- yesterday
Globe Trekker - Pilot Guides 03x09 South Africa and Lesotho
Category
🏖
TravelTranscript
00:00I was born in South Africa the same year that Nelson Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment,
00:05but I left when I was very young.
00:07Because of apartheid, the systematic separation of black and white,
00:10many people felt unwilling to visit what is considered the most beautiful country in the world.
00:15But since 1994, everything changed.
00:18Nelson Mandela is now president, and apartheid is a thing of the past.
00:22It's a really exciting time to visit what is now being called the New South Africa.
00:30Traditionally, South Africa's population has been divided by race,
00:37with 34 million black people, 4 million mixed race, known as the colored,
00:422 million Indian, and 5 million white.
00:45My journey starts in Cape Town.
00:48From there, I travel through the Karoo to the Transtai and the Wild Coast,
00:52before arriving in the port city of Durban,
00:55then through Zululand to the autonomous kingdom of Lesotho,
00:59traveling north to Kruger National Park,
01:02before ending my trip in Johannesburg.
01:13Nestled beneath the cliffs of Table Mountain,
01:16on a peninsula where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet,
01:19Cape Town has to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
01:23It's the most relaxed and cosmopolitan city in South Africa,
01:29and home to the majority of the country's colored population.
01:33A 45-minute ferry ride away is Robben Island,
01:37where President Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison.
01:41Robben Island has been a symbol of oppression throughout the world,
01:44but now the warders and the ex-political prisoners have come together in a unique way to change that.
01:49The prison just opened to the public.
01:51Ladies and gentlemen, you will be asked not smoking in the island.
01:56Robben Island has a history of suffering.
01:59It was first used as an asylum, and then a leper colony,
02:02and since the 18th century has served as a high-security prison.
02:07Its only other inhabitants are penguin and deer.
02:12The last prisoners left in November 1996.
02:17the prisoners were killed in the south of the Republic.
02:25Here, as you see, these are single cells, there are about 30 of them.
02:30That is where the leaders of the ANC were kept.
02:33They were separated from other prisoners
02:36because they were regarded as the most dangerous people in South Africa.
02:41Africa. Ladies and gentlemen, this is cell number five. This is where President Mandela
02:50used to stay. Now, in the beginning, there were no beds. We were sleeping on the floor.
02:56After the tour, I spoke with Lionel David, an ex-political prisoner who lived in the
03:01cell opposite Mandela for seven years. Something which I remember very clearly is how people
03:08who are very prominent in the life of South Africa today used to play Monopoly in one of
03:16the cells. And you would find these people, highly trained, highly educated people, leaders
03:22of their organizations, really cheating each other and really laughing, you know, and having
03:28great fun playing Monopoly.
03:29So what does it mean to you now to be working here on the island, leading tours?
03:37For me, I have no bitterness. And we should take our cue from President Mandela, because
03:45yes, he has forgiven. But we do not forget.
03:52Not forgotten is District 6, a vibrant multiracial neighborhood, bulldozed by the powers of apartheid,
04:02who forcibly relocated its mostly colored and black residents into separate townships.
04:08All that's left is a museum and bitter memories.
04:10My son was four years old, and I'll never forget this. I took him one, I said, come, we're going
04:18for a walk to, you know, downtown. And when we got in the town, he had a, you know, he wanted
04:24to pee. And he pulled him, he said, Daddy, come, come, I want to pee. And I couldn't take him
04:29into, you know, into that toilet, because it said, whites only. So I said, man, go to hell,
04:37you stand right there, you know, I'll pull down his pants, you'll pee in the road, you know,
04:43to hell with the police, they can take us to jail. But anyway, that's all gone now. And I'm glad.
04:52The Cape Flats to the east of the city are home to the majority of Capetonians. Under the system
05:00of apartheid, these townships were created to separate blacks and coloreds from the white
05:05population. Amenities are scarce and overcrowding in tents in the townships. I met Emily in Gugoletu,
05:19a predominantly black township, who took me to her Shabin, or bar, where a Sangoma ceremony
05:25was taking place.
05:26Come and have a look. That's Sangomas inside. Come and have a look. What's a Sangoma?
