#AfricaMonth: "To love is to be African"
It's Africa Month and in the spirit of celebrating the continent and its people Jacaranda FM News reporter, Slindelo Masikane spoke to various African expats living and working in Gauteng on what it means to be an African.
Nail technician, Deolinda Runesu came to South Africa from Zimbabwe in 2008, during the height of the economic crisis and resultant hyper-inflation. She says her home country's economic environment was unstable and she had to leave. Zimbabwe economy crashed shortly after a wave of government-sanctioned land grabs.
The sassy 32-year-old started out as a waitress when she arrived in South Africa and went on to qualify as a beautician. She now runs and owns her own beauty salon in the north-east suburbs of Johannesburg. She says South Africans are her best clients, but she also has clients from across the continent. She says South Africa has been good to her and opened up many doors.
Deolinda says Africa is a beautiful continent and she wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. She says Africans have taught others "what it means to love".
"We used to be segregated, but because of people like Nelson Mandela, we as black people are treated like human beings. We are accepted regardless of our skin colour and that is beautiful."
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She believes young Africans need to be given more opportunities and that government need do more to ensure the success of young people.
"Some have the degrees, the knowledge and education but they don't have the skill. Where will the get the skill? We need to do more to support each other."