Travelling with Confidence

Gauteng is South Africa's capital Province and in many ways, the country's economic hub. Translated, 'Gauteng' means 'Place of Gold'. It's the smallest province in terms of mass but because of its economic allure, the province is the most densely populated province in South Africa. I was born in the north of the country in province called Limpopo, named after the great African river.

I came to Gauteng in the latter part of 2007. I was 19 years old, had just finished high school and was "Fresh off the boat" as they say. But my boat came in the form of a mini-bus taxi. Like the thousands of new arrivals in Gauteng, I carried with me my dreams and visions.

For the first two years, I stayed in Soweto, one of the largest and most historic townships in the world. My uncle had a small RDP house there and he was kind enough to let me stay in his very humble abode. Soweto beamed with beauty and grit. A sweet-sour concoction that left one with an unforgettable taste of what it meant to be a black South African.

The people were full of colour - not only in appearance but also in their way of speaking, walking and laughing. My uncle's place was situated near a Shebeen which is the township version of a Bar. On the weekends, music could be heard from the early evening until the early morning. On the streets, you could hear the drunken patrons making their way home. Some would inevitably get robbed off their possessions. Some would sleep on their own stoops as their angry wives would never let them into the house - a just punishment for spending money buying alcohol which should have been used to buy food.

I was attending college in a city called Randburg which was an hour's bus ride away. I would wake up around five in the morning to get ready and catch the six o'clock bus. I'd return around five in the afternoon. But sometimes, when I had extra money, I visit the more fancier places like Sandton and even parts of Johannesburg just to explore the metropolitan areas and see what else Gauteng had to offer.

I especially enjoyed Johannesburg. It was alive with the vibrancy of art and commerce. A hive buzzing with activity and purpose. I found myself among fellow Africans in search of a better life. Some it seemed, had found it and others were still very much in search of it.

I decided right there and then that I had come to this place to make my mark. The dreams I had arrived carrying would manifest. I would take hold and possess my share of Gauteng's gold.