05:38The Sangoma, they are the healers. Healers.
05:4185% of black households in South Africa visit healers known as Sangomas. They are consulted
05:48about everything from restoring love to serious illnesses and are paid to prescribe medicine.
05:54This ceremony is a healing ritual. The woman kneeling came to be cured from her habit of gossiping.
06:1115 to 11.
06:33what's that stuff you drink that's an african quality right it's an african yeah beer
06:47before I left Emma the head Sangoma gave me some herbal medicine known as
07:03mootie I'm wishing you a good luck for your journey so you must go very good luck in South Africa
07:16the Transkaru Express passes through Stellenbosch and the lush wine regions north of Cape Town before
07:23heading into the arid landscape known as the Great Karu
07:33so this is the barrier between the third class and the second class it's freezing in here this is the
07:50very air-conditioned dining room and I believe you have to make reservations in order to get a table
07:56is that true you have to make a reservation in order to have a table that's right yeah is it full at the moment no ma'am
08:04the Karu is a vast wilderness stretching north from the Western Cape covering roughly a third of the
08:17country I was traveling through it as far as Landsberg Landsberg is a one-street town it hasn't made it into
08:30the guidebooks yet and its only claim to fame is a massive flood that all but destroyed the place in
08:341981 but it's deep in the heart of Afrikaner land Christian a sheep farmer offered to take me to a
08:47traditional Afrikaner barbecue or braai the majority of whites are Afrikaner descended from the Boers their
08:55main language is Afrikaans with English as their second language the Dutch Reformed Church is essential to
09:01the Afrikaner way of life what is your feeling now about what's happening now about the fact that
09:28you've got this brand-new government I think at the moment it's not going that well but at least
09:35it's better than we expected when I asked what they did for fun around here they told me they liked
09:43to hunt Springbok but you shoot him and you eat him and you make gold tongs you use the skins to make
09:51little carpets you know and jackets and they use the horns for trophies as well
09:58as well it's kind of old you can see by the horns
10:12Yeah.
10:13It's cold.
10:15Okay, let's go.
10:19The Springboks are part of our national symbols there.
10:24Our national rugby team is called the Springboks.
10:27Oh, gosh, couldn't you be more, like, ceremonial about it?
10:33No, what ceremonial about it?
10:34It's food.
10:35It's fruit.
10:37The next day, I traveled south through the Swartburg Mountains and into the Little Karoo,
10:42heading towards the ostrich farming area around Oatshorn.
10:51Ostriches were indigenous to this region and have been farmed since the early 19th century.
10:56Their feathers were the height of fashion in Europe, a hundred years ago,
11:00when there were up to a million ostriches in the area.
11:02Today, ostriches are farmed primarily for their meats and leather.
11:07Now, since an ostrich weighs so much, this egg can take a pressure of up to 400 pounds on the end,
11:15which therefore means that you can come and stand on the eggs and they won't break it.
11:21Can I jump?
11:22If you like to, yes.
11:24Now, apart from that, an ostrich can run between 60 and 80 kilometers per hour.
11:30One, two, three, go!
11:31The big treat at the end of the tour is you get to ride an ostrich as long as you're under 160 pounds, which I am, unfortunately.
11:51Just bring your legs across like this.
11:55Yeah.
11:56All right.
11:57Do wings over here.
11:58What do I hold on to?
11:59The wings.
12:00The wings, yeah.
12:01All right.
12:02Oh, my goodness.
12:03Woo!
12:04Just lean back, lean back, lean back, lean back.
12:06Woo!
12:07Okay.
12:08All right.
12:09I think I've had my ostrich experience.
12:12Whoa!
12:13Okay.
12:14Okay.
12:15Just lean, lean, lean, lean.
12:16After a full day of ostrich riding, I'm in the mood for something ostrichy.
12:29Here, they've got sautéed ostrich, smoked ostrich, ostrich steak, ostrich wellington, ostrich biltong, ostrich roulade.
12:37But I've chosen the ostrich carpaccio.
12:43And ostrich carpaccio tastes like...
12:47Mmm.
12:48It tastes like beef carpaccio.
12:52It doesn't taste at all like a big bird.
