I'm still here!
Oops. I have been neglecting this blog, haven't I. Oops, again. The good news though is that I'm a tad more diligent about my fortnightly columns for the South African, if you missed the last one, here it is below. For more, visit The South African
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T’was a wise person indeed who said that the only certainty in life is change. Possibly even the same sage soul who noted that the more things change, the more they stay the same!!
A little over a week ago, on a ticket destined for the non-existent ‘Jan Smuts’ airport, I touched down at Johannesburg International. In a few days time, however, I will fly out of the re-baptised O.R Tambo Airport. From that hub of travel, we drove towards Pretoria, stopping only to show a passport at the boerewors curtain border, which is when I noted that there is now a designated car-pool lane on the Ben Schoeman Highway – ja well no fine. What’s more, soon, thanks to a government re-capitalisation programme, ‘skoro-skoro’ taxis will (supposedly) be on their way out. Change of a grimmer kind came in the form of headline news a few days later telling of the death of the enigmatic Lebo Mathosa in a car accident, followed swiftly by ex Mr Lotto, Humphrey Khosa – also in a car accident. And today, in a slightly surprising gesture, President Mbeki was flying flags at half mast to mark the passing of Die Groot Krokodil, PW Botha. These are just the most notable changes to have happened during the course of the short week or so that I’ve been here – jeez, hope it wasn’t anything I said!
This being my first trip back to South Africa since I moving to Londonium some 13 months ago, I cannot help but notice that many other changes appear to have taken place. I have always prided myself on being fiercely patriotic and of an exceptionally positive outlook – and I choose to surround myself with people who share my views. It is for this reason that I must admit to being thrown a little off-balance at the moment as I see some of that positive spirit ebbing unwillingly and cautiously from people whom I know to be amongst our country’s staunchest supporters. Could it be that the honeymoon period that started 12 years ago is now really and truly over? Is this what real life feels like? And most importantly; what now? I feel perhaps that we are poised on the edge of a precipice of change – and, dare I even think it, it could go either way.
So, if we are teetering on this precipice, is it not within our rights now to ask when real positive changes will come to fruition? I WOULD like to know when crime will cease to be an issue. I WOULD like to know when poverty is set to disappear and when education, HIV Aids and corruption are due to come under control. I feel sure these are the changes that all of us, united in nationality would like to see.
An ex-colleague of mine, a foreigner, once noted that South Africans are South Africans above all else. I agree. I know it when I laugh as the radio DJ describes mannequins as “models that work for free”, when the car guard tells me my car is still safe on six wheels (four to drive on, one steering wheel and one spare!) and when the kids on the game-viewing vehicle in front of me bare their teethy joy when they see an elephant and wave at us, absolute strangers, with the exuberance of puppies as we drive past. This is my Africa, these are my people! I’ve been gulping in the familiar earthy smells and sounds of the bush these past few days, contemplating change in this most steadfast of environments, where time could stand still under a starry sky punctuated by the roar of lions and the call of birds. Out here, change seems inconsequential, but tomorrow, when I am once again in a city, I know that things will feel different.
Change must happen, this I realise, and though I am somewhat pensive at the moment, this is not to say that I or my peers have lost all that optimistic zeal, it’s just that reality is nudging in and in real life, as in business, things are expected to work. One of my best purchases this trip has been a piece of jewellery engraved with a quote from Madiba: “My country is rich in minerals and gems that lie beneath its soil, but I have always known that its greatest wealth is its people, finer and truer that the purest diamonds.” Like my countryfolk who wear their “I love Africa” T-shirts, I will wear this little trinket with particular pride. But I will wear it now also as a wish. As a hope that the people of the south will ensure that the future of our phenomenal country IS good, IS safe, IS sure.
****************************
T’was a wise person indeed who said that the only certainty in life is change. Possibly even the same sage soul who noted that the more things change, the more they stay the same!!
A little over a week ago, on a ticket destined for the non-existent ‘Jan Smuts’ airport, I touched down at Johannesburg International. In a few days time, however, I will fly out of the re-baptised O.R Tambo Airport. From that hub of travel, we drove towards Pretoria, stopping only to show a passport at the boerewors curtain border, which is when I noted that there is now a designated car-pool lane on the Ben Schoeman Highway – ja well no fine. What’s more, soon, thanks to a government re-capitalisation programme, ‘skoro-skoro’ taxis will (supposedly) be on their way out. Change of a grimmer kind came in the form of headline news a few days later telling of the death of the enigmatic Lebo Mathosa in a car accident, followed swiftly by ex Mr Lotto, Humphrey Khosa – also in a car accident. And today, in a slightly surprising gesture, President Mbeki was flying flags at half mast to mark the passing of Die Groot Krokodil, PW Botha. These are just the most notable changes to have happened during the course of the short week or so that I’ve been here – jeez, hope it wasn’t anything I said!
This being my first trip back to South Africa since I moving to Londonium some 13 months ago, I cannot help but notice that many other changes appear to have taken place. I have always prided myself on being fiercely patriotic and of an exceptionally positive outlook – and I choose to surround myself with people who share my views. It is for this reason that I must admit to being thrown a little off-balance at the moment as I see some of that positive spirit ebbing unwillingly and cautiously from people whom I know to be amongst our country’s staunchest supporters. Could it be that the honeymoon period that started 12 years ago is now really and truly over? Is this what real life feels like? And most importantly; what now? I feel perhaps that we are poised on the edge of a precipice of change – and, dare I even think it, it could go either way.
So, if we are teetering on this precipice, is it not within our rights now to ask when real positive changes will come to fruition? I WOULD like to know when crime will cease to be an issue. I WOULD like to know when poverty is set to disappear and when education, HIV Aids and corruption are due to come under control. I feel sure these are the changes that all of us, united in nationality would like to see.
An ex-colleague of mine, a foreigner, once noted that South Africans are South Africans above all else. I agree. I know it when I laugh as the radio DJ describes mannequins as “models that work for free”, when the car guard tells me my car is still safe on six wheels (four to drive on, one steering wheel and one spare!) and when the kids on the game-viewing vehicle in front of me bare their teethy joy when they see an elephant and wave at us, absolute strangers, with the exuberance of puppies as we drive past. This is my Africa, these are my people! I’ve been gulping in the familiar earthy smells and sounds of the bush these past few days, contemplating change in this most steadfast of environments, where time could stand still under a starry sky punctuated by the roar of lions and the call of birds. Out here, change seems inconsequential, but tomorrow, when I am once again in a city, I know that things will feel different.
Change must happen, this I realise, and though I am somewhat pensive at the moment, this is not to say that I or my peers have lost all that optimistic zeal, it’s just that reality is nudging in and in real life, as in business, things are expected to work. One of my best purchases this trip has been a piece of jewellery engraved with a quote from Madiba: “My country is rich in minerals and gems that lie beneath its soil, but I have always known that its greatest wealth is its people, finer and truer that the purest diamonds.” Like my countryfolk who wear their “I love Africa” T-shirts, I will wear this little trinket with particular pride. But I will wear it now also as a wish. As a hope that the people of the south will ensure that the future of our phenomenal country IS good, IS safe, IS sure.
posted by Jen Smit at 10:40 pm
1 comments
