South Africa: Interesting Times

Judy. The story has it that there is an ancient Chinese curse: “May you live in interesting times.”

It seems we have arrived in South Africa during interesting times.

As we left Singapore, we saw newspapers announcing that South Africa’s credit rating had been dropped to junk. Thanks to the high jinx of President Zuma and his finance minister revolving door, South Africans are seeing the Rand plunge on the world market. This may be good for the tourist, like us, but for the average citizen, it’s disastrous, especially since Zuma’s own party, the ANC, has turned against him, and he has no interest in resigning.

Everyone we spoke to in our first 48 hours here was angry, upset, and frustrated. Taxi drivers and Uber drivers talked about their fear that costs would rise to the point that they can’t afford to live. One told us that people leaving Zimbabwe were flooding the job market because of their country’s financial status, and now he’s afraid South Africa will become like Zimbabwe. “There’s nowhere left for us to go.” The young African man announced, “I am NOT voting ANC in 2019!” For a young Black man to turn from the party of Nelson Mandela is a huge step.

An Afrikaans man our age told us that everyone’s retirement had just been decimated (shades of US, 2008?), and he wasn’t sure what would happen to people who are retired from the work force. Their retirement is gone, and there are no jobs.

A missionary from Congo whom we met at our hotel said that South Africa is “Africa for beginners.” Some beginning.

After our first night in a small hotel in a Johannesburg suburb, Ted and I had a Servas stay with Kobus, and Afrikaner man our age, and his son, Philip. Needless to say, over a “braai” (barbeque) and several glasses of wine, we talked about their concerns for this country that has worked so hard to move beyond their difficult past.  

One afternoon, we visited the Voortrekker Monument, dedicated to Afrikaans settlers of the mid-nineteenth century—the same time our white settlers were moving west across America. Time for some self-reflection here.

The next day we took a private tour to the Cradle of Humanity, where the oldest fossils of humankind were discovered. The museum itself was pretty much directed toward youth, and we loved that the emphasis of all of humankind being descended from one ancestor, and that one, in Africa. It was a beautiful move toward unity. There is an African term, ubuntu, that refers to the fact that we are all dependent on each other.  I like that. 

I see some similarities here and in our own country. Sometimes it’s easier to recognize your own issues when you see them in others.

On Friday there was a huge protest against Zuma, and the only violence came from his supporters throwing rocks at the peaceful protesters. The newspapers said it was not likely that Zuma would be moved by the protests, as he’s seen them before.

Meanwhile, we’re away for a week, visiting Victoria Falls and Chobe National Park. But I can’t get South Africa out of my mind.