13:07From Oathorn, I traveled up into the trans-sky region and the wild coast towards Coffee Bay.
13:22Away from the coast, the hills are dotted with villages made up of round houses, or rondavos, that are home to the Cosa people.
13:34It was in one of these villages that Nelson Mandela was born.
13:37Good morning.
13:47This is the Coffee Bay Backpackers Hostel.
13:50It's for backpackers who want to stop backpacking for a while.
13:53Costs $5 a night to stay here.
13:55And the owner, his name is Paula, he likes to take people deep sea fishing, which is why we're up so early so that we can get out there before the sea gets really rough.
14:05To be honest, boats are really not my thing.
14:26Ow, my God, what's going on?
14:28Just didn't, didn't.
14:30Oh my God.
14:31You caught it, you caught it.
14:32Wow, what is it?
14:33I think it's a shark.
14:36Ow!
14:37You want me to keep your hand?
14:38Okay, okay, okay.
14:39Just watch your line, just watch your line.
14:42Come.
14:43What kind of shark is that?
14:44It's a emirate.
14:45M-A-N shark.
14:46M-A-N?
14:47Look, they're dolphins, they're dolphins!
14:50If you're into deep sea fishing, you may, like us, catch a rare glimpse of the whale shark, apparently the largest fish in the world.
15:00What's it like travelling in the trans sky?
15:02I've heard it's quite dangerous.
15:03Is that, is that true?
15:05There is problems.
15:06There have been people, you know, being raped and robbed and whatever.
15:12You talk to some people that have been coming here for a long time, they'll say, yeah, come here, it's fantastic.
15:17South Africans themselves are extremely paranoid.
15:19They even lock themselves inside their barred gates, inside their locked house, lock themselves into the bedroom section of the house with their panic buttons on the walls.
15:27I mean, we've been here for a week now and I've never felt threatened or frightened.
15:31Do you have any advice or tips for travelling in South Africa?
15:34As a surfer, I suggest you leave your surfboard at home, especially with the exchange rate as it is.
15:40Hit a town like Durban or Jeffers Bay and buy a board there.
15:44They're about a third of the price of England especially.
15:47Then ship it home, sell it, make some money on it.
15:50When you land at the airport and you get your visa, if you only plan to stay for three weeks, you can get three months straight away.
15:58Take the three months because I reckon, guaranteed, you will stay three months.
16:03Don't set a rigid schedule because you'll never stick to it.
16:07And if you do, then you'll probably end up very sad at the end of it because you missed out on things you wanted to do or did things you didn't wanted.
16:13So, yeah, stay totally flexible.
16:20From Coffee Bay, it's five hours drive to South Africa's third largest city, Durban.
16:34Once a white enclave, Durban's streets now reflect a variety of cultures.
16:39This province has always been home to the largest Indian and Pakistani communities in South Africa.
16:45The Hindu festival of Kavadi, which takes place in February, is a celebration of the Hindu god known as the Lord Maruga.
16:55Devoted Hindus prepare to carry structures called Kavadis to the local temple.
17:00They put a hook on your back.
17:02They put a hook on your back.
17:03They put a hook on your back.
17:04Yeah.
17:05He won't know.
17:06He's not in his sense that you'll be putting this with a trance on him.
17:07A trance to put it.
17:08It looks like it's quite heavy.
17:09Yeah, it is.
17:10It is.
17:11I'm going to try it.
17:12It's a long way.
17:13I'm going to try it.
17:14It's a long way.
17:15So what vow, what vow did you take?
17:17She's from my mother and my wife and my child.
17:20From your mother, your wife and your child.
17:21To live in good health.
17:23Did it hurt you at all to get these pierces?
17:36Nothing.
17:37I'm not bleeding.
17:39You're what?
17:40I'm not bleeding.
17:41You're not bleeding.
17:42Nothing.
17:43In order to purify themselves, participants refrain from smoking, drinking and eating meat for weeks prior to the event.
17:50Devotees are sent into a trance-like state, allowing themselves to be pierced all over.
17:57There's no blood, no swelling, and they feel no pain.
18:04Since leather is made of the sacred cow, shoes cannot be worn.
18:08Everyone then walks barefoot over baking hot roads to the temple more than one mile away.
