[EyeBrock]

The ANC are no different than the Afrikaaners. They have an agenda and if you don't dig it you die.

[CommanderSock]

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

The ANC are no different than the Afrikaaners. They have an agenda and if you don't dig it you die.

I absolutely agree with you on that.

Usually that is how it goes even for all "liberation" movements.


But I would have to say my view of Africa, especially tropical Africa has changed radically in the last 1 years.

A digression: The Bank I work for in Toronto is foreign owned and has offices all over the world. I was literally "drafted" last year to go an meet with management at their Lagos (Nigeria) headquarters, in conjuction with a Nigerian bank for underwriting of debt seminars.

Three things raced through my mind, why me?, this is a scam?, and 'am i going to get kidnapped by rebels?'.

But much to my shock and surprise when I arrived there in the early hours of the morning, it was not a rebel camp and there were no huts and people with army fatigues or bones through their noses.

Instead, the first thing I noticed was massive sprawling highways, with the most intense gridlocked traffic I have ever laid eyes upon, it looked like it was not moving at all.

And a jungle of construction cranes, as far as the eye can see. High rises popping up everywhere around. I spent the first day of my seminar mopping my own jaw of the floor because of the shock I was in. That Lagos was nothing like the Lagos on CNN.

I spent 3 days there, 2 days holed up in a hotel on Victoria Island (the view from my room was endless construction cranes), the third day I braved it out and went out to a local shopping mall after my seminar. Much to my surprise the demograhics shared similarities to that of Atlanta. About 60-70% of the people were locals (blacks), the rest pretty much evenly split between Brits, Chinese, Indians, and other 'minorities' almost like walking around in Scarborough mall, Houston or Atlanta.

Since then I take all these African stories with a grain of salt since the large countries, at least speaking from my visit in Lagos (the 2nd largest economy on the continent), seem to look like what China looked like in the 70s. Massive growth in both economy and construction.

I have posted some of my camera phone pics on this website:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthrea ... 184&page=6

[EyeBrock]

I spent a lot of time in Africa and I agree, there are well developed cities and other encouraging signs.
However, if you worked there you cannot have missed the many underlying issues that plague Africa. Corruption, nepotism, tribalism, sexism, racism, the lack of accountable government and the lack of a free judiciary.

These are all huge problems and socially Africa is decades behind the West.

[SprCForr]

I think Zimbabwe stands as a near perfect example of those problems.

[CommanderSock]

SprCForr SprCForr:

I think Zimbabwe stands as a near perfect example of those problems.

Zimbabwe is an extreme example. Using Zimbabwe and Congo to paint a picture of Africa is like using Guatemala to paint a picture of the Americas or Albania of Europe.

[ShepherdsDog]

Ever been there? I worked in the Horn area for 4 yrs. What has become of Rhodesia is typical of Africa, not the exception to the rule.

[CommanderSock]

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

Ever been there? I worked in the Horn area for 4 yrs. What has become of Rhodesia is typical of Africa, not the exception to the rule.

ad my comment on the first page (and link to pics).

[EyeBrock]

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

Ever been there? I worked in the Horn area for 4 yrs. What has become of Rhodesia is typical of Africa, not the exception to the rule.

I agree Shep. They might be building a few shiney skyscrapers but they are still decades, even centuries behind the developed world in social advancement.

[ManifestDestiny]

Screw em!!!

[SprCForr]

CommanderSock CommanderSock:

SprCForr SprCForr:

I think Zimbabwe stands as a near perfect example of those problems.

Zimbabwe is an extreme example. Using Zimbabwe and Congo to paint a picture of Africa is like using Guatemala to paint a picture of the Americas or Albania of Europe.

Zimbabwe is a near perfect example of the problems laid out by Eyebrock in the post previous to mine.