The #IamStaying movement has certainly exploded on the scene. For others the more sensible meme is, IamStaying Overseas. But what does it take to just give up your country?
The Worst Ten Minutes Of My Life â By CHARMAINE CLARK
FARM ATTACK: 3 SEPTEMBER 2015 â Toitskraal, Limpopo
Around midnight I woke up hearing Masadi, a white long wire-haired Russell X, barking frantically outside my bedroom window. My first thought was to ignore her, but her bark was different from other barks. Too insistent.
I have a thick steeled security gate on my bedroom door. The bedroom door was also closed, and I have a small fan oscillating for grey noise to help me sleep through chickens clucking, cocks crowing and dogs barking.
So, I got out the bed; opened the bedroom door; disarmed the house and went to the side door on the enclosed verandah, which has a small opening to allow Masadi in, without me having to open the main door and security gate.
I called out to her and she came scuttling in as fast as possible and literally shot into my husbandâs bedroom; dived onto the bed and hid behind Chris.
The other 2 large dogs; Scar and Simba; were both not visible and even though I called out to them a few times.
I thought nothing of it, that they were not responding.
At 1.13 am I woke up again, but this time to a strange sound.
I knew the time, as itâs a habit of mine to check the clock, every time Iâm woken up.
I opened the bedroom door, it was quiet so I closed the door again. I went to the loo and whilst sitting there, heard the strange sound again.
AGAIN, SILENCE WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR.
Something didnât feel right so I stood quietly waiting for the sound. Then I heard it again, so I disarmed the alarm and opened the security gate.
When I peered around into the lounge and enclosed verandah, I saw a terrorist, with a dark blue balaclava bending by the window outside, trying to pry the window loose.
The sound I had heard, was window frame against window frame.
I immediately started shouting for my son Jethro and husband Chris, telling them there was a terrorist, trying to break into our home.
The moment my husband heard me, he reached for his shorts. At the same time, he saw a terrorist at the window, with terroristâs arm through the burglar bars, aiming a gun at Chris.
A SHOT WENT OUT AND MISSED HIM, EMBEDDING THE 9MM BULLET INTO THE WALL.
When Chris was running from the room, he was phoning Lukas Terblanche. Jethro, my son was phoning Kobus Malan.
I tried pressing the panic button but was so frightened, I didnât press long enough.
Apparently, youâre supposed to hold the panic button down for 3 seconds.
MY BRAIN DIDNâT COMPREHEND THREE SECONDS. ONE SECOND FELT LIKE A LIFETIME.
Both Chris and Jethro ran to the enclosed verandah. By this time the window had been opened and more terrorists arrived, one with a huge bolt cutter.
They were busy cutting the bars, whilst Chris was hitting at them with his heavy-duty torch.
Jethro was hitting at them with a pick handle.
At one moment, Chris dropped his heavy-duty torch on the outside of the window and one of the terrorists, bent down and grabbed it.I rushed off to the bedroom, where I grabbed the Police Baton I have and gave it to Chris, where he continued hitting at the window bars, to stop the attackers from getting in.
Then Chris phoned SOS and all this time, both men are fighting, to keep the terrorists outside.
THERE WERE SEVEN TERRORISTS
One terrorist had a grey balaclava, the others were wearing blue balaclavas, save for one that had nothing.
I tried to take a photo, but my hands were shaking too much. None of the terrorists were recognisable.
I ran around the house, checking all the rooms; making sure all lights were off.
Then I ran back to the men and shouted encouragement, for them to carry on fighting. And not to allow anyone in.
Eventually, the terrorists managed to pull the burglar bars out towards them and Chris grabbed it and pulled it back.