Power on – but avoid water

Merry Christmas and happy holidays. As we look back on the year, there’s lots to be miserable about. There’s also lots to cheer for.

This has been the South African experience for most. While you’d struggle to beat our weather, you’d also struggle to get to the beach. Despite incredible resources thrown at public services, the public is often left to feel alone.

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Let’s also not forget that while justice may arrive, the flight would have been delayed and its suitcases may have gotten lost en route in Dubai. It’s the beauty of Mzanzi; for every cheer for the Springboks, there’s a curse at a soul-devouring pothole. For all the amazing music Tyla exports, we deal with an influx of local issues.

We can delight in every moment the electricity is on until we have to pay for it, which makes us wish it was off longer. You can’t be here and expect things to be perfect.

It’s never been that way in the history of the region. Certainly, things were better in some respects. It can always be better and once you admit that to yourself, you allow yourself to see light at the end of the tunnel.

It may be faint but it is there. Better yet, it’s more light than most countries can offer. The US is going politically crazy. Nobody knows if China actually still has money.

Everybody knows that nobody in the UK has any money left. And the Aussies… they have to slum it in South Africa Lite. With the grass not that green abroad and some positives happening on our end, I went back on some of the news of the year and found myself smiling for a change as I reflect on another year gone by, it somehow feels better.

Perhaps it’s got a lot to do with having come to expect the disappointment in the stale State of the Nation Address and weird results of the Samas.

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Perhaps accepting and working with the national malaise makes it easier to look at the awesome things like high-end arrests, actual outcomes from commissions and a remarkably robust and free press unlike most nations in the world.

It’s when I can ignore that my trash hasn’t been picked up or the streets looking filthy that I can avoid feeling let down and can actually engage in meaningful ways to fix it.

Yes, neighbourhood organisations should be unnecessary considering we have a whole police service, municipal infrastructure and pay a variety of different taxes to get some service – but guess what: simply looking at the ground and crying about crime doesn’t solve it.

As small communities, we have actually done a lot that we can be proud of. As private South Africans, we’ve done a lot that we can be proud of.

As a country, in spite of our shocking leadership, we’ve done a lot that we can be proud of – in 2023 especially.

It’s exciting that 2024 comes with an election that offers us the opportunity to grab the country by the balls and do something more with it.

It’s even more exciting that we seem pretty poised at doing that. We have our issues, but who doesn’t? May 2024 be the year we totally legalise weed, get decisive leadership, deal with crime, have solid electricity generation and all the nice civic things.

South Africa will always have its problems and that’s fine. Perfection is boring anyway. We’re strong and robust people who have developed a useful resilience and it puts us in good stead for what comes next.

So enjoy your holidays knowing that while things may always seem kak, there is much to be happy about and so much to look forward to.

The lights will be on and the stock market strong. Have yourself a merry Christmas if you’re celebrating, otherwise enjoy the festive time all the same.

Just don’t drink the water yet. I hear it’s pretty kak.