They started walking towards the entrance, hardly able to hear each other amid the clang and clatter of the temporary stage being dismantled. It was a relief to be outside.

Just ahead of them, Kagiso saw Jake Willemse. In the second or two that it took him to decide whether or not he wanted to acknowledge the minister the other man caught his eye. There was nothing for it, they were going to have to talk. Willemse excused himself from the couple he was chatting with and came over to where Kagiso and Lindi were standing.

‘So, it’s my old friend Kagiso Rapabane,’ he said.

‘Minister, it’s good to see you again.’

‘How long is it since you left us to fight for the little man? Must be a couple of years.’

‘Almost exactly. You have a good memory, Minister.’

‘Eh! Man! What’s with the minister stuff? We’re not in Pretoria now. Call me Jake.’

‘Yes, okay, Jake – this is a very good friend of mine. Lindi Seaton.’

Willemse held his hand out. ‘One of his comrades in the good fight?’

‘Actually, I’ve just arrived from London – though I was born here. I’m visiting family friends, you know, the usual stuff.’

‘And what do you do when you’re not seeing family and friends?’

An inevitable question for which, much to her regret now, Lindi hadn’t really prepared. She wanted to make her answer sound as bland as possible. ‘I work for South Trust, a not-for-profit—’

Willemse interrupted: ‘I’m quite aware of South Trust. Well, I’m sure you’ll find we don’t need any of your help here. Kagiso, I hope you have told your friend that this isn’t the old South Africa she left behind.’ He was looking straight at Lindi when he said this. Then he turned to Kagiso. ‘My people tell me you’ve become quite a thorn in their side since you changed your mind about the project. Quite a turnaround from the keen young policy man I used to know.’

‘Well, yes, I have been concerned about some of the land transactions that are being—’

‘Look, why don’t you let me worry about that, eh? I’m sure you have enough on your plate organising your little cooperative. How about actually teaching them to grow more food? That would help, not this nonsense about who owns what piece of land.’ He looked around. ‘Now, I must get going – I must join the Motlantshes.’

His handshakes were perfunctory.

‘And you, young lady, we take a dim view of foreigners meddling in our affairs. I suggest you enjoy the abundant wonders of our beautiful country and then go home – I’m sure there are plenty of people who need your charity there. Goodbye.’

Willemse started walking away but stopped and turned round. ‘By the way, Kagiso, I didn’t know you were so close to Lesedi.’