Youth Day in Soweto - 16 June

If you have seen the movie Sarafina, then you have a good idea of what the Soweto Uprising was all about. If you have not, a synopsis is that on June 16, 1976, a number of students from Sowetan schools began to protest in the streets of Soweto in response to the introduction of Afrikaans (language of the minority ruling elite at the time) as the language of instruction in local schools. An estimated 20,000 students took part in the protests. The number of people who died is usually given as 176, with estimates of up to 700. 16 June is now a public holiday, Youth Day, in South Africa, in remembrance of the events of 1976.

Going to Soweto to join in the commemoration was as if I was part of history, albeit many years ago.  It was the sort of experience that gave chills up the spine.  To see the number of persons who turned out to retrace the route was simply amazing - thousands came out!

Persons participating in June 16 march in Orlando West, Soweto.

Persons participating in June 16 march in Orlando West, Soweto.

Section of the crowd.

The routes the students took in protest.

The five photos below chronicle the timeline of the march.

Diplomats and ANC reps posing for a photo op.

16 June 1976 changed the lives of ordinary black South Africans.  It is a day we must never forget.

Two Sowetan girls play on the rails of the Memorial Square Mile (dedicated to the memories of those who died in the uprising) as John soaks in the words of the photo.

You can read more about the Soweto Student Uprising here.

CELEBRATING BOB MARLEY - Rastas in Pietermaritzburg and Durban

I confess that as we departed Pretoria for Kwa Zulu Natal on Saturday, 8 February, I had no idea what awaited us. 

It was a very lovely drive down, albeit some 5 hours away.  The mountains were majestic and the place lush and green.  Finding the venue was a little difficult though - it was the Plessislaer Campus of the Umgungundlovu FET College in the belly of Pietermaritzburg.

On arrival we were warmly greeted by some Rasta brethrens who had organised a tribute football match in honour of the great reggae legend.

Her Excellency, Mrs Norma Taylor Roberts, Jamaican High Commissioner to South Africa pose with members of the community.  This photo was taken by Don Leffer, pictured below with the two Rastafarians.

Don bonding with two Rastafarians

Burning Spear (green and white) vs Rasta Love

This speaks for itself

Wilhemina Hewitt (Jamaican living in Pietermaritburg) High Commissioner, Rev Hewitt, Sistah expressing thanks for support and John Clarke (my husband)

Gift

Patrons enjoying the match

After we left Pietermaritzburg, we met up with a Jamaican sistah in Durban, Yaa Ashantewaa Archer-Ngidi who took us to the waterfront where they had a Bob Marley celebration.  It was awesome.

The patrons in Durban. This photo doesn't do the place justice

ZIMBABWE

In April John and I went to Zimbabwe.  It was a very enriching experience.  We decided to drive so we set out very early the Tuesday morning with the intention to get to Masvingo before nightfall.

Crossing the border (ZIM/SA) was not as horrible as we were warned as we left before the Easter holiday return of Zimbabweans from SA.

The journey was quite pleasant until we were about 40 minutes from our hotel and the GPS directed us onto a very bad road! Alas, we got a puncture. To cut a long story short, some good Samaritans helped us and we were on our way.  Trying to get the tyre patched the next day was a trip. First we found a tyre shop and the man told us they had no electricity the day before and there is none now so we decided to use the donut to go see the Ruins of Great Zimbabwe.  On our return electricity had come back and he spent quite a while with his machine trying to patch it at the price tag of US$8. Ok, so he says it's done now but when I looked at it I knew it wasn't done properly. I said to John to take it around the block to see if it will hope. Surprise - it didn't! So the quest to find a tyre began.

The tyre man told us we would not get Michelin tyres in ZIM as they are too expensive and the best we can get at this time (around 5.30pm) would be a second hand tyre. After haggling in a local market we got one for US$28.

That was the drama of the trip. We had a lovely time visiting Great Zimbabwe (the national monument from which the country takes its name) and Victoria Falls.

Great Zimbabwe

The Great Zimbabwe Ruins are one of the most important archaeological sites in Africa, giving testimony to the lost civilisation of the Shona.

A great city existed here from the 11th century on, with over 10.000 inhabitants. Great Zimbabwe (“stone houses”) was a main regional trading center, its wealth associated with (Arab) gold trading. There were also trade links with East Africa (Kilwa), and fragments of Persian and Chinese pottery has been found at the site.
Arab and European travellers in the 16th century sent marvelling reports home about this place and its impressive stone walls. The site was abandoned in the 15th century (for Khami) because of a lack of food and firewood.

The ruins nowadays are spread out over three main areas: the Hill Ruins, the Great Enclosure and the Valley Ruins (taken from World Heritage Site).

The road to Masvingo

A toll plaza

John and our able tour guide Ananias

The ruins high above.  It is not a climb for the weary!

This stone allows for an amazing echo down to plateau (where the commoners lived).

Very narrow pathways at some points

Replica of a Shona house

Shona people who danced for us

Elephants at the watering hole at our hotel in Victoria Falls

Baboons on the journey to Vic Falls - a lot of them even in the streets!

Victoria Falls - one of the seven natural wonders of the world

The Victoria Falls constitutes one of the most spectacular natural wonders of the world. The Local people call it "Mosi-oa-Tunya" -- the smoke that thunders and the Falls are remarkable. 

There is a magic about them manifested in the towering column of spray when the river is high, the thunder of the falling water, the terrifying abyss and tranquil lagoons upstream in which hippo and deadly crocodiles lurk.

The Victoria falls is 1 708 meters wide, making it the largest curtain of water in the world. It drops between 90m and 107m into the Zambezi Gorge and an average of 550,000 cubic metres of water plummet over the edge every minute (taken from SA Places).

Our stay at the Ancient Lodge was better that we expected and would recommend it for anyone going that side.