Generalizations

I am white, and I am South African, so it would be easy to make a sweeping generalisation that because of the colour of my skin and my nationality, I am probably a racist. And because I am a white racist I am anti the ANC, have loads of money, a university degree, and not an ‘African’, simply a ‘South African’. Conversely, if I was black I would be pro ANC, the criminal element or a corrupt official, I would probably have AIDS, and I would be an ‘African’ through and through. It is therefore predetermined that generalisations will be made, no matter how ridiculous they are and so where better to generalise than a country with such a history as South Africa?

Racism

There are examples all over the world and the fact is every country has had and still has racial and culture conflict and this will probably always be the case. Where there are differences, be it in colour, religion, culture, there will be conflict in something as simple as a bar altercation right through to a civil war. In light of this South Africa has managed a transition in a proud and peaceful way, something to be satisfied with, and the country can indeed hold its head high. But right now it is time to get on with it. Move on. Move forward. What has happened has happened, we can all learn from it and the beauty of that is that we can grow even better because of it.

New South Africa

It has been a generation now since South Africa’s new democracy; in 1965 the holocaust survivors were not still blaming their lives, be it negative or positive, on the Nazis twenty years previous. The US may have abolished slavery back in the time of Lincoln, but the fight for equal rights still went on into the 60’s and 70’s, and then 20 years from then the blame for that did not still occupy the minds of Americans as an excuse for their daily lives.

Jobs vs. Careers

So, to the present day, let us take this positive out of the darkness of Apartheid and turn it into what defines the country. South Africa needs jobs and so the country should be providing these and be building the supply and demand of local industry slowly up from there. It may not be as cheap as China initially but eventually South Africa will be able to cater in both price and quality. China didn’t get to the point it is now over night, it had a long term plan and so must we.

Apartheid

Apartheid brought South Africa two advantages; firstly, it proved that the nation could be self-sufficient. If the world didn’t want to deal with South Africa then South Africa would provide what it needed on its own and so it did. Secondly, this left South Africa’s economic grading as far superior to most of Western Europe and the world due to this and the lack of lending that went on when the rest of the world borrowed from the World Bank and now find themselves in massive debt.

Constitution

The problem I have is the government and the people equally need to get their act together. South Africa’s constitution, although progressive and inspiring is providing a platform from which to make your protest about anything and everything known. Now this is not necessarily a positive in my eyes, and it really needs to be channelled to the pertinent otherwise it will quickly get lost into a sea of negativity. So for one, the people of South Africa need to realise that you can complain about everything now and for ever more or you can start in your own home and business and help to provide the answers. 

Public Transport

If you haven’t driven through a South African taxi rank, and in this case one of a Friday afternoon, then do yourself a favour and try it just for the experience. Organised chaos, like so much ofAfrica I guess. South Africa’s public transport, even after a 2010 World Cup attempt to develop to more sustainable and enviro-friendly options, is based around millions of white mini bus taxis through out South Africa. A large proportion of these are government subsidised and promoted as a truly South Africa transport system. Any deviations from this as the main means of public transport are passionately protested by Taxi Association.

Listening to Africa

“Ex Africa simper aliquid novi”

(Always something new out of Africa)

We often get asked what our impact has been so far this year and what have we done. Some people even say that it looks like ‘a fun holiday’ we have been on or as far as it looks like ‘a journal of a couples honeymoon in Africa’.

Someone once said “in order to understand Africa, you need to live in Africa” and someone else went on to say that “in order to help Africa you need to listen to Africa”, both clearly very wise individuals.

The Pride in Lion Breeding

Before you visit a wildlife center or volunteer on an animal project, question the motives of the organization. The following article was sent to us by concerned citizen:

I have always felt uneasy visiting facilities such as zoos, De Wildt Cheetah Project, the Rhino and Lion Park and other such places, but could not express why I felt this way.  Despite watching tv revelations on the canned lion industry and being totally outraged by such a callous practice, I still did not put two and two together for many years. Then when visiting Zebula in the Waterberg some years ago and watching people streaming into the cub enclosures, the puzzle pieces began to fall into place.  Suddenly, I needed to know what exactly became of these cubs when they became too big to safely interact with humans? The realization dawned that I had fundamentally known the answer but had not been ready to accept the dire truth of the matter.  Ultimately, most of these cubs would end their lives in the rifle sights of some foreign trophy hunter! This was no more than canned lion hunting, only in another guise…

Freedom of Expression

'The Spear' and Freedom of Expression

I’m sure some of you have heard of ‘The Spear’ painting, the painting that has become the talk of the town (or I should say, talk of the country) in recent weeks here in South Africa. Brett Murray has just exhibited a new collection of his work, one in particular that has sparked a huge amount of controversy across the country. 

Are we all racist?

I am white, and I am South African, so it would be easy to make a sweeping generalisation that because of the colour of my skin and my nationality, I am probably a racist. And because I am a white racist I am anti the ANC, have loads of money, a university degree, and not an ‘African’, simply a ‘South African’. Conversely, if I was black I would be pro ANC, the criminal element or a corrupt official, I would probably have AIDS, and I would be an ‘African’ through and through. It is therefore predetermined that generalisations will be made, no matter how ridiculous they are and so where better to generalise than a country with such a history as South Africa?