18:13Part of the penance is walking barefoot on this very, very hot ground.
18:24Okay, but I'm not going to complain, considering what everyone else has gone through today.
18:29Ah, thank you.
18:32It's very kind of the neighbors to do this.
18:36How are they all doing this?
18:45No one's complaining.
18:46Nothing.
18:47Think about your mother.
18:50Think about the Almighty Lord.
18:52Okay.
18:53Yeah.
18:54I think about my mom.
18:55Yes.
18:56That is your foremost for God.
18:57God is everything.
18:58Okay.
18:59Sweet mommy, loving mommy, darling mommy.
19:01Mother, mother.
19:02Yeah.
19:03This is why the devotees see the holiness of the great supreme power.
19:08Keep talking about my mother.
19:09Yeah.
19:10Yeah.
19:11Your mother has been guarding you.
19:12Yeah.
19:13Your mother has been feeding you.
19:14Oh, thank you, mommy.
19:15Yeah.
19:17You got to do that.
19:18Thank you, mommy.
19:19I got through it.
19:21You're right.
19:22That is mother's force.
19:23Thank you, mom.
19:24Once in the temple, offerings of milk are given to the Lord Maluga.
19:34Then the hooks are removed and the devotees are released from their trance.
19:45Do you do this often?
19:46Every year.
19:47Three times a year.
19:48Three times a year you do this?
19:49Yes.
19:50And what do you do in your real life?
19:51I'm an interior decorator.
19:52An interior decorator.
19:53How do you feel now?
19:54Perfect.
19:55100%.
19:56You don't have any pain anywhere?
19:57Nothing.
19:58As long as you have to fit, you've got no problem.
20:08With four miles of warm water patrolled by lifeguards and clean, healthy-sized waves,
20:13Durban is a mecca for surfers.
20:14I got to meet national surf champion Shane Thorne.
20:16What's the shark situation like out here?
20:17Well, we have shark meets here, so it's pretty protective.
20:18All over the beach?
20:19All along the outside for kilometers.
20:20So there's never been a shark attack here?
20:21Well, there has, but in the early 70s, 60s, 70s.
20:26Why are all of you surfers here in Durban?
20:27Why is it so great?
20:28Well, one of the better things about Durban is that you've got one certain beach that all
20:33the guys come to, so that they compete against each other.
20:36And each guy, when he hits the lip, the guy next to him tries to hit it harder so they
20:39just get better and better.
20:40So how does it work so that you don't all go crashing into each other?
20:41Generally the man on the inside of the breaking part of the wave will have a brighter way
20:44to surf that wave.
20:45But sometimes it can result in a couple of fist flying or a few more times, or a few more
20:47things you can do.
20:48And the other way you can do it, so you can do it.
20:49You can do it.
20:50You can do it.
20:51You can do it.
20:52You can do it.
20:53If you have a big jump, you can do it.
20:54And do it.
20:55I got to go, I got to go, you can do it.
20:56You can do it.
20:57Why are you surfing here?
20:58I got to go, you know.
21:00I got to go.
21:06they had words. Get out of my way. So tell me about Shane. Is he as good as he looks? Shane? Well, put it this way for Shane. We've got to say. We're happy. We're happy. We're happy. We're happy. That's what we think of Shane. Shane's our god. And we hang around him. We get the leftover chips. You can only grab one and there's always a couple of groupies hanging around him. Well, I'm too sure to have any of Shane's on the left part of it. But what he said, I said Justin, it's perfect for me.
21:36For most South Africans, public transport is a minibus taxi. They're cheap, go everywhere, and are a great way to meet locals.
21:53Does anybody know where the minivan is to Wienan?
22:01So it's about two and a half hours to Wienan, depending on how fast the driver drives. And as you can see, it's very crowded. But it's, you'll give me plenty of time to learn a little Zulu.
22:12From Durban, it's a five-hour drive into the heart of Zululand. The area is littered with 19th-century battlefields. In Afrikaans, Wienan means place of weeping, because it was here that many died in battles between the Zulu and the Borg.
22:29Now it's a small, dusty market town, where I met Linda Lani, a young Zulu who offered to take me to a local village that was celebrating the end of harvest.
