We’re oscillating between loadshedding stages like a pendulum in a hurricane and have no Eskom anywhere between 7 or 12 hours a day. It’s like a lucky packet. Except it’s filled with all those sif flavours in a BeanBoozled pack.
Johannesburg, South Africa (30 May 2023) – Apparently cold showers are really good for you. So South Africans must be outstanding. I mean, I don’t feel very good (or warm) right now but apparently, they are good for you.
Ja friends, I just had the coldest shower.
Our geysers are on timers (but not on our solar), and the loadshitting schedules are now messing with our heating schedule. Some days we get it right; most days, we get it wrong.
And today is a humdinger. Actually, this whole week is.
We’re oscillating between stages like a pendulum in a hurricane and have no Eskom anywhere between 7 or 12 hours a day. It’s like a lucky packet. Except it’s filled with all those sif flavours in a BeanBoozled pack.
I smell dead fish. Or is that rotten eggs?
Arrggghhh, and then we have to deal with all the other kak.
Every single day.
Poverty, crime, political issues, the unemployment rate, the economy, trolls on social media, corruption, the price of petrol and flipping Woolworths bags (even though you can take one, leave one now), people losing jobs, businesses closing down, the irate people in traffic, the potholes, robots that don’t work, robots that do work but not in the rain, the neighbour’s noisy generator and everything else in-between.
It can feel like a lot!
But it’s not all that is going on.
Yesterday I was on a panel discussion on eNCA, chatting about the good news and highlighting good people doing good things in South Africa.
And there is so much good happening.
Just in the last couple of days, a South African cancer survivor went viral on Britain’s Got Talent, reminding us of resilience and how we need to embrace our inner strength and refuse to let circumstances define our limitations. A JMPD officer, who helps young kids cross busy roads in the city, saw a little girl whose shoes were broken and torn and bought her a brand new pair the next day with his own money. Nkosenhle Dlamini, the son of a single mom who is a street vendor, graduated cum-laude. We had a young lady use her social media to try to find a friend a job and he has now been inundated with interviews. High schoolers (from my hometown) collected over 830 kilograms of plastic lids to gift a stranger with a wheelchair. A teenage hero stepped in to protect kids from a dangerous dump. A doctor spends all his free time repairing cleft palates for free. FOR FREE. The entire SA gymnastics squad took gold at the African Artistic Gymnastics Championships; the first time this has happened in almost two decades!
And just last night, the Angel network raised over R2 million in a 48-hour telethon to continue their good work.
And then there are the thousands of stories of people fixing potholes, directing traffic, cleaning rivers, donating blood, crocheting blankets for people in need, feeding the hungry, upskilling citizens, saving animals, helping GBV victims, building houses and, and, and…
South Africans helping strangers.
Yes! In times of tragedy, keep looking for the helpers. They will always be there.
Ja, I might have another cold shower tonight again but that doesn’t even compare to the warmth of the South African spirit of resilience, love and kindness.
I hope today – when faced with life’s BeanBoozled things – you only get (see) all the good flavours… and leave the kak ones for our VERY kak government.
Okay. Love you. Bye.
Sources: Various – linked above
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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.
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