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25 things I have gained/learned or appreciate following my time in South Africa

It seems everyone on Facebook is doing things in lots of 25 so here goes my effort at reflecting on the experience as a volunteer working amongst the Zulu community in KwaZulu Natal South Africa. The photo above is of the people I worked closely with for my te weeks in Bergville KwaZulu Natal SA.

Ntombifuthi Hlatshwayo, Mamsy Khumalo, Busi Sechaba, Carol Irish, Vusi Maphalala, Joseph Kunane, TK Khumalo, Thembi Ngcongo. Great people.

1. As someone who has never been very patient I learned that Africans have a differnet concept of time. Waiting is normal. This is not a positive reflection but is the reality for many South Africans (both black and white) who have to negotiate systems and services that do not have a capacity to deliver in reasonable timeframes.



2. Zulu women live in oppression & bear the major responsibility for most household tasks.



3. Zulu men maintain a position of privilege as males and expect women to be subservient.



4. 2 & 3 are major factors in the transmission of HIV and the fact that women have higher infection rates than men.



5. HIV will take generations to reduce to levels comparable to other African countries. SA has an infection rate of over 18% (30% in KZN) yes 18% no misprint here.



6. In spite of their poverty the people I met and worked with were an amazingy resiliant group of people and generally positive.



7. South Africa has a long way to go to repair the disadvantage that its black population suffered under the Apartheid regime especially in rural areas.



8. Zulu culture and practices (polygamy and the way it deals with death etc) need to change so that poverty can be overcome.



9. Volunteering was a great experience and I would recommend it to anyone. Flexibility with a capital F is required as plans can often be changed at short notice.



10. Government services are incredibly bureacratic. However as it emerges as a mature administration and is adequately resourced this will improve.



11. South Africa must have the best airport entry system in the world. No paperwork to fill in - just present your passport and smile.



12. South Africans are appreciative of all that foreign donors do for them. I was overwhelmed by the thanks I continually got for the smallest things I undertook.



13. Want to be a volunteer? There are many training opportunities available.



14. Kid, kids kids. Everywhere. Smiling, happy faces, sad circumstances, poverty, orphaned, vulnerable. Yet always smiling. See my movie on Youtube "Children of Africa."



15. Men are noticeably absent in day to day life. Many are away working but they were not involved in volunteering in their communities.



16. Take any opportunity to see what you can. A casual invitation to an Umsebenzi braoedened my undersatnding of Zulu culture more than any book could have done. And they were honoured to have me crash their party.



17. Race is still an issue and as a white I was often treated as someone special by Zulus because of the colour of my skin. A negative perhaps but also demonstrating for many Zulus that white people are pepared to visit their homes and meet them in their communities so I saw this as a positive in "race" relations.



18. White South Africans live in fear (needlessly I believe). South Africa has a promising future.



19. Our tour guide at Robben Island exemplied a really positive attitude and the spirit of Mandela. Despite five years on the Island he had no bitterness and spoke about all people working together to build the country.



20. The World Cup has created an amazing spirit of optimisim in SA. Everywhere you go and every radio news bulletin has a countdown to the WC (must be less than 400 days now I think).



21. South Africa's churches play a major role in the country both as provider of services and support and also as advocates trying to keep the government accountable.



22. I have come to love South African music. From not knowing who Marian Makeba was when first asked I have come from SA with a number of CDs of the music of the people. Great stuff.



23. Do not underestimate the power of gardens to transform lives. I met many people for whom the establishment of a vegie garden literally helped save their lives



24. The children of SA require protection against being infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Prevention is better than cure. Being left an orphan means a lot more resources than supporting aparent with HIV to stay alive.


25. Would I go again? I sure would. One of the best experiences of my life.

Soweto

Busi and her "sister"








One of the soccer stadiums in South Africa being built for the 2010 World Cup. Soweto has its own Orlando Stadium

Mopanya Mall Soweto with Busi - See script below

In case there is any doubt where I am

One of the hundreds of markets in Soweto

My South African friends may recognise this name. It was a main road in Soweto

Dube train station - Soweto has many suburbs. It is bigger in population than Joburg.

Busi outside one of the schools. From kindergarten the kids are taught about AIDS as you can see from the background

The South African government has built three million houses since 1994 to house the population. Busi's parents had this house given to them (along with the other 3M people. It was built to lock up and they had to put up the walls etc. Many of these older houses are now quite elaborate as people have done extensions to the. A real positive for the government and best of all no costs to maintain them as people own them and are responsible for them.

Busi and her dad. She has never lved with her parents since young

The HIV message at the school

Busi's aunt's (who she calls mum) house where she has lived for over forty years still has washing facilities outside but no-one was complaining

Busi's sister (cousin) who she grew up with

Her mum (aunt)

Another "sister" we visited at work.

