My Fellow South Africans: Charl Bezuidenhout
“Ja-nee,” says Charl Bezuidenhout, an art dealer in Cape Town’s CBD.
He didn’t always want to be an art dealer, but it happened “by coincidence”.
“I wanted to be a journalist or a lawyer.
“I studied law, but I realised I wouldn’t be that good at it, so I became (by coincidence) an art dealer.”
Bezuidenhout swims in the ocean three times a week, one of the benefits of living in Cape Town.
Had he the chance to speak to his 15-year-old self, his advice would be clear:
"Don't waste time. Pursue what you love and give it as much energy as you can.“
We asked Bezuidenhout if there was anything peculiar about his culture that stands out from others, to which he responded: “They say ja-nee.”
While living in Cape Town has its benefits, there are downsides.
“The wind,” says Bezuidenhout of the thing he likes least about the city.
And his favourite thing about being South African?
“Our diversity and our determination.”
* My Fellow South Africans is an editorial campaign powered by IOL which aims to build a more inclusive society by introducing South Africans to each other.