The African Investigative Journalism conference came at the right time. It was at the time when I needed all the motivation I could get for my in-depth research.
The showcase of Somali killings, housing problems in Eastern Cape by the Taco Kuiper Award winner,The Daily Dispatch, the expose’ on the sale of bloody diamond in the United States’black market and the illegal prostitution in Ghana were but some of the sources of encouragement which fueled my interest in investigative journalism.
It was great to learn that people in these amazing projects were not driven by financial considerations. It was purely out of the love for journalism.
“If you are in journalism for money, just know that you are not going to make it. You must be driven by the desire to effect change in the world,”BBC’s Andrew Jennings said.
Although not very investigative in nature, my research efforts in Sandton on Thursday were robust. I literally went house to house for interviews, and also spoke to every person I met on the street.
The aim was to have all my questions answered. I was motivated by what the Business Report deputy editor, Ntyatyi Petros, said at the conference.
“The problem with our journalists is that they are lazy to go out there and speak to ordinary people for information. There is a tendency among journalists to prefer phone interviews, something which compromises the quality of journalism,” Petros advised delegates.
My visit to Sandton yielded positive results. I was able to see the Jukskei River in Sandton. The distinction in terms of its water quality in Sandton and Alexandra township was striking. I starred at the water in disbelief that it was from one of the dirtiest rivers in the country. It was relatively clean.
I met a Malawian chap called Ephraem who walked with me throughout.
“I am staying with my cousin who is a gardener in this household. I am currently unemployed. I don’t mind walking with you the whole day,” the amazingly nice Ephraem said.
My excursion was pretty enjoyable. I told him about the South African politics in exchange for his sharp presentation on the state of Malawian politics.
“I voted for Bingu wa Mutharika. He is an extraordinarily kind man,” he said.
What I liked the most about Thursday was that my walk covered almost the entire Sandton area. I got amazing pictures which I have no doubt that will earn me more marks for the research. I also got to know some places I did not really know. Killing two birds with one stone, is it not?
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
Compelling presentations compel authorities to act
The first day of the Media Reporting Conference at Wits’ Education Campus saw heavyweights in the media industry coming together to critique one another’s work. It was also a platform for delegates to develop innovative ways in the quest for “good journalism”.
Delivering a presentation on The Secret World of Fifa, Andrew Jennings, who produced a film on alleged corruption in the international football body, told delegates that good sports reporting “goes beyond who scored the goal”. Jennings said there was a serious dearth of good sports journalists in Africa.
Lashias Ncube, one of the panelists on Sports Journalism, lambasted media houses for treating sports like “ugly step daughters of journalism”.
“The problem is that newspapers don’t really appreciate sports journalists,” Ncube said.
His sentiments were echoed by Sunday Times sports journalist, David Isaacson. Isaacson told the delegates that commercial media, in particular, was to blame for bad sports journalism.
“I think the attitude towards sports journalism in terms of print media stems from the fact that sports does not generate much revenue for newspapers,” he said.
The session on Telling compelling Stories by IpsaAfrica’s Paula Fray was equally compelling. Fray encouraged journalists to develop innovative ways of story-telling. She said any news medium must know its target-market.
“You must always know who you are writing for. Some papers make a mistake of trying to please everyone, and in the process they end up not pleasing anyone,” she said.
The Mail&Guardian’s investigative journalists who won Taco Kuiper Award this year were also in attendance. Sam Sole, Stefaans Brummer and Adriaan Basson showcased their in-depth investigative work into South Africa’s controversial Arms Deal.
Asked whether they ever feared for their lives after their shocking revelations of role players in the Arms Deal, Sole (on behalf of the team) said, “South Africa does not have a tradition of killing jourlinalists.”
The role of the media in holding the powerful to account cannot be overemphasized. Obviously, my research will impact on the lives of Setswetla Section in Alexandra township. I will positively use the knowledge I have acquired in the Power Reporting conference in a more compelling way.
Through my research, government officials and organs of civil society will be compelled to act on the appalling living conditions under which residents of Setswetla live. Does the government not care about their plight or is it because their situation has thus far never been told in a compelling manner? Honestly, I do not know the answer. But let’s wait for my compelling findings.
Delivering a presentation on The Secret World of Fifa, Andrew Jennings, who produced a film on alleged corruption in the international football body, told delegates that good sports reporting “goes beyond who scored the goal”. Jennings said there was a serious dearth of good sports journalists in Africa.
