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Through My Eyes

Through My Eyes

Author: Kasia Yoko
Date: 2015-02-20
My recent column had a few people worried. Why so negative? They asked me. Oh well, lets just say I have the nasty case of load shedding blues. I know that I'm not alone and that such a thing exists and a lot of us are going through it.

So while I am feeling sorry for myself, a friend from Umdloti sent me a feel good article about how good our country is actually doing. After reading the piece, which you can find on http://www.cover.co.za/companies/build-my-beloved-country I am still not convinced.

None of the issues the author raises are substantiated but maybe it's just me. So I am changing gear today and getting back to my chirpy old self with hints and tips on how to stay positive about South Africa today, by Tony van Niekerk.

"It is in the power of every single person to contribute and to make a difference:

-Step one, don't focus only on the political rhetoric in the country. Keep it in mind, but do not let that be the main influencer of your personal and business decisions.

-Step two, don't get confused by statistics quoting negative people (locals and ex-pats), looking to find reasons for their own failures rather than looking at solutions for the challenges everyone faces.

-Step three, take the racial blinkers off your eyes when it comes to crime. Yes we have hate crimes and xenophobia, which we should strongly condemn) Crime, for the most part, is colour blind. More black people, as a percentage of that population group, are victims of crime than white people, simply due to the fact that more black people live in crime ridden areas and are exposed to criminals while commuting.

-Step four, decide where you would like to and can make a difference. Here are a few simple and easy suggestions. (Many other people will have many more):


  1. Make a point of greeting every person you have the opportunity to greet, every day, all races.
  2. As a male, every opportunity you have, evaluating the risk, pick up a hitchhiker, enquire about his/her wellbeing and learn more about their environment.
  3. Strike a friendship with your Homeless Talk / Big Issue etc. sales person.
  4. Next time you are in a grocery retail store, identify a shopper you can support. Simply watch the behaviour of a few people and you will easily identify whom you would like to assist.
  5. When you are in the traffic, make a point of being friendly, smile at fellow motorists, greet the taxi driver, give drivers a gap, yes even the taxi, despite the immense difficulty of knowing that he breaks every rule. The best drivers when it comes to giving a gap, are taxi drivers. Make a note of it.
  6. Obey the rules of the land. Start with the rules of the road, despite the fact that it feels like everyone else breaks them.
  7. Join a voluntary organisation to do whatever suits you that adds value to our country.
  8. If you are a person of faith, pray for our leaders, pray for the poor, pray for the rich and pray for the country.
  9. Make sure your gardener/ domestic helper receives at least one balanced meal per day (protein/ vegetables and fresh fruit)
  10. Mentor someone, anyone, from a co-worker to a neighbour's child or an employees son or daughter."

Let me know how it goeshave a fabulous week and don't forget to greet that homeless guy.