fred hatman

I’m no politician. And I’m no lawyer. I’m a humble country blogger who simply wants the best for my country. And any attempt by the South African government to constrain the media in their duty to inform us of what is happening doesn’t cut it for me. It stinks. It reeks of more bad smells [...]

What a lot of fun we’re having right now in South Africa, hey? With the World Cup fading into a yellowy-sepia tone, we’ve been given a rampaging-tiger-on-the-loose drama to hook into. What a jolly jape. What a rollicking rumpus. What a rip-roaring reality show. What a complete poephol Goosey Fernandes is. Goosey Fernandes. That tells [...]

So you’ve got your tickets for South Africa vs Mexico and you’re feeling very chuffed with yourself. Smug even. You’ve been winding up old Fanie at work that you’re going to be at the opening match of the World Cup while he he has to sit through SABC’s waffle on the game. But hang on. [...]

Continuing the in the vein of nature for today, my “Wildlife Correspondent” sent in this little winner… Yip, I’m not sure this was a nice kiss or a good solid jab to the jaw. Wildlife photographer Daryl Balfour would know but he’s so busy charging around Africa’s bush snapping away at everything that moves (and [...]

You’ll remember, dear Hatpeople, that I told you about that Daily Telegraph travel writer Charlie Starmer-Smith, a plonker of the highest order, who went into a lion’s enclosure for the first time, was spoiling his undies, got a bit reactive and got his leg chomped. While the vet was stitching him up, Clever Charlie laughed, [...]

Newly-appointed Hatman Mansions wildlife correspondent Daryl Balfour has got off to a start of no little brilliantness. He goes off to photograph tigers in the Free State… What? No, not lions. Not leopards. Not cheetahs. Tigers. What? They don’t live in Africa, you say? Well done. But they do now. I’ll tell you how tigers [...]