Soweto and Townships
Today we awoke with the great anticipation of taking a trip to Soweto. We hired our own tour guide, instead of going with a big group. Since we have our own agenda regarding photography and education for the kids, this approach is best albeit more expensive. More time to spend in Soweto was one of the motivating factors for us to come directly to Pretoria from Namibia instead of taking the original overland route.
With a population of 3.5 million people in a very small area I expected rows upon rows of families in squatter camps. I thought the entire place had no electricity, no water, roads, markets, or any sign of “civilized” life. After seeing the photographs of desolate children portrayed in the American market, I expected the worst.
Soweto was a pleasant surprise. While there are areas of Soweto that fit the description above, about 2/3 of the area is not like that at all. Our tour guide described it well as the good, the bad and the ugly. Soweto has some very expensive, nice homes in it. It also has homes that are 2-3 room sized, made of brick and have both electricity and running water. Those homes were built by the South African government and provided for the people. It also has areas where families live in horrible conditions, with no conveniences at all. A 10-minute walk to the water source is not uncommon in those areas. The governments’ goal is to eventually build enough homes so that all those in the squatter camps can move to proper homes. It will take years, and the waiting lists are long, but progress is coming.
Soweto is a small town. It has paved roads, traffic jams, markets, and restaurants. At 2 pm all the school kids in their uniforms, with backpacks attached, come pouring out of the schools. Minibuses take the kids to their neighborhoods instead of big yellow school busses. Unfortunately not all the kids can go to school because it is not free. The fee of 200 Rand ($30USD) plus uniforms is too much for some families. Thankfully, next year all children will be able to go as the government has decided to provide for free schools to all it’s citizens. They will start at age 6 and go through 18.
There is much history in Soweto. The riots and the demonstrations against the white minority government started here. Two Nobel Peace Prize winners, Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, both lived on the same street in Soweto. Tutu still lives in a modest grey sided home there. There seems to be a sense of pride in the neighborhoods. Crime, though present, is not nearly as bad as neighboring Johannesburg.
The Apartheid Museum is a graphic description of a terrible era in South Africa’s history. Upon entering the building there were signs for white only, black only. Park benches with “Europeans only” lined the walkways. On display was one of the armored tanks the whites went into Soweto with to calm the uprisings. The tires of the vehicle were almost bigger than our kids. Bullet holes sprayed the glass. Picturing the size and power of the vehicle going into neighborhoods and firing on an unarmed black population was chilling.
South Africa’s current governmental form is only 11 years old. Alexa is 11 years old. It is interesting to be in South Africa when they are taking their first steps in a true democracy where all people can participate in government.
Tags: Johannesburg, Photography, South Africa, Township, Travel
Administrator
Welcome back to the web-we were wondering if you were having such an adventure, that you forgot about us all at home following along with you! Madison wants to know if there are swimming pools in Africa and what do the kids do in their spare time for fun there…
Hope you are getting fabulous, outrageous pictures!
Love,
Denise, Tom and Madison
It’s so good to start reading your adventures again. Soweto sounds like they will get their stuff togeather for the children to have free schools. It’s just so sad that people have to live like they do and after all these years and seeing most of what’s going on in the world my heart still bleeds for these people. My grandchildren are getting a hell of an education.
Love You All, Grammy
Hey guys! We’ve missed you. It’s been weird not hearing from you…Glad to hear that you’re “settling down” for a bit. I’m sure it’s a welcome feeling. The kids will write soon. Peace, Kim and Derek