The two of us (sans Wynand) drove through J’Burg morning traffic to meet out guide for a tour of Soweto. KingG! was late arriving and apologized for the next hour of the four we spent driving around Soweto.
Soweto, named for the English abbreviation on South Western Township is a very unique place indeed. Many Africans were brought into the area for mining during the early 1900’s and during WW1 an Industrial serge then caused another influx of black workers. They were promptly moved from white populated areas and into this area.
It is now a city in its own rights with an estimated 5 million residents, of many different social-economic levels. It has the biggest hospital in the southern hemisphere (not built for the people of Soweto, just a coincidence) and has the two major soccer stadiums from the World Cup as well as another talent academy. Football in big in South Africa!
The first stop had us crying out loud.
Apartheid was alive and well in Soweto in 1976. The Bantu Education Act of 1953 stated that "Natives [blacks] must be taught from an early age that equality with Europeans [whites] is not for them." Black people were not to receive an education that would lead them to aspire to positions they wouldn't be allowed to hold in society. Instead they were to receive education designed to provide them with skills to serve their own people in the homelands or to work in labouring jobs under whites.”
The apartheid government spent R644 a year on a white child's education but only R42 on a black child. And decreed that Afrikans was to become the language of delivery in all schools.
On the 16th June 1976, thousands of high school children marched peacefully through Soweto protesting the use of Afrikans not English (or even their own language.) Part way along the march the police barricaded the way. Some of the children threw stones picked up from the side of the road. The police then set their dogs onto them. The children fought the dogs with stones, killing some – the police then opened fire directly on the children, and as they say “The rest is history”. 600 school children were killed.
The first kid killed was Hector Pieterson, and an amazing photo was taken of 13yo Hector’s body being carried out by another lad, accompanied by his sister. We both cried like babies as we stood before the monument. Looking at this photo was literally painful, the dead face of Hector and the agony and grief of the boy carrying him. And when the context is known, it is made all the worse.Soweto, named for the English abbreviation on South Western Township is a very unique place indeed. Many Africans were brought into the area for mining during the early 1900’s and during WW1 an Industrial serge then caused another influx of black workers. They were promptly moved from white populated areas and into this area.
Soweto, named for the English abbreviation on South Western Township is a very unique place indeed. Many Africans were brought into the area for mining during the early 1900’s and during WW1 an Industrial serge then caused another influx of black workers. They were promptly moved from white populated areas and into this area.
It is now a city in its own rights with an estimated 5 million residents, of many different social-economic levels. It has the biggest hospital in the southern hemisphere (not built for the people of Soweto, just a coincidence) and has the two major soccer stadiums from the World Cup as well as another talent academy. Football in big in South Africa!
In 1918 in a small Africa village, a child was born named – Madiba or said in the native tongue - xoili(pop)lala man’de(pop)la . The name meant “Father of a Nation”.
He started school at the age of 6. As the children walked into the classroom on the first day, the white teacher assigned them all new names. xoˈliːɬaɬa manˈdeːla was to be known as Nelson Mandela. He went on to became a militant anti apartheid fighter, ending up with 27 years incarcerated on Robben Island off Cape Town. In 1990 he was released from Robben Island and led the ANC in negotiations which eventually lead to the establishment of equal democracy in South Africa in 1994 and to became the first elected President of South Africa. In 1993 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize "for his work for the peaceful termination of the apartheid regime, and for laying the foundations for a new democratic South Africa"
Stunning! In less then two years he went from prisoner (for violent acts) to Nobel prize winner and within four years the father Democracy in a country of 40.4 million people.
Soweto has so many different socio-economic regions. From the classic tin shanty towns, to ‘Low cost accommodation’ – tiny besser brick one room houses, to small houses to quite nice (if small) homes. KingG! took us to see his house. It was a 2 x 4 meter block building with a tin roof and no power or plumbing. He shared it with his two adult brothers. We met some gorgeous little kids who were the best posers we have seen, they came out to meet us, followed us around and were very interested in us and in the camera.
We made quite the tourist attraction for the locals, with everyone stopping to look at the whities, an uncommon sight. In particular when we went down into the tin shack areas where most people don’t go.
We had been very worded up to be vigilant in Soweto and to expect to see some horrors and perhaps be in danger – at least in danger of being stolen from. But this was not the case at all. Let me tell you, you are in far more danger of theft in the heart of Rome or Paris. True, it is sad to see the poor conditions that some people live in, with no electricity, tiny buildings and a need to cart water from far away. But who is to say this is poor? It is only a poor way of living by the western standard. The sad part is that there is such a humungous gap between the affluent and the poor. Worse though is that there really is not the level of equality in this country to allow the people from places like this to rise if they desire. Though Apartheid is gone and great advancements have been made, the racial divide is astounding. And the attitude is hard to describe without being offensive but disheartening and frustrating. There is a lot to make you think here.
Our next stop was quite a different one - the Cradle of Humankind museum and the cave in which several deeply significant archaeological finds have been made. The site is where ‘Mrs. Plez’ and the ‘Tung child’ remains were found, as well as ‘Little Foot’. These are remarkable finds of early hominids, Australopithecus examples that were an early stage in human evolution.
We had a lovely lunch at the café at the site with spectacular views then looked at the museum and did the cave tour. We were well warned beforehand about the several hundred stairs and the 1m by 1m tunnels we would need clamber through at some points throughout. And as far as caves go this one was pretty cushy. Alas, the American family on the tour bitched and moaned the entire way down, at one point commenting that they really ought to blast some of the tunnels out to make walking through easier going. Yes, great idea, lets dynamite the hell out cave that has been in use by hominid beings for a couple of million years, great idea! And all so you don’t have to duck your head. Interestingly the main bitcher though that leather thongs were appropriate footwear for a caving trip.
It really was remarkable to stand in this cave – which was stunning in its own right – and touch the same walls that the creatures that are ancestors to every single human on the planet touched.
After this we headed back into J’burg and back to the Venter’s house. We first had to return the car to the airport that is. For a good ol’ South African Braai, that is, a barbeque. Now South Africans love a bit of meat, and by that we mean a freaking shitload of meat. Beef steaks, beef sausages, pork flaps and the best part…warthog sausages and a salad and potato bake. So, much the same as an Aussie BBQ though with a tad more meat, and the incorporation of game meat which is absolutely delicious.
Pumba is yummy!
Another lovely night and we headed back to our hotel to re organize and get ready to head off on out first safari the next day. :D
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