Still wild, but connected

I spent the better part of two days driving to and from the Transkei Wild Coast recently. It has to be one of the gems of the entire world, as beautiful, as remote and filled with the most friendly, down-to-earth people as you would imagine a paradise to be.

When we lived there 40 years ago, it was all of that and more. Admittedly, there was also a big downside for the people living there. Besides being the ancestral home of the Pondo and Xhosa-speaking peoples, it also served as a convenient labour pool for the mines and industry in general. The men worked the mines and their families back home were poor, working the communal land and tending their flocks.

Almost every dwelling way back then was a round, thatched hut and the huts and villages were spaced far apart. All that is in the past. The road from Port Edward to Lusikisiki and beyond is a ribbon development of suburban house after suburban house. There is no formal planning so they’re a bit higgledy-piggledy, but today the round huts are virtually no more.

It must be a sign of new wealth, the city workers sending their money back home to build a fine home for retirement. There is also electricity absolutely everywhere and roads to match. There are now many more graded, even tarred, roads into what used to be the most impenetrable areas.

Driving through all this my heart was selfishly sinking.

“Oh no, what has happened to my Transkei!” I daresay life is hugely better for the people living there, but we like to keep our dreams intact.

Luckily, all came right down at the coast where we were headed, Mpande Beach about 20km south of Port St Johns. The beach and dunes were pristine and as lovely as always. The people were friendly and open as only rural people can be. An eelctric fridge with icecold drinks was handy, though I missed the charm of the old paraffin fridges.

Some of the anticipation of the trip was to get as far away as possible from the non-stop wittering about Zuma and Guptas and Eskom and who was going to get their come-uppance next. And Ramaphosa is McGyver who’s going to set all to rights. Did you know why they call him ‘Cyril the Squirrel?’ Because he’s got the biggest nuts.

Unfortunately the cellphones were working just fine. I like to be in places where I am out of contact for a while. I’m sure it’s great for the locals. Gone are the days when getting in touch with someone from deepest Transkei could take a week. However, it meant that our group kept on fiddling with their phones like they’re attached by umbilical cords.

I set myself a challenge of capturing that most iconic of Transkei scenes, Nguni cattle on the beach. After a morning grazing on the hillsides, the herds amble down to the beach for a lazy morning of chewing the cud and catching some rays. I have long struggled to get a decent pic of these cattle, mainly because I’ve been dissatisfied with the backgrounds. Too much grass and bush and telephone poles. But the beach was perfect and they didn’t mind me getting right up close. They posed beautifully.

We did see three guys ambling along the beach who looked like castaways, then close-up it was clear they were locals of a different sort. White guys with deep tans with a certain distant look. Much later, on a long walk, we came across a well-tended patch of Transkei Gold hidden deep in the coastal forest. Aha! Enterprising as well!

Interesting place, Transkei. You find all sorts.

* * *

I am pleased to be able to report that our new passports took 12 days to come back, following the 10 hour queue to get the application in to Home Affairs. Collecting them took a very hot three hours, but I’m glad that is behind me for another 10 years. It would have been ideal if the smartcard IDs had come back at the same time, but that would have been hoping for too much.

* * *

Sometimes I have to wonder about the DA. Former leader Tony Leon has been attacked by DA KZN leader Zwakele Mncwango for praising Cyril Ramaphosa’s call to action against corruption.

I don’t get it. The DA has long and loud complained about corruption, nê? Now Cyril calls for an end to it. Does the DA now not want an end to corruption just because the new ANC President is singing the same song? Or am I naïve in thinking that an opposition doesn’t have to oppose everything? Even Julius Malema has the sense to praise Cyril.

* * *

I was reading in the paper today about this dwarf that got pickpocketed. How could anyone stoop so low?

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