The faux Po-Po

 

I received the following notice from the Consulate General of the United States of America:

Johannesburg, South Africa Security Message for U.S. Citizens – Fake Police Vehicle
July 30, 2013

U.S. citizens residing in Johannesburg are advised that there is a cloned South African Police Services (SAPS) vehicle masquerading as an official SAPS vehicle. Golf 6 GTI Reg Number: BSF 079 B The call sign on the car is RR1117. This call sign belongs to a Soweto Flying Squad Vehicle, which is a Ford Focus ST. A white Golf 2 with a registration plate starting with CX accompanies this vehicle. The occupants of these vehicles are armed with R5 and 9mm weapons. They were involved in a hijacking in Monument Park West on July 25. They were previously linked to an armed robbery in Centurion. Should a U.S. citizen see the vehicle, please contact SAPS at 10111 immediately to report the location. If you encounter this cloned police vehicle, slow down, turn on the emergency lights and proceed to the nearest public space (police or petrol station or other well-populated locale) before stopping and cooperating with the police. _________________________________________________________________________________________ The private security sector is an unbelievably huge industry in SA. One reason for that is the high crime rate. I was taken back by how most homes in Joburg are equipped with security defenses that rival medieval castles: high walls, electrical fencing, thorny metal wiring, infrared technology, and 24 hour surveillance by private security companies with armed guards. Another reason for the strong presence of private security, per common perception and personal anecdotes a handful of locals have recounted, is the unreliable police force and response. I actually heard a caller on a morning radio show a week plus ago who was telling the host about a fake police car driving around his neighborhood. I suppose the U.S. Consulate finally caught wind of this. I've never had to think about whether or not I could trust the public protector. I've been taught from such a young age that if any emergencies happen, I should dial 911. I didn't realize until now how much I've taken for granted the functionality of a public protection services. When I first got here, I asked the locals about the emergency number. They gave me half-hearted responses about dialing the emergency number. (By the way, it's 10111 in SA, which seems a bit cumbersome to me.) I hope that I will have no reasons to dial it or that I will not have a run in with the faux Po-Po.

Happy Mandela Day!

Nelson Mandela turned 95 years old today. A revered figure on the international stage, he is an especially beloved hero to South Africans. As one woman said, he is everything to South Africans. His birthday celebration is particularly poignant this year, as he has been hospitalized for recurring lung infection, which began when he contracted tuberculosis while a political prisoner. On July 18, also known as Mandela Day, South Africans honor him by volunteering in their communities for 67 minutes. Each minute represents the 67 years Mandela gave in serving the public and fighting for human justice against the apartheid system. 

Happy birthday Madiba.

Pilanesberg Safari

Six days in Africa, and I got to go on my first ever safari. We drove about two and a half hours from Johannesburg into the North West Province and arrived at Pilanesberg National Park. This Game Reserve is nestled in the crater of a long extinct volcano and is one of the largest parks in South Africa, spanning 55 hectares. (For all my fellow metric-illiterates, that is about 136 acres.) Even in the Winter when the grass is brown and gives the land a dull, earthy tint, the landscape is stunning. Magnificent mountains oversee open grasslands, valleys are speckled with trees and vegetation, and the still blue waters of the lakes reflect back the rocky, red-soiled mountain ranges. It is an absolutely breathtaking panoramic view that only a National Geographic photographer could possibly attempt to capture. This beautiful stage is the playground of countless birds and mammals, including the Big Five. The Big Five is a term first coined by big-game hunters, referring to the five most difficult animals in Africa to hunt on foot. South Africa is one of the few countries that has all Five and in which you can easily see all Five. I had some up-close-and personal encounters with three of the five- elephants, black rhinos, and Cape buffalos- and also some giraffes. (Check out the photos in the gallery.) I barely spotted a female lion lazing around midday in the grasslands, but the bush was a bit too thick and tall to clearly see her. So really the lion and the leopard are the two remaining Big Five that have eluded me. Countless zebras, warthogs, kudus, hippos, elands, wildebeests, impalas, sprinboks, and crocodiles made themselves visible during our outing. One of the most impressive sights though was a little black bird. This particular bird seemed no more unique than any other, that is until he spread his wings to fly away. As the sun reflects off his body...poof! His shiny black feathers are transformed into a brilliant aqua blue. It was like magic. I've been told that no safari is ever like another. It just depends on the luck of the day as to what I'll see. Considering this was my first safari and I was able to see so many animals, missing only two of the Big Five, I would say that was a pretty good day.

Hello Joburg!

 

After a 15+ hour trans-Atlantic flight from JFK, I finally arrived in O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg early Monday morning. Otherwise known as Joburg by the locals, this metropolitan city is the provincial capital of the province of Guateng, which is the wealthiest province in South Africa. This area also has the largest economy of any region in Sub-Saharan Africa, and its wealth is reflected in my first impression upon leaving the airport: I don't feel like my new surroundings are much different from the surroundings I supposedly left behind in the U.S. Of course the airport was very snazzy (each parking spot in the garage has a light indicator above it hanging from the ceiling, brightening up in either red or green, to denote its availability to prospective parkers- wow... there have been more than a few pre-Christmas shopping trips during which I wish there was such a saving grace), but the world outside the airport was quite similar to the world outside Houston's airport: well developed road infrastructure, the highways were lined with many corporate company buildings, and there were a lot of cars zooming past us. The most awkward thing was when I got into the left side of the car to ride as a passenger and when we turned at intersections, because I kept getting hit by an instinctive reaction that we were about to have a head-on collision with oncoming traffic. All this aside, I remind myself that first impressions rarely tell the whole story and not to be fooled. There is much for me to yet uncover about this country.

Half an hour later, I arrived in the Woodmead office and attended my first pharmacovigilance training session on adverse events. By that time, it was about 18 hours since I boarded my plane in NY, and all I thought about was how glad I was that I opted for an outfit which was both comfortable for a long flight and office appropriate. Talk about first impressions... I had a few introductions to other members of the office before heading off to visit the flat in Melrose that I had arranged for my stay in Joburg. I'm renting one bedroom in a two bedroom flat, and it's the perfect place for my needs- a decent-sized room with a separate bathroom located in a very secure complex with private security. The best part of the flat though, is my expat roommmate. She's a naturalized Canadianne originally from Burkina Faso, who relocated to Joburg two years ago after having lived in Montreal for many years. What are the odds to have such a North American connection in the southern tip of the African continent?! It's so wonderful to be living with a Francophone, to have the radio and TV station tuned into French programming, and dust the cobwebs off my French, which has been stored far back in the recesses of my language cabinet. Even though I'm far from the comforts of familiarity, our common connection brings that familiarity here for me. It's curious where, how, and why we meet the people we do in our lives. I'm excited to have finally arrived in Joburg, and I'm excited about the other curiosities that life may bring in the coming months.