White Slums of South Africa (Reggie Yates Documentary) | Real Stories

Real Stories
26 Dec 202049:22

Summary

TLDRThe video script offers a poignant exploration of post-apartheid South Africa through the eyes of various individuals, highlighting the lingering effects of racial segregation and the struggle for equality. It features personal narratives from both Black and White South Africans, including those living in impoverished conditions such as Coronation Park, a squatter camp. The script touches on the historical context of apartheid, the introduction of Affirmative Action policies, and the current socio-economic challenges faced by different racial groups. It also delves into the perspectives of the poor White community, who feel marginalized and overlooked in the new South Africa. The documentary-style presentation provides a nuanced view of a nation still grappling with its past while striving for a more inclusive future.

Takeaways

  • 🌍 South Africa, despite its progress, still grapples with the aftermath of apartheid, with lingering racial tensions and socioeconomic disparities.
  • 🏖️ The beach that the narrator, a Black man, could not have visited 20 years ago due to apartheid, symbolizes the stark changes in racial segregation.
  • 🏛️ Apartheid was a system of racial segregation and discrimination that was only abolished in 1994 with Nelson Mandela's rise to power.
  • 🔍 The narrator expresses a desire to understand the transformation in South Africa, particularly how it has affected individuals like himself.
  • 🏙️ Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa, is claimed by some to still be influenced by racist policies, but now allegedly oppressing White individuals.
  • 🤔 The perception of a new underclass emerging, specifically among Whites, is explored, challenging the assumption that poverty is exclusive to Black communities.
  • 🏕️ Coronation Park, once a recreational site for White families, has become a makeshift home for a displaced White community, highlighting the drastic shifts in societal status.
  • 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The camp's inhabitants, including children, face harsh living conditions with inadequate sanitation, limited power supply, and health risks.
  • 👮‍♂️ The South African government has attempted to close the camp down, reflecting the ongoing struggles to address the needs of marginalized communities.
  • 📈 The implementation of Affirmative Action policies has led to increased opportunities for Black South Africans, but has also created resentment among some White citizens.
  • 🌱 Despite the challenges, there are stories of resilience and hope, such as Hardis securing a job, which could potentially change his family's life trajectory.

Q & A

  • What is the historical significance of the beach mentioned in the transcript?

    -The beach is significant because, 20 years prior to the events in the transcript, a Black man would not have been allowed to set foot on it due to the apartheid system in South Africa.

  • What was the term used to describe the system of racial separation in South Africa?

    -The system of racial separation in South Africa was called apartheid.

  • What major political event marked the end of apartheid in South Africa?

    -Apartheid ended in 1994 when Nelson Mandela and the ANC (African National Congress) came to power.

  • What is the current situation of poverty in South Africa according to the transcript?

    -Poverty is rife in South Africa, with a new underclass emerging, which is now predominantly White, as per the discussions in the transcript.

  • What is the term used to describe the young, affluent Black men in South Africa?

    -The term used to describe young, affluent Black men in South Africa is 'black diamond'.

  • What policy has been implemented by the South African government to rebalance wealth and opportunity?

    -The South African government has implemented a policy called Affirmative Action (AA) to rebalance wealth and opportunity.

  • What is the living situation of the White underclass in Coronation Park?

    -The White underclass in Coronation Park lives in a rough trailer park-like settlement, with no proper sanitation, running on generators, and facing health concerns due to stray animals.

  • What does the term 'squatter camp' imply in the context of Coronation Park?

    -In the context of Coronation Park, a 'squatter camp' implies an informal and often temporary settlement where people live in substandard conditions without legal ownership of the land.

  • What is the perspective of the Black residents towards the poor White population in South Africa?

    -The perspective of the Black residents towards the poor White population is mixed, with some expressing resentment due to the history of apartheid, while others see them as fellow victims of the system.

  • What are the challenges faced by the residents of Coronation Park in terms of employment and social mobility?

    -The residents of Coronation Park face significant challenges in finding employment due to the lack of opportunities, racial biases, and the impact of Affirmative Action policies that may disadvantage them.

  • How does the issue of race still impact the lives of both Black and White South Africans?

    -Race continues to impact the lives of both Black and White South Africans through lingering resentments from apartheid, disparities in wealth and opportunities, and the ongoing effects of policies like Affirmative Action.

Outlines

00:00

🏖️ South Africa's Dark Past and Present Struggles

The video script begins by highlighting South Africa as a success story and a beautiful country with a dark history of racial segregation and white supremacist rule known as apartheid. The speaker, a black man, reflects on how he wouldn't have been allowed on certain beaches 20 years ago. The system was abolished in 1994 with Nelson Mandela's rise to power. Despite the end of apartheid, the speaker is curious about the lingering effects of segregation and the current state of poverty and racial dynamics. The narrative moves to Johannesburg, where racial tensions are still evident, and the emergence of a new underclass, this time among whites, is discussed. The script ends with the speaker's intention to explore the lives of young white South Africans and the country's struggle to overcome its past.

05:02

🤔 Exploring the White Squatter Camp: Coronation Park

The speaker, Reggie, visits Coronation Park, a squatter camp on the edge of Johannesburg, which was once a picnic site for white middle-class families but now houses an impoverished white community. He meets Irene, who has lived there for eight years and manages the camp. The camp's residents live in makeshift shacks without proper sanitation, and the government has tried to close it down due to health concerns. Reggie speaks with a 27-year-old artist named JD, who shares his story of falling on hard times and the challenges faced by white people in contemporary South Africa. The script also touches on the historical context of white afrikaans people during apartheid and the changes that have occurred since its end.

