welcome to Delareyville Part 2

WELCOME TO DELAREYVILLE PART 2

Atamelnag was /is a small township 25 kms from Delareyville.It's a
town of middle class people who live in peace and harmony,in their small
houses.It was a part of the homeland,Boputhatswana.Under the leadership
of President Lucas Mangope,the homeland launched many ambitious development programmes,in which education was the top priority,and the
others were in housing,health,sanitation,agriculture,broadcasting etc.These efforts exemplified the saying,"It's better to light a candle,rather than to curse darkness." Mangoppe's government had a friendly,generous attitude towards Malayalees,and appointed many teachers,
doctors,engineers,accountantants and so on.For example,with a simple
application,my brother-in-law,the late Dr Mohan, and his wife Dr.Sucy Mohan got appointments and visas to work in a hospital in Bop.


The education officials at Atamelang were very friendly and generous
towards Malayalees.I was appointed to teach at Bakolobeng High School,25
kms from Atamelang, and 35Kms from Delareyville.The principal of the
school was kind enough to find a post for my wife Lelamma in July 88.That
year we lived in Gannalagte village,and in the following year,shifted to Atamelang,for better facilities,and to enjoy the company of about 10 other
Malayalees.

When we look at the history of Malayalees in Africa,we discern a pattern
of a cycle of migrations,from Ethiopia,kenya,Uganda,Tanzania,Liberia.Sierra Leone,etc to Zambia and Nigeria respectively,and then to South Africa,where the migrations practically ended.A few individuals outsmarted the others and migrated
to Australia,Canada,New Zealand,USA etc.But 99% remained,becuase,unlike
other African Countries,South Africa had many attractions to offer.

I don't venture to explore all those attractions,but confine my story
within a small range,focusing on life in and around Delareyville.South
Africa is a vast country,and the conditions of geography,weather and
life style vary in different parts of the country.

On 11 February 1990,South Africa and the whole world witnessed a miracle
that infolded in Cape Town,or South Africa's mother city.That day,the whole world held its breath as Nelson Mandela stepped out of prison,holding the hand of his then- wife,Winnie Mandela.It was an unusual
sunrise in the afternoon.Mandela was a household name all over the world,
but nobody had seen his latest photo.The apartheid authorities had made
sure that no photo of Mandela was taken and published during his 27 years
in prison.Perhaps they were trying to obliterate Mandela from the minds
of his supporters and admirers worldwide,but it produced the opposite effect.In the land of gold and diamonds,Mandela was a higly rated diamond,of which the value increased 100 -fold,as that diamond remained hidden under the bowels of the earth,only to be dug out at the right
time!It was a moment that marked change in the lives of millions of people,who had been subjugated for more than three centuries.Even 100 pages aren't enough to describe the importance of February 11,1990.

On 27 April 1994,the first democratic elections were held in South Africa,and a new country was born.That day is celebrated as a Public holiday,to commemorate the historic day.South Africans drew up one of the
most progressive constitutions in the world.

Even though South Africa is a new country,it has many lessons for india.
When the new constitution was unveiled,millions of copies of it were printed in the 9 official languages,and distributed among the people.Our
school received hundreds of copies,and I was fortunate enough to get one.I think every citizen of a democratic country must read the constitutin,because the people's lives are linked to that small and simple book (as far as S.Africa is concerned.

( to be continued )