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From apartheid to affection: A South African love story in Singapore

Former South Africans Mr. Strydom and Madam Tucker celebrate their Singaporean citizenship, a sanctuary from their native South Africa’s escalating crises, from power outages to soaring corruption and a looming status of a ‘failed state’.

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1 year ago

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After living in Singapore for nearly 20 years, Mr Nelius Strydom, 55, and his wife, Madam Stacey Tucker, 51, who were formerly South Africans, applied for Singapore citizenship two years ago.

“Singapore will always be our home, because we got married here,” said Mr Strydom who works in the fintech industry.

“Yes, Singapore was where we came together as a married couple,” Madam Tucker added.

Mr Strydom was posted from South Africa to Singapore for work in 2004. Madam Tucker came to join him in 2006. They became permanent residents in 2008.

Madam Tucker said, “This is the place that I love… I think we are the happiest here than we have ever been anywhere.”

The couple were among the 479 new Singapore citizens who attended the National Citizenship Ceremony organized by the People’s Association on Sunday (13 Aug).

Speaking at the event, Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong said Singapore has always been open to the world. Last year, about 23,100 foreigners became Singapore citizens.

The Government said it had kept the pace of immigration “measured and stable”.

Massive problems in South Africa

It’s understandable why Madam Tucker said she is the happiest here in Singapore when her native South Africa is facing mounting problems in every part of its society daily.

In a BBC interview in May this year, the secretary general of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party in South Africa, Fikile Mbalula, acknowledged that South Africa could become a “failed state”. ANC took power in 1994, following the end of apartheid.

South Africa is presently experiencing power cuts of up to 10 hours a day, worsening South Africa’s economic crisis. Its state-owned power utility Eskom has US$26 billion of debt, old infrastructure, and power stations that do not work properly.

South Africa has an official unemployment rate of about 33%, one of the highest in the world. One in two young South Africans is unemployed and 60% are living under the poverty line.
The country is also battling high levels of corruption. According to Transparency International, South Africa is ranked 72nd together with Senegal and Ghana among the 180 countries in terms of corruption level. It is ranked below Malaysia (61st) and China (65th).

Rampant theft and soaring crime rates have compelled the private security industry to employ more people than the police and military combined.

“Protests have become increasingly violent and lawless,” said Kevin Allan, managing director of Municipal IQ. “The root cause is the exclusion of the protesters and their communities from services, political representation and economic opportunity.”

South Africa already a failed state

South African billionaire businesswoman and Executive Chairman of Sygnia, Magda Wierzycka, opined that South Africa is, in fact, already a failed state. She is also the richest woman in South Africa.

“In my view, we are a failed state. We became a failed state a while back, and I don’t think there is anything on the horizon that will change that in the near future,” she said.

The reason for this view is that South Africa’s municipalities are failing, and many have already failed – and municipalities are the core of the country and the backbone of the government, Wierzycka said. If South Africa’s municipalities fail, the country fails, she added.

Water is another problem. Citing data from the Department of Water and Sanitation, Wierzycka said that 45% of water in South Africa is lost within municipal water systems due to poor infrastructure, poor maintenance, and illegal connections.

The average global norm is 15%. As a water-scarce country with one of the world’s highest rates of water consumption, this is untenable, she said.

Politics in South Africa is also a mess, with some opposition parties switched “teams”, collapsing the alliance and allowing the corrupt ANC to regain power.

Wierzycka noted that “clobbered together” alliances have formed in many municipalities after the 2021 local elections, only to completely collapse a year later. Without a stable municipal government, the delivery of services is likely only to be crippled further.

“I don’t want to say I’m negative about (South Africa), but I am negative about it,” Wierzycka said. “I don’t want to leave this country, I love this country. But I am out of ideas in terms of what we need to do to fix what we are facing right now.”
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Crime

Singaporean fugitive deported from Thailand, to be charged with drug trafficking

A Singaporean fugitive arrested in Thailand, was deported to Singapore on 19 September 2024 and faces drug trafficking charges. Authorities expect him to face the death penalty under Singapore’s tough drug laws for running a smuggling operation between Thailand, Australia, and Singapore.

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11 hours ago

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19 September 2024

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A 31-year-old Singaporean man, wanted for drug trafficking offences, was arrested in Thailand and deported to Singapore on 19 September 2024.

The fugitive, identified as Benny Kee Soon Chuan, was apprehended by Thai police at his residence near Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and will face charges in court on 20 September.

