I think my dad reckons I'm a total idealist. And my best friend thinks I'm a sad, jaded cynic. Honestly, I would say I'm a mix of both. I think a lot of South Africans are, actually.
This schism between my two personalities is never more evident than in the period leading up to elections. 2011 is local election year in SA and as the campaigning kicks in, the uglies come out.
I oscillate between a firm hope for the future of South Africa, awe and respect for diversity and a deep pride in my beloved country and, on the other hand, an intense frustration at a nation that seems to prefer to engage in petty squabbling rather than making any effort to move forward, my disappointment in systems, parties and people that continue to fail us, and fear that South Africa will never grow up and grow out of its stroppy 17-year old teenaged-democracy mindset.
I see the potential and I see the problems. I hope for better days and I worry about worse ones. I meet people of all cultures who are passionate about this country and ready to help "make it a better place" (in the famous words of MJ). And I meet people who are judgmental, fatalistic and scornful of SA and its politics and people.
The things is that I find myself looking at my country every day from both sides. I believe we can put the past behind us and overcome doubts and differences. I also believe that sometimes it feels impossible to do.
I understand that I can't begin to understand the hurts of our different peoples. I get that trying to lift yourself out of the only mindset you know is unlikely. I know that there are no easy solutions - no magic fixes for this mess.
I used to read comments on News24 articles and want to vomit. I don't read the comments anymore because I am just too saddened at the judgmental, small-minded, mean things that South Africans of all colours, creeds and ages can say to each other. Every day.
I read blog posts like the one I'm trying to write at this moment and I feel a sense of empathy and at the same time I feel irritated that we're still talking about this stuff. We've heard it all before. We're stuck on a hamster wheel*. Round and round. Seeming to make no progress.
What can we do? Vote for a different party? There's no perfect political party. They're all flawed, one way or another.
Move to Australia? I balk at the thought. I love this country. I want to live here. And how will saffers movng out of SA benefit the country? It's not a solution for me. It would be a cop-out**.
Get involved in politics? I think I would die of frustration. (It might work for others though. We need politicians. Just not short red-headed bad-tempered ones who may fly into a homicidal rage at any minute.)
What then can we do?
Hope, pray, love. Corny as it sounds and impossible as it seems, be the change we want to see in the world. Don't leave nasty comments on News24 articles. Try to see the best in everyone. Resist the urge to have constant pity parties. Vote. For whichever flawed party you choose to support. Stop complaining once in a while. Get to know someone who remembers the past. Get to know someone from a totally different culture who remembers the past. Keep trying.
Keep calm and carry on.
Remember that every country on God's green earth has its problems. Keep the faith.
K, I'm done. Needed to get it out my system. Haters, don't be hating. This is just my opinion / feeling. You're free to have your own.
*It does all come down to hamsters then, Po.
** Not judging anyone who has left SA. I don't know you or your motives. I know me and my motives. Me leaving would be me running away because things are complicated here sometimes.
Showing posts with label South Africa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label South Africa. Show all posts
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
Friday, 11 June 2010
Today...
...I am so proud to be a South African.
This country has its problems, but boy has it delivered this time. Viva Bafana Bafana!!!
This country has its problems, but boy has it delivered this time. Viva Bafana Bafana!!!
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
World Cup stuff
For those of you who live underneath a rock, 2010 in South Africa is synonymous with the FIFA World Cup. It's been the topic of conversation for what feels like forever, with people debating safety issues, whether or not the stadia will be ready, if small businesses will benefit from the event at all, how to get hold of tickets etc...
And I have been wishing that I could disappear to anywhere else in the world for the period because everyone keeps telling us how bad the traffic will be, that prices will skyrocket on everything from airplane flights to toilet paper and that we'll be stopped by daft tourists wearing socks and sandals every five minutes to ask us why there are no elephants wandering the streets with them or where they can get a stab-proof vest.
But, since we listed our spare room on an accomodation website and have started getting some interest and even a booking or two, the World Cup is beginning to feel more real to me and like something I would like to be a part of. No, I am not a soccer fan and yes, it's true that I have little faith in our own team, but it is actually pretty cool that our country is kicking off the new decade with such a big, exciting event that is getting people thinking positively about SA (except the Brits marketing those stab-proof vests, that is).
