Homeless man opitomized failures of government

Recently, I stopped over in Florida Road, Durban, to have my usual coffee fix. As I stepped out of my car, I noticed a homeless man reading a booklet on the edge of a dirt bin. I was curious to find out what he was busy reading so attentively, and it happened to be a daily Biblical devotion booklet for women.

Approaching him and asking him what he was reading, he couldn’t even utter a single word- he just looked at me, confused, as if I was from some planet in outer space. I asked him if I could get him a coffee, and he nodded in agreement. Of course, I was very happy to get him a warm cappuccino and a choc chip biscuit- he took it from me, continued to look puzzled and when I asked him again,”What are you reading?”…he again said nothing. I just smiled, said goodbye and walked off to my car.

What bothered and intrigued me the most about this incident, was the enthusiasm with which he stood there, reading this book, in contrast with his inability to connect with me or utter a single word, not even a “hello” or a “thank you” It was sad. I then realized just how much our racist government had failed us as citizens of SA! Here’s a man who would give anything for an education, hungry for God’s Word, yet he cannot even start a simple conversation. It struck me like a hammer to the skull- our so-called “struggle Stalwarts”, the ANC, have crippled a nation. They have raped the system, exhausted the State, demoralized their very own supporters and successfully driven a wedge between Blacks and Whites, using Apartheid Redress as an excuse.

Because of these heinous crimes, I cannot walk down a street in Durban today without feeling the stabbing stares of those who don’t look like me. I feel bewildered, unwelcome, uncomfortable and almost guilty, for a sin I never committed. Maybe this is just the way it’s going to be? Apartheid’s price is a lifetime of being crucified simply for being White. My pigmentation curses me, but yet, I continue to try and reach out to people, mend what is broken and try to fix what our inept government has destroyed! Only God can save SA!