After the poor part of Soweto, we got to see some better areas. First we went to the Hector Pietersen Memorial and Museum. http://www.soweto.co.za/html/p_hector.htm This place was not open when i was here in 2001. Mandela opened it in 2012.
To understand Joburg and Soweto it seems one must understand apartheid and it’s oppression – and the uprisings against that oppression. One of the most famous uprisings was in June of 1976 and Hector Pietersen was the youngest victim of the Soweto shootings. The police had guns while the students had songs and rocks. Guess who lost? Hector was 12 and became a symbol and a martyr. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soweto_uprising. It is amazing to hear the stories of the students who were singing their freedom songs even as the bullets flew. How horrible can mankind truly be?
Would kids today stand up for their rights the way these students did back in 1976? I was fortunate enough to see Hong Kong’s Yellow Umbrella Revolution when the students of HK stood up to the slow creeping control of the Chinese Communist Party. It was the last stand for HK and these kids were valiant in their defiance. I just wonder if Western kids would have it in them these days….
Mandela’s House
In 2001 one could walk up to Mandela’s old house in Soweto and go inside and check it out. Now it is behind bars and there is an entry fee and lots of folks outside singing and dancing. Mandela has been massively monetised here in S.A. We did not go inside but we enjoyed the street vibe. The area now is filled with trendy shops and restaurants. I do not remember anything so cool when i was here last time. To me this area realty was the new Soweto. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandela_House
Regina Mundi Catholic Church
A key site we visited was the Regina Mundi Catholic Church. Since political gatherings were illegal, this church became a focal point for anti-apartheid discussions and organisation. It was a lovely place with stained glass windows depicting the struggle against apartheid. During the Soweto uprising in 1976 many people ran to the church for sanctuary but the police came inside and shot anyway and of course denied that they had fired live rounds in the church….
I stood where Bill Clinton had stood when he visited the church. The sermon was on adultery when the Clintons visited, which was said to make Bill visibly uncomfortable as he was in the Lewinski days….
We had an older chap as our guide to the church…he was fantastic despite smelling of alcohol – super funny and took a shine to M.C., myself and the kids. As he told the stories of the church he used us as props and often shot questions to us and mocked our answers….it was fabulous!
A little background on this Madonna –
http://reginamundichurch.co.za/Madonna%20&%20Child.html http://interfaithmary.net/blog/soweto
South Africa is one of the most amazing countries i have visited. It covers so many bases: cultures, wildlife, marine life, but most of all it symbolises STRUGGLE. I have always said that he old SOuth Africa was ruled by corrupt white people and now it is run by corrupt black people. Is it any better? Our discussions with local white people have shown us their children now have minimal options (much like local HK kids who are not rich). Only 8% of whites can get into many university programmes, jobs only hire 8% whites. Those of us who are o9ld enough watched apartheid in S.A. unravel before our very eyes. The new situation has got way less international press….This is a country with 11 national languages, and like other multi-cultural places is struggling to find a niche for all.