Time for little rest and recreation

Tahead. HERE has rarely been a time when South Africans have been so much in need of a long weekend than this year – and 2017 is not even fully four months old. We have had all manner of issues to contend with, but none can quite beat this week: last Fri- day’s nationwide protests decried as racist oppor- tunism by a white minority, only to be topped by 120 000 South Africans of all creeds, classes and col- ours marching on the Union Buildings against the continued presidency of Jacob Zuma. That same day, we had a “let them eat cake mo- ment” with the president celebrating his birthday with a huge cake, against the backdrop of one of the most deprived parts of Johannesburg – So- weto’s Kliptown, which ironically was the scene of the signing of the Freedom Charter in 1955. That night came the news the Guptas’ PR practi- tioners, Bell Pottinger, had quit – after successful- ly sowing the seeds for a vitriolic Wit Gevaar (white peril) shock campaign blaming “white monopoly capital” for South Africa’s woes and egregious in- equalities 23 years after the advent of democracy and ANC rule. The PR company, which had effectively authored a smear campaign, claimed it had been forced out because of a smear campaign against it. The irony would be delightful, if things weren’t so edgy. This long weekend offers welcome time out. Some readers will spend it in worship, remem- bering the life of one of the greatest liberators of all time, Jesus Christ. Others will use these days to reconnect with family or friends. Most will get a chance to regroup and take a break. We hope you all will. Most of all, we hope that if you are going away, or have done so, you’ll take extra special care on the roads and return ready for whatever lies