Townships - Musings

850,000 out of 1 million people in Port Elizabeth live in the nearby densely populated townships.  Certain streets serve as the invisible lines of demarcation between visible wealth and visible poverty.  I wonder, as the four months go by, whether I'll stop noticing what seems such a stark contrast to me now.

If you look in the distance, you can see the area of PE where we live

How did this come about?  It goes back more than 100 years, but was codified into law in 1913, when the Land Act was passed.  This act dedicated 87% of this country's landmass for white ownership only.  To restate this, seventy percent of this nation's population at the time was limited to 13% of the area.  In 1923, the Urban Areas Act went further.  Recognizing the need for cheap labor, it established certain locations near cities for blacks to live.  I've written briefly before about the forced removal and relocation of people that resulted.

Since 1994, people can "choose" to live anywhere, but economic circumstances, family and community ties keep most people where they are.  The ANC-led government is forging ahead with new housing.  It's amazing, really, how many have been built in 18 years time.  But, the government's provision of these houses is controversial. (Sometimes because of the shoddy construction or shady deals.  Sometimes because people don't like that they are "gifted.")

And, millions of people wait.  Everyone knows his or her place in line (a number is often painted on the outside of their shack) to get a RDP issued house.  The first ones built were one big room, with no ceilings or permanent roofing.  The houses being built now are "better" - providing cement walls, walled rooms, plumbing, and electricity.

These homes are lucky.  They have a paved street.

From what I can tell, they are close to identical, with little variation in size of house or of lot.  All that I have been inside are two bedroom homes.  Yet, we know from the home visits we've been privileged to make that - due to the high incidence of HIV/AIDS- many people have 5 to 11 dependents.  One person we visited cares for her dead brother's children.  Another is elderly, but still takes in foster kids whenever the social worker asks.

Little accompanying infrastructure exists:  the roads in front of the houses turn to mud when it rains.  There is little mass transit, and fewer jobs.  Small places of employment or commerce are not interspersed, as we saw everywhere in China.  The net result:  People walk long distances for work, for supplies, for groceries.

Yet, I can't stress enough that these are people's homes.  Whenever we've been fortunate to visit a person in the township, we have been welcomed with pride and courtesy.  Many keep their shacks as nice as possible given their income.