Many people have a negative view of Soweto however I managed to get to Soweto twice on this trip. First weekend on my arrival went with Ans a friend from Sydney doing work at the Hillbrow Anglican Church. This blog features photos from mt trip there with Busi a young girl from Bergville who comes originall from Soweto. This was a real inside view of Soweto. It is no longer the rundown township of the 80s and 90s and in fact has quite a bit of good housing and an amzing shopping centre. I felt a lot safer in Soweto than I did in Joburg.

Robben Island

Nelson Mandela's cell














The Malay section in Cape Town















What can I say















Cape Point (Cape of Good Hope)

Table Mountain was windy














But beautiful














Our tou guide at Robben Island was there for five years. No anger, no recriminations at all

St Peters School - Intumbane School Meeting

This was the scene greeting us on arrival

Linda Ozols from St Peters School presented with flowers

Bongekele Radabe and Linda Ozols

The beginning of the End - a farewell dinner

A treasured gift

Thembi presenteda gift

Vusi made an amazing speech

Carol's dining room transformed

Wednesday and Thursday spent working on the AAF project. At the apartment all day except for lunch with Christine Mennell in Winterton on Thursday.
Wednesday morning went to Bergville Primary School to talk to a group of kids who said they would like to heat about Australia – mainly grad 3&4. Lots of questions from the photos I had and what I thought would be a half hour went for over an hour and a quarter.

Dinner Wednesday night was something else. Carol had arranged a dinner for me to farewell me and next week being Easter meant it was on tonight. A dozen people from Philakahle staff and board and Jackie a student from Pretoria got a candlelit dinner. Vusi Maphalala who I know the least and had the least to do with made a speech which had me in tears. The reference to the “old man” was a sign of respect not of my age. He said he could see I was an old man who moved fast (sounds like I am at work) and said some really nice things. My response was about having learned a lot more from these guys than they from me. I was humbled and appreciated this time here as a contrast to our material wealth in Oz and their self sacrifice every day I was with them. Also I indicated I knew visitors were difficult to accommodate and I was appreciative of their warmth and openness. Present tonight were from the Board John Green, Mumtaz Asmal, Monika Holst and staff were Vusi, TK, Ntombifuthi, Mamsey, Busi, Carol, Thembi, Phum.

the beginning of the end - Canadians in town

Ntombifuthi and I looking at spreadsheets

Thembi wowing the Canadians

Tuesday was my turn on devotions. Mathew 6 – hypocrisy.
Lots of preparation with the Canadian International Dev Agency arriving. Final run thru presentation with Thembi who was no longer the shy quiet Zulu and was looking very confident. Set the hall up and running the clock only to learn the Canadians were an hour late. On arrival it transpired the head of CIDA in Canada (DG equivalent in NSW PS parlance) was one of the people visiting. Presentation excellent. I sat at the back and just provided a few cues. Hard to believe this is the first time this young Zulu has done a powerpoitn presentation. Lots and lots of questions from the Canadians. It was apparent they did not understand the cultural context. They then went to visit a garden and speak to someone who was HIV+. Lunch was cancelled as they were there for well over an hour and half. A two hour visit panned out to nearly three and a half and they went to Durban without lunch. All happy with the day.
I spent the rest of the afternoon in the office. Ntombifuthi asked me some questions about how AAF wanted finances reported and variance budgets so spent a bit of time explaining what it was the Treasurer of their Board was asking her to do.
Thembi, Tk and I then spent till 7pm working on a monitoring report for AAF back home. These guys work hard.

A busy Monday

The Kindy class ayt Intumbane

Monday 30 March
Went to the clinic at 7.30am for my second rabies shot. Meds had not arrived from Emmaus so was told to return later in the day. Just what I needed.
Went to Intumbane to take photos of each class. Spent time talking to Bongke and the principal about the St Peters waterpump and went through the quote I had picked up on the way suggesting the school should look at its resources as St Peters were paying for the pump and installation and the irrigation needed to be a school project
Got through 16 classes in 90 minutes setting up each group in their class with teachers. Kids are just so well behaved and responsive. Aussie teachers would die to teach here. Got away about 11.30. Rang and cancelled lunch with Christine Mennell as I had to spend time with Thembi and TK helping with the presentation for the Canadians tomorrow and had some other things including my rabies shot to attend to so the drive to Winterton was out.

Got to clinic still no rabies shot so the very nice 70 yo (yes 70 yo) nursing sister gave me my shot using someone else’s medication and said she would repay that person when mine arrived. She explained the SA pension she got from all her working life was inadequate so she just keeps on working ( I assume there will be many in the west in the same boat after the WFC).

