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| Africa is a giant that should feed the world. |
TRAVELLING in “Thelma”, a 1994 Turbo Diesel 80 Toyota Land Cruiser,
two men have discovered that Africa’s bush mechanics can fix anything; that
original Toyota parts are available across the continent; and only in Egypt and
South Africa were people tense.
Bernard Fourie, a chartered accountant based in Geneva,
Switzerland, is an ardent scholar and supporter of African economic development.
He told Witness Wheels he has a passion for Africa
and was tired of the common misconception in developed countries that Africa is
just a place of war, poverty, desperation, famine, danger and dependence.
“We aim to produce a documentary on the emergence of an
inspirational generation of Africans who are working towards economic freedom,”
Fourie said, to which end the study tour, filmed by Drew Morrison from
Australia.
It took them 80 days and 3 025 litres of diesel to traverse the
20 383 km from Geneva in Switzerland to Cape Town. Midway through the journey,
Thelma’s odometer stood on 250 000 miles (402 3360 km), which is further than
the distance to the Moon. En route, they met and stayed with “inspiring rural
African micro-entrepreneurs”.
He said while “Africa is on the up, with a new sense and spirit of
possibility, optimism, determination and self-reliance, the aid model devised by
the West has dumped Africa into a vicious cycle of perpetual infancy and aid
dependence, resulting in civil unrest, human rights abuse, corruption and
economic demise.
“Note: we are talking bi- and multilateral aid here, not emergency
and humanitarian aid! Many charitable organisations do amazing and much-needed
work in Africa. But aid models applied by governments and organisations such as
the World Bank have created a cupped-hand mentality from which it is very
difficult to break free.”
Fourie added that the elite in Africa were more preoccupied with
industrialisation and that agriculture was roundly castigated as an inferior
occupation.
“But now the tide has turned, and with more African democracies
than ever in its history, a much anticipated renaissance is dawning across
Africa.”
Travil tips
SAFETY is not an issue
in rural areas. Stay friendly, open and alert and you’ll be fine. Take greater
care in cities.
Locals said SA is a
good country “but the people are too violent”.
Use older, more basic
model vehicles that are easier to fix and find parts for.
Toyota garages are
everywhere, and a few questions will normally reveal very able mechanics who
will do basic service and repairs for next to nothing — using original Toyota
parts.
Don’t pay bribes. Be
friendly but firm with police along routes and learn to love roadblocks.
Officials know they can get into trouble for corruption so will normally back
off if you laugh it off and are friendly but firm about not paying anything. But
if you’ve really done something wrong, pay the fine and get an official receipt.
Make sure insurance
and road taxes are up to date (can be done at the border posts) because these
will be the first thing to be checked. Common Market for Eastern and Southern
Africa (Comesa) insurance covering most of east Africa can be obtained by
visiting a broker in your first Comesa country (from the south that would be
Zambia).
Pack a good set of
tools but don’t overpack on spares — you will probably be able to source cheaper
in Africa.
Get a Carnet de Passage
(temporary import documents not needed) if you can — to ease you through
borders.
Abiding memories from Africa
• Africa has the
kindest, friendliest, most generous and genuine people. We were free and did not
feel threatened or unsafe at any point, until we reached SA, where safety is a
concern.
• African time does
take its toll. We waited for a ferry for 14 hours in 50° heat with no shade to get from
Turkey to Port Said, Egypt.
• Driving in Egypt is
insane, with extreme heat and lots of bureaucracy. It is a tense country.
• Tanzania is tough on
the wheels and electrics.
• Sudan is very
generous with an open house policy and the most common phrase a visitor hears
is: “In our country you do not pay”.
• Ethiopia is beautiful
and the people are soft spoken; our perceptions were totally wrong.
• Kenya has mobile
payments with M-pesa (a mobile money payment system), Masai cricket warriors
and lions sleeping around cars.
• Uganda is fighting
the plight of gorillas and lots of corruption.
• Rwanda is developing
with unity after 1994’s genocide.
• Malawi is friendly
and very populous.
• Zambia is safe and
developing its agricultural capabilities.
• Botswana and Namibia
are beautiful and well-organised countries.
Key
words on solving Africa's aiddication
• Free
market
• Prioritise
agriculture
• Formalise
tax and then spend it on roads and electricity.
• Improve
education and focus on farming.
• Facilitate
business and cut the red tape.
• Decentralise
government and implement zero tolerance for corruption.
• Raise
money with government bonds as SA, Botswana and Rwanda are doing.
• Help
micro businesses with micro loans.
• Beneficiate
products in the area of production, don’t just export.
