2 min read
27 September 2022
20:30

We may be a divided nation, but we often find those rare moments when we unite to help each other.

Yesterday while standing in line at the supermarket, the norm in South Africa, people began to chat. As I approached the cashier, the lights went off in the store, heralding another bout of blackouts. While we stood in the darkness, an older woman or Gogo, came over, greeted and laughed as she remarked that we must all love South Africa unconditionally, or we had returned from greener pastures and now complaining about the power cuts and deterioration of the country.

Now, that is the unique spirit of South Africans, to make fun of even the darkest of situations. (Forgive the pun). Despite the load shedding and the dire state of the economy as food and fuel prices skyrocket, South Africans always find the rainbow in the darkness.

Everyone has a story to share as they stand in queues, providing sunshine to an otherwise dreary event, sharing a sarmie that puts a smile on a kid’s face, or just listening to the grumpy old man whose children no longer care to visit him. It makes the annoyance of standing in what seems like a non-ending queue more bearable. It sometimes gives you a unique perspective on the resilience and forbearance of the people who live through poverty and inequality daily. Let’s not forget to add governments’ failures and the scourge of corruption.

If you want to feel and need to feel the spirit of Ubuntu, visit your local supermarket without a loyalty card. The cashier will “tut, tut” at you before shouting to the other customers in the queue to help you by lending their card to you, ensuring you get the R 2,50 saving on the 2 kg of washing powder!

Amazingly people will come forward and hand you their loyalty card whether they receive the small discount or not. It’s just how we are.

If there is one thing in recent weeks that has united the nation, it has to be load shedding, and if I were president, I would call it energy conservation to help fight global warming! Maybe we can convince the people that there is a silver lining around the dark cloud of power cuts!

Now that’s putting a spin on things!

By Mumtaz Moosa Saley