RURAL LIFE
XOLISA PHILLIP: Alexandria: another small town in need of radical assistance
Little Alexandria is stuck in a time warp. It could do with a dose of real, radical economic transformation
It is almost as though time has stood still in Alexandria, the small Eastern Cape town 100km from Port Elizabeth, which is known for producing chicory and pineapples. The one set of traffic lights in the centre of town does not work. The main road looks like it has seen better days. The one-time 7-Eleven is now a Savemor outlet. Alexandria High School seems to have lost its sparkle, its once-manicured lawns and hedges are looking a little rough.One bank has stuck it out in the town over the years. Teachers are the most common professionals, with the town being home to two main high schools and several primary schools. Career options for the next generation are limited and not many youth are interested in joining the police force, which is the next best thing to becoming a teacher. Seasonal work on the chicory, pineapple or dairy farms is the order of the day for those lucky enough to get it. There is also the occasional piece work, provided through the Expanded Public Works Programm...
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