With the stoic and quintessential English upper lip, we bear the brunt of the dismally managed Eskom power utility.
I, and my fellow South Africans, must be congratulated on the way in which we have rewired ourselves in order to keep sane in these trying times.
However, I must state that the blackouts, besides being an irritation, like a pile, have made us realise that to live in these times without losing one’s mind, is to plan.
The invention and availability of the cellphone brought big change to life.
In past years, not everybody had a home phone so organising events and parties relied on preplanning and timeously, too.
No such thing as arranging for tomorrow or even in an hour’s time, because it was impossible to do.
The cellphone took away the delay factor, with the result that immediate organising was now possible in one’s daily life.
The beauty of the cellphone must not be discounted, as it is an annoyance in public places and eating houses.
Unfortunately, the cellphone brings one close to those who are away from one, but distances one from those in your immediate vicinity.
In short, one becomes very antisocial at the flick of the power button.
Just imagine cellphones being in the hands of passengers on the Titanic.
Perhaps the bloodletting that was the First World War could have been avoided, as the arrest of Princip would have been flashed around Europe.
Maybe, meticulously planned and executed troop train deployment of troops could have been stopped.
Amelia Earhart would have been located and saved.
The mind boggles at what might have been but if wishes were fishes the sea would be full.
Therefore, in a sort of unexpected way, Eskom is bringing forward planning to the populace.
Be grateful that there is something positive coming out of this seriously disruptive situation which is clearly an Eskom derived headache.
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