Soulparking

Wednesday, 1 March 2006

The Western Cape has been rocked by all sorts of infrastructure issues.  Starting in December, the first three day technical weekend of many began.  Cape Town experienced its first rolling black out.  And since then, we have had around two every day.  Each one lasts no less than two hours.

You try to avoid elevators or underground parking garages.  I take a portable flashlight with me wherever I go.  Robots (traffic lights) become a mess because chaos usually reigns as opposed to treating it like a four way stop. 

The reason being – which I heard through rumor from somebody who worked for Eskom (the electricity monopoly here in South Africa) that a bolt was dropped into one of the turbines of the nuclear power plant.  The news confirmed that report today – four months later.

Because today is the national voting day – which also means it’s a public holiday – and everybody in the country is off to vote.  But only 3 out of the 10 people I have asked today have said they actually voted.  Most answer with, “why bother? We know who already is going to win.”

And what they mean when they say that is the ANC.  This is the political party that Mandela is the idol for.  But the reason for the apathy is not from Afrikaans bitter about the struggle of Apartheid.  Actually most of the Afrikaans are very excited about voting this year.  They take it seriously.  And all of the 3 of the 10 were white Afrikaans who went to vote. 

The apathy comes from the existing 10 years under ANC rule.  Most of this is expressed by coloreds or even blacks.  Although personally, I have great respect for Mbeki (with the exception of his views on HIV and the AIDS connection – he believes there is none; and his doling out millions of Rands – which was created from tax payers money – to support the existing corrupt Zimbabwe government and its dictator – Mugabe).  It is his government around him that has become incredibly corrupt.  After 10 years, there is still no houses built for the thousands, millions still living in squatter camps.  The lack of preparation for the growth explosion in South Africa especially in Cape Town was avoided – and this is the main reason for the current rolling blackouts.  Current electricity demands cannot be met.  Also, lack of employment, basic services for the poor still are non-existent.  And every other night on the news, there is another story of a government official going to court on charges of bribery or misuse of funds – as they take their families on trips to Dubai or buying new Mercedes or BMWs.  The world media has mentioned the corruption and rape trial of our former Vice President, Zuma.

What breaks my heart is these are the same people that came from these squatter camps, that lived in exclusion for many years during Apartheid, or hell, lived in prison cells smaller than a Econo Lodge hotel bathroom – in the political prison out on Robben Island.  And once they got into power and moved into the higher class, they forgot their roots.  They forgot “ubuntu” (being human).

Today in the news it was declared that the nuclear power plant was sabotage by a political party trying to swing votes away from the ANC.  Papers and the news media predict it will work – and the other political parties – the DA and the ID will upset the ANC. 

Why a national public holiday to vote?

Most of the people who vote have to walk hours to the nearest voting offices.  You cannot vote absentee.  And you have to vote in the places you were first registered.  And once you get the voting offices you have to wait in queues hours long.  Voting is a day long process.

But the night before national voting day, on Long Street, you would never guess.  The clubs and bars are packed with people with a free day to get over their hangovers.

All day – even with my American accent – I have asked everyone – “Have you voted?”  And the people that are working at this Seattle Coffee Company on Kloof sadly shook their heads saying they were working too hard to get off to vote. 

At News Café in Green Point, the waiter also said no. Blamed work for not voting.  Then he walked away and then raced back to my table to ask:  “Do you work for the government?”   I laughed and said no.  And then he blew out a big breath, “Shit, good.  I was afraid I was in trouble for not voting.” 

Just then the power went out.  I had my lunch by candlelight.