Kee, described as a high-level trafficker, ran a smuggling operation that trafficked crystal methamphetamine, ketamine, and Ecstasy to Australia and Singapore using Thailand as a transit hub, according to Pol Lt Gen Panurat Lakboon, secretary-general of Thailand’s Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB).

Cross-Border Investigation and Arrest

The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) of Singapore had issued an arrest warrant for Kee following investigations into two drug trafficking cases in December 2020 and November 2022.

He had been on the run since 11 April 2016, prompting CNB to collaborate with its international counterparts, including the ONCB. Thai authorities were tipped off by CNB on 12 August 2024, and after weeks of investigation, Kee was apprehended on 17 September.

Thai immigration officials revealed that Kee had entered Thailand earlier in 2024 using a Vanuatu passport.

Following his arrest, Kee’s Thai visa was cancelled, and assets worth 15 million baht (S$585,000), including luxury watches, gold pieces, and a luxury car, were seized during a raid on his residence in Samut Prakan.

Lt Gen Panurat confirmed that the fugitive had been living an affluent lifestyle in Thailand despite lacking legitimate employment.

Links to Broader Drug Network

Kee is believed to be linked to other Singaporean traffickers involved in the smuggling of drugs from Thailand.

In March 2021, Thailand’s Anti-Trafficking in Persons Task Force (AITF) intercepted packages containing Ecstasy and ketamine destined for Singapore, as well as crystal methamphetamine bound for Australia.

Two other Singaporean men, aged 21 and 29 at the time of their arrests, were later sentenced to imprisonment and caning in Singapore for their involvement in these operations, which were connected to Kee’s trafficking network.

Death Penalty Under Singaporean Law

Kee’s deportation to Singapore brings him under the jurisdiction of Singapore’s severe drug laws, which prescribe the death penalty for those convicted of trafficking substantial amounts of controlled substances.

Singaporean authorities have indicated that he could face the death penalty under the country’s strict drug trafficking laws. Pol Lt Gen Panurat indicated that Singaporean authorities are expected to seek the maximum penalty for Kee’s alleged offences.

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Arts & Culture

Epigram Books to close SAM bookshop amid low sales and footfall

Epigram Books will shut down its bookshop at the Singapore Art Museum on 26 January 2025, citing low sales and foot traffic. The independent bookstore, known for supporting local authors, will continue to operate its online store, but its future in brick-and-mortar retail is uncertain.

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12 hours ago

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19 September 2024

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Epigram Books, a major supporter of Singaporean literature, will close its Epigram Coffee Bookshop at the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) on 26 January 2025.

The decision comes after years of struggling with low sales and foot traffic at the Tanjong Pagar Distripark location, marking the end of the bookstore’s three-year lease.

The announcement on 19 September follows Times Bookstores’ closure of its final outlet in Holland Road, highlighting the growing challenges faced by brick-and-mortar bookstores in Singapore.

Edmund Wee, publisher at Epigram Books, expressed disappointment, stating: “We tried everything to make this work. Over the past three years, we’ve often asked ourselves, how many people even knew our bookstore existed here, let alone visited?”

Despite efforts to boost traffic, including operating shuttles to increase accessibility, the bookstore struggled to attract visitors consistently.

Epigram Coffee Bookshop, previously located at the Urban Redevelopment Authority Centre on Maxwell Road and later in a pop-up at Beach Road, relocated to SAM in May 2022 in partnership with Balestier Market Collective.

The 20-seater store featured towering shelves showcasing local and Southeast Asian titles, including books from other independent publishers like Ethos Books and Math Paper Press.

However, the location’s industrial setting, which only saw spikes in visitors during major exhibitions like Olafur Eliasson’s, limited consistent footfall.

The closure coincides with the end of Eliasson’s exhibit on 22 September 2024. Although the exhibition provided a temporary boost to the bookshop’s sales, Epigram noted that the increased traffic was short-lived.

Epigram’s future in physical retail remains uncertain. Mr Wee indicated that high rental costs make reopening a physical store unlikely: “Unless rent prices relent, it’s unlikely we’ll move into another space.”

Epigram Books has been a significant presence in Singapore’s independent book scene, promoting local authors and holding literary events.

The bookshop was also a community hub for the literary arts, hosting numerous book launches and events supporting local writers. “These spaces are special to our literary arts community. They’re where book lovers gather, where literary events and book launches happen in support of our writers,” said Mr Wee.

Despite the closure of the SAM store, Epigram will continue to operate its online store. The publisher emphasized the need for continued support from readers: “We’ve come this far with everyone’s support, and we look forward to continued support from our readers as we transition to focus on online sales.”

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