Dysseldorp 10 February 2024

It is now Saturday 10 February and I have stopped the renovations. I think it’s ready and otherwise they’ll figure it out. This morning we placed the gutter and neighbor Puma made a beautiful construction from the gutter to the rain barrel. Keep in mind that we are all doing this while there is no power for a long time and the power tools are therefore useless. Half the village came to see and wondered about that crazy ‘witman’ who is working in the heat all day. I have quite a problem with my shoulder and can’t lift my arm high.

We went for lunch with cousin Lynn who is visiting grandma and drives back on Monday with us. What can she eat burgers by the way; she stays slim!

In Prince Albert, just north of the Swartbergen, power went out last week due to a severe thunderstorm and overdue maintenance. Because cousin Boetie is a police commander there, we hear all the ins and outs. Now, a week later, the politicians still walk around there like headless chickens. Repairing the line takes time and is an ‘act of God’ but emptying the need in the meantime until everything works again is too much to ask and so tens of thousands of people are without power in temperatures above 40 degrees. With the elections coming up, everything is political while there are solutions at hand such as an army generator which is a 3-hour drive away.

This morning I once again wondered about the society here. As in almost all of Africa, this is carried by women. Strong, sensible and intelligent women who keep the family together provide food and clothing and often also money. Men play a curious role that is actually best described by bees that visit flowers and then leave for the next one. Apart from the good ones, the men here actually doesn’t add anything to the community…..

It surprises me that those strong women just allow to be saddled with all responsibilities (children, household, money, etc.) without any help. They can say ‘no’… but they don’t.

Tomorrow we are going to pack and Monday to Cape Town