South Africa - Day 9 (Part II)

Alena joined our bus Thursday afternoon to talk about Soweto. She is a born and bred Sowetan. 

Soweto is an acronym for South and Western Township. Nelson Mandela is from this area. 

The hospital in Soweto is very large and employs 10,000 people. It is a government hospital that provides free care if you are unemployed. There is also a private hospital in the area. 

The population is 4 million and many are unemployed. Many are affected by HIV. 

There are stoplights, but they do not operate. The taxi cabs are horrible drivers. The taxi cabs must bring in 500 Rand per day, so they overload and speed. 

The towers are the old energy source. They are now painted and a recreational center. Bungee jumping is done there. The right tower with Mandela represents their hope and friendly demeanor. The tower on the right represents the vuvuzela.

Since 2010 improvements have been vast in Soweto. They have 138 grade schools and 70 high schools. 

The city has several classes, poor to rich. Women generally go to church together on Thursdays to pray together. Many women suffer from abuse, and they believe praying together gives better chance to be heard.

Children are named after deceased relatives to bring the children good luck and protection. Graveyards are used to communicate with deceased loved ones. 

Outside the Midas mechanics wait outside to fix cars for people who have gone in for car parts. 

10 pillars represent the constitution of the ANC.

Soweto is poor, but full of hope. Many businesses are owned by Indians. South Africa was ruled by Brits until 1947 when apartheid took over until 1994 when ANC took over. 

School children wear uniforms to help less fortunate not be as noticeable. 

Informal settlements have no electricity, no flushing toilets, but chemical toilets are provided and are changed once per week. When it floods it will mostly be underwater.

In Soweto when children wave you are to wave back, to encourage good feelings. 

Soweto people are religious. 95 percent christian and 5 percent muslim. Churches were important in culture of political unrest when all political leaders were in-prisoned. 

Matchbox houses often house three to four generations. Hostels house unemployed. 

Vilakazi Street is the only street with two nobel prizes.

We spent two hours driving around the city with Alena as she talked about the culture, people, and history of this community. 

   

Tomorrow we will be going to the U.S. Embassy, and a goat farm.