Manez Khanki Sobethwa, Khayelitsha
Ubomi bomntu omnyama bu cheap ngeyona ndlela apha emhlabeni…
I am sitting in an overloaded taxi, a 14-seater with over 23 people packed like cabbages.
In this damning reality, I felt privileged, I felt this way because I had no chance to see how dire this reality is as I’m arrested by the sight of scores of black people, young and old, women and students, young girls. All of them are either coming from work, the hustle, schools, colleges and university.
As winter approaches, the sun sets so early. These people are jogging and trying to keep close to each because once again trains are stuck in the middle of the rail road.
Commuters have no choice but to brace the darkness and walk the many kilometres home as they don’t have taxi fare.
Vulnerable to amaphara, the typical township elements, I see people throwing themselves inside the lion’s den, hoping to make it to the other side… hopefully with all their belongings.
In the middle of an election year, with our president boasting about new trains while there is no resolution on the fundamental infrastructure challenges, it saddens me that we will probably see these elections pass and head into the next and the life of a black person will still be the cheapest commodity.
