The dangerous and slippery slope of decay

I love long train journeys. I love how time slows down while you watch the landscape go past. So, I was super excited at the prospect of a four-day journey through South Africa last week.

I did enjoy the journey, but it also really upset me. There were frequent hours of stopping because of broken overhead cables or decaying railway tracks. It meant, for example, that the 22km journey from Cape Town station to Bellville took three hours.

While we stood still on numerous occasions, I reflected on this daily challenge for millions of people who have no choice but to rely on our broken railway system – courtesy of the Zuma years.

We eventually made it to Kimberley, where I got off for a few hours. Unlike many other stations, the platform itself looked fine – even charming with old-fashioned signs. Then we stepped outside. The parking lot looked like a bomb had exploded in a rubbish lorry. There was rubbish everywhere, and the weeds were knee-high.

My heart sank as the overseas tourists remarked on it.

I tried to distract them by asking the tour guide (who was from Kimberley) what the big building right next to the station was. “It is the old Spoornet building,” she responded. “These days, it houses the government offices. It is where our Premier has his offices – somewhere on the fifth or sixth floor.”

This was the point that I got really annoyed and frustrated.

I have always liked what I have heard and seen of Zamani Saul. He did some really progressive stuff at the beginning of his term of office, like cutting back on blue light brigades, etc. However, for the life of me, I cannot understand how he can look out of his office windows every day and drive past this parking lot and not pick up the phone and tell someone to go clean up the rubbish.

This is his town, his ‘hood, his province. To me, it is the same as walking past dog pooh in your sitting room day after day and not cleaning it up. Nothing says, “I couldn’t care less” . How can you expect people to have pride in your province or city when you can’t even clean up outside of your own building?

I know that the Premier would most probably say that the parking lot belongs to someone else and that he has no authority over it. I frankly do not care. Make a plan. In any case, is someone in Transnet really going to object if a few people with plastic bags rock up once a week and clean up the rubbish?

I know all the provinces (again courtesy of the Zuma years) are short of money. If there is truly no money, why not call for a once-a-month cleanup day – led by the Premier and cabinet? It would be easy to get businesses and schools involved. It works in Rwanda - why not in South Africa?

My point is that you don’t need millions of Rands to clean up a town or a city. You only need political will and some elbow grease. 

Of course, this is just one example of the decay we are seeing all over South Africa - because of the I don’t care attitude of politicians and officials.

When I got back into the train, I opened my News24 app. “Baragwanath hospital runs out of food, nurses pool money to buy patients corn on cob for lunch,” was the headline of the top story.

I had to take a really deep breath while I thought back at my shock when I visited the Harare General Hospital in 2011 and was told that patients had to bring their own food. Not in my wildest dreams would I have ever thought that this could happen in South Africa.

The MEC for Health in Gauteng denied that there was a problem. Apparently it was just a “temporary” issue with the supply. (Tell that to hungry patients!) The CEO of the hospital also denied that there was a crisis. He “kindly” thanked the nurses for caring about their patients and buying food for them but insisted: “We were not starving patients”.

Really? So nurses with their meagre salaries “sommer” decided to buy their patients food? Even doctors (who tend not to get involved in political issues) told the media that 30 patients had to share 16 pieces of chicken.

Can you ever imagine anything more uncaring than not feeding seriously ill patients and then for good measure denying that there was a problem?

South Africa is on a dangerous, slippery slope. Hundreds of municipalities are no longer able to provide basic services; the road and rail systems are falling apart; our public health care system is a disgrace.

I am fully aware that some of this is a part of a historical legacy of inequality. I am also fully aware that government is seriously short of money – courtesy of – do I really need to say it again?

However, there is a lot that can be done, with little or no money, if only those who are in charge care enough and think creatively. 

It is time for the president to call all the Premiers, Mayors, and MPs, and insist that they get out of their smart cars and air-conditioned offices and set an example. It is not enough for politicians (including the President) to arrive at a crisis and do a walkabout while shaking their heads in feigned shock. They should roll up their sleeves and lead street clean-ups or deliver food to the hospitals to mention two examples. Of course, they should also fire those who were not doing their jobs and get to the bottom of the structural problems.  

As I watched the landscape go past from my train window, I realized again how much I love South Africa. I will never give up on this country. I accept that we face a lot of challenges, but I will not accept that we can’t at least get the basics right. 

I know that millions of South Africans feel like I do – the only question is, how many politicians do?