Posted by : Jen Pash
“The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorpoorated into our common life.” Jane- Adaams
Reflection on Communities
The community is an important part of South African’s lives. It is in communities where one can find a unique and special support system. These support systems that are created within communities can benefit individuals, the community, and society as a whole. Communities have played an important part in South Africa’s history and still continue to do so today.
After visiting the Langa Township and District Six as a class we have been given a good idea of how the visions of community life have transformed and transitioned from the past into the present. Several of the locals and tour guides have demonstrated the effects of apartheid which caused communities to either separate or to form. Apartheid had a significant impact on communities in the past and we can still see the effects of it lingering in communities today.
On our visit to District Six, our class got a taste from the museum what it was like to live in a close community before apartheid. An example of this can be seen in District Six before apartheid where there was a great sense of unity. The description of the community that our tour guide provided for us almost seemed like a utopian society. It was hard to believe that a community existed where one would be accepted and respected as a member of society regardless of ones skin color, ethnicity, and the religion that they practiced. Our tour guide told us a story about how he had several friends who were all different types of religions and races. He shared with us how his friends and him had a tradition where they would each celebrate each other’s holidays. This was one of the many examples that our tour guide shared with us about District Six and the unity that existed within the community. It was evident through the tour guides stories and body language that he sincerely missed District Six because he missed his close community that provided as a wonderful support system.
Unfortunately the District Six community was broken apart by the South African government during apartheid. The community members were then sent to various townships where new communities would be formed. Our class had an opportunity to visit the Langa Townships. When we entered the township I was amazed by the unity and care that members of the community had for one another. In the township’s unfortunately due to their circumstances of living in poverty it is important for community members to work together in order to survive. My tour guide told my group a story of how important it is for her as tour guide to have good relatoins with the people in her township. She told us that if she did not have good relations with the people in her township it would be hard for her to be a tour guide because others would be calling her names as she walked down the road or she wouldnt even have a job. As a township she told us it is important to stick together and have each others backs especially when there such an informal economy exists. It was interesting while walking through the township seeing how her close community worked together. I found it interesting how important it was for the members of Langa Township to work together in order to sustain themselves. Even though the township has to stick together in a way because of the amount of poverty, it was refreshing to see a large group of people work together and genuinely care about each other.
Both in the past and present strong communities have existed in South Africa how ever the level of support needed has changed over time. Apartheid had a huge effect on communities which caused old ones to be broken up and new ones to be formed. Even though apartheid is over it is necessary for strong communities to exist in South Africa especially in the townships in order to provide a strong support system that supports its people socially, emotionally, and financially.
Accessibility of the Media in Communities in South Africa
After visiting townships and living in a city for a week it was evident that there are many differences between how the media is received by communities depending on their location. In the larger cities the community has access to TV’s, radio, and newspapers. There are news bars where one can catch up on the daily news. The accessibility of the media and news in the city is very similar to the United States. In townships we saw that there were very few TV’s in the homes. As we walked around the township I noticed the convenience stores which looked nothing like the convenience stores one would find in the US. Although we didn’t walk into one I wondered if the store sold magazines and newspapers. There were very few convienence stores so I assumed that most people would acquire their news from watching TV at a friends place or by leaving the township. Since the community was so close it is also possible that the community shares the information about what is going in the world via mouth to mouth. As we dive more into the culture it would be interesting to take note of how the communities share or aquire information that is occuring outside the world since there is not much access to the media and news within impoverished areas and in townships.
Final thoughts…
Communities are an important part of society. There importance is stressed more when a group of people do not have access to many resources. This causes those people to be dependent on each other and act as a support system. Even though community life has changed in South Africa from the past the theme of unity is still heavily present. It is interesting to think about how the lack of accessibility to certain resources like the media affects the township communities. I hope that as we continue to travel and meet more locals I will find an answer to this question.
Discussion Questions:
As the economy and the country grows will there be a need for close communities? What role would communities play?
Do you think the United States has strong communities like ones that can be found in South Africa townships?
How do you think the lack of accessibility of media affects people who live in townships in South Africa ?
