Landscapes: Stark Reminders of the Legacy of Apartheid
Again, I want to pose the question: who experiences and views these landscapes in Cape Town? And who is left out? Landscapes have become an important way in how I understand and interpret the complex history of Cape Town and current social/economic conditions in South Africa. The divide between the haves and the have-nots are clearly apparent in these post-apartheid landscapes. Interestingly enough, Cape Town has won many awards on its beautiful landscapes. Which ARE in fact, incredibly beautiful. This is obvious in the pictures I have posted. However the contradictions become alarming by simply driving minutes away and seeing people living in deplorable conditions in shantytowns—with no security, no gates, no locks. These informal communities and townships remain, after black Africans and Coloureds were forcibly removed from their homes in the city into an area called the Cape Flats between 1968 and 1982. Their homes were then bulldozed or remodeled and turned into homes for white families. We visited the District Six Museum where we were able to take a tour and see how these areas have changed. The existing areas, which were not rebuilt, remain a barren field with strewn trash. The history remains invisible. No markers.
The Cape Flats also provide contradictions—as the poverty and racial segregation is devastating, yet there remains a sense of community and hope among the people as they struggle to provide for their families. From Crossroads, you can merge onto the expressway, and watch as the homes grow bigger, the gates grow taller, and the security state more visible. Who are the people living in these homes keeping out and making invisible? Although Cape Town has some of the most beautiful beaches, mountains, and wineries—a deeper look shows the struggling of the people in a post-apartheid economy. The racial hierarchy still exists—which can be seen in many downtown areas of Cape Town as the mixture of communities and ethnicities compete for jobs and status. Despite the new democracy; which make people think South Africa is peaceful; there is severe housing shortages, high HIV rates, crime, gender violence, and dangerous conditions in informal squatter camps. I can say that I have experienced the contradictions in these landscapes firsthand. It leaves me with overwhelming emotion that has often been hard to put into words on this trip. Everywhere you look wounds are still raw, and at least every person I personally have spoken with—is still healing. And there is still a very long road of healing ahead. This is one important thing I have taken away from this experience—the resilience of the people who continue to speak about/stress the importance of healing among their community.