Do any South Africans believe that they would have been able to survive as a member of the "Great Trek"?

Question

I visited the Voortrekker Monument on Sunday for the first time in many years and found the experience rather interesting.

Observing the many displays on show, I often found myself wondering how many of us contemporary South Africans would have been or would now be able to survive such a journey of great magnitude with no electricity, reliable maps or navigation systems, water and food supplies and hostile native savages intent on our destruction.

Do you personally believe you would have coped and have you ever really considered the great difficulties encountered by those pioneers, as well as considered what a waste the entire process was when observing what South Africa has become today under the corrupt and inept African ANC?

Answer 1

HA HA HA ! Yes ,I must admit it must have been h**l . Then again ,what would they do in our shoes today ? Would they be able to survive the way we have to ?

Answer 2

Bull I do not think we can ever apprehend how our forebearers suffered. Imagine all the little children they lost to whooping cough, influenza, measles etc. and what medicines did they have? Boegoe and lewensessens? I do not think I would have made it, have been spoiled too much by living too comfortably for too many generations. Imagine how their hands looked from all the work? No I think we are too soft. They made everything they needed, from shoes to wagon wheels, to bullets.... I think my forebearers would look at me today and shake their heads in amazement at me that moans and groans about things I have to do......

Answer 3

I think the older generation will have been able to give it a go in their younger days. I do not think the younger generation of today will make it. They have grown up too soft and with too much technology around them. Today they will cut their wrists if they can't watch tv because of load shedding.

If push comes to shove, I think I will be able to do it, altough it certainly won't be easy and I will have a lot to learn. I think I'll be able to handle anything, except having 13 children.

Answer 4

In those days there were no laws that prevented us from defending ourselves like there are today, in those days if someone attacked you or your family you could sort them out but today you are the one that goes to prison for defending your family and the black criminals walk free.

if the Voortrekkers were here now then the ANC would be history and Mugabe and Mandela would be dangling from a tree somewhere and everyone would be safe.

Answer 5

Some of us would have made it . Adventure spirit ,religion and ''mannemoed'' still drives us today !

If they knew what a waste it would be I honestly still believe they would have done as they did . They trekked to get away from the British rule remember ? They still would have had a lifetime  of African dreams to get to today .

Answer 6

The human spirit and will is very underestimated. When in a corner or in a situation which is totally unbearable, you will have to power to something to better your standard of living and free yourself. We got so used to the nice things in life and we have to remember that the Voortrekkers were used to hard work and very little infrastructure. I think it was easier form them to Trek and one thing is for sure, none of us will survive such ordeal.

Answer 7

I would not be able to wear those clothes, it is big uncomfortable and to hot for the current weather.

I also know that i wont be able to change the ossewa's wheel (i cant even change a car's wheel).

I like going to the Voortrekker monument some of my families stuff is kept there