Hosting people will be a way of being part of the event and I'm looking forward to showing a few visitors a little bit of this awesome country and its culture, whether that means having a braai with some boerewors or taking them to see some lion cubs at the Rhino and Lion Park.
Now if I can figure out this ticket application process we might even get to go to a game!
And I have been wishing that I could disappear to anywhere else in the world for the period because everyone keeps telling us how bad the traffic will be, that prices will skyrocket on everything from airplane flights to toilet paper and that we'll be stopped by daft tourists wearing socks and sandals every five minutes to ask us why there are no elephants wandering the streets with them or where they can get a stab-proof vest.
But, since we listed our spare room on an accomodation website and have started getting some interest and even a booking or two, the World Cup is beginning to feel more real to me and like something I would like to be a part of. No, I am not a soccer fan and yes, it's true that I have little faith in our own team, but it is actually pretty cool that our country is kicking off the new decade with such a big, exciting event that is getting people thinking positively about SA (except the Brits marketing those stab-proof vests, that is).
Hosting people will be a way of being part of the event and I'm looking forward to showing a few visitors a little bit of this awesome country and its culture, whether that means having a braai with some boerewors or taking them to see some lion cubs at the Rhino and Lion Park.
Now if I can figure out this ticket application process we might even get to go to a game!
Monday, 20 July 2009
TIA
This Is Africa ;-)
No power on Fri.
No water today.
No ADSL for the majority of the day.
I guess it reminds us that we do not control our circumstances, right?
No power on Fri.
No water today.
No ADSL for the majority of the day.
I guess it reminds us that we do not control our circumstances, right?
Monday, 24 November 2008
Has anyone seen the new Bond flick? We saw it on Fri. Very cool, IMO. I reckon Daniel Craig is far better suited to the role than Pierce Brosnan.
The weekend was a good one. Poor TSC had to write varsity entrance exams the whole of Sat, so I got to do some serious packing and sorting. We then watched the rugby, took out a lame DVD and on Sunday, after church, had a yummy lunch at Papachino's with my folks. We spent the evening chilling with a truly awesome family. we know each family member from a different place and time in our lives and it's the first time we've seen all of them together. Good wine, great company and balmy weather made for the best of times.
But now for a much-needed rant... TSC has a Namibian driver's licence. The other day he realises that it's about to expire in a month's time. So he phones the traffic department, speaks to a million-odd people about how to go about converting it to a South african licence and is eventually told that he needs to go to such and such department, which is on the arse end of Joburg and only open on Monday and Tuesday mornings.
Off he goes, ID book and a letter of validation from the Namibian Embassy in hand. These were the only documents he was told to bring. Upon arrival, he is informed that he also needs a copy of our lease. So, being the lovely wife that I am, I dash home, fetch the bloody lease and fax a copy to the department.
Fine, he is told. Come back in a week with R160.00 cash and we'll let you know what needs to happen. So this morning he treks out to the ugly governemnt building once more. As he steps through the door, the woman he spoke with last week says, "oh. It's you. You've been declined."
Why? No reason. Except, apparently, that he should have thought about doing this ages ago. The spiteful cow.
So now he needs to go to the licencing department in Namibia, which is only open on Wednesday, before his licence expires on 15 December, to renew said stupid licence there. With our move happening this weekend and two weeks full of meetings and end of year functions we are committed to after that, you can imagine just how impressed I am at the thought of being left home alone.
The joys of living in Africa.
The weekend was a good one. Poor TSC had to write varsity entrance exams the whole of Sat, so I got to do some serious packing and sorting. We then watched the rugby, took out a lame DVD and on Sunday, after church, had a yummy lunch at Papachino's with my folks. We spent the evening chilling with a truly awesome family. we know each family member from a different place and time in our lives and it's the first time we've seen all of them together. Good wine, great company and balmy weather made for the best of times.
But now for a much-needed rant... TSC has a Namibian driver's licence. The other day he realises that it's about to expire in a month's time. So he phones the traffic department, speaks to a million-odd people about how to go about converting it to a South african licence and is eventually told that he needs to go to such and such department, which is on the arse end of Joburg and only open on Monday and Tuesday mornings.
Off he goes, ID book and a letter of validation from the Namibian Embassy in hand. These were the only documents he was told to bring. Upon arrival, he is informed that he also needs a copy of our lease. So, being the lovely wife that I am, I dash home, fetch the bloody lease and fax a copy to the department.
