Moving to South Africa

Mon 20th February

We have been here over two months now. In the seven years that I have been visiting South Africa before our move here, I became fascinated how this country was struggling to become a first world country and succeeding despite itself.

On one of our frequent trips to visit family here, in April 2004, we drove from Durban to Cape Town (the long way round). We set off early and by dusk had reached the outskirts of a town called Graaff Reinet. We were driving though a spectacular electric storm that had our three-year-son, Ben, peering in awe from under a blanket on the back seat.

It was 7 pm and dark by the time we hit the town centre. We checked into a lovely local hotel and strolled down Main Street and took a table in the heart of the recommended local steak house for a well-deserved meal. We hadn't eaten since midday and were prepared for an attempt on the T-Bone. At the point of taking my first sip of a cold glass of Windhoek draught, the lights went out, as did the cookers, air conditioning and every other electrically operated or powered piece of kit in the restaurant and the rest of the town.

The town and the surrounding 100km of farms and villages were without electricity for the next 18hours. We never found out the reason for the power cut but the impact was nothing less than revelatory.

First, no power in a hot country means that all fresh meat, milk stored in fridges begins to rot very quickly. Second, all fuel is pumped at service stations using electrical powered pumps, so you cannot travel. Cash machines do not work. Security systems are disarmed.

What surprised us was the calmness that this situation was met with by the locals. The optimism that it will be OK soon was almost endemic.

Our frustration was that we had no food and no gas to continue our journey. We learnt great patience.

Holidaying here in Cape Town in the first week of November 2005, we had a similar experience. There was a city-wide power cut caused by a failure in the nuclear powered generator up coast. Our experience in Graaff Reinet was multiplied. This outage was on a very hot Friday afternoon. The radio stations were unable to broadcast so there was confusion as to what the problem was and how long it would take to resolve. The obvious occurred: traffic lights stopped working, cars were gridlocked, the mobile phone network was overloaded and stores closed as most did not have back-up generators or emergency lighting. Six hours later all was back to normal and again we were struck by the patience and optimism of the city.

We are now permanent residents here. The weekend of 18th February 2006 was significant to us in Cape town for three reasons.

First, we saw Johnny Clegg perform his 'A South African Story' in the open air at Kirstenbosch Gardens against the backdrop of Table Mountain. This was significant because Johnny Clegg formed one of the first inter-racial bands in SA during the Apartheid period. The concert was based on an anthropological journey of Zulu and White European cultures and their influence, respect and integration with each other.

Second, it rained. We have been living here for almost 10 weeks. We have had clear blue skies and the temperature has risen from 20C to 37C in that period. Today is the first rain we have encountered. Cape Town is also quite windy with strong Southeasterlies blowing frequently. It is now 16C and the earth has received a welcome dosing.

However, the most significant event of this weekend was being awoken at frequent intervals through Saturday night by our electrical appliances being tripped over a 3 hour period. When I finally rose from our bed at 6am I realised we had no power. I fumbled around our packing crates to find my trusted Robersts World radio which still had life in its batteries after 18 months. I tuned to the local news station and listened for an hour. They were discussing alternative energies, chicken poo, cow dung, compressed air to power vehicles and of course solar and wind. There was no mention of a power cut so I went to check our fuse box, nothing I should worry about there. The 7am news, and I rush back to the living room to listen. "Cape Town and the Western Cape are without power this morning". Headlines, but without concern. I am concerned, what about our food in the freezer, it's Sunday and FA Cup day, another day for braais and warm beer!

By noon the power was back on. We are told by the energy suppliers here that this was caused by a heavy mist up country (no leaves on the tracks here, we have desert conditions). According to the news, the reality is that the nuclear plant will take many months to repair and will take years to be back to full power. The power cuts were as far reaching as Johannesburg.

Meanwhile, last weekend, the national Saturday newspaper, The Weekend

Argus, announces a breakthrough in the design of solar energy by a team of scientists led by Professor Vivian Alberts from the University of of Johannesburg. This breakthrough means that complete homes can now be self sufficient in energy at low installation costs. The university department has already been given a R500m (£47m) investment by a German manufacturer who will have manufactured 500,000 of the new design panels by year end.

South Africa has tenacity and determination, it has a wealth of natural resources especially sunlight and wind.

Today, I have applied for the briefing documents to supply professional Services for the design and construct of a new 'Iconic Stadium' for Durban as part of the host nation requirements for the World Cup 2010. The technological revolution required by this country to host this event needs to be undertaken, they have the enterprise, the will and the attitude to do it. What they do not have, necessarily, is the international experience we have in the UK. Will this new stadium be powered by solar and wind to avoid the embarassment of failed broadcasts in 2010 to the rest of the world?

South Africa needs the power, in every sense, to overcome supply and service difficulties. This breakthrough by Professor Alberts might be the key to the success of 2010, more importantly, it could be the key to South Africa emerging as a true first world country and also giving opportunity to the people housed in informal settlements, which I will discuss next time.

UK experience in Olympics, urban regeneration, low cost housing and solar and wind power could be of great assistance to the emerging nation of South Africa. The country has unwittingly failed to comply with EEC requirements on education funding and had grant aid withdrawn. Perhaps UK expertise has a real opportunity here to make a difference and change design and standards of living for the rest of the third world from what we are learning here.

If Bouygues can make the Gauteng rail link work under a PPP proposal, surely UK plc can do more?