South Africa: the dream turned into a nightmare
I am writing because I am in a desperate situation because of my South African visa. At first glance, it is reasonable to think a visa is not such an important thing, that could be the cause of such critical circumstances. However, if I am able to tell my full story, it would be easy to understand, I indeed find myself under extreme stress and hardship, without me having done anything to deserve the punishment I am facing.
Summarizing it really briefly, I am a Swiss/Spanish man with a severe visual disability (I am legally blind with only about 5% visual accuity left). I am currently alone (without any close friends or relatives), in the surroundings of Cape Town. I first came to South Africa by car. Me and my wife traveled in our 1974 Land Rover Series III, from spain, all across Africa, all the way down to cape Town. It was an amazing experience. We were so euphoric when we reached South Africa: we had made it! We were having a blast in our first weeks in Cape Town. south Africa is pretty developed, so we felt like home. We had left behind all the struggles and difficulties of all other less developed countries in Africa. However, one day, all of a sudden, everything collapsed: my wife disappeared early in the morning and did not come back until sunset, just to tell me she was going to leave me: some casanova mechanic had stepped between un and splitted us off. He had been seducing her and eating her mind, until she ended up leaving me, screaming I was a useless blind man. However, like most disabled people, I am a fighter. I am a strong person. I have traveled across 70 countries and I never give up. This time, I was not going to throw myself to the ground and cry either. I was going to figure things out. I decided I was going to show my wife I may be blind, but not useless. I came back to Cape Town determined to sort everything out: first I needed to repair the Land Rover. Then, I was going to get everything ready again. Lastly, I was going to need somebody who would like to drive and travel with me. As a matter of fact, something inside kept telling me, if I was able to sort everything out, if I could get by myself everything ready, my wife would wake up and she would be my travel companion. However, Cape Town is a rather rough place for a pedestrian, who cannot drive, and I have gone through quite an ordeal to get everything ready. I have been assaulted twice in the last month. I have gone through days without eating, because I had to walk 5kms to the nearest shop and it is very dangerous to walk in Cape Town. But I did it!: With the help of David, at Roverland, I was able to figure out what was the real problem with the car and got it running again. Thanks to Greg, I got the solar panels and the dual battery system setup, I got my new car freezer wired up. I finished the roof rack. I got my Hannibal rooftop tent figured out, etc. Sadly, by the time I had finally everything sorted out, I only had one week left on my South African visa. Since it became quickly clear it would be impossible to extend my tourist visa, I decided I will fly out of South Africa before my visa's expiration date, and then come back after some weeks, to get ninety more days on my visa; that would allow me to also travel across and see south Africa. However, I was assaulted on my way to the airport to take my plane. Then it became impossible to leave South Africa before my visa would expire. The punishment I now face for overstaying my visa is merciless. I am told I have to give up everything: I have to give up my Land ROver and all my dreams to travel across Africa; all my work, efforts and energies over the last year. I have to leave South Africa immediately and accept I will be banned from coming back for at least one year.
We had first arrived to South Africa on New Year's Eve of 2015, after crossing the Namibian dessert. We were totally euphoric: we have made it! We had just crossed all Africa, all the way from Spain and reached South Africa! we were now leaving behind all the difficulties and struggles involved with traveling across all other less developed countries in Africa. In South Africa we felt like home: we went to see the new Star Wars movie on IMax, We were going shopping and buying nice food without spending a fortune. we were again enjoying "ice scream"! We went to Robben Island, we hiked Table Mountain. From now on, everything was going to be so much easier. In Cape Town we were going to be able to prepare and get fully equipped for our return journey across Eastern africa, even better than when we first left Europe. South Africa has leading, world-class technology in overlanding and we were going to be able to find everything we needed for our adventure: car freezer, rooftop tent, etc. Now we also needed a roof rack to free space inside the car and set up everything. moreover, south Africans appreciate and know 4x4 vehicles like our old Land Rover much better than in Europe. Here we would finally find the skills, parts and equipment to completely fix up our car.
We were referred to go talk to a mechanic in Killarney Gardens, who could build a roof rack for our car. Gary, however, explained he does not really work for the money and he only works on what he enjoys. He really did not feel like building a roof rack, but, as he appreciated and was impressed with our story, he would be happy to help us, if we were ready to build it ourselves. He would be happy to tell us what needed to be done, teach us how to do it, and let us use all the tools and equipment necessary. He explained he was not interested in the money; it was true, he was interested in conquering my wife...
