Adjusting to the Price of Things in South Africa

Andy McCaslin is an avid US National Team fan and has followed the team all over the world. He’s been coaching soccer for 14 years at levels from U-6 to college. Originally from Indiana, he moved to Winona to take over as assistant men’s and women’s coach at Saint Mary’s University in Winona, Minnesota.

Finding internet in South Africa has proved to be more than difficult. You can find it, but it comes with a massive price tag. The same is true for a lot of things here. The prices are higher because this country has the attention, and a stranglehold, on the tourists. The locals are after every Rand they can muster because they feel like it’s their one shot. A cash grab.

My family and I stayed in a guesthouse that was near the Tambo airport. They had literally nothing around in the way of restaurants or things to do. They had a captive audience but were understaffed and did not keep their restaurant open for lunch or dinner. We had to cab to the local casino in order to find an evening meal. The price gouging is most evident on the ground here with the taxi drivers. On the low end we paid 500 ZAR (approximately $70) to take four of us to dinner round trip. At home that same ride for four would have ranged on the high end for $15.00. Taxis aren’t the lone culprits in this though. Looking for a hotel room moderately priced, I found rooms from $250 to $1800. These are not high end hotels!

Thinking about all these places on the ground that are gouging is a bit disgusting but we’re here and that’s the way it is. You just have to take the good with the bad and when you can get a good deal you take it.

Right now I’m in Jozi trying to find a transfer to Pretoria for the Spain v. Chile game tonight. I’ve befriended some Argentinians who are headed up there and might catch a ride with them. Combining transfers and overnights will hopefully be how I can skate along through the rest of the tournament.

I found some Americans in Durban at the Fanfest and again after the US game v Slovenia. They offered for me to stay and ride with them to Rustenburg tomorrow. They have a car so that’ll help me make the 200km trip.

Food and drink is relatively inexpensive though so it’s nice to get good meals and not break the bank doing so. You can find all sorts of places with local types of cuisine like Bush Bunny Chow,  lobster dinners to gourmet five star meals.

I’m more on the Bunny Chow end now. I first had it after the US game vs Slovenia. It’s a half loaf of bread with the middle pulled out and filled with seasoned ground beef and a vegetable gravy of sorts. So tasty. I was told that it started during the Apartheid era and kids could get an inexpensive meal while their parents worked. Nutritionally it probably has all you need in terms of vegetables, protein and carbs, but the low grade meat and the greasiness makes it not only delicious but a bit unhealthy.

The woman selling her Bunny Chow was a saint. So happy and glad to see every passerby on the street. Talking to all her customers, having us sell it for her by wrangling in prospective eaters. Her price was 15 ZAR, just over two dollars, and the result was a very full belly. She even gave me a refill of the meat after I was through for my recruitment efforts trying to bring others to her kiosk. I didn’t ever catch her name but she is one of the smart ones in all of the tourism trade associated with the Cup. A very fair meal for a very fair price.  She understands that she can still profit without making it hard on people. She easily could have charged double for her product, but that seemingly wasn’t her nature.  It truly felt like she was feeding her family as they marched out of the stadium.  She has been the ghost of the amazing people that are here for the spirit of humanity and aren’t taking advantage of the captive audience.

The taxis and hotels are essentially biting the hand that feeds them. The tourists here I have run into have the intention of going back and telling people how expensive it is to get around here. Albeit a small number of people potentially heading to South Africa from the US, but it’s a group of people who hopefully do some research and get some word of mouth information.

I am told that the prices will again go down after the World Cup and that is to be expected as this time is seen as a cash grab by a certain group. But the woman selling her Bunny Chow is the spirit of bringing people together and the true spirit of these very giving and caring people.