Day 7 (concluded) – On to East London

Following our two intense visits at Ubuntu and NMMU, we hopped back in our van for a (somewhat) leisurely three-hour drive about 187 miles northeast to our third city, East London.

We had an impromptu dinner, courtesy of Pick N Pay (a local market), and checked in at our next lodgings, Hathaway House.  

Thus ended our whirlwind day in Port Elizabeth

Day 7 (cont’d) – Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

Following our visit to the Ubuntu Centre, we headed south to the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU). Here, we had the opportunity to discuss the state of higher education in South Africa with staff and students of the Education Department.

Professor Heather Nel, the Senior Director of Strategic Planning at NMMU, explained that there are three types of higher educational institutions in South Africa. Universities offer traditional degrees as well as masters and doctoral degrees. UTs (or Universities of Technology) provide vocational or career-focused undergraduate degrees, with some UTs offering masters and doctorates. Comprehensive universities are schools that have merged universities and UTs and offer traditional as well as vocational degrees. It is interesting to note that South Africa’s largest Comprehensive University, UNISA (the University of South Africa), focuses primarily on distance learning, and serves about 300,000 students!!

Professor Nel covered some of the challenges that face South Africa’s higher educational system. Consistency in instruction and low enrollment in certain majors, including teaching, seem to be key areas of focus. The number of professors in teaching programs is also an area of concern, as the retirement age in South Africa is only 60, which is depleting schools of experienced staff.

After Professor Nel’s presentation, we heard from Professor Patrick Bean, who heads the Bachelors of Ed. Program at NMMU’s George Campus. He covered the path of students from primary and secondary grades into higher education. Professor Bean explained that grade 10 in South African schools showed a huge drop-out rate. This was due to the significant change in how a passing grade was determined. Through grade 9, students were judged to pass by weighing their course work at 75% and their compulsory exams at 25%. In grade 10, however, the ratios were changed, with course work counting for only 25% and compulsory exams now counting 75%. This change in percentages accounts for many failing their grade 10 studies and dropping out. It seems like this would be a huge problem, yet it is one that does not seem to be considered critical by the national Deparment of Education.

Our third presentation came from Ms. Heloise Sathorar, who heads NMMUs’ Certificate in Education program. She spoke to us about the structure of teacher training programs in South Africa. She began by explaining some historical issues with South African education. One of the biggest issues involved how education was splintered under Apartheid. Before 1994, less than 20 years ago, education was managed by race, with separate departments created for black, white, colored and Indian citizens. Now add into this confusion the restriction that ALL instruction after grade 3 was only offered in English and Afrikaans. It didn’t matter if your first language was Xhosa or Zulu or any of the other native languages – schooling was only available in English and Afrikaans after the age of eight! Teacher training programs must therefore make their way through this jumbled educational landscape.

According to Ms. Sathorar, two major teacher programs exist. The first awards a Bachelor in Education to students who complete a four-year program. Segments of teaching and observations are included each year, with a full-year teaching internship in the fourth year. The second program, called the Post-Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), is a one-year course of study that requires entering students to already have a Bachelors degree. This program includes a 20-week teaching practicum. Regardless of the program, South Africa is in dire need of teachers. It is one of the least-enrolled majors and one that is vitally needed. These are the people who will prepare South African children for a productive and engaged life in society.

Following these three presentations, the faculty was kind enough to invite seven students from their teacher programs to talk with us. We started by asking about their goals and visions. It was interesting to hear their range of ideas and plans. One student wanted to go back to the township where he came from and give back to his community. Another student spoke about teaching in a less rural setting, as those schools were ‘better equipped and had better resources’. A third student hoped to teach for a few years, then get involved with educational policy at the national level. All of the students seemed excited to get going and begin their lives as teachers. We wished them well and hoped they carried their enthusiasm into whatever educational setting they found themselves in.

After the presentations/discussions, we had lunch on the campus and were joined by the Dean of the Faculty of Education, Denise Zinn. Today was her first day back from a long sabbatical and we were honored to have her join us and give us her opinions on the state of higher education in South Africa.