Lashias Ncube, one of the panelists on Sports Journalism, lambasted media houses for treating sports like “ugly step daughters of journalism”.
“The problem is that newspapers don’t really appreciate sports journalists,” Ncube said.
His sentiments were echoed by Sunday Times sports journalist, David Isaacson. Isaacson told the delegates that commercial media, in particular, was to blame for bad sports journalism.
“I think the attitude towards sports journalism in terms of print media stems from the fact that sports does not generate much revenue for newspapers,” he said.
The session on Telling compelling Stories by IpsaAfrica’s Paula Fray was equally compelling. Fray encouraged journalists to develop innovative ways of story-telling. She said any news medium must know its target-market.
“You must always know who you are writing for. Some papers make a mistake of trying to please everyone, and in the process they end up not pleasing anyone,” she said.
The Mail&Guardian’s investigative journalists who won Taco Kuiper Award this year were also in attendance. Sam Sole, Stefaans Brummer and Adriaan Basson showcased their in-depth investigative work into South Africa’s controversial Arms Deal.
Asked whether they ever feared for their lives after their shocking revelations of role players in the Arms Deal, Sole (on behalf of the team) said, “South Africa does not have a tradition of killing jourlinalists.”
The role of the media in holding the powerful to account cannot be overemphasized. Obviously, my research will impact on the lives of Setswetla Section in Alexandra township. I will positively use the knowledge I have acquired in the Power Reporting conference in a more compelling way.
Through my research, government officials and organs of civil society will be compelled to act on the appalling living conditions under which residents of Setswetla live. Does the government not care about their plight or is it because their situation has thus far never been told in a compelling manner? Honestly, I do not know the answer. But let’s wait for my compelling findings.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Suffering in the name of better employment opportunities
People of Alexandra are very polite and friendly on weekends. They were very welcoming on Saturday. “You people think we are bad people. Of course, there are bad elements amongst us. But it’s very wrong to paint us with the same brush,” said Bethuel Makhubela with a smile.
Makhubela was busy reconstructing a dilapidated shack, located on the bank of Jukskei river. When I requested to take a picture of him while hard at work, the ever-smiling Makhubela said, “go ahead my brother, make my day.”
Bethuel and his assistant were imbibing Umqombothi (home-brewed African beer) in the process. He said they had made peace with their conditions because the government “has forsaken us”.
“You have decided to forget about those corrupt politicians. It’s been seven years since they promised to move us from this place. Have you seen the cars they drive? I wouldn’t have voted if foresaw this betrayal,” he said.
Bethuel derives a livelihood from “fixing” people’s shacks in Setswetla Section. He has been living in the area for eleven years. He lives with his concubine and their 3 year old son. He has got a wife and four kids in Giyani, Limpopo province, where he is originally from.
I spoke to Thabo who is a construction worker for Group Five. He works from Monday to Friday in Sandton. “I build townhouses every day at work. But look at my own house, old and dirty. It’s very sad,” he said. He said he was saving money so that he would move out of Setswetla. He came to Johannesburg from North West province for employment opportunities.
"I lived under very good conditions at home. This place should not even be called Johannesburg because there is nothing resembling gold in Setswetla. It should just be called a rural village," he said.
Makhubela was busy reconstructing a dilapidated shack, located on the bank of Jukskei river. When I requested to take a picture of him while hard at work, the ever-smiling Makhubela said, “go ahead my brother, make my day.”
Bethuel and his assistant were imbibing Umqombothi (home-brewed African beer) in the process. He said they had made peace with their conditions because the government “has forsaken us”.
“You have decided to forget about those corrupt politicians. It’s been seven years since they promised to move us from this place. Have you seen the cars they drive? I wouldn’t have voted if foresaw this betrayal,” he said.
Bethuel derives a livelihood from “fixing” people’s shacks in Setswetla Section. He has been living in the area for eleven years. He lives with his concubine and their 3 year old son. He has got a wife and four kids in Giyani, Limpopo province, where he is originally from.
I spoke to Thabo who is a construction worker for Group Five. He works from Monday to Friday in Sandton. “I build townhouses every day at work. But look at my own house, old and dirty. It’s very sad,” he said. He said he was saving money so that he would move out of Setswetla. He came to Johannesburg from North West province for employment opportunities.
