What ordinary South Africans are wishing for this Christmas

The politicians have expressed themselves ad nauseam, but what do ordinary people dream about for themselves and their country? We asked a few

24 December 2017 - 00:00

By SHANTHINI NAIDOO, BONGANI MTHETHWA and AYDN PARROTT

Image: Alaister Russell Jacob Agyeman.

JACOB AGYEMAN

Occupation: Handbag salesman, Joburg

What I wish for myself: More money! Tourists must come to Joburg.

What I wish for my loved ones: That my two kids do well in school and learn from me so they can do my work part-time.

What I wish for South Africa: There are not many options, but we need good leaders now so the economy can do well.

Image: Alaister Russell Tony Mugwagwa.

TONY MUGWAGWA

Occupation: Waiter, Joburg

What I wish for myself: To get a better job that does not require me to work New Year's Eve.

What I wish for my loved ones: A blessed year. A year full of joy and happiness. Love.

What I wish for South Africa: I really want for Africa to unite - no racism and hate crimes.

Image: Alaister Russell Nathan Chakuchichi.

NATHAN CHAKUCHICHI

Occupation: Musician/busker, Joburg

What I wish for myself: I need a better living.

What I wish for my family: School for the kids. Sustainable work. Normal days that go smoothly.

What I wish for South Africa: Stability.

Image: Alaister Russell Rehaldo George.

REHALDO GEORGE

Occupation: Makeup artist, Joburg

My wish for myself: I want to be the first person to have a degree in my family. I want to go back to school to study psychology.

My wish for my family: I'd love to build my mother her dream house. The main thing she'd want is a gorgeous designer kitchen.

My wish for South Africa: A president who actually cares for the people and puts us first. I'd like to see services improve. They're horrible. Also, our police force needs to do more to keep us safe.

Image: Alaister Russell Benny Dube.

BENNY DUBE

Occupation: Shoe shiner and repairman, Joburg

What I wish for myself: To achieve my business goal to get 20 people. This year was very difficult.

My wish for my family: I want to get them through school, to have a house, right now we are renting. I want my wife to open a small spaza shop, because she's not working.

My wish for South Africa: I wish people could stop crying for things they need.

Image: Alaister Russell Kefiloe Mpeshe.

KEFILOE MPESHE

Occupation: Receptionist, Joburg

What I wish for myself: I want to be on another level, that is all.

My wish for my family: My sister is not working, so next year I want to work hard so she can go back to school. My brother is doing matric, so I hope he will further his education at university.

My wish for South Africa: More jobs and a focus on uplifting young people.

Image: Alaister Russell Nomsa Mkhwanazi.

NOMSA MKHWANAZI

Occupation: Hairstylist, Joburg

What I wish for myself: To buy my first car.

My wish for my family: I want to get a tombstone for my mom. She passed away in 2006. My girls are six and nine months old. I want their lives to change, especially if I have transport next year.

My wish for South Africa: People should help each other. If you see someone suffering, don't ignore them.

Image: Jackie Clausen Mhle Nxele and his bride.

MHLE NXELE

Occupation: Newlywed gardener, Durban

What I wish for myself: That Jesus could give me a baby.

What I wish for my loved ones: To be a happy couple for the rest of our lives and to be a good example to the youth.

What I wish for South Africa: That crime and corruption will just go away.

Image: Jackie Clausen Thabani Khuzwayo.

THABANI KHUZWAYO

Occupation: Paramedic, Durban

What I wish for myself: To get married. Lobola has been paid.

What I wish for my loved ones: That their lives become better.

What I wish for South Africa: That God helps us get a good government and a good president.

Image: Ashleigh Wegner Sarah Thomson

SARAH THOMSON

Occupation: Teacher, Durban

What I wish for myself: A fantastic teaching year with my pupils challenging me to be a better teacher.

What I wish for my loved ones: Even though we will be far from each other, that we'll keep in touch.

What I wish for South Africa: We become a country that inspires others to be just like us.

Image: Jackie Clausen Phumelele Mnyende.

PHUMELELE MNYENDE

Occupation: Durban metro cop

What I wish for myself: I'd like to go to Dubai and Cape Town.

What I wish for my loved ones: A better life.

What I wish for South Africa: That the leadership stops fighting over petty things.

