Bertroche & Associates
South Africa
South Africa is a country of extremes. Extreme temperatures, extreme water, extreme poverty, extreme wealth, and extreme humanitarianism with extreme corruption. With "humanitarian aid" at an all time high, and with a single party in power, just like the US, corruption and fraud and cronyism is running rampant.
The roads, which used to be the pride of Africa, are now filled with potholes 12 fee wide and 18 inches deep. Some roads are good, most are bad. The pay roads are the best, but while traveling these roads, the only blacks I saw were waiters and cooks in the road stops.
Yet at the same time, the government buildings didn't have a single white. But the government officials drove BMW, Mercedes, and a few Cadillacs. At a time when the average wage in South Africa is $140 per month, government officials, unelected and at the whim of the Governor of the district, are making $2400 and up per month. In fact, one of the district managers, who cannot read or write, brings in close to $5000 per month, and yet her district cant' even keep water running or the electric on because she can't sign the proper requisition forms.
And, finally, with April's elections, the ANC has finally lost its unstoppable majority, and now only holds 68% of the seats. However, that's pretty much what the US has now, and it's rubber stamp time for Obama and the Democrats. With most likely the same results.
Kruger National Park is a shining treasure in the world. It is run efficiently, and smoothly, but poaching remains a problem. They have plenty of food, but corruption and bribes himder delivery of it, and the regular folks are stuck, so they kill everything and eat everything.
Also, until the 1950's, most of South Africa was plains and grass. Then the government decided to develop a logging industry, and all the prairie was planted in trees, like corn. It's very unnerving.
Overall, our stay there was wonderful. We were the guests of James Blessman, MD, and he treated us like royalty. My significant other, Amy, had fun feeding the local orphans, who literally numbered in the hundreds. Every week they bury many people, one week 15, and the town is only 630 strong. They don't have individual services, just a mass service on Saturdays. All this from the AIDS epidemic. These people have no hope, and no prospects, even though they live in the richest country in Africa. You can't blame apartheid anymore. I guess greed and corruption is greed and corruption.
If you would like to donate to next year's medical mission to provide education, relief, food, and medical care to these rural communities, please contact us and we will gladly accept your contributions and even give you a rundown of expenses if you want. All money goes to the mission, and there is no administrative costs. (I bear those myself)
Enjoy the pictures!
The roads, which used to be the pride of Africa, are now filled with potholes 12 fee wide and 18 inches deep. Some roads are good, most are bad. The pay roads are the best, but while traveling these roads, the only blacks I saw were waiters and cooks in the road stops.
Yet at the same time, the government buildings didn't have a single white. But the government officials drove BMW, Mercedes, and a few Cadillacs. At a time when the average wage in South Africa is $140 per month, government officials, unelected and at the whim of the Governor of the district, are making $2400 and up per month. In fact, one of the district managers, who cannot read or write, brings in close to $5000 per month, and yet her district cant' even keep water running or the electric on because she can't sign the proper requisition forms.
And, finally, with April's elections, the ANC has finally lost its unstoppable majority, and now only holds 68% of the seats. However, that's pretty much what the US has now, and it's rubber stamp time for Obama and the Democrats. With most likely the same results.
Kruger National Park is a shining treasure in the world. It is run efficiently, and smoothly, but poaching remains a problem. They have plenty of food, but corruption and bribes himder delivery of it, and the regular folks are stuck, so they kill everything and eat everything.
Also, until the 1950's, most of South Africa was plains and grass. Then the government decided to develop a logging industry, and all the prairie was planted in trees, like corn. It's very unnerving.
Overall, our stay there was wonderful. We were the guests of James Blessman, MD, and he treated us like royalty. My significant other, Amy, had fun feeding the local orphans, who literally numbered in the hundreds. Every week they bury many people, one week 15, and the town is only 630 strong. They don't have individual services, just a mass service on Saturdays. All this from the AIDS epidemic. These people have no hope, and no prospects, even though they live in the richest country in Africa. You can't blame apartheid anymore. I guess greed and corruption is greed and corruption.
If you would like to donate to next year's medical mission to provide education, relief, food, and medical care to these rural communities, please contact us and we will gladly accept your contributions and even give you a rundown of expenses if you want. All money goes to the mission, and there is no administrative costs. (I bear those myself)
Enjoy the pictures!