10:03

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Hardship and Hope in Coronation Park

The narrative focuses on the personal stories of residents in Coronation Park, including Irene's son Harry, who works as a welder but still cannot afford proper housing for his family. The living conditions are harsh, with no reliable power or sanitation. The camp's children, like Winston, face an uncertain future. The speaker discusses the broader implications of poverty and lack of opportunity, and the psychological impact on residents who feel they have no control over their circumstances. The script also addresses the issue of government housing and the long waiting list, emphasizing the depth of the housing crisis in South Africa.

15:04

🎶 A Different Perspective with DJ Sizwe

Reggie meets with his friend, celebrity DJ Sizwe, to get a different perspective on the situation for black South Africans. Sizwe, known as a 'black diamond,' discusses the wealth gap and the effectiveness of Affirmative Action policies in South Africa. The conversation reveals a sense of advantage for black South Africans in the current climate due to these policies, which contrasts with the experiences of white residents in squatter camps. Sizwe also talks about the high walls and security measures needed by the wealthy, highlighting the ongoing racial tensions and socioeconomic disparities in the country.

20:04

🏛️ The Legacy of Apartheid and the Struggle for Equality

The speaker visits The Old Fort, a prison where Nelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid fighters were held, to understand the experiences of those who suffered under the apartheid regime. He learns about the humiliating searches and harsh conditions that prisoners endured. The narrative reflects on the swift change from government-sanctioned brutality to policies like Affirmative Action, which aim to correct historical injustices. The speaker grapples with the concept of fairness in the context of South Africa's past and present, recognizing the anger and the need for redress, while also acknowledging the complexity of the issue.

25:05

👵👴 The Plight of Impoverished Afrikaners

The script delves into the lives of impoverished Afrikaners living in Coronation Park and other settlements. It contrasts the current situation with the privileged past of the white minority during apartheid. The speaker meets Harry, a resident who is critical of the current state of affairs, feeling that his generation is unfairly paying for the sins of their fathers. The narrative explores the resentment and marginalization felt by some white South Africans, who argue that they are suffering due to the policies put in place to rectify past injustices.

30:06

🏚️ A Glimpse into the Harsh Reality of the Settlements

The speaker visits an abandoned care home that now serves as a settlement for both poor Afrikaners and black immigrants. He meets a young couple, Hardis and Vivienne, who share their experiences of living in the settlement with their children. The conditions are deplorable, with blocked toilets, no hot water, and rampant drug use. The settlement is also a place where crime and danger are prevalent, with the threat of fire and violence ever-present. The residents' stories underscore the desperation and hopelessness that characterize life in the settlement.

35:07

👮‍♂️ Police Raids and the Struggle for Employment

The narrative follows Hardis as he prepares for a job interview for a door-to-door sales position, which would significantly improve his family's circumstances. However, the settlement is raided by police for drugs and illegal goods, causing additional stress. The speaker discusses the challenges of finding employment in South Africa, with Hardis and Vivienne expressing that job opportunities are limited due to racial preferences and the need for black employment. The script highlights the systemic issues that contribute to the cycle of poverty and the difficulties faced by those living in the settlements.

40:07

🎉 A Job, A Birthday, and A Glimmer of Hope

Hardis successfully secures a job, which is a significant turning point for him and his family. His new employment offers a chance to escape the settlement and work towards a better life. The script captures the emotional impact of this opportunity, as it is not just a job but a lifeline for Hardis and his family. The narrative ends on a hopeful note, with the family looking forward to leaving the settlement and starting anew.

45:09

🌈 The彩虹 Nation's Ongoing Struggle with Apartheid's Legacy

The speaker reflects on his time in South Africa, noting the progress made since apartheid but acknowledging that there is still much work to be done. He meets with various individuals who express their views on the lingering effects of apartheid, the role of forgiveness and forgetting, and the challenges faced by both black and white communities. The narrative underscores the complexity of the issues and the need for continued efforts towards healing and reconciliation.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Apartheid

Apartheid was a system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa that existed from 1948 until the early 1990s. It is a key theme in the video as it discusses the lasting effects of this system on both Black and White communities. The video mentions how the beach mentioned would not have been accessible to a Black person 20 years ago due to apartheid laws.

💡Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, political leader, and philanthropist who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He is a central figure in the video as his release from prison and the ANC's rise to power marked the end of apartheid and the beginning of a new era for South Africa.

💡Poverty

Poverty is a state of lacking sufficient financial resources to meet a person's basic needs. The video discusses how poverty is widespread in South Africa and touches on the emergence of a 'new underclass' that is now said to be White, highlighting the shift in socio-economic dynamics post-apartheid.

💡Coronation Park

Coronation Park is a settlement in Johannesburg that serves as a home for some of the most impoverished White South Africans. It is significant in the video as it provides a stark example of the living conditions and challenges faced by those living in poverty, contrasting with the affluent lifestyles of the past.

💡Affirmative Action

Affirmative Action is a policy that aims to increase opportunities for historically marginalized groups, such as Black South Africans, by giving them preferential treatment in areas like employment and education. The video explores the controversy surrounding this policy, with some White South Africans feeling marginalized as a result.

💡Racial Segregation

Racial Segregation is the enforced separation of different racial groups in a country or region. The video discusses the extreme levels of segregation that existed in South Africa under apartheid and the protagonist's desire to see how this has changed for people of similar backgrounds.

💡White Supremacist Government

A White Supremacist Government refers to a political system where those in power believe in the superiority of the White race and enforce policies that oppress other races. The video references the oppressive nature of the South African government during the apartheid era, which was based on White supremacist ideologies.

💡Underclass

The term 'underclass' refers to a group of people who are marginalized and living in extreme poverty, often on the fringes of society. In the video, it is used to describe a new demographic in South Africa that is emerging in poverty, which is a shift from the past where the term was associated with Black communities.

💡Racism

Racism is the belief in the inherent superiority of one race over another, which often results in discrimination and prejudice. The video addresses the issue of racism as a lingering problem in South Africa, with some White individuals expressing resentment and others acknowledging the need for change.

