Puzzle

August 25, 2013

I think I’ve got it figured out. South Africa, that is. I have spent lots of time talking with different people living in South Africa. I have gotten many different perspectives and lessons on South African culture and history. It’s been like a puzzle that I have had to piece together. After spending this weekend out and about with Sr. Giovanna, finally, I think I have completed the puzzle…

This weekend 2 new volunteers came from Italy. To introduce a little bit of SA to the new folks, Sr. G took us out all weekend. I think she wanted to show them the good before the ugly because we spent the whole weekend shopping and eating out (which I have yet to do here so it was a treat for me!!). While traveling to the markets and shops, Sister made sure to give us a little background information on each. We went to the farmer’s market in Walkerville, which is where all of the white, country people live. Then we went to the Trade Route Mall in Lenasia South, which is where all of the Indian and Muslim people live. Ennerdale (my town) is where all of the colored people (born from a white parent and a black parent) live. Finetown and Mountain View is where all of the black people live. Lastly, there is the heart of Joburg and its surrounding northern suburbs like Sandton City. These areas are where all of the wealthy, white people and some African people live. We went to all of these places this weekend. All of these places are in Joburg, even Ennerdale and Finetown which are 30 minutes away. Joburg is a large, spread out city.

I say I have figured out the South African puzzle because all of her descriptions of each of those places have helped me to more fully understand the DNA of this country…

It’s the Rainbow Nation and that name fits well as there is so much diversity that makes up the South African population. To start off there were Africans of Zulu and Shoto (and others I can’t spell) cultures. Then came the Dutch explorers, also known as the whites. Then, like any other growing country, many immigrants came to settle. Some of these immigrants were Indian and Muslim and many others. That makes for a heavily diverse country. The aphartide government (the white government) decided to separate all of these groups (sound familiar?). They wanted them to live in separate places within the country and definitely separate in Joburg. They moved all of the blacks 30 minutes far out to Ennerdale area. They moved the Muslims and Indians to Lenasia South area. Some of the whites moved to Walkerville. Also some white people stayed in close to the city and its close surrounding suburbs and cities like Sandton City and Pretoria. Each culture grew within their area building schools, shops and other needs specific to their culture. No mixing though. Separate.

During that time, the whites in mid Joburg area were building the city and the economy. With the gold and mining, Joburg began to grow and become wealthy. With that wealth, the industrial city began to grow more and more modern. To me, it became more worldly. You can see American brands and companies. You see expensive European cars and other luxuries. Then Mandela comes along and becomes president. He ends the aparhtide so blacks and whites and other cultures could join together to unify South Africa. With this idea and a booming Joburg, many people from the smaller surrounding countries such as Zimbabwe and Mozambique, saw the attractiveness and started to move in. They thought they could get work and live a better life. But they don’t move into the industrial Joburg. They move in to where the other African or black people are which is Ennerdale and other close areas. They set up squatter camps with little shack houses. However, Ennerdale is not like mid-Joburg. There is no work here. There are no shops or companies. There is hardly work for the people who already live here. Most drive into the Joburg city for work every day. That’s where the problem occurs. These black people have moved here, soon to find out that Ennerdale is not where the work is. Now they are jobless and living in these squatter communities that they have thrown together. But the government doesn’t like the squatter camps. I mean after all those camps are not homes for families. They are filthy, disease-filled shacks. The government’s solution was to build government housing for these families in hopes that they would move out of the shacks and into the new homes. BUT that didn’t happen. Well, some did. Just most did not. They stayed in their squatter neighborhoods because after all, why leave? They’ve got the set up there. They don’t have to work because they don’t have to pay property taxes (or any taxes at all), electricity, water or any bills at all really. If they move to the government houses they would have to start paying those bills which means they would have to GET A JOB. They don’t get jobs (they don’t want to travel to work) or they can’t get jobs or they are too sick to get jobs. So they stay in the filthy slums and become basically a community of poverty that they all accept and participate in. That’s where I come in…

The Salesians all across South Africa work for the poorest of the poor. That’s why they have a community in Ennerdale. In Ennerdale is Finetown and Mt. View. Both of which I have mentioned many times. These are the 2 largest squatter or slum communities. The sister’s schools and projects serve to help the children and young adults in these communities. That’s why I am here, too. I and many others originally thought that the conditions I would be living and working in wouldn’t be that bad. After all Johannesburg is the largest and wealthiest city in South Africa! However, that wasn’t the case. Joburg and the rest of South Africa is a culturally divided place where you can find the world poorest children inside the country’s wealthiest city.

Puzzle Solved. I think. Please, anyone reading this from or currently living in South Africa, let me know if I am incorrect or have misinterpreted anything. I love learning about this country and I want to be accurate with my representation. But that is really all this post is. It’s MY OWN representation based on what I have learned in the past 3 months. So please forgive me if I am way off.