Willmore Adventures: From Beetroot to Bushmen...

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South Africa has seen its fair share of drama over the past few months. An ex-President sent to prison for defying a court summons; violence erupting with mass looting and destruction; and a delta variant fuelled third wave of the Covid 19 pandemic in the middle of winter. It’s been busy!

South Africa is currently investigating all the cases of corruption that became commonplace in the government during the tenure of former president Jacob Zuma between 2009 and 2018. From building a swimming pool at his palace at taxpayers’ expense, because it doubled up as a source of water for firefighters, to providing contracts and loans to family and friends at the expense of maintaining the country’s infrastructure and looking after its people. Simply put, it was nine years of looting the government purse. As part of the investigation, Jacob Zuma has been called to testify in this case of government looting, known in South Africa as ‘State Capture’. He has delayed his appearance in court by fleeing the country for ‘health reasons’, trying to have the judge removed, and by changing his lawyers. And when he had run out of excuses, he simply didn’t show up. The South African constitution held firm, and former president Jacob Zuma is now in prison for defying a court summons to testify in the case of State Capture.

Former President Jacob Zuma's swimming
pool with fire fighter demonstration.

Zuma being sentenced to prison
for refusing to attend court.

The new President Ramaphosa
clearing up after the corruption.

Zuma is from the Zulu nation within South Africa, which is a bit like saying you are Scottish but also British. Zuma’s support base within his home nation rose in protest at his incarceration. But when a government has failed its people so horrifically, (with neglected education, unemployment, hunger, and now Covid 19 restrictions), and looted the government purse so blatantly, the disenfranchised who started in protest, became violent and destructive. Schools, shopping malls and factories were burnt down, and opportunistic looting emerged from the chaos. Ultimately, people had begun to loot and destroy in the same way Zuma’s government had done to them. A very conservative estimate puts the government looting and destruction in the nine years under Zuma at £24.5 billion, and an estimate of the recent public looting and destruction throughout the country in July at £1 billion. Two avoidable tragedies, and many lives lost. It will be a long recovery from both, but for now, the vast majority of South Africans are united in celebrating a small win, with Zuma behind bars, and many have helped clear up in the aftermath of the recent chaos. For the Willmores in Lonehill during this recent violence, the panic was certainly palpable, with gun shots being heard from our estate, and shelves emptying in supermarkets as panic buying, like that seen at the start of the pandemic, was back. Shepherd, our gardener, spoke of his own panic, as shopping malls in the townships were burnt to the ground, and where looters rushed past his home-built corrugated iron house with stolen goods. It is worth noting that our experiences, whilst dramatic, were completely different. Where we saw queues and armed guards whilst we bought our gluten free oats, almond milk substitute, and our panic purchased beetroot, Shepherd was genuinely fearing for his life. Such is the difference between the haves and the have nots, and we only live fifteen minutes apart.

A map of all the riot locations in Johannesburg.
We live at the blue dot by Fourways.

The chaos and the aftermath
of the recent riots.

The clean up in Diepsloot,
Shephard our gardener's township.

After the riots, Joel with food, blankets and arts and crafts
for the Buttercup 2 Preschool in Cosmo City,
another Johannesburg township.

Teacher Joel with the Buttercup children.

Always happy, the Buttercup children.

Amelie and a beetroot and chocolate
brownie (my panic purchase creation!)

Like the rest of the world, South Africa has also been hit badly by the third wave of the Covid 19 pandemic fuelled by the delta variant. Reaching us in winter after a really slow roll out of the vaccine, it has been our worst wave yet. It seems to have swept through mine and Laurence’s generation with rather devastating consequences. I have had a hockey friend, Nicky, in hospital with Covid pneumonia for 19 days (thankfully home and recovering now), and Laurence has sadly lost a colleague, Roshe, just two weeks ago. Some warmer weather in recent days and a speed up in the vaccine roll out have been received with enthusiasm and relief. We are thankful to have just received our first of two Pfizer vaccines with a second dose due in September.

In amongst the sobriety of the last four months, we have still been able to enjoy ourselves. Laurence and I managed a weekend away without children to the Drakensburg Mountains. With the Zulu nation to the east, and the rest of South Africa to the west, it is a place with stunning scenery where the only noise for miles around is that of the clumsy humans walking through it. We found artwork of the San Bushmen three thousand years old on rock faces, and protea flowers growing wild, the national flower of South Africa. It was great to have some time away and still be able to explore this beautiful country despite all the uncertainty surrounding us (and the deadly snakes!!!).

Clumsy humans walking through
The Drakensburg Mountains.

Laurence, a view, and a Protea flower.

By the rock with the Bushman Artwork.

A bushman elephant 3000 years old!

Me with my snake stick!

And lastly our final tale from South Africa in this post... One day at home in June, 3000 years after the savvy San Bushmen roamed and survived on this land, Laurence decided to test his own bushman skills by lighting a fire in the bitterness of midwinter. After successfully doing so, and earning himself some bushman points, he went outside to check that smoke was rising and the chimney was clear. Alas, this was to be the end of his accomplishments, because (as any good bush-lady will tell you), looking up and walking backwards is a risky combination. With an unforgiving step, a yelp and a hefty splash, Bushman Laurence quickly found himself fully clothed and at the bottom of the pool. Bush-child Amelie sprinted out to his rescue followed by Bush-lady Jess (complete with bush-phone to capture the moment), and some bush-laughing was had by all. That was until we realised that the chimney was indeed blocked, that the house was full of smoke, and that in the bitterness of midwinter, we had to have all the windows and doors open to clear the air. A bushman disaster! What would our ancestors think?!!

South Africa with it’s corruption and chaos, it’s human spirit and it’s beauty, has had a difficult few months to deal with. But with a strong constitution, a now organised vaccine roll out, a lot of hard work (and some sensible bushmen), our hope is that South Africa will regain its strength and be able to celebrate a much longed for recovery. As Shepherd our gardener always says, "We will win, South Africa will win".

Lots of love, as always,

Jess x

Let us all keep Afghanistan in our thoughts and prayers, and help in any way we feel able.

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Some extra photos...