💡Privilege

Privilege refers to special rights, advantages, or immunities granted or available only to a particular person or group. In the context of the video, privilege is discussed in relation to the historical advantages that White South Africans had during apartheid, and the subsequent feelings of some White individuals who now feel they have lost these privileges.

💡Sizwe

Sizwe is a character in the video who is described as a 'black diamond,' a term used to refer to a young Black man with significant financial success. His presence in the video serves to illustrate the opportunities available to some Black South Africans in the post-apartheid era, contrasting with the struggles of the White underclass.

Highlights

South Africa, once governed by a White supremacist government, has undergone significant changes since the abolition of apartheid in 1994.

The legacy of apartheid is still evident in the country's social and economic disparities, with poverty and racial tensions remaining.

Coronation Park, once a middle-class White picnic area, has transformed into a camp for displaced White South Africans.

The camp's residents face harsh living conditions with inadequate sanitation, limited power supply, and health concerns.

Unemployment among White South Africans is high, leading to a sense of marginalization and feelings of being second-class citizens.

The government's Affirmative Action policy aims to rebalance wealth and opportunities, but it also creates challenges for some White South Africans.

Despite the end of apartheid, many Black South Africans continue to live in poverty, highlighting the ongoing struggle for economic equality.

The EFF movement, led by Julius Malema, calls for more radical measures to address poverty among Black South Africans.

The song 'Shoot the Boer, Kill the Farmer', associated with EFF, reflects the deep-seated resentment and anger among some Black South Africans.

The documentary explores the lives of young White South Africans who feel overlooked and disadvantaged in the new South Africa.

Hardis, a resident of Coronation Park, struggles to find employment and provide for his family despite his efforts.

The film raises questions about the fairness of current policies and the lingering effects of apartheid on both Black and White communities.

Many White South Africans interviewed express a desire to work hard and succeed, but feel held back by historical policies and societal attitudes.

The situation in Coronation Park and similar settlements underscores the complexity of addressing racial inequality and healing social wounds.

The documentary concludes with a call for understanding, forgiveness, and a recognition of the shared humanity between all South Africans.

Hardis finally secures a job, offering a glimmer of hope for him and his family to escape the harsh realities of their current living conditions.

Transcripts

play00:35

(tense music)

play00:39

- South Africa,

play00:41

the continent's biggest success story,

play00:43

and one of the most stunning countries in the world.

play00:46

I'm just being a tourist, don't judge me.

play00:48

I'm way too cool for things like that.

play00:51

But this country has a very dark past.

play00:55

As a Black man,

play00:56

I wouldn't have even been allowed to set foot

play00:58

on this very beach just 20 years ago.

play01:01

(dramatic music)

play01:07

For over a century a White supremacist

play01:10

government controlled the nation,

play01:12

and brutally oppressed Black people.

play01:14

(gunshots)

play01:15

- They've got no education.

play01:17

They've only just come down from the trees.

play01:19

- [Reggie] This system of racial

play01:20

separation was called apartheid,

play01:23

and was only abolished in 1994,

play01:25

when Nelson Mandela and the ANC came to power.

play01:30

- Today marks the dawn of our freedom.

play01:33

- There has been such extreme levels of segregation here,

play01:37

and knowing that that ended only two decades ago,

play01:39

I'm desperate to see how that has changed

play01:41

the lives of people just like me.

play01:43

If at all.

play01:45

Poverty is rife here,

play01:47

and today people talk of a new underclass emerging.

play01:51

It's not black people.

play01:52

That's the way to do it.

play01:53

But White.

play01:54

(dramatic music)

play01:56

I can't imagine anything worse than waking up in there.

play01:59

- We are going to take what belongs to us!

play02:02

- [Reggie] With years of hatred to overcome.

play02:04

(chanting)

play02:06

- They're going to kill us.

play02:08

- [Reggie] And both sides still playing the race card.

play02:10

- Most White people learnt Black people

play02:13

the things they know today.

play02:15

- [Reggie] I want to find out what life is like

play02:17

for the young White South African's.

play02:19

- Some of them are really racist.

play02:21

- [Reggie] Who think they are now bottom of the pile.

play02:24

- It's not a place to live here.

play02:25

Not for the children.

play02:27

- If you are Black, you're better off.

play02:29

- If I was a White guy, that would piss me off.

play02:33

And discover whether the nation will ever

play02:35

move on from it's tortured past.

play02:38

- Stupidly we will never agree, never.

play02:41

That's why the world is a fuck up.

play02:43

(upbeat music)

play02:48

- Johannesburg, South Africa's biggest city.

play02:52

20 years on from apartheid,

play02:54

some people claim that this country

play02:56

is still governed by racist policies.

play03:00

Only this time, they say it's White people,

play03:03

not Black people, being oppressed.

play03:07

What the White experience of Africa is, for me,

play03:11

is really, really intriguing.

play03:13

Some people believe since the ANC came

play03:16

into power there's been a flick,

play03:18

because all of the opportunities have

play03:19

been afforded to the Black people,

play03:21

and the White people are now second class citizens,

play03:23

and are being neglected.

play03:25

But that can't be the case, surely?

play03:28

(relaxed music)

play03:29

On the edge of the city lies

play03:30

a notorious camp called Coronation Park.

play03:33

A place where some of the hardest hit

play03:35

White South African's have made their home.

play03:39

Coronation Park fills me with a little bit of apprehension,

play03:42

and that apprehension is based on

play03:44

the way that they may take me.

play03:46

The way they may receive me,

play03:48

and the way they may judge me straight away,

play03:51

because I'm a privileged young Black man.

play03:57

It's made me a little bit more

play03:58

nervous now thinking about it.

play04:00

During apartheid, Coronation Park was

play04:02

a picnic place for White middle class families,

play04:06

but it's become something very different.