She spoke about many things (how school fees worked; education during and after Apartheid , etc.), but her real passion came out when she spoke about the Centre for the Community School. This is a new initiative at NMMU that seeks to develop partnerships with parents in the local school community and service providers to create a stronger bond for children in school. It was so amazing to hear this approach of community partnerships coming from NMMU – especially as it was just articulated to us this very morning during our visit to Ubuntu. It was if Dean Zinn was a fly on the wall!  After listening to Dean Zinn speak about the possibilities of this initiative, we agreed to make the Centre a stop on a future South African tour.

Day 7 – The Ubuntu Community Centre

Our stay in Port Elizabeth was only one day, but we have several important stops!

We began our day at the Ubuntu Community Centre. To get there from our rooms, we had to pass through several informal settlements:

We arrived at Ubuntu’s beautiful stone and wood building:

(Photo borrowed from the Ubuntu website)

We were greeted by Ubuntu’s smiling, animated Deputy President, Gcobani Zonke.  Gcobani explained that the Ubuntu Centre gets its name from the African concept of togetherness or humanity.  Gcobani made it clear that II takes on projects according to the needs of the community.  It is critical, he told us, that II involves the community in everything it does.  Without buy-in and a sense of partnership with the surrounding members of the community, the Centre would become merely a ‘giver’ of services, rather than a partner in projects.  The building itself embodies this ideal.  Gcobani explained that members of the Centre went into the neighboring areas and solicited opinions not only on what types of services were needed, but also what the building should look like.  The whole process took between 6-9 months, but the end result is a structure that the community considers their own.  In fact, it was the community, whom Gcobani told us had an 80% unemployment rate, that raised the first 250,000 Rand (about $31,000).  

When we entered, I was struck by the earth tones and the use of word in the supports and ceiling.  Gcobani pointed out that the architect molded the community’s input into a design that embodied a tree on the plains, with sand and earth colored rugs and wooden gum poles on walls and ceilings:

There was also an amazing sign over the main desk, that proclaimed: All Things Bright and Beautiful:

Finally, to tie the tree symbolism with that of togetherness, a large wooden door – split into two puzzle-like pieces that come together when the door is closed (!), stood prominently to the left as you entered:

Gcobani said the Centre is always trying to involve the community in any way it can.  He gave us the example of their computer center, where local residents were trained to strip wires in preparation of the computer installation.  “When we turned on the computers,” he said, “they were their computers!”

This Centre seeks to address three critical areas of need within this community:  health, education and household stability.  Gcobani said that if all three of these facets are not in place and working, the other two will suffer.

We spoke with Cebu, a long-time professional nurse, who is running Ubuntu’s clinic.  In our discussions, Cebu explained that the community is making good use of an array of services, including preventative and reproductive health care, HIV/anti-retroviral treatment, and assistance with Tuberculosis.  Even with the limited staff at Ubuntu, they still manage to handle about 500 families!  As Cebu explained, “We don’t give up on people.  We believe in these people.”

Our next stop within Ubuntu took us across the parking lot to a well-maintained building with a thriving garden right outside:

This was the location of Ubuntu’s new early childhood education program.  We spoke to Bongisa, who coordinates this initiative.  She showed is the inside of this center, where 40-50 two-year olds were being educated by an impressive 4-to-1 staff to student ratio:

She explained that the program only exists because they could find committed parents that would get their children to school every day and support them at home.  Monthly meetings are scheduled where parents come to learn about discipline so that what is done during the day will carry over at home.  Bongisa said that parents are now eager to use what they have learned and are even asking about parenting strategies for their older children!  As a way to give back to the Centre, families tend the outside garden, which supplements the school’s daily food offering.  Bongisa noted that their biggest challenge is not finding parents or families, but hiring enough professionals for the initiative.  To assess their students, Ubuntu has turned to a consultant group that works with staff to develop/plan assessments. 

Gcobani met up with us for the last few minutes of our visit and talked to us about future plans.  He said that Ubuntu is trying to remain thoughtful and adopt a “slow is fast” mentality in everything they plan.  Ubuntu would ultimately like to offer services that range “from cradle to career”, but they want to build carefully on their current successes. 

From what we saw today, they seem to be off to an exciting and productive start!

Day 6 – Traveling to Port Elizabeth

Sunday was a rare day of almost pure travel – no school visits or tours. 

