The Haves and the Have Nots

Jesus said "the poor will always be with us". Seems a bit out of character but no doubt true in all places and all times. Here in South Africa (and I understand many parts of the world) the contrast between the poor and the wealthy is staggering. The rich - which includes whites and since the end of apartheid,some blacks and "coloreds" - live often in palatial luxury. Large homes with pools, marble flooring, lovely gardens, all that cheap labor can provide. The poor - which is the majority of the population -live in dreadful "townships" to which they were assigned under apartheid. The houses if you could call them that are generally scrap wood and corrugated metal construction of a few square meters, crammed together with dirt walking areas between them. There is no heat, no plumbing. They live on remarkably little income.

The government is rebuilding some areas in small houses that apparently do have some basic amenities. But that is a slow process and has touched a small minority of township residents.

The wealthy drive everywhere - BMW's, Mercedes are common here. Interestingly, there is no real public transit available to the rich, which, I think, makes this a difficult country for tourists. The poor take "taxis" which are vans that criss cross the cities and the country and are inevitably full far beyond the recommendations. They drive fast and dangerously and accidents are common and devastating. Seat belts - surely you jest. One might be tempted to suggested the government should regulate this mode of travel - forbidding the overcrowding of vehicles and requiring some adherence to quaint customs like speed limits. Of course, that would increase the cost of this mode of transport and put it out of the reach of many who depend on it. So what do you do?

I suppose it is human to flaunt one's wealth - but here it seems there is an unusual amount of flaunting. There is such a dividing line between people - and one wishes to make it very clear which side one is on. Perhaps it is just that labor is so cheap that having all sorts of people do all sorts of chores for you makes economic sense - and of course employs people who are desperate for work. But sometimes I feel like a queen bee being attended to by all sorts. Its an awkward feeling.

In parking lots, there is always someone directing you to a open parking place. In restaurants there are always people ready to whisk off your empty plates the moment you are finished. Careful about picking up you bread -the bread plate will disappear. We have a maid and a gardener, and all sorts of service people arrive at our complex every day to attend to assorted needs. There is a man who opens the exterior gate for us when the power is down or just as a courtesy.

The poor consist not only of native South African individuals but now with Zimbabwe in such dire straits, persons from that country who have crossed the border and are desperate for the basics of life.

The poor often live in squalor within short distances from those who would appear live opulently, wastefully, and with unlimited resources. This mix, inevitably, has a dark side. Crime. It is economic crime. People are not interested in harming you, but they will if it comes to it. But in your car, in your home, you must always be concerned about crime.

We live in a complex of about 25 luxurious homes. The complex is surrounded by ten foot mortar walls that are topped with an electric fence. The only way in is through a central gate occupied by a 24 hour guard. In addition, the homes have bars on the windows and sliding metal gates on the doors. A visitor must push a button and be buzzed in. The homes are all wired with intruder alarms that are linked to a service.

The alarm in our house covers the exterior of the house as well as downstairs since we all sleep upstairs. My granddaughter was stirring a few nights ago and I decided to take her downstairs so she would not wake her parents. Jet lagged, I was awake - but apparently not awake enough. I forgot the alarm and three steps down a piercing alarm went off and soon thereafter an armed guard came speeding to our house and was beating on our door. Her parents woke up.

We live in a gilded cage. We are dependent and in fear of those less fortunate than us. To be honest, it is difficult to see a way out of this for the time being. But clearly when we simply assume "the poor will always be with us" it is not just they who suffer. As the U.S. continues its steady progression to a greater chasm between the haves and the have nots, it would be wise for us to learn this lesson.