Day 9 - Political Panel Discussion
We started off our Sunday morning at a very relaxed pace; for the first time, we were able to sleep in until 8:30am and then enjoyed a leisurely breakfast before departing to Langa for a political panel discussion at the Guga S’thebe community center. Many of our groupmates, especially those involved with debate and politics, were very optimistic and excited about that day’s panel discussion. On the way there, Elizabeth and Mia filled us in on political topics such as BRICS, economic and cultural foreign affairs, and xenophobia inside South Africa. We also conversed about current politics in South Africa and the US amongst ourselves and with iThuba students prior to the discussion, familiarizing ourselves with local perspectives and forming social bonds with our newfound acquaintances.
When the discussion began, the most pressing matter we discussed was land reform and its ties to race and education. Natasha, a Gen X panel member, brought up her own educational experience, which included a lack of access to higher education for underprivileged young South Africans; most often township residents or others were generationally afflicted by the Apartheid system and now presently must deal with its lingering consequences. She astutely pointed out how education and practical skills are necessary in order to properly make use of land that would be given out through a land redistribution program. Further into the discussion about the accessibility of education for younger people, Natasha and Tommy, from the older generation, created a recurring motif of the older generation’s influence on modern topics and ideas, mainly the lack of an academic drive and low accessibility to education caused mass increases in unemployment (particularly for young people ages 18-25).
Later in the panel event, we also discussed the topic of gender-based violence in South Africa. Unfortunately, South Africa has a very high rate of domestic abuse, femicide (5xs higher than the global average), and sexual violence compared to the rest of the world and other developing countries. Natasha started by expressing her experiences as a black woman in South Africa and how she battles with the current state of her home country and its views on how women should be treated in modern society. The discussion then evolved into how society as a whole views women from both a South African and a Western perspective, especially between the female identifying students from iThuba and Poly respectively. Poly students offered insight into current day America, especially post election, and how that has impacted the female population, and iThuba students drew comparisons and differences between their own personal experiences and knowledge of current events.
Afterwards, we enjoyed a quality lunch from a variety of shops and restaurants at the Time Out Market, including Chinese baos, ramen, and burgers. We spent a few hours enjoying a well-earned break and walking around the dockside district. In the evening, we returned to one of Cape Town’s local Italian restaurants and indulged in a flavorful feast of pasta, pizza, and more. We look forward to learning more about South Africa’s rich history as we head to the Archbishop Desmond Tutu museum tomorrow.
Catch you on the flip side!
-Kyan and Arjun