We were naive: we only saw it was an excellent proposition. We were going to learn new skills, have fun and we would be able to get all fixed up very affordably. We therefore spent the following weeks in Gary's workshop; building the roof rack and working on our Land Rover. Actually, since I am severely visually disabled, it was my wife, Alia, who was doing most of the work. She and Gary went along really well. Gary is a heavy smoker and, as he had explained, not the most hard-working person. So he would constantly take smoke breaks, go check how Alia was doing and have some chat. I could see them hanging out together quite long times, but I thought it would be stupid of me to feel jealous. Gary is 57 (thirty years older than Alia), he is on his third marriage and has two married sons. I know Alia's biggest dream has always been to build a family. I thought I knew Alia was intelligent and would never fall for a man like Gary.
However, one morning Alia disappeared and did not come back until sunset, to tell me she was going to leave me, because she was sick of dragging around a blind man. The next day she told me she was going to stay with Gary the next several days, until she takes her flight back home to the US. That really hurt me very deeply and so i complained and asked my wife not to stay with Gary. Gary and Alia went as far as lieing about my wife trying to hang herself, in order to get me shut up and out of their way.
Thus, all of a sudden, I found myself from living the most amazing adventure of our lives, to be abandoned, alone in a city as dangerous and violent as Cape Town, stuck with a broken down car, which I could not even drive if it were running. But I am a fighter and I never give up. I will never throw myself to the ground and start crying over my misfortune. I said I was going to show my wife, I may be blind but not useless. I was going to get back on my feet and sort things out with or without her.
It has been quite an ordeal, as it is extremely complicated and dangerous to move around a city as big and vast as Cape Town; particularly for somebody who cannot drive. First I had to repair the car, but most mechanics were trying to rip me off; I looked so desperate and vulnerable, they thought I would be an easy prey. Nevertheless, thanks to David at Roverland, I was able to figure out what was the real problem and confirm only a minor repair was needed. So, I was finally able to fix my Land Rover and get it ready. I was also able to sort out everything: thanks to Greg, I got my solar panels wired up, so that I had an alternative source of power, if my batteries go again flat in the middle of the dessert. Greg also helped me setting up the dual battery system. I also manage to wire up the car freezer, the rooftop tent, etc. With everything figured out, it should be easy to find people wanting to drive and travel with me.
Disappointingly, the problem I was now facing was, my South African visa was getting close to expire. At first glance, it may seem the 90 days allowed by the South African tourist visa, is more than enough time. However, all this endeavor of putting everything back together and get again ready has been extremely difficult and complicated.
In the last month I have been assaulted twice and have suffered a handful of other attempts of assault. Since i am not able to drive, the only way for me to move around is by public transportation; but this is very dangerous. Here everybody keeps insisting I should not trust anybody (at the same time they say that, however, they expect me to trust them0. But, since I do not see well, I constantly need to ask for help; but then, if I trust the person offering help, I risk to fall in a trap.
My Land Rover was in a farm and I had a 5km walk to get to the nearest shop. I have gone through days without eating, because I did not have any food. I was insisted I would be crazy if I try to walk alone in Cape Town; it is very dangerous and somebody will end up chopping my throat to get my phone. As a matter of fact, one month ago, I had my smartphone stolen. Fortunately, they did not need to chop my throat to get it; but it certainly made everything even more complicated for me. I lost most of my contacts, I have been several days unable to communicate, I have not been able to use some mobile applications that are critical for me; like GPS navigation, video magnifier and Uber. Having my smartphone stolen gave me one other task to solve: I had to find and buy a new smartphone. But not just any phone would do it, because I need something very special, with a big screen, so that I can see it and use it well.
Since it was becoming clear it was not going to be possible to get everything ready, get back on the road, travel across South Africa and leave before my visa would expire, I investigated what were the options I could have my South African tourist visa extended (although I have always heard it is extremely difficult). one week ago I called my consulate, and I was told it would be impossible. I was adviced to take a flight out of South Africa and come back after a few weeks. Otherwise, if I overstayed my visa, even if it were for just one day, I would risk being deported and be banned from being allowed back in South Africa for at least one year.
As disappointing and absurd as it was, since it became clear it was the only option, I decided to book a flight to go to Madagascar on March 9th.. However, on that Thursday, I was assaulted when I was trying to catch a taxi, on my way to the airport. After the attack, I still tried to put myself back together, but it just became impossible to get on any flight that would take me out of South Africa before my visa would expire.
Last Thursday, March 9th, on my way to the airport, I went to Bellville, as I know, there is a bus and taxi terminal next to Bellville train station. As soon as I made it there, I started asking where I could find a taxi that would take me to the airport. Very quickly somebody offered help to guide me to the right place. However, soon I could notice he was feeling my pockets; in fact, he had already started unzipping one of them. I reacted quickly by running away from him. Then I started hearing some man announcing the momentary departure of a taxi to the airport. I found it quite a coincidence, so felt a bit suspicious, but perhaps it was just my turn to be lucky, so I approached the man to ask. He confirmed his taxi would be leaving soon to the airport. He asked me to step a bit out of the crowd and wait. It was all a trick; the man should have heard I was looking for a taxi to the airport. The man guided me behind some van and as soon as he had me there he tried to stick his hand in my pants' left pocket. I started screaming for help immediately and he ran off right away.