play04:08

Oh, this is it.

play04:12

A permanent home for a White underclass.

play04:18

(dog barking)

play04:23

It's a camp in the middle of a park.

play04:27

They're living in a rough trailer park.

play04:30

In the UK you sort of get used to seeing

play04:33

images of young Black kids in poverty,

play04:35

and I've never seen those same images,

play04:39

but with White children.

play04:42

I'm really thrown by that.

play04:48

Outsiders aren't generally welcome.

play04:50

All new arrivals need permission

play04:52

to be here from the camp leader,

play04:54

Irene, who's lived here for eight years.

play04:57

She's agreed to let me stay.

play04:59

To see White people in South Africa barefoot,

play05:02

in a settlement, in a park.

play05:03

That's blowing my mind.

play05:05

- Yeah--

play05:06

- Because that is not what we see, uh,

play05:08

you know, across the pond.

play05:10

I mean, we don't see that in Europe.

play05:11

What's the common thread?

play05:12

What normally brings people here?

play05:15

- I don't know, I think you could say lost everything.

play05:18

There's no jobs for the White people.

play05:20

Understand me, I'm not racist.

play05:23

There's no jobs for White people.

play05:25

You're one paycheck away from this place,

play05:27

'cause something can happen to you and you will end up here.

play05:31

(dog barking)

play05:32

- The settlement sort of stretches all the way down.

play05:35

Can we have a little look?

play05:36

Do you mind taking me around, is that okay--

play05:37

- Yeah sure, I will take you around,

play05:38

and you can check.

play05:40

Coronation Park, it's like a White squatter camp.

play05:44

It's like you can stay here and we will look after you.

play05:48

- [Reggie] Do they build their own shacks?

play05:49

Do they have to pay to be here?

play05:51

- [Irene] No, they don't pay to be here.

play05:53

- That's literally a shed.

play05:54

Does someone live in this?

play05:55

- In the back of it, yeah.

play05:57

- Wow.

play05:59

How many people are there in Coronation Park?

play06:01

- [Irene] Um, 287.

play06:03

- Hello!

play06:04

- [Reggie] Hello!

play06:06

- We're running on generators.

play06:08

We haven't got power yet.

play06:11

- With no proper sanitation and dozens

play06:14

of stray animals roaming around,

play06:16

health is a real concern.

play06:17

(dog barking)

play06:20

The government has repeatedly tried to shut the camp down,

play06:22

as new people arrive all the time.

play06:25

- [Reggie] How are you doing, I'm Reggie.

play06:26

What's your name?

play06:27

- JD.

play06:28

- JD, hello.

play06:28

27 year old artist JD turned up last month with his mom,

play06:32

two kids, and pregnant wife.

play06:35

That's absolutely beautiful.

play06:36

- That's what I do, I travel the whole country.

play06:38

Painting, and going all over the place.

play06:40

- [Reggie] So where have you come from?

play06:42

- Originally from Cape Town.

play06:43

- How have you ended up here in Coronation Park?

play06:46

- I've been hit by life.

play06:50

Hit to my knees.

play06:52

And now it's difficult for White folks these days.

play06:54

It really is.

play06:55

We don't have the ball in our court anymore.

play06:58

We are not the chosen ones, if you want to put it that way,

play07:01

and it's the truth.

play07:03

- [Reggie] Most White South African's

play07:04

are descended from Dutch settlers,

play07:06

and called Afrikaans.

play07:08

(dogs barking)

play07:10

During apartheid, they saw themselves as a superior race.

play07:14

- We cannot mix with the lower

play07:16

nations unless they are cultivated.

play07:20

- Given the best jobs and education,

play07:23

creating a super wealthy White elite.

play07:25

(upbeat music)

play07:28

In 1990, everything changed.

play07:30

(crowd cheering)

play07:32

The leader of the Black resistance,

play07:34

Nelson Mandela, was released from prison.

play07:40

(acoustic music)

play07:42

While over 50% of privately held assets here

play07:46

are still owned by the White minority,

play07:51

Afrikaner charities believe a new underclass has formed,

play07:55

with many living in settlements just like this one.

play07:59

Where shall I put my tent, where's a good place to pitch up?

play08:00

- There.

play08:01

- [Reggie] What do you mean, there?

play08:02

I'm not gonna put it on the ash.

play08:04

Will you guys help me put up my tent?

play08:06

- [Kids] Yeah.

play08:06

- Come on then, what we doing?

play08:08

There we go.

play08:09

Alright, let's peg this up.

play08:10

- [Boy In Blue Shirt] Yeah.

play08:11

- I've only stayed in a tent once before,

play08:13

and, um,

play08:15

while I was making it,

play08:16

I wasn't getting whipped in the arse

play08:17

by some kid called Winston.

play08:21

When do you do this then--

play08:22

- Put the side (inaudible).

play08:23

- Hey!

play08:24

- Jesus Christ.

play08:26

Nearly a third of all the people living here are under 16.

play08:29

I'm not sure how the future looks

play08:31

for teenagers like Winston.

play08:33

Do you think you'll always live here?

play08:37

- I don't know.

play08:38

- Do you want to move out of here?

play08:40

- Yes.

play08:41

- [Reggie] Why?

play08:42

- It's the people that's only drinking and fighting,

play08:46

kicking.

play08:47

- Really?

play08:48

So if you do move out of here

play08:50

and people ask you where you grew up,

play08:52

when you're older, when you're my age,

play08:54

are you gonna say Coronation Park?

play08:58

- Why?

play09:01

There's some people's gonna make fun of me.

play09:08

(emotional music)

play09:16

- Are you gonna look after me,

play09:17

and give me some sandwiches and tea before bed?

play09:19

- (laughs quickly) No, I will give you some food.

play09:21

- [Reggie] Can I help out?

