Two Bits – A most illuminating morning march

The 2 000 or so Ballito residents who turned out for the #SaveSA march down Compensation Beach Rd last Friday was quite an eye-opener. I haven’t seen that many locals in the same place ever, in all the last 30 or so years. You get crowds as big at events like the Ballito Pro surf contest and music concerts, but they’re largely made up of outsiders.
Some felt there should have been more people, but considering the small permanent population, most I spoke to were impressed at the turnout.
“We don’t voice our objections loudly enough. Now I believe we are collectively saying ‘Enough is enough’ and the government should take note of that,” said more than one person.
Mingling with the crowd was like walking through all the years I’ve been in this area. There were farmers, retirees, people who have moved into the various estates and one seldom sees out and about these days. Many normally chained to their desks had closed their businesses for the morning to join the march. There were a surprising number of young people. I hadn’t expected to see them in such numbers.
Many residents, I know, stayed away out of fear of a clash with the ANC marchers coming from Shaka’s Head, encouraged by our honourable mayor. There was a lot of confusion doing the rounds on social media about where the march would start and the threat of trouble, so it was not that surprising that a lot of people decided to play it safe and stay away.
It was a pity, ‘cos as it turned out it was a most convivial morning, helped a lot by the substantial police presence and jacked-up organisers. We should do it more often.
“I am tired of the corruption and inefficient government. Zuma must go,” said farmer Duncan Ferguson.
A very determined-looking lady added: “I have had it up to here with corruption. I don’t care who runs this country, I just want a government that is efficient and does it without stealing taxpayers’ money.”
Many were marching for the first time in their lives. Chris van der Merwe asked with a wry grin: “Aren’t we supposed to turn over a car or something?”
While the general consensus was that President Zuma was the root of all our troubles and should be sent to count cattle in Nkandla, Patrick Viljoen said: “We can do nothing about Zuma. He’s a fact of life. I want this and all the marches around the country to send the message that the people are fed up with the way they are being treated and the way the country is being run.”
Others were disappointed that there were not more black people in the march, but I know for a fact that many were threatened with beatings or worse if they did join and some told me that they had been forced to join the march from Shaka’s Head and the previous one to the Junction. I thought those who did join the march on Compensation were brave.
The ANC’s counter-march from Shaka’s Head march was aimed at ‘White Monopoly Capital’, apparently. However, I chuckled at the sight of Lovey Hulett (from the quintessential ‘sugar baron’ family) marching along clutching a battered and broken umbrella. Seems like WMC is not what it used to be!
Here’s an excerpt from the call for the counter march at the top of the hill: “The ANC is urging the public to refrain from participating in the shut down South Africa or Black Friday campaign that is organised by the opposition parties and other counter-revolutionary forces which seek to undermine our hard-earned democracy.”
I wonder, were they talking about a democracy in which all are permitted to have and voice a differing point of view, or did they mean by ‘our hard-earned democracy’, a political state which belongs exclusively to the ANC?
There was no evidence of the racism that President Zuma claimed (from the podium at the Chris Hani memorial gathering in Gauteng on Monday) had been on display at these marches. Pure fantasy on his part.
In fact, black and white toyi-toyed together enthusiastically, Nic Jordan showing some dance skills I hadn’t thought he had. A group of young black men looked embarrassed at being asked by me why they were there, but they agreed that Zuma and corruption must go.
Judy Tate, principal of the renowned Inanda Seminary School, and her friend Sue Muller looked like they would’ve marched all the way to Cape Town if they could. “I am marching for equity and justice in all our lives,” declared Judy, while Sue was determinedly against the rise of evil.
Most of the people I spoke to on the road said they were demonstrating against corruption, or Zuma, or state capture – all variations on a theme. This answer from Carolyn Harris was interestingly different:
“I am here because I did not march when I should have (against the apartheid government). I don’t know why I didn’t – perhaps I was afraid then – but I am not going to make the same mistake twice. What is happening to our country today is wrong and we must stand against it!”
There has been no shortage of euphemistically-named service delivery protests (What service? What delivery?) across the country, but Friday’s was the first by middle-class South Africans in a very long time. That should give some indication how fed up people are.
Yes, we should do this more often. We should learn to express our anger, instead of hiding away behind high walls, complaining at dinner parties and hoping it will all go away. In the words of one elderly marcher: “Nothing will happen unless we are prepared to say in public that we demand change.”
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I heard the US Secret Service had to change their commands. They can’t say “Get down!” anymore when the President is under attack.
Now it’s “Donald! Duck!”