22:41The drums were calling the villagers to join them, signaling the start of the celebration.
22:54There's so many Zulu legends about courageous Zulu warriors.
23:12Yes.
23:13Do Zulus today feel that they're part of this very courageous warrior tradition?
23:18Yes, yes. Zulus are brave people. No cowards in the Zulu nation.
23:24We are all brave. Even myself.
23:27Would you fight a war?
23:29No. No, at the moment.
23:32You're brave, but you don't want to fight.
23:34Yeah, I must be brave, but I must think about myself, because at some stage I can't die.
23:38Nice to meet you.
23:40van
24:01dancing and singing are important traditions for the Zulu celebrating their fierce warrior
24:09tradition the shields that they use in ceremonies are used in battles to this day
24:14what is it no it's something that you give more energy to the dancers if they hear that then they
24:37dance more than before yes traveling through Zulu land and the Drakensberg mountains takes
25:06you up into the nation of Lesotho from this direction the way in is through the sunny pass
25:12the South African border post is at the bottom of the pass wait a minute can I just go can I go into
25:23the city with this yeah there's no problem but coming back to South Africa are you serious well
25:32apparently this is kind of problem that happens to travelers all the time because people forget
25:37that Lesotho is a different country so when you're flying into South Africa make sure you have a
25:41multiple entry visa because when you leave Lesotho you're going to be coming back into South Africa
25:46again the scenery on the climb through the sunny pass is stunning but don't even think of attempting the
26:06trip without a four-wheel drive and an experienced driver Lesotho's high mountain pastures have earned it
26:14the name kingdom of the sky the whole country is the size of Belgium and with a population of two
26:21million it has its own culture language and currency well that took an hour and my bum felt every single
26:39minute of it but I'm counting my blessings because that same road used to take ponies 18 hours to cross
26:45and here I am 9,000 feet up at the highest pub in Africa about to enjoy my first Lesotho beer
27:07Lesotho is one of the poorest countries in the world their legal exports are mostly moheran angora wool
27:13they're illegal exports strangely enough mostly diamond and marijuana the best thing you can buy here
27:19legally are the wool blankets the kind you wear a nice blanket just where you keep your money is
27:29this this is where you can that's your money prayer yeah what are all these for yeah for decoration for
27:37decoration this is it and and how much would this one be how do you wear it right yeah that's right
27:48that's good that's a good length otherwise I'm walking on the blanket
27:52look like a basutu
27:58hello hello
28:04is this a pony
28:09pony trekking pony trekking is the best way to see lesotho and in winter it's the only means of
28:19transport between the scattered villages you see few people apart from the occasional shepherd
28:25you see the best way to see the best way to see the best way to see the best way to see the best way
28:38although traditional basutu culture is breaking down through contact with the outside world most basutu
28:45people still live off the land many however have left the mountains to work in South Africa
28:51around these parts February is sheep dipping time when all the sheep get disinfected
29:13you see his weather conditions are extremely variable and basutu farmers have to constantly
29:30contend with drought floods and storms on the way back we came across a ceremony in the village of
29:38Mujakasani so what is this ceremony about the ceremony is about celebrating the coming of age of young men
29:49they get circumcised and they get taught or given advice on adulthood and now they are from them
29:56so now they're being welcomed back into the community exactly
30:00once the village chief announced the return of the young men the celebrations got underway
30:13traditional beliefs are still strong in these rural areas there's much emphasis on the ancestors who
30:32who act as intermediaries between people and the capricious forces of nature
30:51from Mujakasani you can travel northwest through the sutu and back down across the South African border into the town of Ficksburg
30:59this is Ficksburg and I've been recommended a place to stay called wrestlers valley and the flyers printed on acid-free 100% recycled paper
31:14yeah I wanted to see if there was a room available tonight
31:18that's gotta be it
31:2520 minutes drive from Ficksburg is rustlers valley every Easter they have a huge music festival but for most of the year it's a great place to kick back and relax
31:37the lodge is situated in the middle of that mountain as you can see on the one end of the mountain we have that beautiful hole in the rock there
31:44and on the other end we have that massive phallic symbol and the two are joined together in that kilometer of rock
31:52and right in the middle of it we situated there
32:07you can stay in huts at rustlers valley for as long as you like for just a few dollars a night
32:14the
32:22the
32:25the
32:27the
32:29the
32:33the
32:35the
32:37the
32:41i know this place seems a little far out and it is but there's a serious side to it apart from
32:52the three musical festivals that they do every year we've got these classes in permaculture and