"I lived under very good conditions at home. This place should not even be called Johannesburg because there is nothing resembling gold in Setswetla. It should just be called a rural village," he said.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
The question of ethics arises
My excursion in Alexandra township on Friday started on a positive note. My first stopping point was at an Apostolic church of Christ where my colleague, Emma, wanted to enquire about their suspected use of water from the Jukskei river. The pastor of the church was very welcoming.
Although we did not get what we wanted, the pastor assured us that he would always be available to help with whatever issue we might have in the future. The pastor is from Zimbabwe and their services are conducted in Shona. Speaking through an interpreter, the generous pastor said, “unfortunately we don’t use water from the Jukskei river.
We only use tap water. We don’t consider water from Jukskei river clean enough for religious purposes. But you are welcome to approach us again in future in the event that you need an interview on anything.” This church, like most church in South Africa, prohibits members thereof to take pictures for public use. Therefore, our efforts to get a picture with them were fruitless.
I hold this church in high regard despite their negative response to our request. My short interaction with the pastor made me feel very closely connected to God. For a moment I felt like I was among the holiest on this earth.
While cruising through densely clustered shacks, we came across a bunch of middle-aged women who were on the queue to the communal tap for water. On seeing my camera, one of them said, “Daily Sun is here. I’m leaving. I don’t want to appear on their paper.”
We explained to them that we were just students engaged in a research project. They never believed us. They told us how they were once fooled by a Daily Sun reporter who masqueraded as a student researcher in order for him to get a picture.
“We were surprised to see our faces all over their paper the following day. So we don’t trust so-called researchers anymore,” one of them said.
The ladies refused us a picture, thanks to the unscrupulous Daily Sun reporter. The question of ethics inevitably arises from this scenario. Was the Daily Sun reporter ethically correct in what he did? I am always honest with members of the public.
Would you advise me to adopt the Daily Sun reporter’s style of doing things for the sake of meeting my research deadlines? Would I not compromise my credibility in the process? Please help… I have not finished reading Professor Franz Kruger’s book: Black, Grey and White: Ethics in South African Journalism, so I don’t know the answer yet.
Although we did not get what we wanted, the pastor assured us that he would always be available to help with whatever issue we might have in the future. The pastor is from Zimbabwe and their services are conducted in Shona. Speaking through an interpreter, the generous pastor said, “unfortunately we don’t use water from the Jukskei river.
We only use tap water. We don’t consider water from Jukskei river clean enough for religious purposes. But you are welcome to approach us again in future in the event that you need an interview on anything.” This church, like most church in South Africa, prohibits members thereof to take pictures for public use. Therefore, our efforts to get a picture with them were fruitless.
I hold this church in high regard despite their negative response to our request. My short interaction with the pastor made me feel very closely connected to God. For a moment I felt like I was among the holiest on this earth.
While cruising through densely clustered shacks, we came across a bunch of middle-aged women who were on the queue to the communal tap for water. On seeing my camera, one of them said, “Daily Sun is here. I’m leaving. I don’t want to appear on their paper.”
We explained to them that we were just students engaged in a research project. They never believed us. They told us how they were once fooled by a Daily Sun reporter who masqueraded as a student researcher in order for him to get a picture.
“We were surprised to see our faces all over their paper the following day. So we don’t trust so-called researchers anymore,” one of them said.
The ladies refused us a picture, thanks to the unscrupulous Daily Sun reporter. The question of ethics inevitably arises from this scenario. Was the Daily Sun reporter ethically correct in what he did? I am always honest with members of the public.
Would you advise me to adopt the Daily Sun reporter’s style of doing things for the sake of meeting my research deadlines? Would I not compromise my credibility in the process? Please help… I have not finished reading Professor Franz Kruger’s book: Black, Grey and White: Ethics in South African Journalism, so I don’t know the answer yet.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
It's a ticking-time bomb
While going through The Independent Newspapers website,iol.co.za, today, I came across an article titled "Just how poisnous are Gauteng's rivers?", authored by Anna Louw and Anna Cox in September 2007. The article reveals shocking E.coli levels in some of the prominent rivers in the country.
E.coli is a bacteria that comes from human and animal waste. It was stated in the article that the Cheetah bridge in Alexandra shows E.coli levels of 2.4 million per 100ml, 240 times the acceptable level of 100 000 per 100ml. "Also up in the danger zone is the Kaalspruit near Ivory Park, Tembisa, with 1.9 million E.coli per 100ml," the article reads.
