THE WAY WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN

In Stanley Street in Port Elizabeth good-looking, prosperous people swan about, exuding the positivity that could infuse this country

The Eastern Cape, shame. It’s poor. It’s sad. Its ANC branches are divided. And the province’s people are depressed. They gave us Nelson Mandela, one of the greatest leaders in human history. We gave them Jacob Zuma and the Guptas.

You would be depressed too got such a raw deal.

I was in the Eastern Cape last week. The flights to Port Elizabeth and East London are packed these days. Every Cyril, Nkosazana and Lindiwe who thinks he or she has a fair shake at becoming ANC president is getting on a jet plane to the Eastern Cape to garner support. Even Baleka Mbete, bless her cotton socks, went there when she launched her “I am not campaigning” campaign. They slaughtered a cow and drank traditional beer. Lovely.

In the past few weeks virtually every single ANC leadership contestant has pitched up in the province, hand if you outstretched and smile at the ready, begging for support. Cyril Ramaphosa has done the rounds, Lindiwe Sisulu is popping in and out while Nkosazana Dlamini-zuma has been making calls to leaders in the province.

The ANC in the Eastern Cape has its own problems. On September 3 the party holds its provincial conference. ANC chairman Phumulo Masualle’s position is being challenged by secretary-general Oscar Mabuyane.

Mabuyane has assured Masualle, who is also the premier of the province, that he will not be fired if he loses the leadership race. “The leadership of the state is given five years. What we will be doing is to tighten up screws and monitor performance,” said Mabuyane. Let me decode that for you. He is saying he is going to fire Masualle.

If Mabuyane wins, expect to see Ramaphosa swanning around with a big smile on his face. It will mean his chances of winning the ANC race are hugely enhanced and he will finally have a major province, unlike the lightweight Northern Cape, batting for him.

Ramaphosa should visit Fushin Sushi and Eastern Cuisine on the now famous Stanley Street in Port Elizabeth. The street was just one of those slightly tired and dilapidated parts of the CBD, when a few entrepreneurs started opening restaurants and cleaning it up. All sorts of good-looking and prosperous people swan about, do deals and eat and drink. It’s the kind of positivity that would infuse this country if we kicked Zuma and his cronies out of Luthuli House and the Union Buildings.

My friend Khusta Jack roped me in and off we went on one of those clear, crisp, sunny, warm winter days you will never get in Surrey. Or Perth.

The restaurant is small and contained. We sat out on the pavement and ordered drinks — he had an orange juice (he was driving) while I tucked enthusiastically into a glass of the Cederberg chenin blanc.

The staff is fast, attentive, helpful and just marvellous. My friend had a cubed BBQ fillet in soy and other sauces, and a salad. Delicious. I went for the edamame beans and prawn tempura to start with. The prawns were rather scrawny, so they threw an extra one in. Classy. I rounded it all off with some tuna nigiri, salmon sashimi and salmon roses. They were all fresh and tasty and melted in my mouth.

Fushin, and Stanley Street, are lovely. We need more places like these to remind us we are not all like Zuma.

Fushin Sushi and Eastern Cuisine ★★★★

5 Stanley on Bain 15 Stanley Street, Richmond Hill Port Elizabeth (041) 811-7874

★★★★★ Pravin Gordhan ★★★★ Excellent ★★★ Good ★★ Poor ★ Jacob Zuma