MY SECRET LIFE IN JOBURG

“You look too young to be travelling alone, where are you heading to my girl?”, asked the man I was sitting next to in the taxi on my long journey to Joburg. “Well, do you have to look old for you to travel alone?”, I replied with a fake smile. He was perhaps in his 40s, and I was definitely not interested in any further engagements with him.

Deep down in my heart I kept asking myself the very same question the man had posed. I never wanted to tell anyone where my journey was leading to, but Soweto was my final destination. I had communicated with some girls I knew that I would be coming over to stay with them. They did not mind. In fact, they were very encouraging.

It had been three years since I finished my matric and my life has been nothing but miserable. My senior certificate was as good as nothing. I tried applying to study universities and a college but I was rejected. In fact, I was rejected four times in different universities. I also tried looking for a job but even that was a dead-end. My dream of becoming a teacher was a non-starter.

I then decided to travel to where they claimed that there are greener pastures; Joburg. In fact, most girls and boys around my community who travelled to Joburg were very successful. They were able to take care of their families and even had very attractive lifestyles. You could see even by the way they were glowing that there was life where they were working.

One day I decided to pack my bags and follow them. Well, what can I say, I also wanted to glow like them. However, in as much as I was so excited about changing my situation at home, I was also nervous about the journey I was taking. My mother would always tell us “Egoli kukandonga ziyaduma, kanyama kayipheli kepha kuphela amaziny’endoda. Igoli liyagwinyana futhi uma ungasile ekhanda!” Those words kept ringing in my head during my long journey, but I convinced myself that I would never be that person. “Anyway, I wonder if my mother did get my letter”, I said silently to myself. I had left home very early in the morning that day.

As the taxi was approaching Joburg, without any doubt I could tell by the tall buildings, crowds of people and even the nasty smell of the city that I had arrived. Some books at school stated that Joburg has tall buildings. Those tall buildings were thus a clear sign for me that I was staring “gold” in the face. But at the same time, I started becoming more nervous and even shaking, but tried to hide it from the passenger next to me.

Just as I was getting off the taxi, I heard a voice saying, “Aah, there you are, my dearest sister!” It was Zandy, the lady I was communicating with throughout my journey. “Welcome to Joburg, sister”, she said as she hugged me. She helped me with some of my bags, and I was in awe of the size of this city as we were negotiating our way through the crowds! “This is a very big city, Zandy, how do you move around this place?”, I asked worryingly while looking at those many high-rise buildings. “Don’t worry, in no time you will also be a star like me”, she laughed. In no time, we got in a taxi and went to her place.

“Rule number one in Joburg, whatever happens in Joburg stays in Joburg. What we do here is a no-tell, you understand? Not even your own parents or friends, strictly no one! Whatever money we have worked for, we share it evenly amongst ourselves. Number two, when we go home, we all go together, which is after three months, to check on our families. I’m sure you noticed with us, right? And lastly, have fun and be responsible in whatever you do, sister!” That was Zandy, as welcomed and introduced me to the life I had chosen.

Today marks five years since I’ve been living in Joburg and still no one knows what I do for a living. Sometimes I wish to tell my parents, but then rules are rules, and, besides, no one will ever take us serious if I ever report on our way of life. But what is important is that now I am able to take care of my parents and my younger siblings. Even my life has changed for the better.