Some things change, some stay the same

Blog by Shirls

I’m writing this blog looking at a view that I first saw 23 years ago - the dark blue water of Sterkfontein dam curving around ancient mountains, soft sun sparkling on the water, breeze softly stirring the grasses. Bruce and I are spending a few days at Qwantani which is a remote, high country area where I spent many wonderful holidays with family and friends while in my teens and 20’s. I haven’t been back to this area for a long time but looking at this familiar view it feels like nothing has changed. But it strikes me how much has changed in the past 20 years.

In the late 1980’s, South Africa was still in the grip of segregation and was a pariah in the world. It was hard to be a proud South African when there were so many reasons not to be. But things started to change. People started to change. Politicians put aside their anger, fears and prejudice and started to talk, and in 1994 the first free elections were held where all people were allowed to vote. At the Westville polling station where I was a volunteer, a 94-year old lady told me with tears in her eyes that this was the first time she could vote, and she was so glad to finally get the chance.

The country waited for the outcome of the elections, hoping that the doomsayers would be proved wrong about everything descending into chaos overnight. (I bet they got tired of eating all their stockpiled canned food!) Those doomsayers were wrong. We got a new President, a new flag, a new national anthem, a new constitution. And for the first time they belonged to the whole country. Mandela spoke about forgiveness and reconciliation, and wore a Springbok rugby jersey to the World Cup. People could start to feel proud.

Today the Bulls rugby team from Pretoria played rugby against a New Zealand team in Orlando Stadium, a soccer stadium in the heart of Soweto. Rugby has never been played there before. There was a capacity crowd, from all walks of life. A middle-aged white woman was interviewed and said it was the first time she’d ever ventured into Soweto and the welcome and atmosphere and shared elation was one of the best experiences of her life.

Politicians haven’t made the biggest advances here, the real people have. The people who make their lives in this vibrant, welcoming and conflicted country, who do their jobs and raise their children and in spite of ongoing issues, keep adapting. And laughing, sometimes through tears, but always ready to laugh.

If you are not from South Africa (and that includes me now that I live in New Zealand!), when you think about the country, think about the resilience and generosity of the people. Don’t dwell on the problems, because they aren’t! They're too busy getting on with life. And visit, because it is a spectacularly beautiful country.

And if you are from South Africa then know that you are an inspiration, and deserve to feel proud of everything that you have changed.