play09:23

After dark, more young people flood into the camp.

play09:26

As well as child benefits,

play09:27

many residents survive on handouts,

play09:30

including hot drinks and sandwiches

play09:32

given out three nights a week.

play09:34

- You ought to say how much coffee they want.

play09:36

(speaking in foreign language)

play09:40

That's it.

play09:41

- Coffee or tea?

play09:43

Coffee or tea?

play09:45

(inaudible chatting)

play09:46

I'm learning Afrikaans.

play09:48

How you been mate, you had a good day?

play09:50

What you been doing?

play09:51

- Um, drinking.

play09:52

- Drinking today?

play09:53

- It eases the pain.

play09:56

(chatting)

play10:02

- [Reggie] Hey, evening.

play10:03

- [Irene] Evening, (inaudible) mate.

play10:05

- I didn't think about what the rain would do here.

play10:07

Unemployment here is very high.

play10:10

One person who does have a steady job is Irene's son, Harry.

play10:14

He works as a welder.

play10:15

Hey, Harry.

play10:16

- [Harry] Hey, how are you man?

play10:17

- I'm good, thank you man.

play10:18

I've not met you before, I'm Reggie.

play10:19

Hello.

play10:20

Hello, lovely to meet you.

play10:21

Is that your wedding pictures I can see over there?

play10:23

You scrub up well don't you?

play10:24

- [Harry] Yeah.

play10:25

- He looks good in a suit.

play10:26

(laughing)

play10:27

Flowers from the wedding day?

play10:29

You've still got them?

play10:30

- (laughs quickly) I don't want to throw them away.

play10:31

- Yeah, right.

play10:32

Despite Harry working,

play10:34

his wage isn't enough to cover rent for

play10:36

a proper house for his wife and three kids.

play10:39

Just how difficult is it to raise

play10:41

a small child in a place like this?

play10:44

- It is difficult, because the generator is on,

play10:47

but when you sleep at night, and he wakes up,

play10:49

the generator isn't on.

play10:51

Then you must struggle to get light, and whatsoever.

play10:55

And there isn't always hot water,

play10:57

because you must make fire to get hot water.

play11:02

So yeah, that's a problem.

play11:04

- Do you worry about how healthy a situation it is for him,

play11:08

because I imagine that it's probably

play11:09

quite easy a thing to get ill?

play11:11

- This place is dirty, you know?

play11:13

- Especially with the small one, and Zander,

play11:17

they get sick fast, you know?

play11:19

- It's not a place to live here.

play11:21

Not for the children.

play11:22

We can't live here anymore.

play11:27

- I tried my best from the start.

play11:28

I was working since I was 16, you know?

play11:32

And from then I just tried, you know?

play11:36

Build up my education and try to be what I am.

play11:41

- You look quite emotional?

play11:42

- Yeah.

play11:43

When it comes to my kids and my wife, yeah.

play11:46

- [Reggie] What is it about your family

play11:47

that makes you so emotional?

play11:49

- I think it's because I know I try hard, you know.

play11:55

Maybe I don't try hard enough, I don't know.

play11:58

But to see them suffer like this, it makes me.

play12:03

- [Reggie] Do you think your children are suffering?

play12:04

- Um.

play12:06

Well, they don't have the life what I want for them,

play12:10

you know?

play12:10

And I think that for them is suffering, you know.

play12:13

(tense music)

play12:18

- The harsh reality of being on the bottom

play12:20

of the ladder out here is that that can happen to you.

play12:23

This is it for them.

play12:29

Yeah.

play12:30

Kind of keep you awake, won't it?

play12:35

(sighing)

play12:37

(upbeat music)

play12:41

(groaning)

play12:45

- [Kids] Wake up!

play12:46

- [Reggie] Oh God.

play12:48

(kids laughing)

play12:48

- [Winston] Wake up.

play12:49

- What's wrong with you lot?

play12:51

- [Young Boy] Come out!

play12:53

- And do what?

play12:54

- [Young Boy] We play cricket.

play12:55

- Play cricket?

play13:00

- (inaudible)

play13:02

I'll do the next one for you.

play13:04

You're gonna chop off my fingers--

play13:05

- [Reggie] You don't need your fingers.

play13:07

- [Man In White Hoodie] Oh come on, bruh.

play13:08

He's slapping like a sausage, man.

play13:09

(laughing)

play13:10

Use the thing, bruh.

play13:14

- That's the way to do it.

play13:16

- You're gonna go home smelling like smoke,

play13:18

if you can live with that.

play13:19

- I can live with that, as long as I'm warm.

play13:21

What was your first night like here?

play13:23

- Terrible, 'cause it felt like there's

play13:25

a bunch of serial killers staying around here.

play13:27

(laughing)

play13:29

- I'm really glad I asked you this

play13:30

question after my first night.

play13:32

Sleeping here as grown man is one thing,

play13:35

but in a few months,

play13:36

JD will have a newborn baby to share his tent with.

play13:39

How does it feel knowing that

play13:40

your newborn will be brought here?

play13:44

- I'm talking to Irene then.

play13:46

They all know about the baby coming,

play13:49

and I know in my heart it will be okay,

play13:54

'cause they're going to help us.

play13:56

They will help us.

play13:57

I've heard about it recently, I've read in the papers,

play14:01

that the people around here might

play14:03

qualify for government housing.

play14:05

- Why wouldn't you though, I mean?

play14:07

If ever there was anybody that needed help,

play14:09

particularly with a baby on the way,

play14:10

I would have thought that you'd be perfect for it.

play14:13

- To me, government housing is a dream.

play14:16

(laughs quickly)

play14:17

I don't quite, I don't...

play14:20

I don't see myself qualifying for a government house.

play14:24

- Over two million people are waiting

play14:26

for social housing in South Africa,

play14:29

so it's no surprise that JD doubts

play14:30

his chances of getting one.

