Thursday 25 March 2010

Is Jozi that bad

Johannesburg is a beautiful City except that there is still a lot of decay that needs to be taken care of. This morning I come from Pretoria by Train and as I disembarked in Johannesburg Park Station, the city was abuzz with thousands of people from the train going to different directions. My route was to our office in Pritchard Street a two way street six street away from the Train Station. Everyone seems to be very friendly, it is amazing how Jo’burg is known for being rough and unfriendly yet as I left the train station one guy stepped on my foot by a mistake and apologised politely and moved on. I took Noord Street to Wonderers street and turned towards Plain Street as music was blasting from the shops along my route.  Taxis are bussy ferrying passengers from Wonderers Street, which is largely used as a taxi rank to different destinations around Jo’burg. Shop owners are bussy opening their shops setting up their displays for business. As I jump Plain street which is also a very bussy street used as a major street by taxis, wonderers becomes Kruise Street and street vendors are set up already with their low quality cheap Bafana bafana merchandise and Vuvuzela at every stand. Those merchandise are all probably made in China judging by the price.

As I reach Bree next to a derelict Post office there is a stench of urine from a secluded corner and filth. I enter Small Street, which used to be the hub of business, but now home to Somalis and Nigerian businesses selling any thing from china and the Middle East.
As I approach Pritchard I am reminded of Zimbabwe problem as I saw a group of filthy thugs like guys loitering, women selling Magwinya (fat cake) and soaps and towels on the side of the street. I am almost in the office, but not before crossing busy Von Wileigh Street. Taxi’s coming up from Marshalltown side up to Noord taxi rank are passing regardless of whether robots are green or not. Pedestrians have to force their way so is the traffic on Pritchard Street I join them and make my way across the street. A stand of women selling fruits next to another taxi rank is already buzzing with business. Municipal workers are hard at work cleaning the city. The city look very y clean compared to the stake we left in yesterday are there people, are the people who clean the city whilst we are sleeping?

I am on time today so I go in to the office. I feel like I was acting in a movie it looks like every one is fake. Fake smiles, fake clothes, fake works, and big car on the road driven by people I suspect they are in debts. I will repeat this in the afternoon except that by then Jozi will be three times busier that now, there will be no parking available in the CBD, and there be more cheap fake stuff going on. A friend of mine promised to buy me a fake USB player for R10.00 I will see how long it will last in my car. It is definitely fun to walk than to drive especially in Gauteng

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