SA-tirist: 2011

Tuesday, 27 September 2011

'The hall was packed with bodies and faces, so tightly that one could not distinguish with a glance which faces belonged to which bodies. It was like a soft, shivering aspic made of mixed arms, shoulders, chests and stomachs.'

jennifer's in johannesburg

Monday, 26 September 2011

On Hope and Waiting

Brazilian president Dilma Vana Rouseff recently said "In jail you learn to survive, but also that you can't solve your problems overnight. In prison you do a lot of waiting. Waiting necessarily means hope, and if you lose hope, fear takes over. I learnt how to wait." It made me think of all Nelson Mandela had to say about the future of South Africa, prison and hope.

I think that if you are reading this the chances are that you are hopeful for the future of South Africa - and even if you have your fears you don't actively voice them just as you wouldn't tell a sick person that there is a possibility they won't get better. So we've got the hope, but I have to question the waiting.

What Rouseff didn't mention was all the administration that must precede the hope turning into a pot of gold, perhaps she sees it as a given - her name being practically synonymous with ruthless efficiency, planning and protocol. Now unfortunately ruthless efficiency, planning and protocol are not words that spring to mind when one thinks of Africa. We can laugh off the fact that we have notoriously bad foresight or try to raise the bar.

Nelson Mandela said that "There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living." It begs one to ask not if you are content (yes I'm talking to you Cape Town,) but what is the life you are 'capable of living.' (Mazel tov Johannesburg for reaching higher.)

Brazil is a probably the friendliest of the BRIC countries to draw a comparison with, but that doesn't mean one can turn a blind eye to the others, least of all China. I have until recently been guilty of mouthy opposition to the red giant's investments in Africa. But my opinions have changed and now instead of simply fearing the unknown (what can we can do but wait and see?) and secretly cheering for people like Michael Sata, I am choosing to see China as they see us, a MASSIVE opportunity. It is true, 13.7% of our imports are from China (because we're not frikking Cuba, thank goodness,) they also make up 11% of our exports.

I wrote most of this on my flight back from JHB to Cape Town and had to laugh at this AllanGray add in arrivals, I wonder how many of their employees are at this moment waiting for the great reward of a big wave and a sundowner at Caprice.

I don't think it's going to happen overnight, but it definitely won't happen whilst we're out surfing.