In 1995 I was in South Africa for a couple of weeks on business.This, not quite coincidentally was at the time of the Rugby World Cup and I was fortunate enough to see New Zealand obliterate England with Jonah Lomu for almost the first time showing the world how powerful he was. It was a great trip from both the rugby side and also from the work side - visiting vineyards and wineries in Stellenbosch.
What wasn't great though was seeing at first hand the poverty in the country (Soweto and other townships) and hearing crime stories from both residents and visitors. I haven't felt inclined to return to South Africa and it has actually got a lot worse.
I recall that in Durban our hosts took us to a restaurant for lunch. We parked in a huge outside carpark like any that can be found around supermarkets and shopping malls. I was struck by the existence of several guard towers strategically placed at each corner of the carpark and one in the centre.
These were reminiscent of ones seen in films and on TV located in prisoner of war camps.
In each of them were one or two guards in uniform (some black, some white) who each held shotguns.
"Our car will be safe here." said our host when he saw me looking at the towers.
This was one of the many culture shocks I had there.
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Today I read this disturbing bit of news in the NZ Herald:
"Covid 19 coronavirus Delta outbreak:
Thieves target nurse's cars as Auckland Hospital staff work 12-hour shifts to help the sick.
Thieves have been targeting the cars of frontline healthcare workers - stealing them or smashing their way in and taking whatever they can get their hands on while the owners work gruelling shifts saving Kiwi lives.
The Herald is aware of spate of break-ins of cars belonging to staff parked in a Wilson Parking building in areas designated for those who work at Auckland Hospital."
Will we have to install guard towers and arm guards with shotguns?
2 comments:
Fuck. That's bad!
There have always been bad bastards around. Some of us have known them or even been related to them. I despair though, that there seems to be so many more people nowadays who have no empathy for others. Individual responsibility, a sense of what's right and wrong and, dare I say it* morality, conscience and ethics have disappeared.
* There's a danger of bob entering the argument here.
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