NY Times’s View Of Our BRT
February 24, 2010 by Brown Shuga
The New York times seems to believe that this Bus Rapid Transit system exposes just how racially divided Johannesburg still is. They mention the fact that the bus only gets as far as town and not to Sandton etc where these domestics workers need to get to. Eish, I didn’t think or look at it that way mina… I mean, we have the Gautrain to take us to Sandton mos…
(I know this video is supposed to be about the BRT system but I just can’t help but get irritated at this “madam” who was interviewed here. Did you see the condescending look she had on her face when talking about the World Cup?? Byaitch!)
Do you guys agree with this analysis?
Have you taken a ride in one of these buses?
What was your experience?
I took the bus to go to Orlando Stadium once and I enjoyed it and felt like I could do it again. It makes getting to and from the stadium so much easier, no stressing about parking or stadium traffic. I wonder if the people who travel in the BRT everyday also see the gaps NY Times talks of or whether they’ve been living in that divided world so long that they’re now oblivious to it??
On the flip side:
Futhi why must the NY Times come here and tell us about race when they haven’t praised the improvement this bus has brought to the lives of its users? Bathanda kabi ukungena indaba zabantu…
playoffs on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 1:30 am
Haven’t watched the video but this is only Phase 1 of the BRT. Subsequent phases will end up in Sunninghill, go through Dobsonville, past Wits and all those other areas still being developed.
Why’s my name playoffs?
Brown Shuga on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 1:34 am
Ubuza bani manje bhuti/sisi? Lol
Vesa on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 5:16 am
@ playoffs….I heard that it will go to other areas, but when I look at the road constructions in the Northern burbs I don’t see any BRT lanes made? Or maybe they will get stuck in traffic like the rest of us? Or maybe they will built the roads when the roll out is near?
GA on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 7:15 am
SA and SA things from the eyes of non SAns especially americans is usually so strange to me and yet i thought i had seen the worst of my country….sensationalising doesnt happen through scripts only..even the camera angles and shots do a good job. So a ke na taba anymore with such views…from the inside, weher i have been all along, things have only been gatting better even as we have things to still get right….
Never been in the BRT though…i hate buses and trains so much,it will take some very special or ddesperate event to get me into one…
Makgotso on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 7:55 am
Bayasiqhela kakubi ke ngoku,why amamelikana anenyama yenkomo neAfrica,kubo nje its lyk there is nothing that can come out of Africa. Lyk the buddies dat came from USA wanted me to show them shark ngavele ngabakhomba amaRDP houses
sponono on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 8:28 am
i think they have a point and its a given that any African country that’s been awarded such an international event would be scrutinised by the so caled first world…and I think Mzansi is STILL under a microscope 15yrs after apartheid…’twill take years before we are just an ordinery country…BTW i think the BRT is great and will improve
playoffs..surely you remember typing your “name”..on the filed required…LOL
Jozi Outsider on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 9:42 am
@Brown Shuga: Sies tog, I saw that “madams” condescending tone. White previlage contunues to thrive. The lady from the transport department raised a very important point. She asks the question that, after the previlaged few white people leave a resturant, late night at 11pm, do they care how the waiter who served them, get home? Do they understand that they still have to catch about two taxis so very late and dangerous at night? Im so disgusted by that “madams” comments. She’s so self-serving. They must let the BRT go into the surbubs as well.
Enkosi on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 10:18 am
I can’t see the madam coz youtube is blocked kulo msebenzi *sigh*
bonangmubishame on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 10:21 am
Same here. A newspaper blocks YOUTube… kunzima
Dladla on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 10:23 am
Overseas media tend to take a very weird angle on SA issue. Look at how Guardian potrayed the whole Caster Semenya thing, they brought all sort of nonsense. As a results, all the other countries saw the situation from a totally different perspective to that which is factual.
But, I think nathi, here in SA, we do that most of the time. Well, we spread rumours about overseas people or their issues. This would mean that, it’s an international ‘syndrome’.
However, I think this guy >>>>http://jozimaboneng.wordpress.com<<<<, poptrays Jozi in the best way possible (that's my opinion, of course).
Vesa on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 10:47 am
@ Jozi Outsider…..that’s a valid point!!It’s sad how these waiters/ and waitresses struggle masigo ka transport! I see them all the time around the Fourways area….and ke sono fela!!!
Imagine wondering everytime after a night shift how you are going to get home…..that’s very sad.
Jozi Outsider on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 12:04 pm
For those who cant see the video, try watching it here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/22/world/africa/22bus.html?ref=africa
Lwandie on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 12:16 pm
Inevitably the worlds eyes are on South Africa because of the world cup -sadly their opinions are the usual “birds eye view” speculations typical of those who think they know more about Africa than the Africans themselves-(half of these people still think Africa is a country after all).
Change can not come over night,South Africa is sadly still very racially divided in a lot of areas but people need to remember that it is still a relatively new country in terms of independence. The sins of old will take a long time to undo.Its very rich New York to be specualting on S.A racism,considering they are one of the world’s most racially divided cities.
As for that “madam” all I can say is she needs a brief holiday in Mugabe-land and have a nice old chat over scones, with some of those farmers who once enjoyed that mini royalty she is taking for granted and then she will realise that a BRT driving down her street should be the least of her worries mnnnxaa proper Moegoe.
Luja on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 12:22 pm
I think as much as we think that the States still put us under some sort of unfair srutiny as far as this documentary is concerned I totally agree with the points that the voice over woman was making. These are inconvient truths that we the so called middle class would like to forget.
Sure we have come a very long way since 1994 but lest we there is a vast majority of people like mme ola who was featured in the documentary.
As for the ‘madam’ she is a very good reflection of the attitudes of the few priviledged that I so wish can emigrate to Australia….
Thanks BS for the video and am so sorry for the long story its just that it really hit somewhere apha kum this vid.
MaGeza1 on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 9:35 pm
What a baseless feature…Is it because we are black??? BRT doesnt get to Sandton soooo??? Where does race feature n apartheid feature…if Putco still gets to Sandton n beyond, where is the division there? Haai…maan they can just keep their NY let us be in S.A maan! Why don’t they do a feature on how many “whites” are still afraid of taking a taxi or BRT bus to SOWETO?
Cnglema on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 10:19 pm
Oh lawd americans and their assumptions!as far as i know this is the first roll out of these buses as the demand gets thoroughly researched and the roads made more accommodating to places like sandton then we will see more of them.there’s a lot to be considered including omageza who r making a fortune on these routes who wont allow this without a fight.BRT is way too cheap and will criple the taxi fares.i spend a lousy R265 monthly berea/sandton on metrobus and BRT will be what?R150?and people r still not comfortable catching it in those fancy isolated stations around town due to muggings.trust me there’s nothing safer than a taxi rank dont know why they dont install atm’s there as no1 will ever rob u in the presence of omageza.
Smiley on Fri, 26th Feb 2010 12:44 pm
Oh, that white lady just annoyed the toot out of me!
Gugu on Sat, 27th Feb 2010 12:24 pm
Thats hilarious! An American has the nerve to single South Africa out as a country where everything is seen through the eyes of race, yet this entire continent (I live in North America) is run by that problem!
Are u kidding me?
Until I’d actually LIVED in North America and visited SA for the first time I was unaware how similar racism is in both parts of the globe. Only difference is, African racists arent fake about it. They are far more obvious, whereas North Americans will try their darndest to hide their prejudices (only because of the repercussions, of course!). Just coz their problems are better hidden doesnt mean they arent as real as they are in other parts of the world!