When we arrived from the United States after an almost 24 hour trip, no one was at the airport to meet us from the bank that was to employ Peggy. It wasn't the type of hospitality she had come to expect, but this was a different bank and people who didn't know her.  We rented a car and headed for Sandton, an upscale area where most banks and international business had moved when down town Johannesburg became crime ridden. The problem with crime was the outgrowth of a high unemployment rate and the influx of people displaced by wars and famine in the countries to the north.

It was my first time driving on the left side of the road. I had driven on the left once before on St.Thomas in the Virgin Islands, but that was nothing compared to Johannesburg, a city of eight million people. I adapted to it reasonably quickly, only entering the wrong lane at an intersection a couple of times without disastrous results, managing a quick U-turn.

The apartment assigned to us in Sandton was overrun by cockroaches. We made a fuss and they found us a clean two bedroom apartment on the first floor of another complex with a nice little walled garden off the rear and a covered patio. The only critters it had were tiny red ants that caulking and insect spray took care of. It was about four blocks from Peggy's work and about the same distance from two shopping centers and numerous restaurants.

One couldn't ask for better accommodations. In spite of our proximity to all that commerce it was very quiet. Then we learned, to our dismay, that we were about two weeks from an upcoming World Sustainability Development Conference which would attract leaders from all over the world. We anticipated traffic jams and protests from unions and other groups interested in promoting their causes in front of all those representatives from other countries. The convention center was adjacent to the nearby shopping center.

The apartment Complex                                            Our back yard in Jo'burg 

 Bougainvilles in the apartment complex                      Lavender Jackaranda trees 

 Due to the government planning our fears were not realized. Sessions were held at hours after the morning rush hour and adjourned before the afternoon rush. In addition, there were hundreds of military troops stationed around the area to maintain order. There were no riots such as those in Seattle at a similar conference of world leaders. I saw several busloads of protesters arriving from the city, but they were orderly and were really no trouble.

 President George W. Bush declined to attend the conference and sent Colin Powell in his stead. Colin Powell was booed when he came on stage. This was before the United States' invasion of Iraq. I should state that we were received warmly and that South Africans generally like Americans. What they didn't like was the arrogant policies of the U.S. government. After the Iraq invasion, the South Africans I met and talked to, almost to a person, were dismayed at the United States government's actions and policies. This is not a reflection of my politics but strictly a report of my findings in dealing with the South Africans.

To read more see "Africa 2002 part 2" published 09/30/2007.