Today the threat of Al Qaeda on the next World Cup. A few days ago, ' murder of the leader of the movement of Afrikaners ...
a strange country, South Africa, full of contradictions: to spearhead a heavily affected continent, a symbol of hope for what has been achieved after years of untold hardships and struggles, but the ashes still brooding hatred. I was there in 2005, few, intense days. A glimpse of its many facets. From the township with museums dedicated to the liberation struggle of blacks to modern shantytowns in which they are marginalized by the current immigrant neighbors were poor. From eyewitness accounts of the struggle of a time which is not far but it seems another era, white people reduced to begging at traffic lights. From the large, old Mandela in what is now the new president, Jacob Zuma, who five years ago was under investigation for rape.
But there is an episode that explains what all over South Africa today: we were a group of young journalists, on a trip organized by Nigrizia. Every day, a minibus driver with a cute blonde he took us to visit the most significant of Johannesburg and Pretoria. The two cities are connected by a highway, a few miles, as they are very close. That morning we rode quietly, talking among ourselves, on that highway. At one point, a 'knock' on the driver side and immediately starts running. More and more. We look at each other. He runs like a madman, someone tries timidly to ask him to slow down. None. It 's like mad. Chasing the van like a fury that has buffered. More than a collision, a small bump. The driver, always so kind, it seems another, beside himself. While running madly, call the police, seeking their intervention to stop the van. We are terrified, stuck to the seats, praying that the carcass of van shall not destroy it under our feet. The mad rush stops only upon arrival at the exit. Li has achieved. They are firm, have approached. We also draw near, the driver from the dashboard take a gun. We are incredulous and more amazed. Fortunately, at the time police arrived, at least four or five, which involved armed and determined, and regain control of the situation.
On that battered van, two workers were blacks. From as far as we understand, have no insurance and so they tried to escape. The police determine the subject matter and soothes the soul. The driver goes back to the van and apologized with a smile ...
We remain stunned for a while yet 'in disbelief at the ease with which he now pretends to nothing. And with the certainty - in leather - that the mad rush there would have been if the steering wheel of the van there were two blacks. Or if our driver had not been reddish-blond, with a mustache and blue eyes and had not spoken to Afrikaners.
