That French flag

What a short morning drive in Johannesburg reveals.

The small car in front of me has a back window sticker that reads “Warning: Blonde Thinking”.

Less than a minute later an old, battered, white bakkie races past me on a stretch of road that is known to have regular, hidden speed traps. A Caucasian male, probably his later 40s or early 50s at the wheel. Sticker on back end of bakkie which in bold typeface says “Jesus is my guidance”. I wondered there and then if Jesus knew about the speed traps...

Less than a KM further a 4x4 drives onto the road with 2 of those fashionable little flags waving proudly in the Jozi wind. One was the South African flag, and the other one the French. Maybe on the French tricoloured one the driver should have painted “Henry’s hand”. The handsball that put France enroute to the worldcup (unfairly obviously) and kept Ireland at home in front of the TV set. Or make that in the pub with a Guinness watching the games far away in South Africa.

Bit further another car with 2 flags. This time the SA one was accompanied by the Argentinean one. And then a bit later another car with 2. This time the white-with-red-cross one for England besides the SA one. It’s nearly a new trend for transnational Jozi. Fly the flag of your roots and the one of your home. Seen some Portuguese-SA double acts recently too.