32:57neurolinguistic programming and there's this guy named neon who does something called a sound
33:01journey he's that in that green tp up there it says journey into your consciousness well it's
33:08like a sound massage really sound working over your body and having the musical instruments you
33:15know integrating and and bringing the organs together vibrating and the vibrations inside
33:21create a lot of harmony and bring you to a lot of really centered space
33:38the sound journey did send me into a deep state of relaxation not a bad start to my
34:01big journey north to the krueger national park
34:16krueger is huge the size of israel and it's the largest and oldest game park in the world
34:23skukusa is the place to head for a true wilderness experience 90% of the people who visit krueger
34:32national park come in a closed vehicle and they drive on a tarred road and they're not allowed to
34:37get out the car at any point to view the game but if you book up to about a year in advance you can
34:41stay in one of the wilderness camps where you can then walk around with a ranger and that's where I'm
34:47about to go krueger has the greatest variety of animals of any game reserve in Africa most visitors
35:08come hoping to catch a glimpse of one of the big five elephant lion rhino buffalo and leopard
35:15the rangers are just about to give us their briefing but first I have to show you where I'm spending
35:37the night mirror with natural light lovely little wash basin mosquito nets this is a serious malarial area
35:45firm mattress wonderful little shelf handy little pegs very simple very comfortable very clean might
35:54seem a little cramped but come with me my very own personal game viewing terrace
36:02just a couple of things I'd like you to remember while we're out there as we walk try and keep as a group
36:11together try not to talk while we're walking as far as potentially dangerous situations are concerned
36:17golden rule of course is never ever run
36:20some line tracks it looks like a male
36:42two little baby land cubs they're about the eyes are still close they're younger than 10 days old just behind the grass
37:02this is a very dangerous situation because it's stick cross the cubs aren't open they normally hide them in holes so it's a the mother would be very aggressive so she's around here watching us
37:16that was once-in-a-lifetime experience
37:31that was once-in-a-lifetime experience it's unique to see blind cubs that small because they're less than 10 days old on foot it's the first time I've seen them on foot it's only the second time I've seen them in my life for those who can afford it there's the alternative
37:56the private game park where you're virtually guaranteed an up close and personal look at at least one of the big five
38:03what would you like to see today justine
38:07uh a leopard a leopard will do
38:10just a leopard nothing she does feel
38:13mala mala is one of the few private and expensive game reserves bordering the west of krueger
38:19since the animals here have grown up accustomed to the sight and sound of land rovers
38:25they can be approached within just a few feet
38:28you can see they're a little bit nervous
38:35and we're very very close
38:39which makes me a little nervous too
38:42the animals virtually ignore the land rovers
38:53giving the very false impression that they're tame
39:00so I didn't see my leopard but who cares I still can't believe how close we got to those animals
39:11I mean they said we were going to get close but I never thought we'd get that close
39:14in three hours I've seen a pride of lions two cheetah munching on an impala and a baby rhinoceros
39:21pretty amazing day
39:23from krueger it's only a two-hour flight to South Africa's largest city Johannesburg
39:33flights are frequent and the airfare is cheap enough for budget travelers
39:40Johannesburg is the commercial capital of South Africa
39:44but with the high crime rate downtown no longer attracts tourists or many residents for that matter
39:48but Johannesburg is integrating quickly as blacks move out of the townships into what used to be white only neighborhoods
39:55is Johannesburg really as dangerous as everybody says it is
40:02it is a reality my grandmother was killed last year my business partner was shot three months ago in a hijacking
40:10you know when I walk down here at four in the morning I look man I'm like sharp I'm checking out all the time
40:16and you too I mean you would be lying your pants off if you told me you weren't looking all the time
40:26and if you were actually I never used to look around until I was shot
40:30you were shot what happened to you
40:33it was actually eight o'clock in the evening 8.30 in the evening
40:37I was on the cell phone two guys came up to me
40:40one grabbed my shoulder and as I turned around the other shot me in the cheek
40:43and they took my cell phone
40:45but look the point is we think that Johannesburg is the most dangerous place on earth
40:48it's not the most dangerous place in South Africa
40:50it is the it's got the third highest murder per capita in South Africa
40:54in South Africa there is a perception that black people are the people who come into suburbs and steal white people dry
41:02what is happening is that crime the worst victims of crime are in fact black
41:07do you think Joburg is an important place for a traveler to visit?
