Since I only have two days in Jo'burg before I head off to Kruger Park, I had a plan to jam-pack some of the main points of interest into my two day stay. The plan was to go to the Apartheid Museum on the first day, and visit Soweto on the second. Unfortunately, when I looked at the prices for each individual tour, I almost passed out. Fortunately, there was another option: do a city tour of Jo'burg, the Apartheid Museum and Soweto all in one day...for a fair bit cheaper. I was also lucky enough to meet Erika, another solo female traveller (it is a thing), and it was cheaper for two! So we signed up.
Our guide Mthandeni (say it five times fast) met us at 7:45am. He is easily one of the most amazing people I've met so far, with one of the most incredible stories. Originally from the KwaZulu-Natal province, he lives in the shacks in Soweto with a wife and two children. He told us that by next year, he will receive his government house, which is a major step up. I wish him the best!
After picking up two more people who were joining the tour, Mthandeni welcomed us all wholeheartedly to South Africa, and then explained about the Cradle of Humankind: the world's oldest human fossils were found in this area, and therefore humankind may well have originated around Jo'burg and Pretoria. He welcomed us home.
Before officially starting the tour, he told us about all of the different sights and places around Johannesburg, such as the original gold mine, the crocodile farm, and various different historical sites-turned tourist haunts. It was incredible how much he knew about the area and its surroundings! If you ever need to know anything about South Africa, ask this guy. He'll tell you.
The first stop on the tour was Rosebank, one of the wealthy suburbs of Johannesburg, just north of the City Centre. It was amazing to see these huge mansions surrounded by high walls, razor wire, electric fencing, and some of the abysmally large houses even had their own security guards! It was sad to see that the fear of the outside world was driving these people to hold themselves prisoner in their own homes.
After Rosebank, we drove by the house where Nelson Mandela now lives! For security reasons, we couldn't actually stop in front of the house. Shame we couldn't knock on the door and say hi.
Next, we headed to the Constitutional Court, where we learned that South Africa had eleven official languages, which were all represented on the front of the building. Mthandeni urged me to try to pronounce some words in Xhosa (the "clicking" language), and then gave me a six-out-of-ten score! I was very proud.
Since in African culture, issues used to be resolved under the shade of trees, the inside of the courthouse was designed to look as if it were underneath trees. It was a beautifully designed building, and I liked seeing all of the different cultures represented. Some of the walls were built from the old fort, which had been a prison for a while. The contrast of these bricks mixed with new walls represented the past and future of the nation.
After that, we headed to downtown Johannesburg! Mthandeni promised that he would offer superior protection, and explained that his left fist was the "hospital option", and the right fist was the "grave option" and any assailants could take their pick. I felt very safe.
Downtown Jo'burg is definitely not as vibrant and attractive as Cape Town. It's mostly big buildings and rather dirty streets. It has the look of a corporate city, and overall, it's a little beat. However, some of the side streets had a certain charm. We got to look into one of the older stores in the area, which sold hooves, dried skins and herbs to cure whatever ails you. It was very cool in a rather morbid sort of way.
Based on what I had seen in the media before I came, I had expected downtown Johannesburg to be terrifying, full of leering locals, and I wondered if a bullet-proof vest would be a requirement. Maybe it was simply because I was on a guided tour, but I really didn't feel threatened or even sketched-out at all. Everyone I saw was just going about their business, and nobody seemed malicious or spiteful at all. I did notice that there weren't many white people out and about. It was interesting to be a part of a physical minority.
The last stop on the city tour was the "Top of Africa", located on the top floor of the Carlton Centre. You take an elevator up 50 floors, and get an amazing view of Johannesburg from all angles. It wasn't a part of the tour, but it only cost R20 (about $3) extra. Why not?
The next stop on the tour was the infamous Soweto. More on that later.
After Soweto, we headed to the Apartheid Museum. The museum starts out by issuing you a ticket, which randomly classifies you as "white" or "non-white".
For the record, "non-white" refers to any black, Indian, Asian, and mixed-race people.
The exhibit begins by giving a background on how Apartheid government came to be in the 1930s and 1940s. The (white) government wanted to give poor Afrikaaners a chance to get work, and so they moved all of the non-white citizens to their own areas (townships), so that they would not "interfere".
The museum, set up like a giant maze, takes you through the beginning of Apartheid, life in the townships, resistance groups, and then more horrifying exhibits, such as life for non-whites during this time, torture and imprisonment. There are original signs hanging on the walls saying "Europeans only". To be honest, it wasn't all that different from Nazi Germany, was it?
I learned about the "passbook" that all non-white citizens had to present in order to leave the townships. If they failed to present this, they would be arrested. It's really no wonder that people acted desperately by mugging wealthy citizens and other desperate measures, contributing to Johannesburg's high crime rate.
Many white families had black "servants" who would cook, clean and look after the children. Of course, the servants were not allowed to "love" the children...just take care of them objectively, as if that was possible.
Many activists, such as Mandela, Robert Sobukwe, and Steve Biko were tortured via electric shocks and beaten, and thrown into prison for resisting the Apartheid government.
The uprising in Soweto was a turning point in politics. Many non-white citizens, from schoolchildren to adults, rallied together against oppression. Many of them were killed or injured in conflict with police.
The museum shows a twenty-minute film, which shows footage from actual political rallies, and interviews with people who were involved. It was incredible to see such passion and violence. This twenty-minute documentary really brought to life what had been happening in a gripping, disturbing, evocative way.
The Apartheid Museum effectively conveys its message; it's hard to take all of the information given in the museum. It shows that Apartheid was not only unjust and full of hardship, but evil. Multimedia, written words and photographic presentations of this time - not very long ago - really paint a saddening, eye-opening, yet hopeful picture. I feel that I understand much more about Apartheid and the people involved than I did before coming to South Africa.
The final display in the museum shows Mandela's release in 1990, and the 1994 election which changed the world. The exit of the museum is lined with words like "responsibility", "freedom" and "diversity", as well as a small, serene pool. What a trip. The ending really gives a strong message of hope about the country's future.
Though the effects of Apartheid are far from forgotten, the optimism of the people in the country is evident. Despite a horrible past, I have felt safe in the country. The locals are pleased that I'm interested in their culture and history, and I feel honoured that they have welcomed me, and willingly told their stories.
Sometimes compassion and understanding - "ubuntu" here - can make all the difference. Respect and love for others drives the future of any country, and the South Africans I've met have shown this more than anyone. I highly recommend the Apartheid Museum. It's hard to look at, but essential to our understanding of South Africa's history, and the history of many people and cultures all over the world.
To read about Soweto, check the most recent blog.
Questions? Comments? Criticisms? I'd love to hear them all!
the-wanderingjew@hotmail.com
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