Probably for the last time before she goes to new owners, Calypso is up on the hard having her bottom painted and repairs to the scratch I managed to decorate her with the night of our calamitous arrival.
Paul has worked non-stop to put all things back into working order. There were several issues that we weren't able to resolve due to the inconvenience or the inability of obtaining materials or parts in remote areas of Indonesia and Madagascar but fortunately, here in South Africa, most things are available. The one annoying item that was not available was our blue anti-fouling paint. Sorry folks, in that particular make, you have a choice of red or black; no blue. Damn, so black it is.
We now have the option to return to Panama to live in our little casita in the mountains. We tell ourselves that we will not be leaving South Africa for political reasons but saying that, I have no desire to live in a country where corruption has become the norm and it's run by a thieving idiot! At long last, it looks as though his support base might be crumbling but the country is showing major signs of following in the footsteps of every other defunct African nation. When one sees that there's massive admiration for the likes of Robert Mugabe, it's time to think that hope is fading. When Mandela came into power, there was unity and positivity but it couldn't be further from that ideal now. Zuma has managed to create such major divisions between the races and I for one, don't wish to spend my remaining years constantly looking over my shoulder and apologising for the colour of my skin.
As one erudite columnist stated, "South Africa has reached its tipping point. It is a stark choice. Sack a president who has just removed the last obstacle to the plundering of the country's wealth by a network of ministers, officials and businesss; or fail to remove him and watch the nation start to disintegrate as investors flee, prices soar, jobs vanish, taxes rise and desperate people do whatever they can to survive."
For those of you who haven't been following this debacle, Zuma fired the one and only person, the finance minister, who had stood up to him and refused to allow him to plunder the nations resources to meet his own greedy ends. He has been branded a thief, a liar, a narcissist, a mysogynist, a crook and a rapist and yet, he's still here! He has pillaged and raped the coffers, placed his own cronies in the top positions and rid himself of anyone who disagreed with his tactics. The Rand has plummeted once again and he sits in parliament giggling like the idiot that he is. It has to be seen to be believed!
On the positive side, watching the parliament channel is more amusing and entertaining than most of the TV programs. This could also be as a result of the fact that SABC, a previously very profitable entity, can't afford to purchase any decent programs and is currently holding out its hand to be bailed out of total decline due to squandering and corruption. The same goes for SAA, the previously successful national airline as well as Eskom, the supplier of the nations power, which is now in a completely diabolical mess. The radicals want to nationalise all banks, mines etc and occupy all land without compensation. Farm murders are increasing at an alarming rate but rarely get mentioned in local news let alone in international media. Time to move on!
And yet, I have to admit, South Africa is still one of the most beautiful countries I've ever had the privilege and pleasure to experience and hope lives eternal. It's getting late but there's still a chance to turn it around but we're not exactly in our formative years anymore so yes, it's time for a change.
1 comment:
Ireland? Do you still have a casita in Panama? And the president of SA sounds a whole lot like ours! Although I don't we are as far along toward failing as it sounds like it is there. Best of luck in the future.
Post a Comment