In my three weeks of life here in Johannesburg, I’ve just started to comprehend my first impressions of the quirky place. At first, there are just so many new things that you just take them for what they are; but soon enough you start asking yourself, “Why is that? What’s going on there? Who made that rule/law/decision? Why don’t they do something about…?” So, I think I’ve begun that stage. (From past experience, after this stage comes something like adaptation—that is, you realize the questions are ultimately pointless and you have to adapt to the new place. That said, I have a lot of pointless musings and I’m not ready to let them go yet).

Wealth Disparity

There is wealth disparity in all countries, but what’s striking about it in South Africa is the proximity of it. Near ALA, there is an informal settlement called Zandspruit where 70,000 people live in maybe five square miles. Most of the houses are constructed out of corrugated tin and random other found items. You can stand in Zandspruit, look north across the valley and there is an 18-hole golf course with HUGE mansions lining the fairways. The two communities can’t help but look at each other and yet, they cannot comprehend of each other’s worlds. It’s not unusual to see sick Land Rovers, BMW’s, and Lexus’ passing by/through Zandspruit on the way to Sandton, the economic hub. When you watch it happen, there is some sort of cognitive dissonance that takes place in your head. “These two things don’t co-exist in any world I’ve ever known…”

Look-Over-Your-Shoulder-ness

Because of the wealth disparity, and a nationwide unemployment rate of 45%, theft is an issue. You understand why people do it—if you didn’t grow up getting an education, you can’t get a job, and you have mouths to feed, you’re going to do what you have to do. A few ‘Have-Nots’ started being ‘Takers’ and the ‘Haves’ put up walls, ran electrical wire, and hired guys with guns to drive around their neighborhoods. I don’t know what the actual crime rate here is, but to look around and to hear people talk, you have a 50-50 chance of getting robbed any time you leave your house. It’s not true, but when you see everyone taking extreme measures (literally) to protect what they have, it gets into the psyche.

Opportunity

Joburg is the capital of Africa and yet it’s still so very nascent. There is so much opportunity to launch businesses, education initiatives, field research, scientific experiments, NGO’s, and so much more here. And once you’ve gotten it down here, you can go to Dar-es-Salaam (Tanzania), ___ (Botswana), and Nairobi (Kenya) easily. They will fall like dominoes (or build like Legos, if you prefer that mental image) and everyone involved will be successful, effective, profitable, etc. If I had a million dollars (if I had a million dollars), I’d start up a bunch of businesses in Joburg and watch my empire grow from there.

That’s what I’ve got three weeks in. Give me three more weeks, and I’m sure I’ll have a whole bunch of other “insightful” things to share. Until then, cheers (as they say here).