With this Flag...

Necessity is the mother of invention and nowhere is this more apparent than in South Africa when it comes to job creation. There’s no social welfare here, so if you don’t have money or any means of earning it, you don’t eat. The downside is, that with high unemployment, many turn to crime through desperation.

But not everyone. The more enterprising create jobs for themselves. Hence the large number of vendors at each and every traffic light intersection here, selling you everything from clothes-hangers to intricately hand-made children’s toys, such as hanging baby mobiles. Most however, have created jobs for themselves in the fastest growing industry in this crime-ridden country - protection. No matter where you park your car, someone will be on hand to look after it in exchange for a tip. At the beach, outside a restaurant and even in public car parks, you will find these self-appointed car guardians, who for a modest five rand (50 cents) will keep an eye on your vehicle. With hundreds of cars coming and going during the day, this I imagine can be quite lucrative if not boring.

Best prize however goes to the enterprising young woman on Hout Bay beach who picks up your dog poo in exchange for a donation, removing the need for carrying a plastic bag and doing it yourself. She does this by handing you a green flag on arrival which you plant in the sand beside your doggy do. This has a two-fold benefit, in that it not only clearly marks the spot for her to clean up but warns other barefoot beachcombers where not to tread. A service, that most agree is worth every cent!