The rainbow here is not the beautiful visible rainbow in the sky, but the rainbow nation, “a term coined by Archbisho Desmond Tutu, to describe post-apartheid South Africa, after South Africa’s first fully democratic election in 1994.

Three years ago, I qualified myself for working for AAA Mining (Pty) Ltd., a multi-national mining company headquartered in Johannesburg, the “city of gold”, the busiest and richest city in South Africa. Working for this special company, in this special country, I have for certain so many things unforgettable, of course, some good, some better than the best, some worse than the worst.

It is special; firstly because it is located at the Sourthern tip of Africa, owning a geographical postion more than important; secondly because it is the only country in the world over having three capital cities, one for executive, one for judiciary, and still another one for legislative; thirdly because it is a multi-ethic country with diversified cultures, the only one country in the world over having constitutionally recognized 11 official languages, and etc.

AAA is special; firstly because it is a trilateral joint-venture with directors from South Africa, Singapore, and China; secondly because it is a complicated mess few people capable of managing it; thirdly because it is platform for know-how training and friends making. I worked for it for about one year, the first three month as a full-time interpreter, later interpreter and Assistant Manager responsible for the administration of Bishop Mine, the first mine it has. I met Jasper, the main character in this essay who later became one of my best friends.

Jasper is my friend in need, surely, also a friend in deed. He is the first person I met upon my arrival at Johannesburg Internation Airport. We had not known each other before, but the moment he picked us up in the airport is so normal. I mean just like an old friend coming to pick up an old friend in the airport. The first impression of him is also normal. He is energetic and homorous. From the airport to our headquarter he briefly introduced Jo’burg (Johannesburg) to us (three young men) while driving. The scenary outside our motor is totally different from what we have seen in any one of the cosmopolitan metropolises in China, no tall buildings, no facy advertisements, and no noisy streets. All seem so tranquil and congenial. Seeing us all not in over excitement, he happily warned us “Don’t be chected by what you see, Jo’burg is larger than you can imagine.” For the first time being there, we actually did not have a damn idea about how it is like. Later facts proved he is right. Very quickly, we reached our headquarter, which is located in Bedford area, one of the modern areas in Jo’burg. Of coures, from then on, Jasper and I are already friends, and colleagues.

The place where I was going to work is in Postmasburg (county), somewhere between Kimberley and Upington, in Northern Cape, 650 kilometers away from Jo’burg. That afternoon, it was also Jasper who drove us there. The one-year work there in Postmasburg, I got extraordinary experience of a country of extraordinarity. We drove out in the night for hunting, we took drinks in different bars, and we travelled to different places. He is also the first one there to teach me driving skills that make me now a good driver, even in Nigeria where when you are driving, you are also driving others. He introduced me to the various ways of living in South Africa that transformed partially my initial understanding of South Africa. He knows so much about South Africa, for he had been studying and living there for several years. He is a sort of South Africa local actually. Unfortunately, a nice person like him who had contributed so much to South Africa, finally South Africa, the Country of Raindown went totally agaist him.

On the 8 March 2012, in Bedford area, Jo’burg, he and his friends, seven people in total were robbed in their apartment where I also spent one night with them two years ago. To force them hand out all their money and valuable things, the robbers silenced them with tapes, and inhumanly tortured him, plus his two friends, for more than three hours, and then just walked away like nothing happened. Later when one of them tried his utmost effort to call for help, and friends came to them, only to find three of them lying on the ground, with almost the last breath. True enough is Jasper is the one suffered the torture most, but he soberly told the rescuers “save them (his two friends), I can still bear it”. Two hours later after being transported to the hospital, due to the life-taking hit on his head by the robbers, he passed away for good. He is such a person. Even though he is going to die soon, he would give the last life-saving straw to his friends. What sacrifice can any of us make bigger than what he has proved us with his life?

Up to now, the robers are still at large; while my friend has gone away from us furhter and further. Why does the blood can not even justify the righteous action for these bad guys?

It’s really SHAME ON SOUTH AFRICA. When can you be as beautiful as the rainbow, South Africa?