By Dave Charles
Politics is big business in South Africa. In fact, it’s probably the only industry that is growing in our stagnant economy. A record seventy political parties registered for the 2024 elections. It’s ludicrous, but let’s face it, it’s a great business to be in. You don’t have to do much and there are seemingly no repercussions for lack of performance and failed service delivery. Councillors earn basic salaries of just over R541 000 per annum plus a spread of generous perks to sweeten the deal and Members of Parliament are all instant millionaires with even better perks.
What a win! If you don’t mind the company, politics is clearly a fast track to wealth and power and, dare I say it…naked greed but if you are expecting anyone from the ranks of the political elite to lead us to a brave new dawn, I am afraid that you are going to be disappointed.
Yet there are heroes among us and, unlike the empty promises from the faces on the posters, these are the ones who will deliver a brighter future here. There are many examples of how this is already happening and here is one that is very close to home.
Ballito lifeguard Ernest Phungula is a man of limited means from an impoverished township background, but he has incredible natural athletic ability and a burning desire to represent his country in the world championships. Ernest’s drive and ambition was recognised by local resident, Glen Gore, a former full time professional triathlete who has been coaching professionally for years. Under Glen’s guidance and mentorship Ernest has overcome enormous challenges to become a truly world class athlete and he was recently selected to represent South Africa in the world Duathlon championships in Australia.
Now you would think that Athletics South Africa would leap at this opportunity for them to shine, but, embroiled as they are in scandal and malfeasance (their former CEO recently helped himself to a large tranche of donor funds), they clearly have more pressing issues at hand.
To get to Australia and to compete in the World Championships, Ernest needed to raise R104 000, a considerable sum and way out of reach of a lifeguard from Chakaskraal. But when retired local resident and long-distance swimmer, Mike Oberholzer heard the story, he was inspired by it. He first helped Ernest to open a special savings account and then went on a mission to organise a big ocean swim to start the fundraising drive.
It was a massive undertaking with no guarantee of success and there was no shortage of naysayers predicting the futility of the exercise. But Mike stuck at it, organising water safety crews, communicating with open water swimming groups, arranging radio coverage and updating the community on a daily basis. Slowly the money started to come in and then, with just a couple of weeks before the big swim deadline, the momentum began to build.
A Back a Buddy campaign was launched to help raise additional money towards the target and Jody Feuilherade from the local community organised a fund-raising walk to further contribute to the initiative. Seeing how the movement to get Ernest to Australia was gaining impetus, the local municipality gave a substantial grant too.
On Saturday the 18th of May, 100 swimmers and their support crews took to the big blue in support of Ernest’s dream. Simultaneously a large group of walkers set off on a predetermined routs to do the same. Hundreds of onlookers gathered to witness this local miracle coming to fruition and the greater Ballito region came together as one to make Ernest’s dream come true.
Watching his tears of joy on the beach that day and the love and support he received from this community and the heroes who came together to make an impossible dream come true, was deeply moving. In fact, it has restored my faith in humanity. In just four weeks the swimmers, walkers, BackaBuddy donors and the municipal grant combined to create a total of R174 000.
This is enough to allow Ernest Phungula from Chakaskraal to compete in the World Duathlon championships in Australia as well as the World Triathlon championship in Spain.
Miracles still happen when good people come together to make the world a better place.
There are good people here and we are blessed. Turning Water into Wine
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