We said goodbye to Johannesburg and our outstanding guide, Musa, and traveled by plane southwest to Port Elizabeth, a city right on the Indian Ocean:

Although we got to the airport in plenty of time, not all of us made it onto the flight!  Two in our group got bumped to a later flight – victims of South Africa Airlines’ policy of overselling flights and then seating passengers in a first-come, first-serve basis.

A brief one-hour flight and we arrived at Port Elizabeth.  We were met at the airport by our second driver, Fakile, who took us to our rooms at First Avenue Lodge.  This was an excellent place, right on the coast, just across the street from the Indian Ocean.  How’s this for a view:

Our evening was an easy one.  First, we were reunited with our delayed tour members, then we had a nice dinner and met some of the staff from the local office of South Africa Partners.  All in all, a pretty quiet day and night!

One More on Pretoria

I forgot to mention this one seemingly small event during our drive through Pretoria. 

As we were travelling en route to the park for lunch, we noticed these odd street signs:

Almost as large as a car, these sign were on many street corners.  As you see, the sign has a street name on the bottom (Jacob Mare Street), but this street name has a red line running diagonally through it.  At the top, is another street name (Jeff Masemola St), but this one doesn’t have a line through it. 

 We weren’t sure what to make of this, so we asked the all-knowing Musa.  He did not disappoint!  Musa explained that the ANC leaders in Pretoria began a movement two years ago to rename many of the Afrikaaner-named streets in Pretoria and honor those who fought against Apartheid.  Musa also went on to tell us that the name of the city of Pretoria is also being renamed, to Tshwane, a Bantu word that refers to the river running through the region.

I was able to find the website for the city of Tshwane/Pretoria and it had a nice document that explained all the street name changes.  In all, 21 name changes are being planned.  Here are just a few from the list:

Current Street Name	New Street Name
Jacob Mare	Jeff Masemola
Beatrix	Steve Biko
Hans Strydom	Solomon Mahlangu
Mitchell	Charlotte Maxeke
Van der Walt	Lilian Ngoyi
Prinsloo	Sisulu
Table Cell	Table Cell
Vermeulen	Madiba

Outside of the emotional/historical significance of these name changes, the question has to be “How much?”  From what I have been able to find, it looks like these changes will cost on the order of 350 million Rand, or almost $44 million.  That’s a LOT of money.  Considering the impoverished state of Kliptown or SSP’s attempts to get more township students into higher-end schools, I have to wonder if this is money that couldn’t be better spent elsewhere…

Day 5 (cont’d) – Freedom Park

After our morning visit to the Apartheid Museum, we drove through Pretoria, which is South Africa’s administrative capital.  We stopped for lunch at the hilltop park across the road from the office of the President of South Africa (currently Jacob Zuma).  The weather was warm, the sky was clear and the view from the park, called the Gardens, was unbelievable:

It was too bad that there was a high stone wall and fence blocking the front of the President’s office.  This is the best shot I could get:

.

Once lunch was over, we continued on into Pretoria to Freedom Park.  The idea for Freedom Park came from Nelson Mandela’s sentiment that the nation should not forget the men and women who fought for South Africa’s freedom.  Situated high on a large expanse of land, high on a hill, Freedom park was designed to address Mandela’s lofty aim.

When we arrived, we were told that we could tour the site on our own, but that a guide was strongly suggested, as the site contained so much symbolism that we would miss much of the intended meaning.  We opted for the guide, but decided to walk rather than travel by golf cart.

Our tour started with a long walk up a paved path.  Thin, flat stones were used to create a small wall that followed the path on both sides.  Our guide Badresh explained that this material and the style of construction was a tribute to early tribal building styles.  This is one sample (taken from the Freedom Park website):

The main destination of our walk was a structure called S'khumbuto, or place of remembrance.  Our guide explained that this building serves as a place of quiet and reflection, where visitors could contemplate loved ones or simply remember those who gave their lives in the struggle for freedom.  Within this building, one entire wall was transparent, and it looked out onto a reflective pool.  Set in the center of the pool was an eternal flame to symbolize the spirit of those who fought for freedom:

Badresh explained that elements of this scene (stone, water, fire) were core symbol in African ceremonies.  Along the base of the viewing area were inspirational quotes from religious texts.  This was my favorite:

This says:

Therefore, seeing we are surrounded with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily ensnare us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.  (Hebrews 12:1)

The design of the exterior of the building was something that I would have dismissed, if it were not for our very informative guide:

