As I queue outside South Africa House awaiting my turn to vote, my gaze falls upon Nelson’s Column and the proud Trafalgar lions, and I am forced to take cognisance of the moment’s significance. The magnificence of the great British Empire is made tangible by her symbols of might and power that rest just beyond my vision – Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament. Amidst this grandeur I wait to perform the seemingly menial task of placing a mark on a paper. Yet a collection of these marks will determine the future of a nation. A nation previously choked by the colonial rule of the very empire under whose authority I presently exist. I stand within the compass of British rule and remember a South Africa that fought hard for its
freedom and independence. A nation that fought hard for every citizen to have the right to vote and is still fighting to inspire those citizens to exercise their hard-earned right. Apathy, lack of resources and poor education undermine the notable responsibility that comes along with the right to vote, making the fight all the more challenging. Applause to the Constitutional Court for granting registered South African expats the opportunity to vote abroad.
Husband and I thought we’d beat the hoards by arriving at the 7 o’clock opening time to cast our votes this election day. Boy! Were we surprised to find a mass of Saffas outside South Africa House and the National Gallery at Trafalgar Square – a testament to the South African patriotism that still burns in the hearts of many expats. Apparently some uber-patriots had started queuing at 4 am this morning. It took a couple of hours to get to the ballot paper but boredom was not an option as happy Saffas boasting South African regalia provided some visual stimulation and promoters handed out The South African and DA pamphlets that made for a good distraction. There is a kind of magic that happens when like-nationals band together in a foreign country with a common goal – in this case, to vote. I revelled in the buzz of South African accents (never thought I’d say that) and soaked in the atmosphere of excitement and purpose.
Voting-day started with an interesting experience, okay, two interesting experiences if you count the drunk hobo-lady in the subway vomiting her hangover all over the floor (gag!). The first, was running into a lovely lady from our church in South Africa, who so happened to walk past us as we waited in the queue. We grabbed her attention (not hard with our tattoos, piercings and paraphernalia) and she came over, looking slightly confused, but embraced us with characteristic Saffa friendliness. She didn’t seem to recognise us (which I thought odd at the time…the whole tattoo/piercing thing) and she talked about her teaching job in Birmingham and her daughter who is also living in the UK. The lovely lady then went off to find her family in the queue as we mulled over the conversation, and then we carried on reading about the latest scandal regarding Oprah’s dodgy leadership academy. Much to our surprise, the lovely lady returned five minutes later with a confession: we had mistaken her for her twin sister in South Africa. I was in hysterics. She told us that she and her twin are confused all the time. Who’d a thunk? Slight tangent: twins who talk, dress and pretty much are the same in every way should wear name badges or something.
As I was contemplating the colonial empire, apathetic citizens and the phenomenon of twins, reporters and photographers were reporting and snapping away. In this morning’s news update, the Mail & Guardian has posted the comment of one Thomas Rodger, who says “I have been living in London for seven years and I have British citizenship. I wanted to vote because although I am not living in South Africa, it is still home for me and I have family there who are affected by decisions that are made there” in response to the ‘why expats should be afforded the right to vote’ question. South Africa is Home. None feel this more than those who are absent. Of the South Africans voting in London, many do not intend to return to their home, many are undecided and many intend to return with certainty. Whatever the story, the expats voting around the world today display hope for change and respect for the vote.
yeay!!! I am so excited for voting day i can hardly hold it in! Woohoo! Well done you!
There really is something so exciting about voting! I saw in The Guardian that the world’s biggest democratic election begins in India today with 700 million people voting. I love it!
Was preaching yesterday on what it means to live as a resurrection community and made the faux pas of telling people to vote as an expression of God’s power to burst forth into human history through His people. Afterwards I was accosted by a group of really angry people wanting to know which party I was lobbying for. I admit it doesn’t help that Mvumi Dandala, the presidential candidate for COPE, was previously the presiding bishop of the MCSA but I was not campaigning for him at all – rather for each of us to recognise the importance of working towards creating the generous, abundant, life-giving community that we want to be. To all the expats who voted – thanks for your vision; to all the South Africans who are dreading the queues on Wednesday – wear sunscreen :-)