Elsewhere and Otherwise: If Not Now, When?

What happens to a dream deferred?

There is a famous poem by Langston Hughes written around the time of the Harlem Renaissance called "A Dream Deferred"... Hughes asks, "what happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or maybe it just sags like a heavy load... or does it explode?". Soweto, in may ways, is the answer to that question and its aftermath: What happens to a population that has been systematically repressed for so long, their dreams whittled down to aspirations for the basic human rights of recognition and equality? And, even more so, what happens when those dreams finally come true?

I went to Soweto last weekend as part of a small tour group run by Imbeza tours. The woman running the operation, Mandy, was engaging and provocative, immediately honing in on our interests and pushing for dialogue. Almost as soon as I got into the van, she started up a conversation about South Africa's politics and economic situation... she remarked that S. Africa's economy was growing too quickly. Now, this opinion took me by surprise, of course, because according to pretty much any political/ economic journal, S. Africa's economy is growing at a much slower rate than anticipated. Originally, when the ANC came to power, there was a lot of speculation about which way the country would go - would it descend into eventual chaos, like Zimbabwe, or would it putter and struggle along, eventually becoming a free democracy? Although civil war hasn't broken out, the ANC's economic and social policies, while on some level idealistically successful, haven't really panned out when it comes to market growth. Domestic companies are frustrated with the black empowerment laws that force them to hire certain percentages of non-whites for "leadership" positions, without simultaneously ensuring that the black work force is also educated enough for those positions. International companies, generally weary of Africa, seem to still be watching what happens... China is, in fact, quickly moving in to fill that gap, but the economic progress is nonetheless not as, well, progressive as it should be. Nelson Mandela, when touring Europe a few years ago and meeting with world leaders was asked why, amidst all the praises, these leaders aren't doing anything more to help South Africa develop. He replied, "they don't have any ink in their pens". The whole world seems to know that this country isn't doing as well as it should be... so why does Mandy think it's growing too quickly?

Mandy's answer touches on the frustrations that must be felt by many South Africans - when change comes, why doesn't it take them along? She reflects that the international companies establishing themselves in South Africa - opening banks, buying properties - are only benefiting those who are already part of the "white" system: in other words, only those who are educated and part of the current economic infrastructure are getting the jobs and, subsequently, an increase in their standard of living. But what about those who have been systematically excluded? During apartheid, the government made it official policy to provide purposefully poor education to the black communities - schools (shacks, really) would employ one teacher for more than a hundred students, and only the most basic materials were provided. Students would generally only study through primary school, afterwards joining the blue collar work force if they hadn't already dropped out. Only the wealthy few could afford a better education, and as a result illiteracy is widespread throughout even the most urban communities, such as Soweto. Since the ANC came into power the rhetoric has changed, but practical differences are barely noticeable. Public schools in Soweto are only improving slowly, and the funds that are supposed to be allotted to education and socioeconomic development in the poorest areas "disappear". The most frustrated seem to be the middle-class blacks: too "rich" for even meagre government subsidies, but without the resources to afford private education, how do they break into the system? What good is the end of political oppression if socioeconomic status remains the same, without any reasonable hope for change?

According to Mandy, the government should be focusing less on trying to appease foreign companies and recruiting more investors and instead put more efforts into education and housing. "But what about the tax revenues?" I asked... shouldn't the money that comes from investments be helping the poor? How else could the government get funding for the social programs she wants? Mandy paused and agreed with me that that was an interesting point... interesting, but not relevant because things aren't working that way in South Africa. Yes, taxes should be helping the poor - but they're not. They're either mismanaged, misappropriated, or simply disappear. But how could an economic slowdown possibly be the answer? Mandy pauses. "It would equal things out a little", she says after a while.

We drove through different neighborhoods, rich and poor, crossing the boundaries between million dollar houses and shacks in just minutes. We walked around, handed out food, and photographed. I saw the sights and sounds of Soweto that day - smelled chicken roasting on metal cans, tobacco wafting through ramshackle shebeens. But it is the soul of Soweto that I really wanted to see... Mandy gave me a window, but then the curtains closed and the tour was over. I got a glimpse of how the people must feel... it's unfair, things don't seem to change, when is it their turn? It's easy to say that I don't have those answers and, frankly, it's not my responsibility to know... I'm just here to stitch people up, right? As I uploaded photographs to my laptop that night, Rabbi Hillel's famous words resonated in the back of my mind "...If I am not for others, who am I? And if not now, when?".

Stark contrasts in living conditions between the rich and poor areas of Soweto, all black, ask questions that go far beyond the typical "race" dialogues