Enough

It has finally dawned on me why Gaborone is so different to Johannesburg. In Johannesburg, everyone is part of the rat race, endlessly striving, buying, scheming, getting, without end. In Gaborone, most of the people understand the concept of enough – enough work to pay for life without killing yourself, enough to own without becoming a slave to your possessions, enough time to accomplish things or there is always tomorrow.

A hard concept for someone who has worked in Johannesburg since the age of 17 – I was trapped on the treadmill and it paid me generously but now, for the first time in my life, I contemplate a life less greedy. I don’t need more or much at all – I have shoes I have never worn, clothes I have forgotten about, books unread, movies unwatched, recipes uncooked and time enough to accomplish this. I can actually spend time contemplating my garden, the birds, read poetry and work enough to pay for this.

Ah, but there is retirement and the need to have money then to carry on a lifestyle engrained in my psyche. I don’t have a ‘home’ with cattle in some more remote and quiet part of Botswana, where my village will support me in my declining years. I come from a Western culture, where the aged are tossed aside, forgotten and demeaned.

This gentle culture, which sometimes infuriates me because of its alternative time stream, has almost no child headed households, beggars, street children and starving forgotten aged members of its society. This culture believes that ‘all for one and one for all’ is a true motto, that helping your neighbour, even the stranded woman with a flat tyre is part of who you are and what you are. That beggars, orphans and widows’ behaviour reflects on their ability to protect the weak and that it would disgrace the village, the people and the country, if they publicly starved.

Yes, there are the lazy, the drunkards, the flotsam of society but even they are tolerated, perhaps in the spirit of “there, but for the grace of God, go I.”

It’s not an ideal world but perhaps here in Botswana, I too can recapture some of the freshness of a life less active and more contemplative, more music and art, less technology and ‘must have’. Giving, rather than getting, laughing rather than scowling, living rather than surviving.

It more clearly captures the concept of ‘Ubuntu’, which in Tswana language is called botho. Botho is one of Botswana's five national principles (the others being Democracy, Development, Self Reliance and Unity).

The Botswana people use the term botho to describe a person who has a well-rounded character, who is well mannered, courteous and disciplined and realises his or her full potential both as an individual and as a part of the community to which he or she belongs. Botho is an example of a social contract of mutual respect, responsibility and accountability that members of society have toward each other.

Botswana's Vision 2016 states, “Botho defines a process for earning respect by first giving it and to gain empowerment by empowering others. It encourages people to applaud rather than resent those who succeed. It disapproves of anti-social, disgraceful, inhuman and criminal behaviour and encourages social justice for all.”

Botswana retail boom gets bigger

Since I arrived in Gaborone in June 2011, the retail environment has just been getting better. One of the initial reasons that I rented our house in this area, (Broadhurst Ext 44) was the large sign, less than a kilometre away, that read “Sebele Centre opening end June – Pick n Pay, Woolworths and many more shops”.

Sebele Centre duly opened and this was the beginning of a big push by South African retailers to take advantage of the rapidly growing city, said by some to be the fastest growing city in Africa (real growth, not slum development).

July saw Clicks debut in Game City and the big excitement, Builders Warehouse, which opened in September. Regarded as paradise by homeowners and builders alike, it also endeared itself to the area by contributing P20 000 each to Ikageng, Tswaragano and Moamogwe Primary Schools.

Now, a new, very large retail area, Rail Park Mall, has opened over the past two weeks, next to the old station in the city, the main site of the local, national and international taxi ranks.

It’s a well thought out design, adding a covered walkway over the railway line to capture both sides of the transit area. It is a covered mall, with natural lighting and fresh air offering a range of wonderful shops mixing Chinese and South African retailers in a colourful festival. However, the highlight of it is the Food Lovers’ Market from Fruit & Veg City.

Based on the South African model, it has been packed for the past two weekends and not just because of the specials but for its range and freshness, which is not equalled in Gaborone. I realise how much I took Sandton shopping for granted; I trawled up and down the aisles like a country bumpkin, going “Ooh look at that.” My husband is equally enthralled, coming home with delicacies for the freezer.  

So, I will happily drive the 7 kms, bypassing my local Woolworths, because in Gabs, Woolworths does not reach close to South African standards. Its range is limited, it is almost impossible to get any pork products, despite the ban having been lifted, the bread is often not as fresh as it should be and most irritating of all, my local store has not installed an electronic card reader that accepts pin codes, constantly necessitating cash.

In contrast, my local Pick n Pay is superb – staffed by pleasant friendly staff that actually do care if you have a nice day, a great management team and an excellent range. Note to ‘hard working’ staff in Johannesburg – the store trades 8am to 10pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 7pm, Saturdays, Sundays and Public holidays.

It also opened a bottle store but that is singularly unimaginative – Spar’s Tops is still the best bet in Gabs for wine. Would love to see a few barrows of Pick n Pay clothes – the climate is ideal for its summer range.

Believe there is another mall opening soon, so when it does, I will rush to shop and comment.

 October 2011