41:11Joburg is unique simply because this is the only place whereby you find racial harmonious people
41:18this is the only place whereby you can walk down the street with your white or black girlfriend
41:23without anyone giving a second look or insulting you
41:26do you think it's important that travelers visit the townships?
41:30definitely
41:31it's about getting some sort of a picture about what apartheid was like about the conditions that were created
41:38you won't you'll never understand fully but I think it's important to go there if you want to have at least a semblance of an idea about what happened in South Africa
41:47for the majority of Joburg's inhabitants home continues to be black townships surrounding the city and most likely it's Soweto
41:55throughout the 70s and 80s the townships played a crucial role in the struggle against apartheid
42:01culminating in the first ever democratic elections in 1994
42:05this area that we see on my left is one of the first few middle class areas
42:13most of the people who live here are professionals that is teachers, nurses and people who earn between A and B income group
42:21and just across the road is where we're going now
42:24it's Clip Town
42:25which is a direct opposite to what you see here
42:28Clip Town consists of the oldest squatter camp around Joinesburg
42:32to me and then delay took me to one D's a famous she bean or bar which is very popular with the large tour groups visiting Soweto
42:54so this is one D's
42:56one D's
42:57one D's
42:58it's in theory to she bean but
43:00it's where all this idea starts from
43:02interesting fauna here at one D's
43:05but what it actually is
43:07it's one that he's changed to be more tourist attraction
43:10yeah Johnny Conkren's here look at that
43:12precisely
43:14where are you from?
43:15yes
43:16where are you from?
43:17from Norway
43:18Norway
43:19Norway
43:20yeah
43:21a lot of you
43:22yes
43:28Soweto is divided into many different neighborhoods
43:31and here in the Mandela squat camp conditions are horrendous
43:35there are 90 porta potties for 14,000 people
43:38and only five stand pumps for the entire community
43:43do you think it's important that white people come?
43:47I feel like so strange being here
43:50it was going to be much more important that if more and more white South Africans were
43:56would come and really understand
43:57but sometimes I feel that we treat these people like an exhibition
43:59yeah that's how I feel that feels very strange
44:02I do agree with that but maybe if they were coming more often it will touch their souls
44:06to see how people live instead of turning these into exhibition centers
44:11but there's a fine line
44:13there's a fine line to walk you know
44:15on the one hand maybe you do want people to understand what these people went through
44:19but on the other hand you also don't want to turn them into museum pieces
44:22I pull up
44:23I pull up green
44:32although on the surface little seems to have changed
44:35the next generation brings with it hope for a new era
44:39I was born in South Africa but we left when I was three
44:43and for the first three years of my life
44:45we like all white middle-class South Africans had a nanny
44:49her name is Linda and I've stayed in touch with her ever since
44:53the last time I saw her was 15 years ago
44:56but I've written her and she knows that I'm coming here today
45:00excuse me Linda Linda Pata Linda Linda and Elizabeth
45:08I know their houses right around here
45:11who?
45:12Linda Linda next door
45:14next door
45:15thank you
45:17yeah
45:18hello
45:29hello
45:30hello
45:33thank you
45:34thank you
45:35thank you
45:36thank you
45:37thank you
45:38thank you
45:39you
45:40you look great
45:42yes
45:43yes
45:44yes
45:45Oh!
45:48Good job!
45:49Check it!
45:51Unbelievable!
46:15Good job!
46:17Good job!
Recommended
0:47
|
Up next
1:41:56
42:32
25:03
8:28
42:30
37:01
49:52
16:45
6:46
21:40
25:06
8:49
48:34
15:18
19:58
1:36:10