MugundaMan wrote:South Africa in general and Cape Town in particular have a very highly developed infrastructure situation but you have to understand it came about from massive looting of mineral resources, near forced labour for a pittance from the local African population up until 1994 (and some say beyond) and a China-style planned economy - especially during the apartheid regime, that racked up massive amounts of unsustainable debt that the ANC was left holding the bag for. When you have those three factors working in tandem of course you will make glorious profits as few people can compete with such a low cost base. Remember too that is how the USA gained its competitive advantage for 200 years; free labour, raping the resources of the American Indians in the New World and building the infrastructure with it. The WHite House itself was 100% built with free slave labour. So that's why South Africa was able to gallop ahead in development with impunity. Johannesburg (Egoli-place of gold in Xhosa and Zulu)itself used to be a massive hill full of nothing but a giant gold vein, billions upon billions of dollars were minted of it to the point it is now a giant crater. And the "Zama zamas" illegal gold miners, are still making a mint from the rich pickings in the abandoned mines that the Oppenheimers and others long made their massive fortunes from to the point they are not interested any more in that "small money".
But back to topic. Cape Town indeed is a massively beautiful city. To roll down those expressways by the ocean and those seaside towns is a sight to behold. Who was that comparing it to USA? ha ha ha ha ha ha, no my braddah! I have never seen a city in the USA as scenic and breathtaking as Cape Town. Not even the Pacific Highway - beautiful as it is - comes close. The main reason being the natural beauty of Table Mountain set against endless misty seas and well planned towns across that coastline. You have to hand it to the boers; for all their faults, planning and aesthetics are two things they never fell short on.
But all that means nothing to the denizens of Khayelitsha and similar slums. I remember taking in the beauty of the country from stunning Cape Town International airport zooming along the N2 towards what we Kenyans like to call the "CBD" of the city. Wapi? On the left not far from the airport is the depressing shacks of Guguletu. Read the history of how that place come about, you might weep. Even as you approach Hout Bay and Chapman's Peak Drive (truly amazing road by the sea) there is a pocket of a slum there called Imizamo Yethu. I will never forget that place. I remember slowing down on that very smooth road and seeing some rough looking chaps coming out of that place that is buried in the midst of a very posh area. It took away from my experience in that otherwise beautiful town.
The Boers are known for their hardworking nature. I was once in a small australian town and a guy was telling me how Australians and New Zealands are left in awe of the work ethics of the boer. They work like nothing and they are good in what they are doing. However, they are very banal in thinking and racists to the core. Had the Boers found a way of working with africans in a fair way, SA would be heaven on earth.
Their ladies are also stunning but very conservative, even Swenani would not have success there
Since my Surname is a typical SA surname i have thought several time of immigrating there, but their thieves are worse than our thieves in kenya. Very inhumane.
You are very right. the Boers had everything working in their tandem and thus their massive success in SA.