play14:33

The wider situation is even more complicated,

play14:36

as race still plays a part in some opportunities here.

play14:40

(upbeat music)

play14:43

I've come to the center of Joburg

play14:45

to meet an old mate of mine,

play14:46

celebrity DJ Sizwe,

play14:48

to get a different perspective.

play14:50

What's happening now for your Black South Africans?

play14:53

- [Sizwe] Reg, what's up?

play14:55

- How you doing?

play14:55

- [Sizwe] It's been years.

play14:56

I'm well, thanks.

play14:57

How's it going with you?

play14:58

- I'm really good man, I'm really good.

play14:59

I'm glad to be in your neck of the woods, as it were.

play15:01

Okay, let's go to where you know.

play15:03

- I'll take you where the girls are.

play15:04

(laughing)

play15:05

- You're desperately trying to get me

play15:06

in trouble with my girlfriend, right?

play15:08

- It's a good start.

play15:08

(laughing)

play15:12

- Sizwe is what's known here as a black diamond.

play15:15

A young Black guy with a very healthy bank balance.

play15:19

Would people refer to you as a black diamond?

play15:21

- I guess some people would. (laughs quickly)

play15:22

I'm a diamond in the rough.

play15:24

I need some polishing.

play15:27

- But people like Sizwe are relatively rare.

play15:30

Most of the wealth here is still

play15:31

in the hands of the old White masters,

play15:34

and they live in lavish gated communities.

play15:37

Is this one property?

play15:38

- Yeah.

play15:39

- [Reggie] The houses are just obscene.

play15:40

- There's a huge gap in SA between

play15:42

those that have and those that don't.

play15:44

- Is that why the walls are so high,

play15:46

and the security's so--

play15:47

- [Sizwe] That's why the walls are so high.

play15:48

- I mean, look,

play15:49

this is barbed wire, and gates--

play15:50

- [Sizwe] Electronic fences, yeah.

play15:51

- To try to rebalance wealth and opportunity,

play15:54

the government has brought in

play15:55

a policy called Affirmative Action,

play15:57

AA for short.

play16:00

It's already transformed areas like the courtroom,

play16:02

where over 60% of the most senior judges are now Black,

play16:07

and the dream is to repeat that across all walks of life.

play16:11

- In SA, if you are Black,

play16:14

you're better off right now.

play16:17

- Well, why is that,

play16:17

because it wasn't the case 20 years ago?

play16:19

- Just 'cause of everything, man.

play16:21

Like, the odds are stacked to your favor now.

play16:23

Affirmative Action.

play16:25

If I apply for a job, right,

play16:27

and a guy my age,

play16:30

same education as me,

play16:31

applied for the same position but he was White,

play16:35

I'd get the job hands down.

play16:36

- I mean, if I was a White guy?

play16:38

That would piss me off.

play16:41

(dance music)

play16:43

Thank you, brother.

play16:44

You alright?

play16:47

Talking to Sizwe in the car, you know,

play16:49

one of the things that kept

play16:50

coming up was the swing of power,

play16:52

and the White people feeling marginalized, you know,

play16:55

and feeling that they don't get the opportunities anymore.

play16:58

Reversed racism, I guess.

play17:00

It's a very different time now,

play17:01

and if you're Black you will get opportunities

play17:03

in the way that you never used to.

play17:08

I've grown up thinking equality

play17:10

is about treating everyone the same,

play17:12

but here things are different.

play17:14

Until the 90's, on these very streets,

play17:17

the ruling White, or Boers,

play17:19

treated Black people as little better than animals.

play17:23

- Don't like apartheid,

play17:24

because in apartheid Europeans go up,

play17:26

and Afrikaans go down.

play17:27

(upbeat music)

play17:29

- They were forcibly removed from their homes

play17:32

to live together in massive ring fenced compounds,

play17:35

which later grew into townships.

play17:39

Everything was ruthlessly enforced by the White regime.

play17:47

I want to find out what it was like

play17:49

living under White rule on these streets.

play17:54

So I've come to meet 28 year old Colin.

play17:56

He grew up in Alexandra,

play17:57

a township still full of Black people,

play17:59

many living in Poverty.

play18:01

As a kid you were actually, I guess,

play18:03

old enough at seven or eight to remember--

play18:05

- [Colin] Between that age, yes.

play18:06

- To remember some of the things

play18:07

that happened during apartheid.

play18:08

What sticks out in your mind during that era?

play18:10

- I remember when we called them the yellow mellow defense.

play18:13

It was the police defense.

play18:15

Immediately you see that yellow van,

play18:17

you knew you had to run to save your life,

play18:19

because you never knew what would

play18:21

be predicted from the police,

play18:22

or the state police,

play18:23

'cause at times they would just

play18:24

literally stop to beat you up,

play18:26

or not want you to congregate in the streets in groups.

play18:29

And even today, you know,

play18:31

police are not the most likable people in the townships,

play18:35

for example, for that matter.

play18:36

People see the police van, they see their enemy.

play18:39

- In the mind of somebody like myself from the UK,

play18:41

when we think of segregation,

play18:43

the first thing that comes to mind is the US in the 60's,

play18:46

and the struggles of Black people in America.

play18:48

But this was going on in the 90's.

play18:50

- [Colin] In the 90's, yes.

play18:51

- It's just, it's so hard to get your head around.

play18:53

It's unbelievable.

play18:54

- I mean, the last time it has happened,

play18:56

it is 1994, which it sounds like yesterday.

play19:00

- [Reggie] Black people who broke the apartheid laws

play19:03

were sent to prisons like this one,

play19:05

called The Old Fort.

play19:07

Nelson Mandela was incarcerated here whilst awaiting trial.

