When I recently visited SA, I had a few specific objectives. Above all, I wanted to spend time with my mom and sons. However, I also had administrative tasks, such as renewing my driver’s license and bank cards that were about to expire. In addition, we also needed to complete a few actions before Christo could be the legal owner of a second-hand car, we bought him.

Load shedding

With load shedding due to the electricity crisis in South Africa, I expected long queues and frustrated people. However, I gained a new respect for the resilience and adaptability of the people of South Africa. The compassion and caring I experienced in my interactions with fellow South Africans, filled me with pride and hope for the future. After a previous visit, I also wrote about how I look at South Africa with new eyes.

We stayed at the D’Aria wine farm in Durbanville. D’Aria equipped their cottages with load-shedding lamps and spoiled us with home-baked rusks and a bottle of wine every day. My mother grew up among vineyards, and our morning coffee and biscuits overlooking the autumn-coloured vines evoked good memories for her and tranquillity for us.

On my arrival, Jacques installed the load-shedding app onto my phone. He visited us during load shedding for a walk among the vineyards and brought us some of his cakes to enjoy afterwards.

Unexpected compassion and care

During my visit, I experienced compassion and care in unexpected places.

While waiting in a line

I consulted the load-shedding schedule before I fell in line for the renewal of my driver’s license early in the morning. The woman behind me and I initiated a conversation about our fear of the eye test. Later we had such a good time talking that we didn’t even notice how quickly the lines were getting shorter. I was pleasantly surprised when she waited for me at the exit afterwards to “just greet me properly and wish me well on my way”.

During an installation

We had to install an alarm system in Christo’s car for insurance purposes. The technician explained that the installation would take a few hours, and when he saw Mom, he offered to take us to the nearest mall and pick us up again. He spoke Afrikaans for my mother’s sake after she informed him that she comes from the Kalahari where English is like a foreign language. We could have a leisurely Spur breakfast and a good chat while he kept me updated on their progress.

Looking for parking

I hoped for my boys to be students at the University of Stellenbosch. I looked forward to my lunches with them at the Katjiepiering restaurant in the University’s Botanical Garden and bought myself a visitor’s card. However, Jacques ended up at another University and during Christo’s student years at Stellenbosch, we lived in Zurich, and Covid visited the world.

Fortunately, my Botanical Garden opportunity came during our recent visit and I could even share the experience with my mom as well. I wanted to park near the gate to reduce the walking distance, but like on any campus, parking was a problem. A security guard observed my dilemma, had compassion, and unexpectedly made a private parking space close to the gate available for me. Due to his positive attitude, I could eventually use my Botanical Garden visitors card with my family after seven years!

When I made a mistake

A day before my return, I had to collect my new bank card and change the pin at the ATM. However, I made a mistake, and my new card was blocked! Embarrassed and hat in hand, I returned to the counter and apologized. The lady smiled compassionately.

“O madam, we all make mistakes sometimes. I can only imagine your head is probably in a different place with the flight to Switzerland tomorrow.”

On the flight, I read the following quote, which confirmed that the people of South Africa have the right hearts to bring about the change required in our country.

Kind regards

Emsia