Whistling Parking Helpers (WPH)

I have mentioned before that people value their cars here. I have noticed things very similar to what you would see in the states or Europe: big stereos, abundant car washing and the plethora of car related obsessions, enough to satisfy my car passionate molecule.
There is one thing, however, that is a little unusual and connected to cars. Men standing by the side of the road, let's call them parking helpers, that, well, help drivers park. They wave at drivers from free spots on busy streets then direct them in their parallel parking or stop traffic to let them get out, all thanks to their incredibly communicative whistles (I must say I wouldn't say no to such service sometimes). People can be truly imaginative and opportunistic here. There are many cars, not very many parking spot, there is a demand, here is the supply.
The other thing that strikes me, is the cars that the WPH direct, BMW, Mercedes, Audi... very nice, often brand new cars (with a bias for German makers). No wonder BMW invested in SA and other car manufacturer are following. The car is king in S.A. (maybe queen, a car is a woman in French). Not having a car here is a pain; it is a little like L.A.. Yes, the Pretoria, Jo'burg megalopolis is turning into a L.A. type of urban monster. The smog is here, the restaurants, probably some stars and many rich people. Wait! Rich people? Africa? Rich people?? That doesn't seem right. Usually you here Africa, rich despots, rich kleptomaniacs, but not reach people. Believe it or not, it is a reality here.
There is, as always, another side to this reality. The BRIC is the acronym regrouping what is often referred to as emerging economies, or economies who have embraced market liberalization and have had a record of high growth and attract billions in the form of investments; namely Brazil, Russia, India and China. South Africa deserves a spot in there, so, perhaps BRISAC? South Africa as the highest GDP per capita of the group when adjusted for purchasing power, a high growth rate, a respectable literacy rate and primary school enrollment, and yet the GDP minus HDI is -65. This probably doesn't mean much to most. It means that for the level of wealth of South Africa, the level of human standard of living is dismal.
There is a simple explanation as far as statistics go. S.A. has the lowest life expectancy culminating at 50 years. HIV/AIDS may have played a role there, president M'beki? Ah, among the BRISAC, S.A. also has a very impressive murder statistic. S.A. is also trailing close behind Brazil for highest inequality. Indeed, just today the news cast announced that since 2003 the black population has made very little headway in management positions. SA shouldn't be considered a beacon of hope at the tip of Africa then? Certainly not, I am convinced S.A. retains a potential that few countries can boast about, but the obstacles are proportional. This means the weight on the shoulders of the leaders of this country is incredible, maybe balanced, but incredibly heavy. With an incumbent playing the (quite welcomed) role of a regional mediator and the most likely successor facing a myriad of charges, again, how long can this fragile balance remain?