In my twenties, while living in Temba, I came across a fascinating yet familiar story—one that reflects the essence of township life, or perhaps just the human experience. It was the story of a man known only as Lekker Lewe.
Lekker Lewe made his living delivering cases of beer to the small shebeens and taverns scattered across the township. His customers either lacked their own transport or simply preferred the convenience of his services. His bakkie was a relic of better days—run-down, unreliable, and without a working starter. To keep up with his deliveries, he would leave the engine idling throughout the day, ensuring he never had to restart it.
The legend of Lekker Lewe’s name, however, was born not from his business but from a single bold choice. One day, he went to The Carousel, the well-known Sun International casino in Hammanskraal, and struck it lucky. He won a significant amount of money, but instead of returning home and investing in a new bakkie or setting up a wholesale business—options that seemed logical to everyone else—he did something different.
He booked himself into the hotel. He ate well, drank well, and enjoyed the luxuries that life had never before afforded him. He lived well—for a few days. And when the money was gone, he returned home.
The township laughed at him. He became a local joke. “He could have fixed his bakkie.” “He could have started a business.” “He could have changed his life.” But Lekker Lewe had no regrets. His response to anyone who mocked him was simple: “Have you ever slept at The Carousel? It’s just here, but you haven’t. I have.”
I remember hearing this story while playing “casino” with a deck of bicycle cards, sharing a 750ml Black Label beer. Even then, something about it stuck with me. Here was a man who, in his own way, had done what his soul desired. He had chosen experience over practicality. He had chosen lekker lewe—a good life, even if only for a moment.
Running today, I reflected on his story again, realizing how much I, like so many others, have often leaned too far into practicality, into left-brained thinking. Lekker Lewe knew his problems—he had lived with them for years. He didn’t win enough money to solve them, but he won enough to escape them, briefly. And for him, that was enough. A few days of rest from the weight of daily struggles. A taste of something different.
I am not saying that rest must come in the form of a casino hotel. But sometimes, all we need is a shift in experience to change our perspective on reality. A short break from routine, a moment that breaks the script of our lives, can reframe everything.
I don’t know what happened to Lekker Lewe. I don’t even know his real name. But his story lives with me. As a people, we have the power to change our realities by changing our experiences. And perhaps, at the root of many of society’s problems—including ignorance and prejudice—is a lack of different perspectives. A lack of lekker lewe moments that shake up the way people see the world.
Maybe, just maybe, a little taste of living well could do everyone some good.