play19:11

- The only time you would find

play19:13

White wardens in this section,

play19:15

it was when they came to render

play19:16

humiliation towards the Black prisoners.

play19:19

They would perform a strip search

play19:21

dance called the towsan dance.

play19:22

- A strip search dance?

play19:24

What was the dance?

play19:25

- The dance stipulated you strip naked,

play19:27

you spread your legs, you spread your arms,

play19:29

clap the hands above the head,

play19:30

leap in the air making a clicking sound,

play19:32

straight your legs, like,

play19:33

straight your legs,

play19:34

and if no object had fallen down,

play19:36

then the authorities would go in the extent

play19:38

of inserting a finger or a torch inside the rectums

play19:42

to see if there's nothing hidden.

play19:44

- A torch?

play19:44

- [Colin] A torch.

play19:46

- Men and women?

play19:47

- Men and women, yes.

play19:50

- Wow.

play19:51

(tense music)

play19:53

The most severe punishments were reserved

play19:55

for those who fought to change the system.

play19:58

These freedom fighters were kept in solitary

play20:00

confinement as a warning to others.

play20:04

- Political leaders were sent here.

play20:06

It was the most severe form of punishment.

play20:08

Lying down flat on the ground,

play20:10

you feel like you're lying down in a grave.

play20:12

- [Reggie] So there weren't bed in here,

play20:14

there weren't a desk, there weren't chairs,

play20:16

it was literally on the floor.

play20:18

- They were locked up here for 23 hours,

play20:20

and only released for an hour of the day.

play20:23

(melancholy music)

play20:28

- I guess this is where prisoners were chained too.

play20:32

It's amazing to think South Africa

play20:34

has gone from official government brutality

play20:36

towards Black people to Affirmative Action,

play20:39

from just my parents generation to mine.

play20:42

There's been so much injustice here

play20:45

that the anger is still so fresh,

play20:49

and just putting my mom's face to

play20:53

this environment makes me angry,

play20:57

and that's just imagining it.

play21:00

Not living it.

play21:04

On face value it's bang out of order that White people

play21:09

aren't being given the same opportunities as Black people,

play21:12

but when you think about how long it's been

play21:15

weighed in the favor of the minority,

play21:17

you can understand why it's been put in place.

play21:20

I'm not saying that I agree with it,

play21:22

but what I am saying is I get why

play21:25

so many people are still angry,

play21:27

and why they think that it is imperative that it's in place.

play21:30

(country music)

play21:33

Although Black and White South African's

play21:35

now enjoy all the same freedoms,

play21:38

Statistic South Africa claims that nearly

play21:40

16 million Black people still live in poverty here.

play21:43

On that level, extra help for them makes sense.

play21:47

(bubbling)

play21:49

Holding the bat the right way, it's a good start.

play21:53

But I'm not sure where that leaves

play21:54

the squatters in Coronation Park.

play21:57

I can't help wondering what people like Irene make of it

play22:00

after being part of the privileged minority for years.

play22:04

Do you think that it's fair, do you think it's right?

play22:06

- I think yeah.

play22:07

You know what, you know what?

play22:10

If, that's what I said,

play22:11

and I said it today,

play22:12

if our fathers, and our fathers,

play22:14

and fathers, and fathers,

play22:16

treated Black people like normal people,

play22:18

and didn't let them work like slaves,

play22:22

and treat them like dogs,

play22:24

maybe it would have been different today.

play22:27

That's the way of life.

play22:29

'Cause it's time now for us to pay for what our fathers did.

play22:34

And there's nothing you can do about that.

play22:37

- Irene strikes me as being resigned to her fate,

play22:40

but her son Harry is desperate

play22:42

to get his family out of here.

play22:44

You mom says that she thinks it's almost

play22:46

a little bit like a balance now.

play22:48

It's almost more fair for the Black people.

play22:51

Do you agree with that or disagree?

play22:52

- I think that's bullshit.

play22:54

20 years ago, I still had fuck all.

play22:56

So now I've got nothing, now they think it's balanced out.

play22:59

What happened years ago with the Black people

play23:02

and the White people was nothing to do with me.

play23:05

I wasn't there, I didn't fight the battles

play23:08

with the White people and the Black people.

play23:09

- So you're saying your generation

play23:10

have done nothing to deserve this,

play23:12

is that how you feel?

play23:13

- Yeah, that's how I feel.

play23:14

Most White people learnt Black people

play23:17

the things they know today.

play23:19

Especially in my company as well.

play23:20

And at the end, they walk out,

play23:23

get a better job with my knowledge,

play23:25

and we sit in the shit hole where we are today.

play23:28

- But they feel marginalized,

play23:29

they feel that they're still suffering

play23:31

from the people that caused the apartheid,

play23:35

you know?

play23:36

- The time when it was like the Boer

play23:38

when they called themselves Boer

play23:41

had the country in the hands,

play23:43

there was more food in our country,

play23:46

more job opportunities--

play23:47

- That was also the apartheid though, right?

play23:48

When the Boer were in charge.

play23:50

- Yeah, but they still,

play23:51

still the Black people had jobs,

play23:53

and they were still--

play23:54

- But they had no rights though?

play23:56

- Yeah, they didn't have rights,

play23:57

but even the White people, what rights do we have?

play24:00

- No, but then at that time,

play24:01

it wasn't anything like now.

play24:03

- Yeah, it wasn't.

play24:04

I can't say because I wasn't there.

play24:06

It's a Black government, it's a Black country,

play24:08

they don't want White people here.

play24:10

That's what I think.

play24:12

- Some of the stuff that he said made my blood boil.

play24:14

I don't agree with his views,

play24:17

but he wants a better life for his son,

play24:19

and he feels the way things are,

play24:21

that's just not gonna happen.

play24:22

Being in this, and this being your world in its entirety,

play24:26

I understand why you might feel that way.

