A Retro look: South Africa in 2013…

Daily Prompt: From the Collection of the Artist

by michelle w. on July 24, 2013

It’s the year 2113. A major museum is running an exhibition on life and culture as it was in 2013. You’re asked to write an introduction for the show’s brochure. What will it say?

Photographers, artists, poets: show us RETROSPCTIVE.

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Sensitive issues mentioned- please be aware if you have had traumatic experiences, rather not read this… 

Welcome to the brand new Cape Town Cultural and Historical Museum, located just behind the Two Oceans Aquarium on the William and Katherine Waterfront (previously known as the Victoria and Albert Waterfront). The Grand Opening will take place on 16 December 2113, by Prince Charles William Wallace George Bush  the 3rd, Crown Prince of the United States of Britain…

We are pleased to give a sneak preview of our star exhibition, showing a day in the life of South Africans on 24 July of the year 2013, and what happened next

You will remember that it was the last year of Jacob Zuma‘s reign, just before the Arab Spring finally moved southwards, and people got fed up with corruption and nepotism.  A photo of the dude, (not edited in any way…) and one of his 5 First Ladies, we are not sure if this was # 1,2,3,4 or 5

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/southafrica/7357102/Will-Jacob-Zuma-be-the-big-loser-after-the-World-Cup-whistle.html

It was the year that all the weapons the ANC bought when they came into power, finally ground to a standstill:

It was also the year that the last Black Rhino was poached. Superstition in some far eastern countries believed that a man could get an erection by sniffing powdered rhino horn. Because they could not raise to the occasion themselves, these magnificent animals were shot and killed to extinction… For our children, this is what a Black Rhino looked like so long ago…

Original photo from http://www.gambassa.com

In those days South Africa was also the rape capital of the world- it was a common occurrence that an 80 year old grandmother got raped by her own grandson and friends…

But the final straw in the old new South Africa was when the former president of the former ANC said that it is the Middle Class’ responsibility to save Africa.

Photo from the State Broadcaster! – http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/af7a048040502d28ab1fab1cdd67c642/Cloud-of-corruption-hangs-over-Nkandla-20131107

That was after he built himself a huge palace on tax payers money and called it Nkandla…  He told the Parliament that the Zuma family paid for it themselves…

The people of South Africa got fed up on the high taxes being wasted on nice parties and Johnny Walker Blue Label for the old Fat Cat Comrades…  When ministers flew overseas with their whole families on shopping sprees on Air Force jets…

The match was lit on the fuse when the ANC pushed through the etoll system. People already paid huge taxes on buying cars. They paid a huge tax levy on every litre of fuel. And then, they had to start paying a huge amount a month to ride to work. Safe public transport was nowhere available. And every day news of new scandals rocked the exhausted working man. Like the overruns on the Medupi power station. The total state of incompetency of the government was sucking the land dry. And the people finally have had enough….

The revolution started, and black and white South Africans finally stood together, got rid of the corrupt bunch, and started building a true New South Africa, where every citizen was treasured, where every life was valuable,  and where all politicians were banned to Robben Island…  (I wish!)  People who aspired to be politicians was held accountable for every promise they made, and went to jail if they lied.  Their salary was capped on the same level as the average school teacher’s in a rural area school, because their job was no more important than that of a teacher. When they finally qualified for a car allowance, it was capped to the entry level Toyota that the normal citizen could afford, they were not supposed to break the speed limit anyway. Politicians are supposed to be public servants, not royalty! All blue light brigades were banned, including that of the new president, Madam Lindiwe Mazibuko..

Because the new government tackled the high crime rate, and made the country safe again, the tourism market finally rediscovered the star destination of the world.

All was not bad in South Africa in 2013 though…  There was still Charlize Theron:

Timeless beauty… adapted from http://www.firsthdwallpapers.com/uploads/2013/04/charlize-theron-unseen-photo.jpg

The Top Selling bike was still the BMW R 1200 GS

And the people still ate and drank and made love, and babies were born…

While there is love, there is hope…

Maybe, after this, The RIder disappeared mysteriously, never to be seen again…

Dictators never liked alternative future scenarios.

PS. Why so fed up today? All of the bad news is just what is in today’s newspapers in one form or another…  South Africa deserved much better than the Apartheid Old South Africa, and South Africa deserves much better than the New South Africa too. If we could get rid of crime, including the corrupt politicians, this country could be a very nice home for ALL it’s citizens…

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