Africa is Not for Sissies

Africa is not for Sissies.
September 13 - 16
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The Afrikaners we met were quick to speak of the newly instituted policies of the African National Party (ANC). What was once the banned organization of resistance to Apartheid is now the most powerful political party in power. There are a few other parties, the opposition DA, and the communist party. The National Party is just about non-existent.
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The ANC under Nelson Mandela’s leadership was the alternative to the white only view of the National Party. Long before the ANC was outlawed, it had coloreds, Indians and liberal whites as members or supporters. Today the ANC contains factions which are striving for control.
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The deputy president of the ANC, Jacob Zuma, is in line to become the next president, replacing Thabo Mbeiki, that is, if Zuma he survives the criminal investigation into questionable financial dealings. He apparently has already escaped party discipline and serious public censure because of a sex scandal involving an aide, a relative, who is HIV+. The idiocy of some ANC leaders is reflected in his statement that he “showered” after the encounter and therefore will not contract the virus. However, we learned first-hand that those medical and educational professionals working with the people are doing their best to promote safe practices and tend to the sick, regardless of the nonsense spoken by the politicians.
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The current South African government has in place a type of affirmative action plan. For government jobs at all levels, priority is given to black females, then black males, then colored females, males, then Indians, white females and finally, in theory, white males. Most whites we spoke with expressed certainty that new jobs are not be available for white males in the public sector. They expect this to continue for the foreseeable future.
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In the private sector, a point system exists whereby points are accumulated based upon the number of black “majorities” employed by the company. The more points awarded the greater the priority for government contracts. One result of these policies is the white flight of professionals. England and Australia are said to be the most popular emigration destinations.
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The government also has in place the Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) program. This law has a complicated formula based upon a company’s size. In order for any private company to do business with the government, companies must demonstrate black ownership of a portion of the business. While the exact details were too complicated for discussion over dinner, I did learn that at least one company that shall remain unnamed feigned compliance by putting blacks names on their organizational documents and letterhead. A salary is paid and dividends awarded but the owners of the company were not ready to allow any real business decisions to be made by the questionably competent, as well as ethically challenged.
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“Die wiel draai” is Afrikaans for “the wheel turns.” Some whites we spoke with expressed the opinion that the incidence of gross incompetence is merely a transitional stage that their society must endure until the next turn of events. This could be the ouster of the prevailing political party and its views or the birth of a competent professional black middle class. Regardless, some we spoke with hold out hope for the 4th generation after Apartheid!
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Incompetence, apathy, corruption and nepotism appear to be more common in politics, government and business than one would expect in a western society. Some we spoke with made longing reference to “the old days,” not those days of repression but of competence of, and confidence in, public employees.
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We were amazed by the size of the black townships. The city of Welkom, for example has approximately 80,000 residents, while, Thabong, the township is estimated to be home to between 350,000 and 400,000; most in one or two room corrugated metal shacks. Adjoining Harrismith, a city of maybe 25,000, the sprawling community of 42nd Hill, named after the British regiment positioned there during the Second Anglo-Boer War, probably has an estimated 6,000 people. But there are two more townships in the area before Qwaqwa. The township Qwaqwa, a few kilos farther east, is estimated to be home to some 700,000 Besotho, Xhosa and Zulu. It’s a sprawling mass of single box-like houses, dirt roads, limited water and sewer. Yet it has over 240 schools!
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We visited the Bompodi Center where the Beatrix Corporation trains many of the workers in interpersonal relations and rehabilitation for those injured and in need of other job skills. Bompodi translates “Champion” in the Besotho language. Here, professionals such as Altus Klingeberg, an industrial psychologist, teaches “portable social skills,” to lessen the incidence of intertribal fights (where on occasion broken bottles are aimed at the others’ eyes) and improve self-esteem. Training in western construction techniques is also available.
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The staff at Bompodi encourages mine workers to know their HIV status and seek treatment, at company expense, if infected and apply preventive behaviors, if not. Mr. Klingeberg estimates that one-third of the nearly 7,000 that the mine employs is HIV positive. A major obstacle in all of South Africa is the stigma associated with HIV infection. The company is doing what it can to combat this.
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We visited the Oppenheimer Hospital and its Rehabilitation section in Welkom. Isabel Germishuizen, an Occupational Therapist, explained that the mining corporation pays all medical expenses for mining related injuries. She pointed out that hand and finger injuries are the most common, while sickness related to AIDS affect the young and back injuries afflict the old.
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Those requiring extensive rehabilitation stay at the hospital until they are as well as they can get as returning home means usually means totally ignoring the injury as an educated family support is not in place. In addition to the injuries, many suffer from silicosis from the dust, evident on our tour, and because many smoke zola (marijuana) in rolled-up newspaper.
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The Welkom Hospice is the recipient of fund-raising efforts of the Rotary club. Of the 370 patients approximately 30 are suffering from cancer and 340 from AIDS related illness – especially TB. Executive director Millie Hugo and Rotarian husband Jeff were among the many service-oriented people we met in this modern city. Millie explained that South Africa is becoming a country of grandparents raising children. The working age population (25 – 40) is either emigrating or “affected by or infected with” AIDS. Without education the trend will continue. We noted the free distribution of six packs of condoms in the clinic and posters on major city streets with slogans such as “Be Safe, Be Wise, Condomize!” Can you imagine this in Westminster!
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Ms. Hugo also spoke of the rate of HIV infection in the Welkom area. The medical profession estimates that 50% of the children born to blacks are HIV+. Of these, 50% will die before they are 2 years old. Compare these figures with those of Dr. Shahim of Viljoenskroon, they’re close. Some other facts from Millie: women get sicker more quickly than men; if a woman is discovered to be infected, she is ostracized from the family as bring shame upon them; some young woman will get pregnant to seek the child support grant of R220 per month. For a young girl who has nothing, no possessions except a few items of clothing and who culturally cannot easily refuse a man, having a child is a means of income.
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Other facts, perceptions, prejudices and outright lies:
Welkom has no traffic lights, or “robots” as they are called here. Traffic flows smoothly via traffic circles.
“Africa time” – it’s not uncommon for blacks to be habitually late, very late 30 minutes to 2 hours for meetings. This is not intentionally, not meant to be an affront but is cultural.
Men typically enter s building first – in times of danger this was to determine if the place to be entered was safe.
Polygamy is accepted and practiced (See the King of Lesotho in subsequent posts on this blog.)
Township violence is high. Life is cheap. Those who assault others often do so in cruel manners – cuts to the eyes.
The number of open cases often overwhelms the police. Of 40 open serious cases, as few as two may actually go to court and one result in conviction.
Emergency services are reluctant to respond to calls at night, as it may be a hoax and a pretext for robbery.
The end of the month, payday, there’s a higher incidence of alcohol related crime.
There’s a gap between the very poor and the rich – there is no black middle class.
Lobola – dowry – is still being paid.
Women usually must demonstrate their fertility before marriage by having a child.
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Next stop Harrismith and the Kwaggashoek Game Ranch.