Chairperson of the Environmental Conservation Association (ESA), Nicole Barlow, warned in the same article that E.coli levels could eventually render our rivers and streams sewage catchment areas if the quality of the rivers was allowed to go unchecked and to deteriorate at the current rate.
The question at this point is whether anything was done about the state of our rivers between then and now. It would seem to me that not much was done, especially about the state of the Jukskei river in Alex. There are institutions which have been erratically conducting clean-up operations in the river.
These organisations are, inter alia, the Soul Foundation, and the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT). These organisations complained of not having sufficient resources to effectively execute their mandate in the river. Kim Keiser, founder of the Soul Foundation, an environmental non-govenrmental organisation dedicated to river health, accused the City of Johannesburg of not doing anything to prevent pollution of Jukskei river.
"There is not enough street cleaning done and all the rubbish lands up in the stormwater drains and goes into our rivers. The City needs a consistent river health programme, which does not exist. There is also no refuse whatsoever in some squatter areas in Alex and all their waste lands up in the Jukskei," Keiser said.
One of the Kayalami Waste Management workers, whom I found cleaning up the river banks on Monday, echoed Keiser's sentiments about the City's attitude towards environmental issues. "I think they don't take environmental issues seriously. It's because they are not directly affected by this pollution in this river," she said.
The lack of consistent clean-up programmes is caused by corruption in the City's tender procurement system. I have always maintained that nepotism and any other form of favouritism in tender allocation compromises service delivery. I have a feeling that the City gave out money for clean-up programmes to some unscrupulous entities which never executed their contractual obligations. It must all be blamed on corrupt political relationship between government officials and company bosses.
Like Wits' Professor Cathrine Vogel said, any development plans that the city makes must incorporate environmental considerations. Vogel said environmetal considerations had not been formally translated into policy at the local level. One municipal officer said the country had the best environmental laws, "but the environmental officers in the metros are experiencing a situation that can be equated to sending policemen out to crime scenes with cap-guns".
The City should dedicate more resources to environmental issues before this ticking time bomb detonates. We don't want to see yet another violent strike in this country. What if the Alex residents decide to go on a rampage during 2010 Soccer festivities? Can you imagine the consequences thereof? The City must remember that prevention is always better than cure.
Feel free to leave me comment.
E.coli is a bacteria that comes from human and animal waste. It was stated in the article that the Cheetah bridge in Alexandra shows E.coli levels of 2.4 million per 100ml, 240 times the acceptable level of 100 000 per 100ml. "Also up in the danger zone is the Kaalspruit near Ivory Park, Tembisa, with 1.9 million E.coli per 100ml," the article reads.
Chairperson of the Environmental Conservation Association (ESA), Nicole Barlow, warned in the same article that E.coli levels could eventually render our rivers and streams sewage catchment areas if the quality of the rivers was allowed to go unchecked and to deteriorate at the current rate.
The question at this point is whether anything was done about the state of our rivers between then and now. It would seem to me that not much was done, especially about the state of the Jukskei river in Alex. There are institutions which have been erratically conducting clean-up operations in the river.
These organisations are, inter alia, the Soul Foundation, and the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT). These organisations complained of not having sufficient resources to effectively execute their mandate in the river. Kim Keiser, founder of the Soul Foundation, an environmental non-govenrmental organisation dedicated to river health, accused the City of Johannesburg of not doing anything to prevent pollution of Jukskei river.
"There is not enough street cleaning done and all the rubbish lands up in the stormwater drains and goes into our rivers. The City needs a consistent river health programme, which does not exist. There is also no refuse whatsoever in some squatter areas in Alex and all their waste lands up in the Jukskei," Keiser said.
One of the Kayalami Waste Management workers, whom I found cleaning up the river banks on Monday, echoed Keiser's sentiments about the City's attitude towards environmental issues. "I think they don't take environmental issues seriously. It's because they are not directly affected by this pollution in this river," she said.
The lack of consistent clean-up programmes is caused by corruption in the City's tender procurement system. I have always maintained that nepotism and any other form of favouritism in tender allocation compromises service delivery. I have a feeling that the City gave out money for clean-up programmes to some unscrupulous entities which never executed their contractual obligations. It must all be blamed on corrupt political relationship between government officials and company bosses.
