South Africa 2008
Thoughts on mission and content

We cast a wide net on this trip, scheduling visits with freedom fighters, young people trying to shape their community today, victims of the apartheid era, members of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, people leading human rights campaigns today, those active in the refugee camps recently established - and people involved in the fight against AIDS. We had a mission to gain a clear sense of South Africa as it is today, as it has been, and as it will be.

The over-arching theme is the challenge of rebuilding after trauma, and after an era of extreme violence. So, while we are certainly interested in the struggle against apartheid, we're more interested in the struggle to build a free, democratic, and equitable state.

For centuries, a small white European population ominated South Africa: first the Boers, then the Brits, and finally the Afrikaners. In that final period, the policies of Apartheid were fully established - and zealously enforced. While the wide-ranging policies defy quick summation, as a body they guaranteed the social, political, and economic inferiority of black South Africans.

As the decades passed, violent resistance erupted, first in small pockets and then increasingly in widespread explosions, leaving South Africa in a state of emergency. Ultimately, the Afrikaner-dominated National Party blinked, releasing political prisoners like Nelson Mandela, legalizing the African National Congress, and beginning the transition towards the end of Apartheid.

As in Poland, South Africa's history is marked by some of the most horrific behavior imaginable between human beings. However, there are some significant and critical differences between the two countries. Most significant of all, the Jews were never a majority in Poland. Imagine if the Jews were the dominant population and, following the Holocaust, they were sharing the state with a Nazi minority. Could they coexist? South Africa faced just such a predicament, made even trickier by the fact that the two groups were so obviously identifiable. Many white South Africans fled the country; others prepared for destuction.

However, led by Nelson Mandela and the Archbishop Demond Tutu, South Africa establish the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which focused less on punishment and more on national recovery. The TRC offers a remarkable example of humans setting aside a desire for vengeance in pursuit of peace and stability, and made South Africa an ideal subject for the Legacy Project.

DAILY ITINERARY

The Legacy Project – South Africa – Itinerary

June 27 – Depart Seattle

June 28 – Arrive Johannesburg / Drive to Pretoria

June 29 – Pretoria
DO: Orient to neighborhood, visit downtown, Union Buildings

FILM: Students with Centre for Study of AIDS
The Future Leaders @ Work programme was established in 1999. Over 5000 students have engaged with the programme. Its successes have generated regional and international interest. The programme operates from the premise that students must become active agents of change, through academic knowledge of the epidemic, stimulating debate surrounding the issues and acquiring the skills to deal productively and effectively with HIV and AIDS in their future careers and as responsible members of society. Future Leaders @ Work supports students in their training and in their wider experiences in the context of HIV and AIDS.
http://www.csa.za.org/article/articlestatic/414/1/6/

June 30 – Pretoria
DO: Visit Voortrekker Monument, tour grounds and fort with historian Arend Posthuma
The huge monolith that is the Voortrekker monument stands as a major landmark on a low hill, just outside Tshwane (as Pretoria is now called). Depending on who you are, the monument that has some of the finest sculpture work in the country is either a reminder of apartheid or an important memorial for Afrikanerdom, but either way, it is worth a visit. The Voortrekker monument was built in honor of the great Voortrekkers or pioneers, who left the Cape during the period 1835 to 1854 to cut through the interior of the country in what became known as the Great Trek. The main body of the building, known as the Hall of Heroes, is decorated with an Italian frieze showing the history of this epic journey, and despite the misperception of the monument as an apartheid monument, it gets some 200 000 visitors a year.
http://www.voortrekkermon.org.za/

FILM: Discussion with CEO of VM, Gert Opperman
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=qw1052281981747B213

FILM: Discussion with Petrus Maloka
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20050307072216116C756378

July 1 – Pretoria
DO: Visit Freedom Park, attend special day of events
The Freedom Park is a people’s shrine that weaves the story of where we come from and the events that shaped what South Africa is today. It is a reflection of the sacrificial achievements that is South Africa and issues forth a call to marvel at the phenomenon of a country on the brink of civil war that chose a road of negotiation instead of pitting brother against brother. The Freedom Park represents the vision for which many of our forefathers sacrificed their lives. It is a symbol of our broken shekels and the hard earned freedom that was a mere dream for so many decades. It is the heartbeat of all that is South African – our history, culture, spirituality and heritage – the hub through which to know this land of promise in all its diversity.
http://www.freedompark.co.za/index.html