Went through the presentation with Thembi and did some editing. Got her to run thru and gave her some feedback. The quiet shy Zulu girl four days ago was developing some confidence. Monika wanted to go through it with her so I left her to do that on her own. Feedback later that night was very positive. Thembi Tk and I spent till 7pm working on a monitoring report for AAF back home. These guys work hard.
Dinner Monday night just with Carol as no other guests tonight.

A busy Monday

The Kindy class ayt Intumbane

This is one very skilled nurse

Monday 30 March
Went to the clinic at 7.30am for my second rabies shot. Meds had not arrived from Emmaus so was told to return later in the day. Just what I needed.
Went to Intumbane to take photos of each class. Spent time talking to Bongke and the principal about the St Peters waterpump and went through the quote I had picked up on the way suggesting the school should look at its resources as St Peters were paying for the pump and installation and the irrigation needed to be a school project
Got through 16 classes in 90 minutes setting up each group in their class with teachers. Kids are just so well behaved and responsive. Aussie teachers would die to teach here. Got away about 11.30. Rang and cancelled lunch with Christine Mennell as I had to spend time with Thembi and TK helping with the presentation for the Canadians tomorrow and had some other things including my rabies shot to attend to so the drive to Winterton was out.

Got to clinic still no rabies shot so the very nice 70 yo (yes 70 yo) nursing sister gave me my shot using someone else’s medication and said she would repay that person when mine arrived. She explained the SA pension she got from all her working life was inadequate so she just keeps on working ( I assume there will be many in the west in the same boat after the WFC).

Went through the presentation with Thembi and did some editing. Got her to run thru and gave her some feedback. The quiet shy Zulu girl four days ago was developing some confidence. Monika wanted to go through it with her so I left her to do that on her own. Dinner Monday night just with Carol as no other guests tonight.

Zulu Dog Bites Man - Rabies, Hospital and Treatment

On getting back to Bergville I asked about rabies and rang the doctor I had seen about my BP. The receptionist was saying that dogs are immunised and if treatment for a human is required it was a long process of many injections (yuk). I thought the likelihood of getting rabies was low so rang Bernard Gaede the Medical Director at Emmaus Hospital. He agreed it was a low risk situation, rabies was rare and if the animal acted out of character it was a risk I could bear. I asked about symptoms and he said it was too late once symptoms of headaches, nausea, frothing at the mouth and seizures occurred. On hearing this I decided to have treatment and so went on his advice to the clinic to get a referral to the hospital.

KZN Hospital Rivals Sydney Hospital

I was dreading having to go to Emmaus Hospital. However I am glad of the experience as there were lots of lessons and if you could imagine SA without a HIV problem where 18%( repeat 18% it is not a mistake) have HIV then the health system probably would not be too bad taking into account the rural context First I had to go to the Municipal Clinic. There an older Zulu RN filled in a form for me. She then looked at my dog bite and wanted to dress it. I suggested this was unnecessary and so I got the form to take to the hospital.
Lesson one was the drive to Emmaus Hospital. This hospital is 24 kms from Bergville and serves the municipality. The next closest hospitals are 45 and 50 kms away at Ladysmith and Escourt. I am a middle class visitor to SA and I have a car to transport me to receive medical treatment. Most Zulus bitten by a dog would not bother to worry as they have no means of transport except walking or taxi at prohibitive costs. This explains the difficulties many have accessing basic medical services or keeping up treatment for HIV and getting monthly medication.
Once at the hospital I was checked by a security guard who looked in my boot before allowing me to proceed.
Lesson number two was dealing with an unfamiliar system. I had Mamsy with me. I handed my form to the man in a box outside the OPD. He took all my details again and wrote them on a dog bite form. He then directed me to an office around OPD. When I knocked on the door I was told I had to go and get two more forms. Back to the entrance where at the door was a clerk who dutifully entered my details in a log book, filled out some more papers and took my BP (113/52 so I guess the medication is working) and made up a file. I was asked what was wrong with meand in full view of all pointed to my leg which she examined and made some comments on the form. Lucky it was nothing too personal I thought.

Dutifully armed with three lots of papers I was directed to the seats and obviously told to wait. I quickly discovered that the system worked on a first come first served basis. I was the only non Zulu in the waiting room so my presence caused a degree of curiosity from staff and other patients alike. I set in for a long wait. As one person was taken in to see the doctor all people moved to the next seat. I was able to see I was number 15 so guessed it would be a few hours.
The others waiting comprised mainly kids under two who looked very sick. There was guy who looked like he had TB or AIDS as he was wasted and a student who tried to push his way along by waiting outside the room the doctor occupied. At one stage Bernard the doctor came out looking stressed shouting for some help to hold down a patient for a lumbar puncture. I briefly wondered if I should offer but thought better of it and my limits as a volunteer (besides which I nearly passed out last time I saw a lumbar puncture). The young student standing outside at a later stage got a song and dance from the doctor who then pointed to the queue directing this young Zulu to the end.

