Soweto

We knew that by selecting South Africa, we were visiting an emotionally charged country with a history of violence and perseverence... Inequality and hope.  I have a feeling that many of our posts will depict what we see and how it makes us feel... Thinking that just 20 years ago, the law required for different races to stay apart... It just doesn't feel right that i was living in Canada completely ignorant to what other kids my age was going through.  In a way, we were lucky....

Warning - everyone and every book will tell you that the following place is very very dangerous!!!!  - So today we decided to visit Soweto which is  20 minute drive on perfect highways from Rosebank.  Soweto is the black township where, starting in the late 40's, many black South Africans were evicted from Johannesburg by law as more and more areas were declared as 'white only'  - We decided to not take a planned tour and started with Nelson Mandela's house - we highly recomend you do go on your own and take in the cultural difference South Africa has to offer!  Mandela's house was rebuilt but they had many artifacts from when he spent his time here with his two first wives.  Bullet holes can still be seen from the back of the house for when police where trying to kill his family.

We then went to the Hector Pieterson museum which explained in audio and visual details the June 16, 1976 Soweto uprising against the use of Afrikaans as the only language in schools.  This little dude died in a peaceful protest and became a symbol that helped overturn apartheid.

As we moved on from the museum we decided to visit the different Soweto neighborhoods by driving from street to street and take a few shots,  we ended up trying to find freedom square and passed a roundabout that was blocked with a heard of goats :) we passed and turned around 1 km later to go back to Joburg - what we didn't expect is to see a major accident that had just happened right behind us... First we see a car that is completely destroyed, then the car engine about 20m from the car, then 3 bodies of teenagers most likely dead - i was shocked as no one helped them - about 75 people had already gathered around and they were simply staring - we opted not to get out of our car and get involved not knowing how the locals would take it and not having a first aid kit.  For those of you who we shared our previous car crash event with, we were first respondants on another car crash scene in Houston just 1 month ago - lots of blood and confusion, head trauma and a man under the influence.... This time, different country - Two cop cars were on site and were busy making a perimeter - but why no one helping the victims? What if they were still alive? I would want for someone to check on me....

So we left the scene as it was now or stay until they clear everything up.  We ended up driving back through downtown Johanesburg and Newtown but Monday seems to be when all restaurants and museums are closed,  tomorrow : Kruger Park!!!!