Like Wits' Professor Cathrine Vogel said, any development plans that the city makes must incorporate environmental considerations. Vogel said environmetal considerations had not been formally translated into policy at the local level. One municipal officer said the country had the best environmental laws, "but the environmental officers in the metros are experiencing a situation that can be equated to sending policemen out to crime scenes with cap-guns".
The City should dedicate more resources to environmental issues before this ticking time bomb detonates. We don't want to see yet another violent strike in this country. What if the Alex residents decide to go on a rampage during 2010 Soccer festivities? Can you imagine the consequences thereof? The City must remember that prevention is always better than cure.
Feel free to leave me comment.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Let's give this project a chance
I was impressed to learn yesterday that Bianca Warbuton's alleged killers have all been arrested, three days after the fact. Warbuton was shot to death during a botched hijacking at the London Road and 1st Street intersection in Alexandra on Wednesday last week.
She had reportedly been working at Alexandra Clinic as an intern while studying maters in psychology at our own Wits University. The news of her untimely death raised fears in my research group. The fact that we pass through the crime scene every time we go to Alex is a reason enough to panic. You just don't know who is next.
When I announced to my colleaques that I am going to Alex on Friday for interviews, one of them said, "watch up on London Road!" For a moment, I was quiet and asking myself whether I really wanted to go back there despite the warnings. "But I have to complete my research," I said to myself.
In addition to a challenge of having to deal with unreliable potential interviewees, I also have to expose myself to cold-blooded criminals like Ntembiso Msalaku, Moffat Mthoti and Mphumuzi Gumede who admitted to the gunning down of Warbuton. I take solace in the fact that police have been able to arrest them. Thumbs up to the Alexandra cluster trio task team!
I was happy to learn also that the arrests were facilitated by a tip-off from the community. In a bid to receive a lighter sentence, if found guilty, Msalaku told the Alexandra Magistrate's Court that Warbuton's killing "was a mistake". Come on, you don't need to be a lawyer to understand his tactics. Is he trying to say that their aim was not to kill her, but just to scare her?
The fact that they carried a lethal weapon during their botched criminal act should be the basis to infer their intention to kill, a prerequisite for the crime of murder. Beside, the legal principle of common purpose must prevail.Let me pause here before I am accused of trying to influence the outcome of these three "alleged" killers' case. I just hope wannabe criminals learnt from this incident, and will abandon their criminal intentions. Remember, it's for the sake of the common good.
By creating a safe and conducive environment for my research group to execute their daily duties fearlessly, the entire Alex community, wannabe criminals included, will be contributing to a better South Africa which we can all proudly call our home. The findings of this research project will also help in terms of changing your lives for the better.
I have no doubt that the findings thereof will materially influence policy decisions on the part of the government. So, please, let's not temper with this project. While I understand the link between poverty and crime, I doubt that the use of violence to address your plight will positively change your lives. Let's give this project a chance.
You are welcome to leave me a comment.
She had reportedly been working at Alexandra Clinic as an intern while studying maters in psychology at our own Wits University. The news of her untimely death raised fears in my research group. The fact that we pass through the crime scene every time we go to Alex is a reason enough to panic. You just don't know who is next.
When I announced to my colleaques that I am going to Alex on Friday for interviews, one of them said, "watch up on London Road!" For a moment, I was quiet and asking myself whether I really wanted to go back there despite the warnings. "But I have to complete my research," I said to myself.
In addition to a challenge of having to deal with unreliable potential interviewees, I also have to expose myself to cold-blooded criminals like Ntembiso Msalaku, Moffat Mthoti and Mphumuzi Gumede who admitted to the gunning down of Warbuton. I take solace in the fact that police have been able to arrest them. Thumbs up to the Alexandra cluster trio task team!
I was happy to learn also that the arrests were facilitated by a tip-off from the community. In a bid to receive a lighter sentence, if found guilty, Msalaku told the Alexandra Magistrate's Court that Warbuton's killing "was a mistake". Come on, you don't need to be a lawyer to understand his tactics. Is he trying to say that their aim was not to kill her, but just to scare her?
The fact that they carried a lethal weapon during their botched criminal act should be the basis to infer their intention to kill, a prerequisite for the crime of murder. Beside, the legal principle of common purpose must prevail.Let me pause here before I am accused of trying to influence the outcome of these three "alleged" killers' case. I just hope wannabe criminals learnt from this incident, and will abandon their criminal intentions. Remember, it's for the sake of the common good.