The woman next to me had a child less than 12 months who looked very sick. I was conscious that possibly half the women waiting here were HIV positive based on data from KZN Health.

The queue moved slowly for a long while but one it got moving it seemed to move quickly and before I knew I had made it to the front row. Only six more ahead of me.

Each time one of the mothers with her infant went into one of the consulting rooms there were the anguished cries of babies I guess having blood drawn. Eventually Bernard called me in, had a look at the leg and said it was probably a risk not worth taking although it was very minimal, signed the form and sent me down the hall. A male nurse was waiting and he had already seen my form and filled in what I needed which was a course of five rabies injections. He got the injection package out of the fridge, drew the medication and injected me in the arm. All over in two minutes, I was given my form, directed back to the municipal clinic where I was to return on 30/3, ¾, 10/4 and 24/4 (when I am in Capetown). All over and all done with inside two hours, I think people in Australia won’t believe I was “processed” inside two hours as I know it would not happen at home. My afternoon totally wrecked I went back to the office to finish off the business planning workshop for Saturday.

More Garden Visits

This woman was 3kms from home and does this everyday on foot.

This 10yo and her mother were 2.5kms from home when I picked them up. The 10yo was quite accomplished in carrying a load

Looking very please with themselves. This trip saved them a morning

This woman harvested chillies which are drying out.Last year she estimated she made R1000 ($160A) by growing chilles

The woman on the right is 91 b1918

What do you find walking dow a country road in Dukusza? What else but a band of Zulu singers and dancers

This is hard work. After pumping water the garden was over 50m walk

In their community garden which feeds destiture people and orphans

Just a photo I thought but I ended up giving these ladies a lift and learning a bit about how they got fuel for cooking

The cabbages were planted in January

Friday – started agenda and PP presentation for Business Planning workshop Saturday. Went out with Mamsy to two gardens.En route saw women carrying wood and stopped for a photo. Ended up giving them a lift of 2.5km and 3kms for the 66yo who had the biggest pile. There was a 10yo with the first woman who had her own pile.

The first a community garden which was operating at Dukuza. This was a large garden with a large cabbage section. I am guessing the garden was 20m x 10m in size and would have required a lot of work. Three women greeted us and were obviously expecting us.

The man working in the garden told me he was 66yo. Apart from cabbages there were some spinach and tomatoes. While there was a pump about 50m away I was told this was too difficult to use and so a community pump was used. We walked across the road to where land has been set aside for a new community garden which will be huge. This is being promoted by the Social Development Council and funding is required for fencing which will be costly. The existing garden was established in January which surprised me when looking at how advanced the cabbages were. This garden is supplying a soup kitchen for destitute families and orphans in the area. Food is in short supply and the tripling of food costs in the last twelve months has motivated the establishment of this garden. Talking to this fellow he said something quoteable = “we are dying like flies out here!” The impact of AIDS

The next garden was within three kms of where we were however on the way Mamsy pointed out Zulu Culture – about a dozen girls an women dressed in Zulu dress carrying a drum walking down the road towards the school A photo opportunity for a tourist! The women obliged by removing their smocks revealing the full colours of their outfits.

On arrival at the next house which was off a track with a woman carrying a box on her head, she on seeing us turned around and I followed her in to where the houses were. On arriving a little old woman who I was to learn was 91 (b1918 she told me) was almost doing cartwheels on seeing us arrive. She had a huge grin and on getting out gave Mamsy and I a huge hug and then kept slapping her hands together, smiling and laughing. There were three houses and the main house was larger than the other two. The garden surprisingly was bigger than the community garden I had just visited but not all planted out. It had cabbage, and lots of chillies which were harvested and sold. There was a metal sheet which had cut chillies drying and I tasted a seed which was as hot as any chilly I have tried. The seeds are then crushed to form a powder. I was offered to small bags and paid R10 for them which brought huge smiles but I had to say no to the huge pumpkin being offered. Outside this garden in what appeared just field was a long cleared area about 1.5m wide and 20m long planted out with potato. Around the house there was also millies (maize) growing.

On returning to the house area I peered over a stable door which was an entry into the house when I felt a nip on my ankles and then four dogs howling fiercely at me which scared me more than the bite. Initially the bite looked as though there was no damage but eventually a small amount of blood trickled out on both sides of my right ankle. The women were apologetic saying sorry sorry repeatedly. I told them not to worry wondering in my mind if I had been immunised against rabies. We concluded our meeting by going into the house while the women sang a song, a prayer was said and we were off. On asking Mamnsy about the reception I was told I was the first white person to visit this woman in her home.