It became very clear to me I was in serious danger. There was quite a crowd around there, but obviously many of those people were there trying to commit a crime. I felt like swimming in a pool with a school of piranhas. I thought I would start screaming: "security!, security!", hoping that some security agent would come help me. Nobody came. I approached a group of people, asking where I could find a security agent; one man told me to "f*** off". Finally, somebody pointed me towards a security office. I was afraid it would be again a trick; but this time it was true. I told the security agent inside, they had already tried to rob me twice. I needed help finding a taxi to go to the airport. Unfortunately, the security agent was busy with some other stuff and was not paying much attention to me. Another man standing at the security office, then told me there was "over there, very close" a taxi that could take me to the airport. Since the man was standing right next to the security office, I thought I could trust him. I therefore followed him back to the curb. But no taxi seemed to be right there. The man asked me to follow him up the street. But we reached the corner and I was still not able to see any taxi. I started getting worried again. A couple of more men had gathered around me offering help. Then a woman was coming from behind. As she was getting closer she kept explaining there was a taxi stop right there, She told me she knew those men who were trying to help me, and I could trust them. She offered herself to guide me to the taxi stop; since she was a girl, I did not have anything to fear. The men left and I started following the woman. I was moving away from the crowd further and further. Following the woman did not seem to help; it still looked like we would never get to any taxi.
All of a sudden the men reappeared. One of them grab me by the jacket and started talking to me agressively: "See white man...". I tried to free myself and get out of there as quicly as possible. I also started desperately screaming for help. It was, however, too late, the other men had also already got a hold of me and they were pushing me to the ground. I was also now too far from the crowd that the men would get concerned somebody may hear my screams and come to my help. The cars that were passing right next to us would ignore as well everything that was happening. I realized I was now in a very dangerous situation and I may be getting to the end of my life. I thought my only option to stop the attack was to drag myself towards the middle of the road, so that we would obstruct traffic and, that way, force the cars to intervene. That saved me: as we were now in the middle of traffic, the cars started honking, causing the men to finally leave me alone. I tried hard to get back on my feet. As I was sitting on the road, I could still see a few of my things lying around me and the men and the woman quickly picking them up before running away. I could still see my bag of eye-medicines to my left and my big, white, plastic bag with food to the right. As one man took the white, plastic bag, I still manage to say: "it's just food!". The man opened the bag, looked inside, confirmed it was only food and then decided to put the bag back on the ground and run away. As I shifted my sight to the left, looking for my bag of medicines, the person who had taken it had already disappeared: I just cannot help feeling so bad for not being quick enough to explain, those were just medicines...
I was devastated. I asked for help to the people I saw walking towards me. I tried to explain them I was blind and I had just been assaulted. Nobody stopped: they all passed by, without even turning their eyes towards me. As best as I could, I dragged myself back to the security office. Then they did help me. Finally, I was able to get to the airport. However, at that time, there were only two planes left to take me out of the country: one to London-Heathrow and the other to Amsterdam. Unfortunately, both were fully booked. I repeatedly, for several times, asked and insisted to be allowed to speak with a South African immigration officer; the airline representative and the airport authorities insisted to deny me that option. Finally, my South African visa expired before I could do anything to leave the country.
I am breken and destroyed. I have been beaten up and ripped off. I am alone. But that all is not the worst of it. The worst is the fear I feel now for the South African security forces. I know, since they have already told me and I have already witnessed, they will not do absolutely anything against the people who attacked and assaulted me. In all honesty, I need to say, I know that would be the same anywhere in the world. The worst and what is most devastating to me is that it is actually me who is facing the most merciless punishment. Now I am instructed to give up everything: I am told I need to give up my car, I need to give up my dreams and all my work, efforts and energies during this last year. I am being instructed to immediately exit South Africa and accept I will be banned from being allowed back for at least one year.
It is just not fair nor reasonable: I have always done everything possible to follow the rules. I have not harmed nor caused any damage to anybody. More to the contrary, I have made quite a significant spending in South Africa. I just ask I am allowed to peacefully leave the country with my car, If I need to be banned from coming back to South Africa, I will accept it. But, please, do not tell me to give up everything,
I would be endlessly grateful, if I were given the chance to explain to a South African representative with enough authority, what has happened to me and the problem I am facing. I am sure the South African authorities would have no problem to understand and act with justice, if they are given the chance to hear my story.
