Shaun's Sayings: November 2007 Archives

It turned out to be quite a memorable evening. I got the message on my blackberry about 3:15 in the afternoon. The producers from "Larry King Live" wanted me to be a guest on Larry’s show that evening at 6:00 PM (PST) to discuss the funeral of Donda West – mother of Kanye. I was surprised because tonight’s show had been well publicized as having the surgeon who had operated on West as a guest for the full hour. It was huge “get” for the "LKL" show because many media outlets had been wanting to talk to Dr. Jan Adams to hear his side of the story about what happened during the surgery.

I read the message further – Dr. Adams’ flight to New York was delayed so producers were putting together a panel of people that would fill time until the doctor arrived. If he were to show up in time to be on the beginning of the show, the contingency panel would not be on, which I totally understood.

I rushed to get ready. During the drive to the CNN studio, I kept thinking about what the doctor was going to say. I had been covering this story since I heard the devastating news that Dr. Donda West had died suddenly. I had just had an exclusive sit-down with both her and Kanye a couple of months ago in Chicago when they asked me to host a charity event for the Kanye West Foundation.

She was quite an impressive woman – a college professor who raised Kanye as a single mom and then quit her job to become his manager.

I arrived at the studio about 5:00 PM and was escorted to the green room where guests sit and relax before going on air. The "LKL" producer greeted us and thanked us for coming even though there was a chance we would not actually be on the show. He told us that Dr. Jan Adams had landed in New York (the show paid for his ticket) and was en route to the studio and they were very confident that he was going to make the top of the show.

5:40 PM – the producer comes back in the green room and says Adams still had not made it and to prepare to go on. He told us that he would give us another update as soon as he could.

It is very important to have a driver in Johannesburg. As beautiful as the area is, we have been warned that it can be dangerous for the unwary traveler. Jack has escorted us tirelessly everyday that we have been in the country - driving us over 100 miles daily as we both cover our stories and do a little sightseeing along the way. Petrol is about 6.53 South African rand a liter - roughly four dollars a gallon -- very expensive for the many people who can't even afford indoor plumbing.

Jack is a tall, slim, dark-skinned soft-spoken South African. He speaks several languages - English, Zulu, Sotho, Tswana. He's 52 and the father of two boys and a girl. He's very quiet and, for the most part, talks only when you ask him a question.

When asked about his life, the words come easily. He and his family live in a 3-room shack made of tin. He is saving up to build a house that he says will cost him about 52-thousand rand or about eight thousand dollars. After passing a medical facility, I ask him if he has health insurance and he tells me "no." When he and his family need medical care, they go the government hospital and pay 35 rand for services (which is a little over 5 dollars). He says the care is not good. I ask, what if someone has a heart attack or cancer. He says that they will probably die.

"A Second Heaven"

That's how Jack describes the end of apartheid. He tells me about the areas where blacks were not allowed to go unless they had a permit. If a black person were found in the white suburbs after a certain time without a permit, the police would arrest them and lock them up - maybe two weeks, maybe a month -- detention without trial.

I awakened this morning to the sound of thunder. The curtains were drawn and the room was black. I had stayed up past midnight watching a Keanu Reeves movie - one of the many American films playing in my hotel. I was happy to have a few choices because the last time I stayed in Johannesburg, the hotel only had CNN International and they repeated the same 7 stories every 15 minutes.

The thunder boomed again and I rolled over and looked at one of my two Blackberry's - the one I have set to J'burg time. 6:30 Sunday morning.

Because it was too early to do the math, I glanced at my second Blackberry - Los Angeles time. 9:30 Saturday night. Which meant it was 12:30 in the morning Detroit time. Too late or too early - whichever way I'd like to look at it - to call Mom.

A couple more hours of sleep - rain makes that so wonderful.

I awoke again to the sound of clinking. After staying here a few days, I knew the sound well. I jumped out of bed, slipped on my sweat suit (the soft one that makes long flights a little more comfy) and stepped outside my room that is locate right across the hall from the lounge that serves breakfast for guests on that floor. Three people were already there eating, sipping coffee - clinking, and typing away on their laptop computers. The wall of windows brought in the sunlight - the clouds long since vanished. I stepped to the edge and took in the spectacular view. Hills and hills of gorgeous jacaranda trees peppered throughout the greenery.

I am back in South Africa for the second time this year. The story that brought me here is a disturbing one. A dorm matron at Oprah Winfrey's Leadership Academy for Girls in Johannesburg has been arrested on multiple charges of alleged abuse. The allegations are that 27-year-old woman, Tiny Makopo, sexually abused one girl and physically abused several others. There are a total of 7 alleged victims - six girls and one adult.

Oprah released a special statement to me today that said, "This has been a huge blow. But you learn from your mistakes. I would very much like to look Tiny in the eye, like any parent would and ask why and how could you do this?"

As soon as Oprah found out about the abuse, she flew in with a team of investigators and they interviewed the staff and the girls. They then turned over that information to the South African police authority who, after conducting their own investigation, issued a warrant for Makopo's arrest. Makopo then turned herself in the police and is currently being held in a police cell.

She has also cleaned house at the school - relieving all the dorm matrons. It is believed that others knew what was going on and turned a blind eye.