current “Fake News!” rhetoric, turn your thoughts to fellow journalist Douglas and wish him well.
I will give you a new report on Douglas after I hear from him.
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March 2024
I have on occasions tried to reach Douglas through email, the only contact I had with him. I hope he got established and is back to reporting and that the only problem is he changed his email address.