FILM: Interview with Wally Serote
A South African poet and writer. He was born in Sophiatown, Johannesburg and went to school in Alexandra, Lesotho and Soweto. He first became involved in Black Consciousness when he was finishing high school in Soweto. His presence in that town linked him to a group known as the "township" or "Soweto" poets, and his poems often expressed themes of political activism, the development of black identity, and violent images of revolt and resistance. He was arrested by the apartheid government under the Terrorism Act in June 1969 and spent nine months in solitary confinement, before being released without charge. He went to study in New York, obtaining a Fine Arts degree at the Columbia University, before going to work in Gaborone, Botswana and later London for the African National Congress in their Arts and Culture Department.

FILM: Interview with Antoinette Pieterson
The most recognizable image of apartheid South Africa comes from the Soweto Riots in 1976. The photo was taken by Sam Nzima and shows the body of Hector Pieterson, aged 12, carried by Mbuyisa Makhubo. The girl running at his side is Antoinette Pieterson, Hector's sister. The photo was published around the world and triggered a series of protests against apartheid.

July 2 – Drive from Pretoria to Soweto
DO: Visit Constitution Hill
Nowhere can the story of South Africa’s turbulent past and its extraordinary transition to democracy be told as it is at Constitution Hill. This national heritage site has witnessed a century of South Africa’s history. From rebellious British soldiers who fought with the Boers at the turn of the century, to the youths caught up in the Soweto Uprising, to the dawn of democracy and the building of South Africa’s new Constitutional Court, Constitution Hill has witnessed it all. Visit Constitution Hill and learn about the injustices of South Africa’s past while observing the process by which freedom was won and is now protected. Exhibitions and guided tours have been designed as an interactive experience, offering visitors the opportunity to participate in the building of Constitution Hill.
http://www.concourt.gov.za/

DO: Bike tour of Soweto

July 3 – Soweto

DO: TBD (Service Project)

July 4 – Soweto
DO: Visit Apartheid Museum

DO: Flight from Death screening @ Further Books.

July 5 - Soweto
DO: Visit Avalon Cemetery
One of the largest graveyards in South Africa. It was opened in 1972, during the height of apartheid, as a graveyard exclusively for blacks. More than 300,000 people are buried on its 430 acres, the graves less than two feet apart. By 2010 the cemetery is expected to be at capacity, largely because of AIDS deaths. AIDS-related deaths in South Africa are expected to increase each year from about 120,000 in 2000 to between 354,000 and 383,000 in 2005.

July 6-8 – Safari at Pilanesberg National Park

July 8 – Fly from Johannesburg to Cape Town

July 9 – Cape Town
DO: Get oriented to the city

FILM: Interviews with members of Trauma Centre for Survivors of Violence
In existence for 11 years, the Trauma Centre actively assists in the healing and transformation process that South Africa is grappling with. It played and continues to play an invaluable role in post-apartheid South Africa. Of note the work that the Trauma Centre did during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission process, plus the services it currently delivers to the marginalized and disadvantaged individuals and communities. The Trauma Centre's professional staff provides healing through preventative and curative methods to those who have been traumatized by violence in our society. The staff also provides training to frontline workers from various sectors, and advocates on behalf of those whose human rights have been violated.
http://www.trauma.org.za/index.html

July 10 – Cape Town
DO: Visit Robben Island
From 1836 to 1931 the island was used as a leper colony. During the Second World War, the island was fortified and guns were installed as part of the defenses for Cape Town. Robben Island became a maximum security prison in 1959. Between 1961 and 1991, over three thousand men were incarcerated here as political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela. Frederik Willem de Klerk initiated the removal of political prisoners in June of 1990, with the last gone by May of the following year. The last of the non-political prisoners (who had always been held separately from political prisoners) left the island in 1996, and it became a museum in 1997.
http://www.robben-island.org.za/

FILM: Interview with Thulani Mabaso
As a young man living under apartheid in South Africa, Mr. Mabaso was imprisoned for his beliefs alongside leaders such as Patrick Chamusso and Nelson Mandela. During his time at the infamous Robben Island Prison, Mr. Mabaso was subjected to brutal acts of torture and forced to survive in harsh conditions. Despite these hardships, Mr. Mabaso and his fellow political prisoners refuse to give up hope or abandon their calls for racial and economic equality. Today, Mr. Mabaso continues his struggle for equality in South Africa, serving as a vocal advocate for reconciliation and understanding among the people of South Africa. As a tour guide at the now-closed Robben Island Prison, Mr. Mabaso now works alongside many of his former guards, helping to bring to light both horrors of apartheid and the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation.