At first glance, the outside walls seem to be patterned in the same style as the thin rock walls that lined our path to the top.  However, Freedom Park designers decided to use the outside of this building to memorialize any person who fought for South Africa’s freedom.  As we got closer to one outside wall, we noticed that the bands on the wall were not long strips of stone, but rather small, foot-long blocks that were arranged in rows and columns.  Inscribed on these blocks were the names of South Africa’s fallen heroes of freedom:

We asked how the names were chosen and arranged on these walls.   Badresh went through the process, which was both incredible and detailed.  He told us that anyone could submit names for the memorial.  All names were presented to a memorial committee, whose members consisted of representatives from various government organizations.   This committee would research each name and verify that the person was involved in some freedom struggle.  Once the name was verified, it was assigned to a specific category of freedom conflict.  The committee identified eight broad categories of struggle that occurred in South Africa. These are: pre-Colonial Wars, Genocide, Slavery, Wars of Resistance, Anglo-Boer/South African wars, World War I, World War II and the struggle for liberation.   Once a name was verified and categorized, it was scheduled for inscription onto the wall.

Once I understood what I was looking at, the building took on a whole different meaning.  The Freedom Park website notes that there is almost half a mile (!) of space to hold names and they estimate about 120,000 names can be enshrined. 

We also noticed that the names within a category were not in alphabetical order, so we asked how visitors could possibly find the names of a loved one.   Badresh showed us numbers engraved at the bottom of each section of wall.  A database exists that contains every inscribed name and the number of the section where the name is located.  Visitors will be directed to the proper section and then can search for a specific name within that section.  As we walked to the back of the building, we came upon additional stone walls that formed walkways:

These stone walls will hold the names of South Africans who lost their lives in the World Wars.  Because these names can be more easily verified (through military service records, etc.), many names have already been memorialized:

Close up of names from World War I

It’s clear that the process of researching, organizing and inscribing so many names is a task that will likely take decades.  Given the way new names will probably be continually discovered, it might very well be a process that may never be completed.

Following our time at the memorial building, we continued down a path until we came to an area called Isivivane.  Here, designers placed eleven large boulder-like stones in a circle.  Within that circle of boulders is a symbolic burial site of smaller stones:

This space is intended to bring some closure and sense of finality to loved ones inscribed on the memorial.   To create a sense of unity, nine of the eleven stones were mined from each of the nine South African provinces.  The tenth and eleventh boulders represent the South African government and the rest of the world.

From Isivivane, our tour took us to the last major structure in the park, a meeting place known as Moshate.  Designed with native African foliage (like the unique Aloe plant below) and traditional African art, Moshate can be rented out for meetings and functions. 

Currently, Moshate contains a temporary exhibit called the Gallery of Leaders.   This exhibit contains the names of 24 people in South Africa as well as other countries whose contributions improved human rights and freedom.  Some of these leaders are displayed on huge banners:

In all, Freedom Park is a monumental undertaking that tries to do the impossible: giving the proper credit to those who fought for South African freedom.  With 75,000 names already ready to be inscribed and room for another 45,000, this is an exhibit that will be visited for years to come. 

Day 5 – The Apartheid Museum

On Saturday, we traveled to Ormonde, a northern section of Johannesburg, and started our day with a visit to the Apartheid Museum. 

It’s hard to wrap your head around the idea that one physical space could actually ‘contain’ enough artifacts and provide enough stories to adequately portray the story of Apartheid.  How do you do justice to a system that enslaved and discriminated against almost 80% of a nation’s population AND also show what that nation did to win back their freedom?  It would seem to be an impossible task.  On the other hand, when we think of a museum, we think of OLD things, ‘relics’ from our past – so it *does* make you feel a bit proud to think that Apartheid now resides locked up in museum cases.  No matter how you may view the idea of a museum for Apartheid, this place has done the job right!

