By Hannah Green and Serena Hawkey
“His mom sold drugs and abused him. Some nights he slept outside. But after seeing the Zip Zap Circus School performing in Khayelitsha, something told Aviwe Mfundisi to travel the 30km to central Cape Town and apply to join…”
Read more about Aviwe’s story at select.Timeslive.co.za.
MAIN IMAGE: The rolling hills of rural KwaZulu Natal seen from the national road. The debate over ownership of land is heating up in South Africa. Photo by Serena Hawkey.
South African media were today reporting on tension between opposition leader Julius Malema and Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini over Malema’s call for expropriation of land without compensation. Zwelithini has warned that his warriors are ready to defend the three million hectares of rural land controlled by the Ingonyama Trust, which he heads. The trust was established in 1994 and placed control of tribal lands in KwaZulu Natal under the king.
Today the Sunday Times reported that Malema accused Zwelithini of “intimidating” those who were calling for expropriation of land without compensation.
The news outlet said Malema told a press conference on Thursday, “There are no holy cows in this country. We must debate issues openly‚ including disagreeing with the Zulu king. The Zulu king must call for engagement with regards to the land. He must be respected‚ he must not be feared. I don’t fear anyone‚ no one. I only fear God.”
See reports on News24 and Sunday Times below.
Read more at Sunday Times or News24
On Wednesday afternoon, Jacques Pauw, South African author of the book, The President’s Keepers which examines former president Jacob Zuma’s years in office, had his home raided by three members of the Hawks police unit. The raid received widespread news coverage in local media and prompted criticism from media freedom lobbyists. The South African National Editors Forum has said it will request a meeting with new police minister Bheki Cele to protest the raid. After obtaining a search warrant from a Cape Town magistrate, the officers arrived at Pauw’s home looking for documents. The search relates to charges laid against Pauw by the country’s State Security Agency (SSA). Pauw cooperated with the police.
The Matola Raid Monument is located on the outskirts of Maputo, Mozambique. This carefully designed memorial details the role that Mozambique played in supporting South Africa’s liberation movement and the impact that exiled South Africans had on Mozambique. More specifically, it tells the story of the Apartheid government’s raid on Maputo when homes sheltering ANC exiles were bombed in hopes of eradicating the liberation movement from Mozambique and deterring Mozambicans from aiding in the struggle. Pictured above are pillars commemorating the frontline states that supported and protected Mozambique during the period of the fight against the Apartheid government.
Nelson Mandela’s capture site is in Howick, about an hour and half outside of Durban. Today, there isn’t much there besides a small museum, a beautiful sculpture depicting Mandela’s profile, and a plaque at the exact spot he was captured. Mandela was driving through Howick, disguised as a chauffeur, when he was captured. He was sentenced to five years jail for having been out of the country illegally, before being put on trial with other ANC activists in the famous Rivonia Trial. It was at the end of this latter trial that he uttered his famous words, “I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination … It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” He was sentenced to life imprisonment on Robben Island, eventually serving 27 years in jail.
-Serena Hawkey
Situated just a block away from South Africa’s parliament, the District Six Museum keeps alive the memory of one of the Apartheid government’s most painful realities – the forced removal of black, coloured, and Indian community members from areas designated ‘whites-only’ under the country’s old Group Areas Act. Based in an old Methodist church and opened in 1994, the museum reflects the painful and turbulent breakdown of one the most vibrant parts of the city. Since the demolition of homes and businesses, the area has remained largely undeveloped and land claims have not been finalised. Part of the museum’s mission has been to find those who lost their homes and community, and tell their stories. They do so beautifully, recreating bedrooms, barber shops, and kitchens using remains that were donated by the families or rescued from the land. — Serena Hawkey
Today, our program had the privilege of meeting and speaking with Mac Maharaj, admired as one of the fathers of democratic South Africa and a man who was a great friend of Nelson Mandela.
Mr Maharaj and Mr Mandela were fellow inmates on the notorious Robben Island where political prisoners were incarcerated by the Apartheid government.
In an inspiring session, Mr Maharaj engaged us with stories of life on the Island and his many years as a leader of the Underground struggle to end Apartheid. He gave us insights into a range of key historical and contemporary political events in the country, and shared his perspective on global issues, past and present.
Our encounter with this iconic figure took place inside an exhibition space at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in downtown Durban, where an exhibition entitled South Africa in the Making traces the history of the anti-Apartheid struggle in photographs. An audio guide featuring music of resistance and descriptions of events during the Struggle accompanied photographs of key players and moments that helped bring an end to Apartheid. The poignant exhibition challenged us to understand the trajectory of South Africa’s path to democracy.
Mr Maharaj left us with words of hope and action. He told us he hoped that the challenges of globalization, growing global inequality, and the impact of climate change would motivate once-disparate communities to find a way to work together. It was his hope that these issues would bring communities together and allow them to push past their differences to pave the way for a more united, equal, and free tomorrow.
Read more about the exhibit here, and more about Mr. Maharaj here.
