Welcome to my Page

View from Mara Farm - Fouriesburg - South Africa

Here you are...

Welcome to my blog site. I have no idea where this is going to go, what I am going to discuss and what format the whole thing is going to take - let's just wait and see. I suppose I would like to keep a record of my life's events for friends and family, but readers will have to put up with my rantings and ravings as they happen. Enjoy, or ignore..... its up to you!

So, who am I?

My name is Andrew Knapp and I presently (and hopefully permanently) live in the small village of Fouriesburg in the Eastern Free State province of South Africa. I wont be surprised, or hurt if you haven't heard of it, It has a population of just under 2000 and apart from being declared the Capital of the Free State during the Boer War, has very few other claims to fame.

I have been involved in the restaurant and hospitality industry most of my life (apart for some stints in sales) and presently work in Clarens, a tourist-trap village 40km away from where I live. I am extremely fortunate in that I work 7 days on - 7 days off. This gives me a small, but regular income and plenty of time to immerse myself in various projects of my own - but more of that in future posts.

My first comment has to be about our recent elections. There is panic among a certain mindset in our country around about every election time. Every time the ANC goes on the campaign trail, the word (in certain drinking establishments) is that there will be civil unrest, mayhem and bloodshed. Well, it didn't happen...again. When will these people learn?

I am no fan of the ANC. I am definitely no fan of our new president, Jacob Zuma. I just feel sorry for the 'poorest of the poor' in rural areas who get given a T-shirt, a quart of beer and a lot of empty promisses in return for their vote. Poorest of the poor is a term often used by the political elite in rhetoric and small talk during the ongoing rounds of dinners, functions and Imbizos (meetings) that keeps the political social circles moving. This being said, the new ANC term in office will be a testing ground for empty promisses. There are already demands and strike threats facing the new government ministers - of which there are many. We already (and suddenly) have the biggest cabinet in the history of SA politics, costing the tax payer an extra R1 bn per. Expensive 'promise paybacks' for alliances and affiliations within the circle of cronies maybe? Let us wait and see what this multitude of freeloaders deliver. I doubt if it will be much...

On a lighter note, Jacob Zuma has promised to set up a call centre to report corruption in government. That should go a long way to solving the unemployment situation. It is going to be a very busy centre!

Until soon..... Andrew