Web diary

We drove down Hope Road but it was too wet to shoot. So we went to Tony’s place for coffee to plan alternatives and see if the rain eased. It didn’t, and we couldn’t get any other scenes lined up. Ruth Benjamin from the Jo’burg General Hospital agreed to meet on Monday at 9am, and we need Boonstra for that scene. The thing that I want to focus on now is setting up the confrontation with the perpetrator. Aliison and I talked through several scenarios and tried to make contact with Freda to make the phone call. She was out. So I decided to just do it myself. We set up the phone in Ian’s car with the speaker so we could record his voice and I made the call. [The perpetrator] answered and this immediately threw me in at the deep end. He told he me was busy right now but would call me back if I left my number, which I did. My heart was really pounding by this stage, but I felt relieved afterwards that at least I know he is there and that we have made contact. I rang Jeff and we had an hour long conversation. It was such a relief to talk to him.

Inspired by my phone call, Aliison, Moshodane and I went out to Centurion and did our first stake out. As we drove up, there he was standing outside the workshop. I knew it was him. I recognised his face. He has a beard and is quite stocky; a big guy. But I was sure it was him. We parked across the road and took out the binoculars, and began our watch. Aliison filmed a bit of it, and it’s quite hilarious. We only stuck it out for about half an hour, and then got bored. We decided we wouldn’t make very good undercover cops. And we didn’t have coffee and donuts. So we went in search of a suitable place for our meeting; somewhere that would work for the confrontation. We needed a place that was well lit, quiet and visible from a car park near by for my crew and support team. After scouting three different pubs and coffee shops, we found the perfect place overlooking the Centurion Lake. It has outside tables that are visible from the car park, and is quiet and out of the thoroughfare. Now I just have to convince [the perpetrator] to meet me there.