A memory of Bloemfontein Taxistand

When you travel through South Africa without your own car, and do not follow the standard backpackers trails, you are dependent on public transport, in most cases local taxi buses that you share with others, and that only leave when they are full. Nothing special indeed, but whites and tourists avoid them like the plague. Still, I moved around this way with great pleasure.  You are among people, you speak to people, and you may experience something interesting. Such as at the taxi stand of Bloemfontein, where we had to wait a long time for the last tickets to be sold. Finally it was the time. Two young men, unwashed for a long time, barefoot, dressed in burlap bags, carrying large backpacks, appeared on the scene. Itinerant bush doctors from the Western Cape, who introduced themselves as close followers of Jesus. Soon, a large crowd surrounded them, the large backpacks with panacea opened and all sorts of powders, herbs and pills were swiftly exchanged for banknotes. A poor guy with a limp bought a drug that he would have to take for six weeks, and then "he would be healed".

After the initial euphoria, a few passengers now became impatient, and the driver urged Moses and his mate to take their seats. Through the open window they settled the last transactions. Then we drove off to Kimberley.

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Later I spoke to the white manager of my hotel; he said lads like this are extremely popular indeed. Whether they really heal is questionable, but people believe in them. And often, that's enough to cause a miracle. But he himself never encountered them his whole life. For that you really have to mix with the "Africans".

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