Showing posts with label #nobama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #nobama. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Voices on Obama: Emmanuel


It’s very interesting for an African to become the president in the United States. He’s very interesting, and I’m very happy for the politics.  It’s like Ghana, the democracy needs to be understood, if not, an African cannot be a president in the United States. It’s because of the democracy.
It’s like Ghana too, because of the democracy, if they finish the election, there's no violence.  It’s all quite interesting because even in Africa, some of the countries, like Zimbabwe, after the elections, well, you know what is happening over there; their leader doesn’t want to give up.
If it’s not your turn you have to step down and then let someone else in.

There must be changes, there must be change.

Emmanuel is from Ghana and has been living in Khayelitsha, South Africa for 3 months. He is an entrepreneur and is opening up a restaurant soon.

Voices on Obama: Nathi

I am very surprised to see the Black man ruling in a country like America because it’s a very big country in the world. I am very surprised to see all that in America.
Maybe now is the time to see the Xhosa men rule the world, ya know?

It’s the time to change now. Ya know, it's time to give that guy a chance to see what he's going to do in America.

 I listened to the first speech that man spoke. He was trying to open the minds here because if you say all the minds in South Africa are closing, that guy can open the minds here in South Africa.

Nathi is a petrol attendant in Khayelitsha, Western Cape. He is originally from Umtata, Eastern Cape.

Voices on Obama: Abigail and Dure

Abigail
For me, because they say now he’s the second Mandela, you know Mandela was the one we look up to, our role model, and now he’s followed Mandela’s footsteps now.  He's the second Black president.


Dure
I actually think he’s going to be bad for Africa. Yes, because before, in the past it was 'Poor Africa'. America would say Poor Africa. He’s got family in Kenya so he knows what Africa is about and he’s not going to say Poor Africa. He’s not going to be as sympathetic.

I feel he’s going to be less sympathetic. In all our Afrikaans papers and things we read, they are also speculating that he’s going to be less sympathetic, the economic people and everyone is speculating that.

Abigail and Dure are shoe sales associates in Knysna, South Africa

Friday, November 7, 2008

Voices on Obama: Frank and Bernie

What do you think of the new president of the US?


Oh it’s cool.  I hope that he’ll just be nice and look after the people.  It would be nice. There won’t be a big issue.

                                 What does it mean to you as a South African?

For me, it's quite different.  Well, he’s a Negro and maybe it will be better, better or worse I don't know. But I try to guess that he'll be equal to his family, the family is what’s important over other things. It will be nice, man.

When are you gonna be South Africa's president?

Oh gosh sake, look.  Look at the new president. That’s what I’m saying.  In South Africa, you don’t know when it’s summer, or when it’s winter.

Bernie

This country is not right, man.

 This country is very bad. The crime rate is very bad. 
Killing children, and all this is bad.

Do you have children?

Six children. Two girls and four boys I got and I’m selling fruit everyday.  Everyday.

Oooh, it's heavy man. And look here I don’t got fingers too.

There’s no money in this damn country.

Frank and Bernie sell fruit from their truck in various areas around Cape Town.

Voices on Obama: Christopher

Did you know the United States elected a new president?

Now I didn’t know that. I don’t even look at the news anymore. I used to look at news, I used to watch T.V, I used to watch soccer. I like my cricket, I like my sport, but I don’t watch it anymore.

Why not anymore?

Cause I haven't got a T.V. Cause I'm sleeping in the car.

And the newspapers?

I read newspapers yeah, I like to read newspapers, I used to work at C&A. When I was a young kid, I used to work at C&A - Cape Town, Bree street. I used to work in the old C&A building.
I used to work in books and I like to read. And I like to read the bible also. Yeah that's my main book I like to read.
My parent's they brought me up like that you see, read the bible everyday, every time.

 Why don't you work at C&A anymore?
Oh that was in the 70's I used to work there. Now it's in the 2000's.

  Italic
Tell me the difference.

Oh, it's very different.

How's it different for you?

It's not the same bosses anymore you see. These days, they're not bosses like they used to be. You get good people and you get bad people, and today you get bad people.

How do you think South Africa’s changed?

{Sigh} Bad.

Do you have hope?

I have hope, yeah, I have hope for the country, yeah. I also worked for the country.
It’s not the country, it’s the people, you see, the people.  The country is fine.
I was in places .I met mates over seas guys that I worked with.
Jesus man, they enjoyed our country. That was in the early days I used to work for the English person, Mr Morgan. He said to me, Christopher in 1984, when he sent me to Joburg, he said to me, look here Christoper, in ten years time, this was 84, he said in ten years time, you’ll see how many cars will be in South Africa. It was '84, ten years was '94. And look at the cars now!
More cars than people. Now where’s the money coming from? 

{pause}

 Now, I've got to do some scrap... {laughs}

Christopher is a repairman and metal scrap collector in the False Bay area of Cape Town.  Interviewed in Kalk Bay.

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...