Entitled "South Africa: Apartheid, Inequality, and Social Change", the program was an experiential-learning course focusing on race, class, and gender inequalities. We studied these issues in theory throughout the semester at Warren Wilson as part of the course preparation and in a pre-requisite sociology class, "Societies of Sub-Saharan Africa". These theories became reality as we experienced them through various lectures, interviews, formal and informal conversations, and immersive experiences (such as our work at service projects).
In preparation for the journey, in the pre-departure section of the course we read the novel You Can’t Get Lost In Cape Town by Zoë Wicomb, which helped us understand some of the complexities of race and identity in South Africa, particularly from the point of view of a Coloured woman. We discussed traveling consciously, the politics of languages, and group dynamics. One class session we spoke with teachers in the art and writing departments about creative journaling. This inspired me to purchase a travel-size watercolor set and bind my own journal. My journal served as a space for artistic expression, scrap-collection, and ponderings and narratives of our experiences.
We flew out on Wednesday May 17th, 2006, from Greenville, South Carolina. We made a brief visit to Frankfurt during our long layover, and finally arrived in Cape Town in the early morning of Friday May 19th. We spent that first day sleepily touring the Bo-Kaap District and the prison on Robben Island. The next day we were introduced to Khayelitsha township, outside of Cape Town, where several women in the group would be assigned for our service projects.
On Sunday, we visited the District Six museum and site, where we were given historical and narrative information by Linda Fortune, author and former curator. She then gave us more Coloured history at Oudekraal Beach. We finished up that Sunday with a visit to Stellenbosch, a contrast with its wineries, wealth, and prestige.
Monday morning, May 22nd, we made our way into the townships to tour the service projects at which we would spend the week volunteering. The next three days were spent at these sites, with some afternoon visits elsewhere:
We spent Sunday May 28th driving East on the coast to Plettenberg Bay, where we had a day of rest on the Indian Ocean. On Tuesday we drove to Port Elizabeth, an industrialized, developing city. We stayed at Ekhayeni Bed and Breakfast in the township of Motherwell, where we were greeted by a troupe of young girls performing African dance to drumming, interspersed by hip-shaking dances to pop songs. We spent the next day touring the Coega Development Project and other area projects with Richard Unite, including the community of Walmer, a historical site of political resistance, and a youth center. We met Stone Sizani, the regional director of the African National Congress, and had a very interesting discussion with him about politics.
On Thursday June 1st, we moved Northeast to the former Siskei, where we stayed with the Roqoza family for two nights in the village of Masele. We visited their local health clinic, a community project and garden for seniors, and our host-sister Peliswa’s elementary school. Our last morning there, we attended a post-funeral cleansing ceremony and learned about Xhosa funeral traditions.
We returned to Motherwell Saturday evening, and on Sunday June 4th, we visited the graves of the Sontashe family’s mother and sister (the Sontashe’s were Jennifer’s host family when she first came to South Africa). We spent the evening with the whole extended family, eating delicious food and tasting their homebrewed ginger beer. We made friends, or rather new family with this family. We returned to Cape Town, where we wrapped up our service projects and said goodbyes. We spent our last evening as a group at the Africa Café.
Service Learning Sites:
Etafeni- We had coffee and dessert with University of Cape Town (UCT) professor Helen Moffet, who teaches women and gender studies and is a Rockefeller fellow. With Dr. Moffet we discussed the recent rape trial of former vice president Jacob Zuma, as well as other issues of sexual violence in South Africa.
- We met Dr. Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, author of A Human Being Died That Night, a book we read about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission process. She was part of this process as a psychologist, and she is currently a professor at UCT and part of UCT's Unit for Trauma, Reconcilation, and Forgiveness.
- We visited the headquarters of COSATU (Congress of South African Trade Unions) and ate lunch with several of the union heads and members; a few later traveled with us to the Cape of Good Hope.
We spent Sunday May 28th driving East on the coast to Plettenberg Bay, where we had a day of rest on the Indian Ocean. On Tuesday we drove to Port Elizabeth, an industrialized, developing city. We stayed at Ekhayeni Bed and Breakfast in the township of Motherwell, where we were greeted by a troupe of young girls performing African dance to drumming, interspersed by hip-shaking dances to pop songs. We spent the next day touring the Coega Development Project and other area projects with Richard Unite, including the community of Walmer, a historical site of political resistance, and a youth center. We met Stone Sizani, the regional director of the African National Congress, and had a very interesting discussion with him about politics.
On Thursday June 1st, we moved Northeast to the former Siskei, where we stayed with the Roqoza family for two nights in the village of Masele. We visited their local health clinic, a community project and garden for seniors, and our host-sister Peliswa’s elementary school. Our last morning there, we attended a post-funeral cleansing ceremony and learned about Xhosa funeral traditions.
We returned to Motherwell Saturday evening, and on Sunday June 4th, we visited the graves of the Sontashe family’s mother and sister (the Sontashe’s were Jennifer’s host family when she first came to South Africa). We spent the evening with the whole extended family, eating delicious food and tasting their homebrewed ginger beer. We made friends, or rather new family with this family. We returned to Cape Town, where we wrapped up our service projects and said goodbyes. We spent our last evening as a group at the Africa Café.
Service Learning Sites:
Grandmothers Against Poverty and AIDs (GAPA)
Yabonga
Sibanye