FILM: Interviews with two additional former prisoners of Robben Island (TBD)

FILM: Discussion with Student Heritage Activists

July 11 – Cape Town
DO: Table Mountain Cable-Car, Hike
The ascent to the top of Table Mountain takes just under 10 minutes and offers a 360 degree view of the city. Once on top there are over 2km of pathways leading to views over Cape Town, Table Bay, Robben Island the Cape Flats and the Cape Peninsula. Table Mountain is famous for its extra-ordinary floral biodiversity, mainly fynbos. Table Mountain alone has over 1500 species of plants, roughly the same number as are found throughout the entire British Isles. Table Mountain National Park is the richest corner of the Cape Floristic Region and richest single floristic area in the world.
http://www.tablemountain.net/

DO: Visit Castle of Good Hope
The Castle of Good Hope is the oldest surviving building in South Africa. Built between 1666 and 1679, this pentagonal fortification replaced a small clay and timber fort built by Commander Jan van Riebeeck in 1652 upon establishing a maritime replenishment station art the Cape of Good Hope for the Dutch East India Company
http://www.castleofgoodhope.co.za/

July 12 – Cape Town
FILM: Interview with Mary Burton
Born in Argentina, moved to South Africa in 1961 when she married a South African. She became active in the Black Sash in 1965 and served as its national president from 1985 to 1990. Burton became a South African citizen in 1994 and, in 1995, was appointed to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and served on its Human Rights Violations Committee.

July 13 – Cape Town
DO: Visit refugee camp

FILM: Interviews with refugees

July 14 – Cape Town
DO: Additional refugee work

FILM: Interviews with refugees

July 15 – Cape Town
FILM: Interviews with current and former members of Black Sash
Between 1955 and 1994, the Black Sash provided widespread and visible proof of white resistance towards the apartheid system. Its members worked as volunteer advocates to families affected by apartheid laws; held regular street demonstrations; spoke at political meetings; brought cases of injustice to the attention of their Members of Parliament, and kept vigils outside Parliament and government offices. Many members were vilified within their local white communities, and it was not unusual for women wearing the black sash to be physically attacked by supporters of apartheid. The Black Sash movement's raison d'être came to an end in the early 1990s with the end of apartheid, the unbanning of the ANC and the release of Nelson Mandela from imprisonment. However, the organization was reformed in 1995 as a non-racial women's humanitarian organization.
http://www.blacksash.org.za/

FILM: Student discussion with Advocacy Programme Managers, Cape Town Regional Director and paralegal

July 16 – Cape Town
DO: Visit Boulders Beach.
http://www.simonstown.com/tourism/penguins/penguins.htm

July 17 – Cape Town
DO: Meeting with Trauma Center to plan for refugee aid.

July 18 – Overnight train to Kimberley

July 19 – Kimberley
DO: Visit Big Hole
Kimberley is famous for the Big Hole, which is often called the worlds deepest man made hole. Kimberley is the place where diamonds are found. And the Big Hole is a huge pit, almost circular and 215m deep, right in the middle of the town.
http://www.thebighole.co.za/

DO: Flight from Death screening

July 20 – Kimberley
DO: Visit diamond mine

Overnight train to Johannesburg

July 21 – Johannesburg

FILM: Interview with Emilia Potenza
Became politically active in the 1970s while she was a student at Wits University. In 1977 she joined the Wits-based organization called the Catholic Society (Cathsoc). With the uprisings and insurgencies of the period Emilia became involved in political campaigns such as “Free Mandela”, housing and removal issues and providing support to pressure groups and political prisoners. After obtaining a diploma in education (1980) Emilia joined the National Education Union of South Africa (NEUSA), the first non – racial teacher’s union in South Africa, which acted as a pressure group and as a bridge between tertiary education and the professional life. Emilia campaigned for NEUSA on a national level, mobilizing support and sensitizing communities to its cause. In the early 1990s NEUSA joined ranks with the newly formed South African Democratic Teachers Union. In the changing political climate Emilia shifted her activities towards assistance in the formation of a democratic education system for South Africa.

July 22 – ARRIVE SEATTLE