Image: Jackie Clausen Mcosi Zuma.

MCOSI ZUMA

Occupation: Taxi driver, Durban

What I wish for myself: Another job.

What I wish for my loved ones: Just good things, especially my two children, a boy and a girl who are both 10 years old.

What I wish for South Africa: Jobs.

Image: Jackie Clausen Thamsanqa Miya.

THAMSANQA MIYA

Occupation: Security guard, Durban

What I wish for myself: To have the means to support my three children and my family.

What I wish for my loved ones: That God helps us succeed in life and be like other people.

What I wish for South Africa: For the country's economy to grow so the youth can get jobs and not end up taking drugs.

Image: Jackie Clausen Eunice Ngubane.

NAME: EUNICE NGUBANE

Occupation: Street vendor, Durban

What I wish for myself: My own RDP house to live with my two children and four unemployed brothers.

What I wish for my loved ones: That my brothers find work.

What I wish for South Africa: I want the country's economy to grow.

Image: Jackie Clausen Thandeka Mutsi.

THANDEKA MUTSI

Occupation: Street sweeper, Durban

What I wish for myself: A permanent job as I have been doing contract work for too long.

What I wish for my loved ones: That we be together as a family.

What I wish for South Africa: That politicians could stop the noise in parliament and focus more on service delivery.

Image: Jackie Clausen Siyanda Mvune.

SIYANDA MVUNE

Occupation: Lifeguard, Durban

What I wish for myself: More security on the beach so that tourists can feel safe.

What I wish for my loved ones: For God to protect my family.

What I wish for South Africa: More job opportunities. They say education is the key to success, only to find out that when people have education there are no jobs.

Image: Jackie Clausen Mbuso Gazu.

MBUSO GAZU

Occupation: Rickshaw driver, Durban

What I wish for myself: Lots of tourists so I can make more money.

What I wish for my loved ones: I wish that I could have more money to support my family.

What I wish for South Africa: It must become safe for tourists. They are my only means of survival.

Image: Ruvan Boshoff Patrick Kitolano Jafary.

PATRICK KITOLANO JAFARY

Occupation: Barber, Cape Town

What I wish for myself: To open a new office somewhere for my barber business.

What I wish for my loved ones: Time to drink and have fun with my girlfriend and be happy.

What I wish for South Africa: I am happy with how it is.

Image: Ruvan Boshoff Enge Du Plessis.

ENGE DU PLESSIS

Occupation: Waitress with a mental disability, Cape Town

What I wish for myself: To go to Disneyland in Paris and take a photo with Mickey Mouse and to meet Diederik from 7de Laan.

What I wish for my loved ones: I want my sister who is a nurse in Saudi Arabia to come and visit me and spend time with me.

What I wish for South Africa: I would like for Pinocchio to come to town.

Image: Ruvan Boshoff Marieldia Graaff.

MARIELDIA GRAAFF

Occupation: Newspaper vendor, Cape Town

What I wish for myself: To go to America.

What I wish for my loved ones: I would like my 20-year-old son to go to high school and be successful.

What I wish for South Africa: Job creation. I want to change jobs.

Image: Ruvan Boshoff Tazneem Sarlie.

TASNEEM SARLIE

Occupation: Bookkeeper, Cape Town

What I wish for myself: To open my own locksmith business with my husband, a locksmith of 14 years.

What I wish for my loved ones: My daughter is getting married in February. I wish them a successful marriage and hope my twin sons do well at the new skills school they will be attending.

What I wish for South Africa: A leader who is honest, transparent and shows real care for citizens.

Image: Ruvan Boshoff Zahida Sirkhotte.

ZAHIDA SIRKHOTTE

Occupation: Librarian, Cape Town

What I wish for myself: Health, as I am nearly at retirement age.

What I wish for my loved ones: Safety and security for my children and grandchildren.

What I wish for South Africa: Where do I start? Jobs, improved education ...

Image: Ruvan Boshoff Shaid Gallie.

SHAHID GALLIE

Occupation: House painter, Cape Town

What I wish for myself: To keep painting in and around Cape Town.

What I wish for my loved ones: A better year for my daughter and five-year-old granddaughter.

What I wish for South Africa: Drugs, people sleeping outside, our children getting raped
. . . It must stop.