By creating a safe and conducive environment for my research group to execute their daily duties fearlessly, the entire Alex community, wannabe criminals included, will be contributing to a better South Africa which we can all proudly call our home. The findings of this research project will also help in terms of changing your lives for the better.
I have no doubt that the findings thereof will materially influence policy decisions on the part of the government. So, please, let's not temper with this project. While I understand the link between poverty and crime, I doubt that the use of violence to address your plight will positively change your lives. Let's give this project a chance.
You are welcome to leave me a comment.
It was a valuable wake-up call!
Have you ever gone into a meeting ill-prepared? If yes, you would probably pre-empt what I about to say. It was on a chilly Tuesday morning. My research group was scheduled to meet at 9am. I had had an eventful Monday, with my visit to Alexandra, the most demanding task of the day.
I spent two hours at Setswetla township, the poorest section of Alex. There, I was able to interact with community members who were very much welcoming. "We get happy when we see media people in our area. We just hope that they will expose our situation to the general public.
We just want the government to know that we are still living in abject poverty," said unemployed man who asked to remain anonymous. The man whose shack is just on the edge of the river bank was sitting by the fireplace outside of his shack awaiting his beans to cook. He said they always hoped that it did not rain for fear of having their "houses" eroded.
While chatting with him, I see his neighbour downing a 10 litred bucket of urine. "It's a way of life around here. It doesn't shock us anymore," the man told me when he detected shock from my stare at his neighbour who was further polluting the river with human waste. A few metres from where we were sitting, there were a couple of Kayalami Waste Management workers who were picking up litre on the banks of the river.
When asked whether they felt the Setswetla community was conscious about environmental issues, a visibly unhappy worker from Tembisa said,"they just don't care about the environment. We give them refuse bags to put their litter in, but they don't use them accordingly."
These workers blamed the situation in Alex on the government. They believe the government does not prioritise service delivery. "Our politicians are enriching themselves at the expense of service delivery. I wouldn't cost a million to relocate these people to a more habitable area," one worker said.
Ok, enough with Alex for now. Back at home, my group was expecting a feedback on the progress I had made with my stories. I had made progress, but it was not significant, so to speak. I stayed until 4am preparing for some other work which was due by 10am on Tuesday. This preparation, totally unrelated to the research, robbed me of too much sleeping time. Therefore, I was not fully energetic in the meeting.
Firstly, I got to the meeting fifteen minutes late. Secondly, my presentation was not up to scratch. On noticing that I was not on the par with the rest of the team members, my research supervisor called me to an intense one-on-one session where she lectured on the importance of preparation.
"You are just lazy, you haven't done anything. Are you aware that we don't really have much time left? I told you that you can always come to me if you are grappling with anything," the generous supervisor told me.
Her words are still echoing in my mind even at this point. "The truth hurts," there goes an old adage. I did not take offence in her statements because I knew she was telling the truth. The problem with researches, at least a student perspective, is that a student tends to feel too comfortable when left unmonitored. A student would wait until the eleventh hour to conduct interviews for the research. Indeed, the earlier the better.
To be honest, it never before the Tuesday meeting crossed my mind that I was not left with much time before the deadline of my research work. Hence, I would like to extend my gratitude to my supervisor who really cares about the success of the entire project, and most importantly, the success of my part of the project. I learned a valuable lesson today. What did you learn from this piece?
Feel free to drop me a comment.
I spent two hours at Setswetla township, the poorest section of Alex. There, I was able to interact with community members who were very much welcoming. "We get happy when we see media people in our area. We just hope that they will expose our situation to the general public.
We just want the government to know that we are still living in abject poverty," said unemployed man who asked to remain anonymous. The man whose shack is just on the edge of the river bank was sitting by the fireplace outside of his shack awaiting his beans to cook. He said they always hoped that it did not rain for fear of having their "houses" eroded.
While chatting with him, I see his neighbour downing a 10 litred bucket of urine. "It's a way of life around here. It doesn't shock us anymore," the man told me when he detected shock from my stare at his neighbour who was further polluting the river with human waste. A few metres from where we were sitting, there were a couple of Kayalami Waste Management workers who were picking up litre on the banks of the river.
When asked whether they felt the Setswetla community was conscious about environmental issues, a visibly unhappy worker from Tembisa said,"they just don't care about the environment. We give them refuse bags to put their litter in, but they don't use them accordingly."