Fine, he is told. Come back in a week with R160.00 cash and we'll let you know what needs to happen. So this morning he treks out to the ugly governemnt building once more. As he steps through the door, the woman he spoke with last week says, "oh. It's you. You've been declined."
Why? No reason. Except, apparently, that he should have thought about doing this ages ago. The spiteful cow.
So now he needs to go to the licencing department in Namibia, which is only open on Wednesday, before his licence expires on 15 December, to renew said stupid licence there. With our move happening this weekend and two weeks full of meetings and end of year functions we are committed to after that, you can imagine just how impressed I am at the thought of being left home alone.
The joys of living in Africa.
Monday, 22 September 2008
SA post
Caz tagged me to do this meme she created, so here it is:
Link back to the original meme (that would be this post) and the meme inspirer (that would be EXMI)
Link to the person who tagged you (Caz)
Give (at least) 5 reasons why you love SA
Tag at least 5 peeps
Let me know when you've done it!
Now please note that there are gazillions of things I love about SA, and most of them have been written about by other peeps who've been tagged in this meme. It's Monday morning, so I'm not even going to try to be original, sorry for you. If you're bored by this, come back tomorrow. I'll try for something scintillating then (but no promises, k). So, off the top of my head, here are some of the things I love about my country:
1. I love South Africa because it's never dull. Whether the President has been recalled by the ruling party or some foreign tourist has tried to pet a lion and been munched, there's akways something going on.
2. I love South Africa because most of its people (there are exceptions, of course) are friendly and fairly well-mannered. If you sit next to someone on a bus or a plane, more likely than not, you'll enjoy a good conversation, unlike on public transport in most European countries, where everyone avoids each other's gaze as much as possible.
3. I love South Africa because its people are ambitious. Not content to be seen as just another poor African country, South Africa is hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup, establishing trade relations and (finally) getting a bit more up to speed on technology. We have one of the best banking systems in the world, our Para-Olympic team recently used their competitive spirit to score a whole whack of medals, our Constitution is the most progressive globally, and you can drink water straight from the tap (faucet) without filtering it (which Rand Water tells us is a big deal).
4. On a less serious note, I love South Africa because we're half a season behind in terms of fashion, so you can get away with last year's look for longer ;-)
5. I love South Africa because of the variety. I mean this in terms of environment, people and even food. Pretty much no matter where you live in the country, you can travel 20 to 40 km and you'll be back in the middle of nature, surrounded by a wealth of local fauna and flora, whether it's the long grasses and cosmos of the Freestate, the fynbos of the Cape or the lush semi-tropical plants of KwaZulu-Natal. If you are in almost any public place with a group of South Africans, you'll come into contact with people of different colours, languages and faiths. And if you're looking for traditional South African food, you could mean the spicy Cape Malay dishes, good old Afrikaans pap en vleis (a corn-based starch food and meat) or potjiekos (food cooked over the fire in a cast-iron pot), a township Smiley (a cooked sheep's head), or the Zulu favourite, amasi (fermented milk that's a bit like cottage cheese). Truly a rainbow nation in all senses of the word.
Right, I hereby tag:
Because I Can
Arkwife
Ruby
Po
Leez
Link back to the original meme (that would be this post) and the meme inspirer (that would be EXMI)
Link to the person who tagged you (Caz)
Give (at least) 5 reasons why you love SA
Tag at least 5 peeps
Let me know when you've done it!
Now please note that there are gazillions of things I love about SA, and most of them have been written about by other peeps who've been tagged in this meme. It's Monday morning, so I'm not even going to try to be original, sorry for you. If you're bored by this, come back tomorrow. I'll try for something scintillating then (but no promises, k). So, off the top of my head, here are some of the things I love about my country:
1. I love South Africa because it's never dull. Whether the President has been recalled by the ruling party or some foreign tourist has tried to pet a lion and been munched, there's akways something going on.
2. I love South Africa because most of its people (there are exceptions, of course) are friendly and fairly well-mannered. If you sit next to someone on a bus or a plane, more likely than not, you'll enjoy a good conversation, unlike on public transport in most European countries, where everyone avoids each other's gaze as much as possible.
