I’ve started writing for Global Voices. My first post is about the Donn Edwards libel case. I really enjoyed reading the different perceptions by bloggers about the case – it’s great to look out more than in for a change.
Most importantly, I’m wanting to help set up a more permanent home for bloggers to monitor freedom of expression cases in SA. We’ve learned some great lessons from this case, but until a case like this goes to court, there will be many more acts of intimidation against bloggers in the future. Anyone interested? Please email me or comment below.
Update 14 January 09 from Donn Edwards on his Facebook support group page:
‘Hello everyone, the case has been SETTLED in a way that benefits everyone. The settlement is amicable and we had a meeting at the Protea Hotel in Midrand over breakfast and coffee. All parties win, and I thank you all for your support. I have made some new friendships through this ordeal, and it is good to know that the ordeal is over.’
Hblog 
It is a pity that the Freedom of Expression Institute isn’t better funded and can take a more active role in monitoring attacks on free expression and defending bloggers who are sued. On the other hand a community effort may be more effective in monitoring these sorts of attacks. One way to do this is to set up an aggregator that aggregates posts that use a specific tag which will be set up for this purpose.
Qvc blacklisted me november 2008 because I stopped my debit order. They claim that I owe them R103 000 and that I have defaulted on my contract. but the contract was mailed to me THREE MONTHS after it was signed at Midrand with an additional three pages that was not initialized by me and it was the first time I saw the three pages and to top it all the pages that was inserted differs completely from the rest of the contract.
I asked the vacation ownership of southern Africa to look in the matter for me but it is seems that Qvc is running rings around them as well!
It looks like Qvc is totally untouchable, nothing one tries seem to have an effect on their conpanies Ie. Qvc, Vestfin and Zenith whatso ever, maybe there is some attorney firm out there who can help?
nicole Klaassen