These workers blamed the situation in Alex on the government. They believe the government does not prioritise service delivery. "Our politicians are enriching themselves at the expense of service delivery. I wouldn't cost a million to relocate these people to a more habitable area," one worker said.
Ok, enough with Alex for now. Back at home, my group was expecting a feedback on the progress I had made with my stories. I had made progress, but it was not significant, so to speak. I stayed until 4am preparing for some other work which was due by 10am on Tuesday. This preparation, totally unrelated to the research, robbed me of too much sleeping time. Therefore, I was not fully energetic in the meeting.
Firstly, I got to the meeting fifteen minutes late. Secondly, my presentation was not up to scratch. On noticing that I was not on the par with the rest of the team members, my research supervisor called me to an intense one-on-one session where she lectured on the importance of preparation.
"You are just lazy, you haven't done anything. Are you aware that we don't really have much time left? I told you that you can always come to me if you are grappling with anything," the generous supervisor told me.
Her words are still echoing in my mind even at this point. "The truth hurts," there goes an old adage. I did not take offence in her statements because I knew she was telling the truth. The problem with researches, at least a student perspective, is that a student tends to feel too comfortable when left unmonitored. A student would wait until the eleventh hour to conduct interviews for the research. Indeed, the earlier the better.
To be honest, it never before the Tuesday meeting crossed my mind that I was not left with much time before the deadline of my research work. Hence, I would like to extend my gratitude to my supervisor who really cares about the success of the entire project, and most importantly, the success of my part of the project. I learned a valuable lesson today. What did you learn from this piece?
Feel free to drop me a comment.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
A Small place with large issues
When I was told that my research topic is "water quality and environment", I immediately asked myself the following questions: why the environment? who cares about the environmment? I played down the importance of the topic.
A week down the line, my perceptions about the environment have radically changed. My negative attitude towards the subject has also changed. I now preach the same gospel as "The River God", Deanne Drake, Clive Chipkin, Anthony Turton and Cathrine Vogel and others. They have taught me a great lesson of a lifetime.
I now consider littering a crime against humanity. Surely, you don't want to be hauled before the International Criminal Court. But avoid littering at all costs if you want to be immune from prosecution.
There is a very big board written: "No Illegal Dumping: A fine of up to R5000 will be imposed". The letters on the board are written in big and flamboyant colours. The board is definitely visible even to the blind. Opposite it there is a shack written the following: "Sex for sale". Another one on the left hand side reads: "Prestigious offices to let". "It seems like they have made peace with their situation and have no intentions of upgrading their lives," I said to myself on seeing these boards.
While strolling further down the squatter, I saw a dilapidated poster of the failed Alexandra Renewal Project (ARP), the government initiative which was designed to, inter alia, "upgrading existing housing environments". "Why so many contradictions," I marvelled. Formed in 1912, Alex has a history of poor upgrading schemes. History tells us that in 1980 a Masterplan was commissioned calling for the "total redevelopment of the township". The Masterplan declared that "all people will be living in comfortable homes, even the poor and the old". But nothing has changed. The ARP, like the Masterplan, did not materially touch on the lives of the residents of Alex.
Allow me to pose this hackneyed question: where did the money go because the project failed? Dixon of the Soul Foundation answered, "Only the local municipal councillor would know". A gigantic budgtet of R1,3 billlion was earmarked for the project. Another issue which merits consideration is community activism in Alex. To be honest, residents of Alex did not strike as people who take the initiative towards remedying their plight. "Wait and see approach" is a glue that binds this community together. Are they united? A big "NO".
"Organising a community meeting is a mission, only a handful comes," one lady tells me. It would seem to me that this community unites only when it is blood thirsty. Remember last year's xenophobic attacks. This community was invincibly united against innocent foreign nationals. I doubt that they even heed anti-littering/dumping campaigns because there are papers, tins and bottles all over the place.
Perhaps, they are just gatvol towards their undelivering government. But let's not lose hope. let us wait until my group finishes with its research, because this time around, we are going to get it right. I can confidently tell you that our recommendations are going to be irresistibly appealing in the eyes of everyone, including those with financial muscles. But, let's not get carried away, I have to get back to my research.
A week down the line, my perceptions about the environment have radically changed. My negative attitude towards the subject has also changed. I now preach the same gospel as "The River God", Deanne Drake, Clive Chipkin, Anthony Turton and Cathrine Vogel and others. They have taught me a great lesson of a lifetime.