3. I love South Africa because its people are ambitious. Not content to be seen as just another poor African country, South Africa is hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup, establishing trade relations and (finally) getting a bit more up to speed on technology. We have one of the best banking systems in the world, our Para-Olympic team recently used their competitive spirit to score a whole whack of medals, our Constitution is the most progressive globally, and you can drink water straight from the tap (faucet) without filtering it (which Rand Water tells us is a big deal).
4. On a less serious note, I love South Africa because we're half a season behind in terms of fashion, so you can get away with last year's look for longer ;-)
5. I love South Africa because of the variety. I mean this in terms of environment, people and even food. Pretty much no matter where you live in the country, you can travel 20 to 40 km and you'll be back in the middle of nature, surrounded by a wealth of local fauna and flora, whether it's the long grasses and cosmos of the Freestate, the fynbos of the Cape or the lush semi-tropical plants of KwaZulu-Natal. If you are in almost any public place with a group of South Africans, you'll come into contact with people of different colours, languages and faiths. And if you're looking for traditional South African food, you could mean the spicy Cape Malay dishes, good old Afrikaans pap en vleis (a corn-based starch food and meat) or potjiekos (food cooked over the fire in a cast-iron pot), a township Smiley (a cooked sheep's head), or the Zulu favourite, amasi (fermented milk that's a bit like cottage cheese). Truly a rainbow nation in all senses of the word.
Right, I hereby tag:
Because I Can
Arkwife
Ruby
Po
Leez
Thursday, 22 May 2008
Xenophobic attacks
This violence is spiralling out of control. South Africa - poster child for African economic success and home to the rainbow nation - is losing it. How can our people, in the land where apartheid supposedly gave way to democracy, acceptance and diversity, be treating foreigners so terribly?
My boss has just told me how her dinner arrangement last night was abruptly cancelled because her guests needed to go and rescue their domestic worker, who is nine months pregnant and due at any moment, after her home had been set alight. A pregnant woman is one of the most vulnerable creatures in the world. To harm her is to commit a heinous crime, and to me, this incident illustrates the inhumane nature of this entire situation.
I understand that soaring food prices and the fuel situation, coupled with South Africa's power crisis, are crushing the nation's poor, and that foreigners, who are prepared to work for a lower income, are often chosen over locals for jobs. But I can't understand how people can be capable of wrapping their neighbours in their own blankets and setting them alight to watch them die.
How is it possible that one human being can do this to another? What has happened to us? Yes, there is rage and hatred in the world, but when it is unleashed en masse like this, it really makes one wonder about the state of mankind.
And yet, I've never been starving, or in a place where I'm not sure if I'll be able to feed my family, so how can I hope to understand?
I grew up with friends of all races and nationalities in a cushy environment where we always had enough to eat and where we were never without a roof over our heads. I don't remember apartheid because the new democratic government came into power when I was just a kid. So I can't really comment on the situation. All I know is that right now, I'm ashamed to be a South African. And I hope and pray that we will never have to seek refuge in a neighbouring country and be treated the way our neighbours are being treated by us.
My boss has just told me how her dinner arrangement last night was abruptly cancelled because her guests needed to go and rescue their domestic worker, who is nine months pregnant and due at any moment, after her home had been set alight. A pregnant woman is one of the most vulnerable creatures in the world. To harm her is to commit a heinous crime, and to me, this incident illustrates the inhumane nature of this entire situation.
I understand that soaring food prices and the fuel situation, coupled with South Africa's power crisis, are crushing the nation's poor, and that foreigners, who are prepared to work for a lower income, are often chosen over locals for jobs. But I can't understand how people can be capable of wrapping their neighbours in their own blankets and setting them alight to watch them die.
How is it possible that one human being can do this to another? What has happened to us? Yes, there is rage and hatred in the world, but when it is unleashed en masse like this, it really makes one wonder about the state of mankind.
And yet, I've never been starving, or in a place where I'm not sure if I'll be able to feed my family, so how can I hope to understand?
I grew up with friends of all races and nationalities in a cushy environment where we always had enough to eat and where we were never without a roof over our heads. I don't remember apartheid because the new democratic government came into power when I was just a kid. So I can't really comment on the situation. All I know is that right now, I'm ashamed to be a South African. And I hope and pray that we will never have to seek refuge in a neighbouring country and be treated the way our neighbours are being treated by us.
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