China culture shock continues
Besides my initial shock at seeing the great material progress in China, I was amazed at the variance in overall human culture.
Example, in Hong Kong, Kowloon and Shenzhen, which I visited, everyone is busy. Even people with mental disabilities work at KFC and McDonalds cleaning. Some municipal cleaners were in their 70’s.
Since crime is low in these mega-metropolis, shops and restaurants trade late at night. The 4 beggars I saw over 10 days in Hong Kong sat quietly without troubling others. There are no car-guards and no begging at traffic intersection or elsewhere.
People do not cross the street unless the green man indicates. Cars rarely hoot and there were no exhaust fumes as vehicles are in good condition and most were electric. Taxi’s did not over- charge as the tariff was regulated and they were all legal with the driver’s registration on the outside door.
Unlike in South Africa, where loud people are measured normal, in Hong Kong people do not talk loudly. Since Hong Kong has limited land, people respect the dignity of others. They all walk on the right side of walk-ways avoiding confusion and youths apologetically give way on tight side-walks.
From what I read, China has problems. The difference is that China seeks solutions. Example, recently some Chinese “State owned Enterprise” leaders failed to achieve clean audits and were swiftly imprisoned. In South African Airways had 14 turn-around strategies in 20 years and continues to waste taxpayer’s monies without accountability or jail time for leaders who earn millions in pay?
China is result driven while South African leaders prefer a costly conference, summit, bosberaad or imbizo with no actual result at the end.
On my return, communities remain under the grip of criminals. In China they imprison criminals instead of useless dialogue. In China smoking in the wrong place is a R10 000 fine. A cool drink can in a bin for plastics is also a R10 000 fine. Months ago I attended an event at the CTICC and saw a man defecating on the road side under the bridge near the P3 parking.
The difference between Hong Kong, Kowloon, Shenzhen and any South African city is like comparing a thorough-bred Arabian stallion and a Karoo donkey.
Voters must stop voting for Karoo donkeys with delusions of grandeur and make that change.
Cllr Yagyah Adams
Cape Muslim Congress