I now consider littering a crime against humanity. Surely, you don't want to be hauled before the International Criminal Court. But avoid littering at all costs if you want to be immune from prosecution.
There is a very big board written: "No Illegal Dumping: A fine of up to R5000 will be imposed". The letters on the board are written in big and flamboyant colours. The board is definitely visible even to the blind. Opposite it there is a shack written the following: "Sex for sale". Another one on the left hand side reads: "Prestigious offices to let". "It seems like they have made peace with their situation and have no intentions of upgrading their lives," I said to myself on seeing these boards.
While strolling further down the squatter, I saw a dilapidated poster of the failed Alexandra Renewal Project (ARP), the government initiative which was designed to, inter alia, "upgrading existing housing environments". "Why so many contradictions," I marvelled. Formed in 1912, Alex has a history of poor upgrading schemes. History tells us that in 1980 a Masterplan was commissioned calling for the "total redevelopment of the township". The Masterplan declared that "all people will be living in comfortable homes, even the poor and the old". But nothing has changed. The ARP, like the Masterplan, did not materially touch on the lives of the residents of Alex.
Allow me to pose this hackneyed question: where did the money go because the project failed? Dixon of the Soul Foundation answered, "Only the local municipal councillor would know". A gigantic budgtet of R1,3 billlion was earmarked for the project. Another issue which merits consideration is community activism in Alex. To be honest, residents of Alex did not strike as people who take the initiative towards remedying their plight. "Wait and see approach" is a glue that binds this community together. Are they united? A big "NO".
"Organising a community meeting is a mission, only a handful comes," one lady tells me. It would seem to me that this community unites only when it is blood thirsty. Remember last year's xenophobic attacks. This community was invincibly united against innocent foreign nationals. I doubt that they even heed anti-littering/dumping campaigns because there are papers, tins and bottles all over the place.
Perhaps, they are just gatvol towards their undelivering government. But let's not lose hope. let us wait until my group finishes with its research, because this time around, we are going to get it right. I can confidently tell you that our recommendations are going to be irresistibly appealing in the eyes of everyone, including those with financial muscles. But, let's not get carried away, I have to get back to my research.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
It wasn't quite what I had in mind
I know that unemployment is a big problem in South Africa, but what I saw in Alexandra township was way beyond my expectations. Naturally, you would expect to see mostly the elderly and scores of young people, especially high school learners, roaming the streets aimlessly on a Monday afternoon.
But not in Alex, as it is affectionately known.There, young adults and the elderly gathered under the shades of their shacks, kids playing around with small bottles of water. "Here in Alex, unemployment rate is double the national figure of something like 46 percent," said Soul Foundation manager Kim Keiser. Soul Foundation works collaboratively with community leaders to clean the Jukskei river.
The Foundation conduct anti-littering campaigns from time to time. Moving through closely clustered shacks, smelly streams meandering through the shacks was a mission. Women were sitting on the bank of the Jukskei river, either washing or just chatting.
"We don't have anything to do, we can't even watch our TVs because this is Dark City," said unemployed mother of two from Setswetla section. Asked what she meant by "Dark City", the despondent mother said, "we never had electricity around here, and never will we have our area electrified. We rely on candles." This township lack the basic ameneties of life.
The lack of pre-school education facilities, in particular, troubled me. I was devastated to learn that the Setswetla community's source of water was the Jukskei river, which was awash with smelly refuse bags.
But not in Alex, as it is affectionately known.There, young adults and the elderly gathered under the shades of their shacks, kids playing around with small bottles of water. "Here in Alex, unemployment rate is double the national figure of something like 46 percent," said Soul Foundation manager Kim Keiser. Soul Foundation works collaboratively with community leaders to clean the Jukskei river.
The Foundation conduct anti-littering campaigns from time to time. Moving through closely clustered shacks, smelly streams meandering through the shacks was a mission. Women were sitting on the bank of the Jukskei river, either washing or just chatting.
"We don't have anything to do, we can't even watch our TVs because this is Dark City," said unemployed mother of two from Setswetla section. Asked what she meant by "Dark City", the despondent mother said, "we never had electricity around here, and never will we have our area electrified. We rely on candles." This township lack the basic ameneties of life.
The lack of pre-school education facilities, in particular, troubled me. I was devastated to learn that the Setswetla community's source of water was the Jukskei river, which was awash with smelly refuse bags.
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