Visiting Soweto in South Africa
One of the more notorious places in South Africa is Soweto, the township where the blacks were sent during Apartheid. This is a town with a lot of history, most of it bad.
At one time, the whites in South Africa “dumped” (in the words of the black tour guide) all the blacks into the South West Township (SO-WE-TO, an acronym), without water, sewer, electricity, housing, anything.
So over the years Soweto became a cauldron of poverty and violence, until 1976 when it exploded into a sea of rebellion. This was when society and the world began to change the situation there.
It was very a interesting place to visit, and people asked, “are you sure you want to go there?” It has a very bad reputation.
However, the tour was very insightful and almost rather pleasant. Things have changed since Apartheid was removed in 1995, and the place has changed. One of the favorite places was to visit the street where Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu lived, both Nobel Prize recipients – they lived on the same street!
After the all day visit, which included some last minute stress out when the van broke on the way to the airport and stranded us on the freeway (late for out flight, of course), we made it here to Senegal, in West Africa. More soon
At one time, the whites in South Africa “dumped” (in the words of the black tour guide) all the blacks into the South West Township (SO-WE-TO, an acronym), without water, sewer, electricity, housing, anything.
So over the years Soweto became a cauldron of poverty and violence, until 1976 when it exploded into a sea of rebellion. This was when society and the world began to change the situation there.
It was very a interesting place to visit, and people asked, “are you sure you want to go there?” It has a very bad reputation.
However, the tour was very insightful and almost rather pleasant. Things have changed since Apartheid was removed in 1995, and the place has changed. One of the favorite places was to visit the street where Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu lived, both Nobel Prize recipients – they lived on the same street!
After the all day visit, which included some last minute stress out when the van broke on the way to the airport and stranded us on the freeway (late for out flight, of course), we made it here to Senegal, in West Africa. More soon
posted by Kevin Kiker | 3:53 AM
3 Comments:
I'm having a great time following your travel adventures--thanks for documenting it all!
Shoot, I get so nervous about missing flights.
Transportation in Africa is often chaotic. Glad you guys made it to Senegal safely. Soweto sounds like an interesting place!
I want to live in the same neighborhood as Mandela and Tutu! I mean, my neighbors are cool, but none of them has even been in the running for the Peace Prize.
-b
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