I’ve been to the mountaintop! Yeah, I actually took the cable car up to the top of Table Mountain to watch the sunset, beautiful, breathtaking. Peaceful and Serene. Seriously, if you don’t believe in God, come to South Africa as some parts are so beautiful that it would be illogical to assert that they just happened with no design. At the top of the mountain, I could see the whole city, lit up by night but it’s beauty was deceptive as the lush green and the cool breeze would have you believe that everything was all right in the country. Although, truth be told, in that moment it did seem as if everything was.
I’ve been to the Valley! The day after being on the top of Table Mountain, the house was able to go on a township tour and the way I felt about it, mirrors the way I feel about the country thus far- it’s a love hate. On one hand, I enjoyed seeing the townships even if we did just drive through most of them, but on the other hand I hated feeling like a tourist who gawked at how people in the townships live. The townships were a stark reminder of the work that needs to be done- black people still live in tin roof shakes in the same city where there are billion dollar soccer stadiums and beachfront houses. Black people still live in crowded conditions despite the ascent of the ANC. But the people are what save the townships. They are strong, they are proud, but most of all they are human, they are people. They are not to be pitied but to be partnered with. We met some of the most amazing people doing amazing things despite the legacy of apartheid and the bleak outlook of the present- people like an HIV positive woman with a thriving sewing business who was teaching the others in her township to sew, and Mama Vicki a woman with strong business acumen who has a thriving bread and breakfast that gives foreigners the ultimate “township experience”. I love the fact that she is on her hustle, although it pains me that some people are able to choose to have a township experience and leave after a day to say that they did it, while others are forced to live in them and have seemingly no way out. Still as Mama Vicki said, “there is life in the townships!” There is agency. People aren’t just waiting for the government to fix it…they are trying to make it happen despite having no electricity and having to share a toilet with 11+ families each.
I was struggling with the concept of God being good to me last night, as does that require He be bad to others? (Like those in the townships!) But I’ve found my answer…it is nothing but the goodness of God, in my opinion, that even allows people to survive such miserable conditions in their right mind, with a sense of joy, with the creation of the community and the ever present hope that tomorrow will be better.
For those not in the know, townships are basically South Africa’s ghettos and are home to unemployment rates as high as 80% and HIV rates of 50%+. This number may be jarring, but as me and my roommate have been incessant in pointing out..there are places in the very United States with the same rates affecting the same marginalized black populations dealing with the same legacy of apartheid. It’s crazy to think that you can assume where someone lives here, just based on their race. There were Colured townships, Black Townships, and Indian and White Suburbs….different, interesting for sure. But It is a sad commentary on the race relations of the United States in that I can assume the same thing to an extent about where people live based on their race and that this township tour 10,000 miles away may have been some of my classmates first experiences in seeing where marginalized black people live- where there are so many places close to our school and to their neighborhoods that offer the same experiences.
South Africa is a paradox, a practice in extremes. In only a week here, I have been thinking and questioning and learning. 9 more weeks of this might cause brain damage. Yes, I’ve been to the mountain top and I’ve looked over and I’ve seen the Promise Land. But I’ve also been to the valley and I realize it will take hard work, structural changes, divine intervention and many years to ensure that we ALL get to the Promise Land Together.
I suspect that while South Africa is full of these vestiges of Apartheid, it is also rich with examples of rapid transformations and progress. Whereas American ghettos have often been socially and economically stagnant over the past few decades, South Africa seems like it is slowly turning the corner in places like Soweto. There's obviously a lot left to be done, but it might valuable to seek out how the country is bridging the gap left by Apartheid and finding ways to move forward in addition to learning from the legacy of the past.
ReplyDeleteDaniel you make a good point . I think a big part of my frustration is that I just expected so much of the rainbow nation because it moved really quickly from 90-94 ya know. I def will be looking not just for evidences of the past ...but of progress because that's important and gives hope.
ReplyDeletealthough, from what i've heard from the locals..many are convinced that much progress has not been made that affects the day to day existence of the masses especially economically.