Eggbert's Travels

Friday 6th April

SHE SAID:

We had a day to remember, with a tour of SOWETO (South western township). As well as seeing the homes of Nelson Mandela, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, we saw the extreme poverty that people live in, still. Houses with no power, plumbing, nor waterproof. The house was tidy, and clean, the sense of pride evident.

Sadly the reforms that were begun with Nelson Mandela's government have not continued. The corruption in recent years has taken monies meant for housing, education and the bettering of all South Africans. The hope is that things will change again with the change of leadership.

We passed by Winnie Mandela's house, though not close, as the road is closed because of the many people going to pay their respects before her funeral on April 14th.

After lunch at the Orlando Cooling Towers we had a couple of hours at the Apartheid Museum, which left me with a "bad taste in my mouth", and at times close to tears.

2101 World Cup Football Stadium

Soldiers practising for Winne Mandela's funeral

Deipkloof Ext. is the rich area of Soweto

Across the road is the poorer housing

Walter Sisulu Square where the Freedom Charter is housed

HE SAID:

Soweto, for me, had a bad reputation for poverty and crime, and for what was called an "uprising" against the apartheid government of the time, but really seems to have been a protest march. Quite a few people were killed by security forces in the 1976 events.

Our guided tour there was eye-opening. While there are shared water points and toilets in the vicinity, those brave enough leech electricity from wherever they can get it, sometimes causing accidental electrocution. The one house we entered was a small three rooms that catered to 24 people of four generations of family. Unpleasant. There is still a lot of crime in Soweto, including high incidents of rape. You can only hope that the powers that be promptly remedy these awful conditions.