The South African Worker
Towards the end of our stay in Cape Town each student completed a 3-day internship with an organization of his or her choice. During the preparatory course through out the fall semester each of us had contacted a South African organization that would be willing to accommodate us as interns for a just a few days. Organizations ranged from a nature reserve to a male juvenile detention center where the young men would be held until their respective trial date. Although there was a large variety in the types of internships each student complete they all provided us with a closer look at the typical life of a South African worker.
As a developing nation just sixteen years removed from apartheid, the separation of wealth is still extremely prevalent in the nation. There are million dollar homes strategically placed all over the mountain side with breathe taking views of the Atlantic Ocean, while just a few kilometers away there are townships filled with shanty homes and over populated with people struggling to make a living. Due to these vast differences it is extremely difficult to describe the South African worker.
During my internship with Ubuntu Sports Outreach, a program established just a few months ago by an American minister and his wife dedicated to changing the lives of young men through soccer and god, it was evident through their native help that under privileged workers of South Africa are extremely hard working and caring. Each day we would run after school clinics that would give the young men (6th and 7th graders) an opportunity to exercise and release their energy in a safe environment, with out fall older members of the community currently unemployed would go out of their way to provide any help they could. Due to the language barrier with some of the younger participates their translation skills were greatly appreciated and allowed the program to run smoothly. This helpful and unselfish quality has been evident in every interaction with the locals thus far.
One of the largest differences between the American worker and the South African worker that has been clear so far is the South African’s desire to work. Although the current unemployment is slightly over 24%, people are constantly coming up with creative ways to develop an income and continuously searching for work. The street vendors are constantly selling artwork made entirely from recycled materials, one of the most creative pieces we have seen this far was wine flutes made of class bottles with the tops cut off and re-attached at the bottom. Although these new glasses were only selling for 5 Rand a piece (about $0.70) it was enough for him to eat a meal and bring home money to his family.
Although many of the working age people in the townships were denied an education due to apartheid, it is still clear that they are willing to work hard and provide for their families. This was most evident early in the morning while driving to our internships, men of all ages would be sitting along the road in the blazing sun hoping that someone would need an extra hand on a construction site or a landscaping crew for the day.
The internships along with daily life in South Africa thus far have provided us with a close look at what it truly means to be a South African worker. I can only hope that we all return to the states with a new sense of determination and pride in our own work.