EXPOSÉ
Segregation rants are still valid
“You people always think it's about
race” is often murmured under the
breathe of white people–mostly when
unfortunate enough to be confronted
with the “racist” label. But judging
someone to be from a different social
class specifically based on the colour
of their skin and the way they sound
when they talk is racism.
Cape Town's last and only fully
integrated suburb, District 6, was
founded in 1867. A truly diverse
suburb filled with families of Cape
Malay, Xhosa, Indian, Afrikaner and
Khoi-San coloured origin. It was
completely demolished by the late
80's and its occupants were banished
to the windy terrain of the Cape Flats.
They were segregated even further
by strategic railway and highway
layouts while being brainwashed
into never mixing again.
The Destruction of District six
The ruins of a once great “District
6" still looks over the most beautiful
city in the world. Sometimes I find
myself imagining the amalgamation
of traditions and culture that
encompassed the great hills of our
Mother City. – And I’m saddened by
the long-lasting effects of segregated
conditioning.
When the Apartheid regime tore
down those homes in District six, it
diluted the sentiments “her” people
once resonated with – the ideals that
our Mother City is supposed to be
based on. A city where once upon a
time, it’s people were not scared to
mix and match… and were in fact the
pioneers of in termingling.
The echoes of segregation strangling
Cape Town leaves me wondering:
was the Apartheid system so intensely
implemented that people can no
longer let go of the past? When will
Cape Town get over itself and reflect
the freedom, diversity and solidarity
that South Africa is known for? For
now, we’ll just have to wait for Cape
Town to become the city it was always
supposed to be.
“ T H E E C H O E S O F S E G R E G AT I O N S T R A N G L I N G
C A P E T O W N L E A V E S M E W O N D E R I N G . . .”
IMBO/ ISSUE 32/ '14
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