19 February 2010 FOOD FOR THOUGHT Wasted opportunity By JUSTICE MALALA

Sometimes we can be beautiful, and hopeful, and even gorgeous. Like when we remember that Nelson Mandela is one of ours, that he is truly one of the greats of humanity. Last week, on February 11, despite my attempts to stay stoic and detached, I too felt a bit soppy and sentimental. The whole world was celebrating the 20th anniversary of the man's release from 27 years in jail. He didn't walk out angry and seeking revenge. He chose reconciliation, co-operation and nation-building. Nothing evokes as much national pride in this heart as Mandela does. I find myself drawn back to his historic state of the nation speech in May 1994, when he delivered a soaring, ambitious and coherent vision for our future. This is how Mandela began: "The time will come when our nation will honour the memory of all the sons, the daughters, the mothers, the fathers, the youth and the children who, by their thoughts and deeds, gave us the right to assert with pride that we are South Africans, that we are Africans and that we are citizens of the world. "The certainties that come with age tell me that among these we shall find an Afrikaner woman who transcended a particular experience and became a South African, an African and a citizen of the world. "Her name is Ingrid Jonker. She was both a poet and a South African. She was both an Afrikaner and an African. She was both an artist and a human being. "In the midst of despair, she celebrated hope. Confronted with death, she asserted the beauty of life." Read that and feel the goose bumps. The speech took charge of the occasion and made us all feel like we were going into battle to build a great new country. Alas, to compare that historic speech with the embarrassment delivered by President Jacob Zuma last week is to prepare oneself for some serious therapy for depression. How could so much promise be squandered? The delivery was atrocious, the sense of occasion completely missed and the content totally lacking. No matter. I wanted to eat on February 11. So, with my friend Lolo Mojela, I rushed off to Vilakazi Street in Orlando West, Soweto. You have to love Vilakazi Street: the irrepressible Archbishop Desmond Tutu still lives there, and Mandela lived there between 1946 and 1961. The street was named after Dr B W Vilakazi, a man who wrote novels and poetry and contributed to the development of dictionaries in Zulu and Swati. Plus, he taught at Wits. Lolo and I settled on Sakhumzi Restaurant, right next to Tutu's house. I guess things get a bit rowdy there: Tutu has in the past complained about the noise. Vilakazi Street is a tourist trap, which is not a bad thing. International tourists alight from buses and stand, gobsmacked, in front of the great men's houses. Local lads sell them trinkets and make some cash. Jobs are created. Now imagine if we had a few more Tutus and Mandelas. Voila! Jobs created. Anyway, there are several restaurants, a spa, the Mandela Museum and other businesses on the strip around Sakhumzi. The place itself is two buildings - not much to look at - and seating on the pavement. It isn't just tourists who go there - a family was having lunch while several wealthy individuals seemed to be cutting deals there. The buffet has an assortment of SA dishes: pap, rice and a variety of curries, stews and meats, from chicken to lamb. We sat outside at the tables on the pavement. It was a hot day and the cold Heineken went down very nicely. Sihle, our waitress, was attentive and prompt although she lost steam towards the end of her shift. Sakhumzi Restaurant 6980 Vilakazi Street, Orlando West, Soweto Tel: (011) 939- 4427 Mandela! Excellent Good Malema Zuma The food was a great disappointment. First, there was no-one to guide us through the dishes. Lolo, who is averse to beef, made several mistakes before he could work out what was what. Plus, on a hot summer day in SA, someone needs to make sure that flies don't settle on the food. Anyway, the rice and beef stew was covered so I went for that. Lolo had some chicken, samp and boerewors. He was not at all impressed with the food. "No, no, no. This is not right. This food is lousy," he lamented. I have to agree. Sakhumzi's is in prime position and has a captive market. But it needs to raise its game. The food was really of Zuma quality, when this place knows that it needs to play in the Mandela league.