As soon as you try to enter the museum, you know you are in for something out of the ordinary.  There are actually TWO entrances, one labeled ‘Whites’ and the other ‘Non-Whites’:

When you purchase your ticket, the museum generates a ticket that randomly classifies you as White or Non-White:

My museum ticket – which randomly classified me as White

You must go through the entrance that matches your ticket and scan the bar-code on your ticket in order for the turnstile to let you in.  What better way to invoke the insanity of Apartheid!  Now, that may seem ‘cute’, but the experience does not stop there.  Each entrance leads the visitor down a different path through the first exhibit.  Not surprisingly, those entering as Non-White get an abbreviated path through the first exhibit, while those entering as White get to observe multiple rows of artifacts.  Within your first 60 seconds in the museum, you are already feeling some inequality and probably feeling a bit uncomfortable, as well.  Good – this isn’t supposed to be ‘fun’!   (Note:  There is a way for those Non-Whites to go back and see the full exhibit, so don’t think one group gets shortchanged in their museum experience).

Even after all that, the first exhibit has been constructed to get you thinking right from the start.  The curators found examples of different ID cards, which were mandatory for non-whites under Apartheid, and enlarged them to mega-poster size.  Rather than hang them on a wall, these cards are displayed in wire cages, which gives the viewer the feeling that they are watching animals in a kennel:

Example of an Apartheid-era identification card 

These are quite the sight and made even more powerful because they are the very first thing you come upon after entering the museum.

At this point, you are directed into a courtyard, where you find artwork from the San and Bantu people.  When I came upon these, I have to admit I was confused.  Where were the Boers?  Where were the white Europeans?  The display explained that this is a museum devoted to exploring injustices against ALL South African people.  Taking a chronological approach, the journey begins with the discrimination and containment of these two tribal groups early in the 1600s.  Artwork from these groups depicts figures with European dress and weapons standing apart from figures in more traditional dress.  Clearly, these were two aspects about the initial colonists that really stood out in the minds of the San and Bantu. 

Once you get back into the museum proper, you are led on a long, winding path, through the help of exhibit signs with numbers and arrows.  This is NOT an easy path, as it twists and turns, sometimes doubling you back to a different section of the same room, and sometimes in the opposite direction, only to turn around again!  Like Apartheid itself, it’s complex and confusing.  In all, there are 21 distinct sections that lead you from the earliest days of discrimination, through the founding of the Republic of South Africa and the formal establishment of Apartheid, through the resistance movement and finally into modern day South Africa, and its new Constitution.  The museum asked that no pictures be taken inside, so I unfortunately have little to show you in the way of outstanding artifacts (of which there were MANY).

(I have to admit, I couldn’t resist sneaking one illegal inside picture!  One exhibit illustrated the wide variety of governmental acts that had to be continually passed in order to restrict the freedom of non-whites.  The display showed a long list of these Apartheid laws, and I just had to capture it:

Examples of Laws Meant to Discriminate against Non-Whites (148 of them!)

As noted, this display alone has 148 laws – some of them as unbelievable as the Native Building Workers Act of 1951, in which black citizens were prohibited from working at construction sites in white cities…!  (Explanations for many of the laws listed in this exhibit can be found here if you want to learn more).

This museum doesn’t take a ‘quick and dirty’ approach to this very emotional subject.  With 21 permanent exhibits, each containing displays, timelines, audio tracks, video clips, etc., the museum wants you to take your time and see everything.  Their pamphlet, “Guide to the Apartheid Museum”, gives you advice on how to proceed through all the exhibits.  It tells you that if you ‘proceed at a reasonable pace’ and ‘engage briefly’ with all the exhibits, it should take you two hours to complete the tour.  (Note:  I went at a quick pace, skipped a 20-min video, and just managed to get through everything in a bit more than two hours!)  There is also a suggestion for an abbreviated tour, if you are pressed for time, where certain exhibits can be skipped.  This tour is estimated to take only one hour.  I say, if you’ve come this far, you might as well see it all!

In addition to the permanent exhibits, the museum also has temporary exhibits, which focus on particular aspects of the Apartheid struggle.  During our time in South Africa, the temporary exhibit was on Nelson Mandela.   While this may seem like an ‘overkill’ topic, I think the museum did a solid job portraying the life and impact of Mandela in a clear and detailed manner.  The exhibit was centered around themes (leader, statesman, etc), and collected evidence and artifacts to demonstrate these themes.  In all, it is well worth seeing.

It is very hard to sum up the experience of touring the Apartheid Museum.  It was clearly a thoughtful, detailed plan intended to be powerful, yet hopeful.  I think it succeeded in both those areas!

Note to teachers:  The museum website has a LOT of great resources.  Find the Download or Resources tabs !