Christmas in South Africa

This Xmas I was lucky to have the opportunity to spend it in South Africa. I went to the incredible city of Cape Town to celebrate Xmas with Nicholas, a fellow project supervisor. It was quite an experience, as I haven’t really spent much time in South Africa, and on this trip I got an insider view as to what life is like for most Black South Africans, as I stayed with Nicholas in a Black Township. If you aren't familiar or are unaware under the old apartheid system (when the white minority was in power and controlled the country) the government made Black South Africans live separately from them away from the city in townships. In the township where I stayed for my 5 day stay I didn’t see any other white person and so since I was a rare sight people would stare at me and wonder why I was there and what I was doing in a black township!

The first two days we stayed mostly in the township away from town celebrating Xmas with his family, neighbours and friends. They were all very curious as to what life in Canada was like and how I liked Cape Town and South Africa. Asking all sorts of questions and hoping that I was enjoying their country!

After Xmas dinner one of Nicholas' friends offered to take us on a tour of Cape Town, and I was shown many of the beautiful sights the city has to offer: such as Table Mountain, Waterfront, Camps Bay, Clifton Beach and the downtown core. I was completely impressed. Downtown Cape Town is unreal -sophisticated, modern, trendy and highly developed. Easily comparable to Vancouver, or the finer areas of Los Angeles, definitely a step up from good ol' Edmonton.

I must say though it was hard to see what lies past the townships: the bright lights, the fancy dinners, white sandy beaches, modern infrastructure, etc and then come back at night to the township where many people live below the poverty line, in slum-like dwellings, houses or shacks made from scrap materials. In some areas of the township Nicholas explained to me how many of the homes don’t have running water, or proper toilet facilities. In one area that we passed you could see there was a set of outhouses every 15-20 meters, which would apparently serve any number of 5-8 households. As we would take the public bus into the city every day we would pass by several shantytown communities where it would look as though thousands and thousands of people were living in sub-human conditions.

Interestingly enough despite the conditions that many of the people I met in the township they are all very proud to be from Cape Town and would expect that I had a great time in their city. I definably did have a great time and look forward to returning after the program, however, the inequality and disparity that exists here is hard to see and hard to accept as it is racist when it is only one segment of South African society the race of the majority who must face and live this reality, now not due to government policies but due to economic hardship and lack there of alternatives. Maybe when I return I can do more research into what is currently being done to reverse this situation and improve opportunities for all, but for now I all do is wonder what can be done and what are some solutions to this reality?