Sparkmag: Cry the beloved country Johannesburg is burning

When it comes to corruption , decay and a collapsing infrastructure Soviet Union, India, Nairobi, Singapore, Bangkok, Ukraine - have nothing on Johannesburg says Andrew Harding from the BBC as he farewells an uneasy South Africa.

Johannesburg become a violent city warped by corruption, and plagued by hunger.

Those that can afford to - are leaving en-Masse - “semigrating” to Cape Town - or emigrating wherever they can - England, Portugal, USA or Australia are popular destinations - welcoming these highly qualified hard working “refugees” to their land!

Johannesburg - A bustling city of stark contrasts - Cold nights and sun dried days.

Johannesburg - A place of extremes - extreme wealth of a few and extreme poverty of most -

Johannesburg - A cocophany of energy , resilience, hope and a generosity of spirit - with music playing on every corner …. A vibe that is hard to explain.

Johannesburg - a rainbow nation that is muddling through a haze of unemployment (of 43%) , corruption, decay and hunger

Johannesburg - load shedding - a place where key infrastructure systems is failing - water, rail transport, electricity and schools - are in dire straits. - destroyed by gross corruption .

Johannesburg- where “robots” or traffic lights are replaced by beggars directing a line of expensive cars of a privileged few - in the hope of a few coins to survive!

Johannesburg - where squatters steal cable from infrastructure to connect to a loaded electrical grid

Johannesburg - where Suicide and tragedy are a common occurrence - where a woman and her three children were reportedly found dead as poverty and debt drove the mother to poison her kids before taking her own life.

Johannesburg - where a building downtown housing squatters burns down scorching over 70 souls to their death

Johannesburg - a place where police corruption is rife - who stop luxury cars at random - giving them spot fines of R8000 ($400 - the max you can draw from an ATM machine) for travelling 121km/hour in an 80km zone - in a slow lane during peak hour traffic - (where it’s actually impossible to do so) - or face immediate imprisonment , harassment and threats that if they take this further - the police and their thugs “know where you live!”

Johannesburg - where the privileged few drink cold lagers with the ANC - on the terrace of their immaculate golf club looking at the magnificent facade of a “city of gold” , highlighted by the glinting tin roofs of a growing slum - where people are living with no sanitation!

The jist of a conversation being overheard at sunset at this haven of paradise

"Someday soon those people are going to come for us” they are saying - predicting an uprising far greater than the protests that engulfed several big cities in South Africa in 2021. "Things can't go on like this," he warned.

“ TIA - This is Africa” his mate says

The sadness of this ANC founder - lamenting on how the ANC has failed the challenges of democracy. Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Oliver Tambo would be turning in their grave!