What a week I had! I met the most amazing people, got the cheapest haircut in town and celebrated our rugby win, writes Danny Oosthuizen.
Cape Town - What a week I had! A week where I met the most amazing people, got the cheapest haircut in town and celebrated our rugby win at one of the oldest hotels in Cape Town, just around the corner from where I stay.
I had the honour of meeting Nadine Cloete, maker of the documentary Action Kommandant, at the Cape Argus office. And after she left I went and googled her and her documentary. It was a piece of our history I knew very little about.
Then on June 16 the editor, Gasant Abarder, took me to Bonteheuwel and I became part of an historic event. The screening of Action Kommandant right where it all took place. How ironic: as a 13- year-old activist, Ashley Kriel fought for textbooks. To this day we sit with the same problem: not enough textbooks in our schools!
I recently moved into the Carpenter’s Shop. A second phase shelter. Here one must provide your own meals.
After such a long time living on the streets and not shopping, I nearly died to see how expensive it has become (and grateful to people who, in spite of this, still support the homeless).
Anyway, I felt in the mood for pap and chakalaka. Easy one this, yeah? I can’t cook my own mealie pap so I opted for the instant version (or so I thought). I heated the chakalaka in the microwave and mixed the mealie meal with boiling water. Quick and easy and proud of myself, I dished it up. People, have you ever tasted raw pap?! I ended up with chakalaka and semi-burnt toast. (How I burned the toast I don’t know.) Moral of the story? Read the label carefully!
Now for something I want to share. Being gay has always been a challenging issue. Being bullied, excluded from the church, etc. Living this secret double life. And the anger, frustration and hopelessness I felt growing up in a hostile environment. Am I okay today now that our constitution protects our life? Hell no!
So when I heard about the shootings in Orlando, with 49 gay people killed in a club, I had to ask myself: what good has it done? Just imagine, not so far from our borders are countries that will put us in jail for years, give us the death sentence for being gay. Ironically, these countries are ravaged by corruption, civil wars and hunger. Where women’s rights and basic human rights barely exist. But they still find the need to hunt down gays as if it is the solution to their problems. And, worst of all, in the name of religion.
But whatever the state of your nation is, rugby will save the day!
I had the need to mix with the locals and ended up at the Kimberley Hotel. It has got a cozy bar and is people-friendly. A glass of red wine kept me warm. How our boys made us proud! The atmosphere was awesome. I had a great time. After my third glass I called it a night. I also reminded myself for every winner, someone must lose . But what is important is we were part of that special moment.
* Danny Oosthuizen is the author of the column “Danny’s Diary” which is published every Tuesday in the Cape Argus.
Cape Argus