play24:30

(rock music)

play24:34

It may sit uncomfortably,

play24:36

but at least part of the reason Harry is stuck here

play24:38

could be because of Affirmative Action,

play24:41

and if it continues,

play24:42

I worry that Coronation Park could keep growing,

play24:46

creating more race resentment for

play24:48

young people in South Africa.

play24:50

Mad how different this place is in the dark, isn't it?

play24:53

I just think it's a bit more intimidating,

play24:55

'cause you just don't know where you are, what's around,

play25:01

and what you're walking into, you know?

play25:04

Definitely is a different vibe here.

play25:08

Hey guys.

play25:09

- [Irene] Hi, hi.

play25:10

- [Reggie] What are you tending to?

play25:11

- For the true camp experience,

play25:12

you have to sit in the stump.

play25:13

There's a very dangerous spider around here.

play25:16

We actually call it a sac spinnekop.

play25:19

That thing can kill you.

play25:20

- Why are you saying that before I sit down on the stump?

play25:23

(laughing)

play25:24

I don't want a sac spinnekop getting in my bum.

play25:28

It's the way things are set up here.

play25:30

There are so many hurdles for you

play25:32

to get back to where you were.

play25:33

There are things in the way that aren't your fault,

play25:37

and it just makes me angry.

play25:38

- I can't really say it's not my fault.

play25:41

I ended up here for a reason.

play25:44

Nobody comes in here just because the country's screwed up.

play25:50

Nobody comes in here like that.

play25:52

They come in here because they screwed up.

play25:56

Can't blame everything on the system.

play25:58

- Now that's the first time I've

play25:59

heard ownership since I've been here.

play26:01

- (laughs quickly) Ownership.

play26:03

- It's the first time I've heard ownership!

play26:05

- Even a rich guy could find himself here in two weeks.

play26:10

Ask me, I've lost everything.

play26:14

I lived a dream.

play26:17

I was a rockstar.

play26:21

In my head, I still am.

play26:24

I used to sign boobs for a living,

play26:29

you know?

play26:31

And I had a selfish life, but I lived the dream.

play26:36

And everything that went on, I had.

play26:41

And I lost it in a couple of days.

play26:44

(dramatic music)

play26:47

- Just a few years ago,

play26:48

JD was living in his own house with a pool,

play26:51

but since his music career ended,

play26:54

he struggled to find his feet in modern South Africa,

play26:57

and has been moving with his mom from place to place.

play27:02

This camp is full of people who've left their homes,

play27:05

but don't know where they'll end up.

play27:10

Coronation Park isn't the only place

play27:12

that poor White's are squatting.

play27:14

Local newspapers report there are now

play27:16

over 80 camps dotted around Pretoria.

play27:19

This was once the spiritual homeland

play27:21

of the Afrikaner nation,

play27:23

but in modern South Africa,

play27:24

the idea of a nation where White people

play27:26

are in charge clearly has no future.

play27:30

It's a lot like a block of flats

play27:32

in it's most traditional sense.

play27:36

But it definitely looks run down.

play27:40

There seems to be both Black and White here as well.

play27:43

This settlement is an abandoned care home.

play27:46

As well as the poor Afrikaners,

play27:48

it's home to lots of recent Black

play27:50

immigrants from all over the continent.

play27:55

Black or White,

play27:56

this place really does feel like the end of the line.

play28:01

(tense music)

play28:06

(distant singing)

play28:10

(creaking)

play28:13

(dog barking)

play28:16

Hello?

play28:18

Hello.

play28:19

- [Vivienne] Hi.

play28:20

- Hi, can I come in and talk to you guys?

play28:22

- [Hardis] Yeah sure.

play28:29

How's it going, I'm Reggie.

play28:30

- How's it going, I'm Hardis.

play28:31

- Hello, nice to meet you.

play28:33

Hello?

play28:33

Can we come in, is that alright?

play28:35

Hello.

play28:36

How are you doing, I'm Reggie.

play28:38

- Vivienne.

play28:38

- Nice to meet you Vivienne.

play28:39

Is this your little one?

play28:40

Is that your youngster?

play28:42

- [Vivienne] Yeah.

play28:43

- [Reggie] Your baby, and this one here?

play28:44

- This is my first one, this is my second one.

play28:46

- Oh wow, congratulations.

play28:47

So is this your family in here then, yeah?

play28:49

- Yeah.

play28:50

- How old are you guys?

play28:51

- [Vivienne] I'm 20, and he's 25.

play28:53

- How long have you guys lived here then?

play28:55

- We've lived here for basically four years now.

play28:57

- [Reggie] Who else lives in here,

play28:58

because there's doors all the way down the corridor,

play29:00

and they're all sealed?

play29:01

- It's only Whites, there's no Black here in those rooms.

play29:05

- There's three of four other buildings here.

play29:07

Do the Black's sort of keep to themselves?

play29:08

- [Vivienne] Yeah.

play29:09

- [Hardis] Most of the time--

play29:10

- [Vivienne] Most of the time, yeah.

play29:11

- [Reggie] Why do you think that is?

play29:13

- Some of them are very racist.

play29:15

And inside here, they're also very racist.

play29:19

- [Reggie] Yeah.

play29:19

- Most of the people,

play29:20

if they do know you and they do have respect for you,

play29:22

they actually just tend to leave you alone.

play29:24

- You leave them alone, and they'll leave you alone.

play29:26

- The only other place where I've

play29:27

heard someone speak like that is prison.

play29:29

(laughing)

play29:30

That's the only other place where I've heard people

play29:31

speak about looking after yourself,

play29:34

is that how you see this?

play29:35

- That's how it works here, this place.

play29:37

- Do you know what,

play29:38

I'd love to see the rest of this building.

play29:40

Is it possible for you to show me around--

play29:40

- [Hardis] Yeah.

play29:41

- Can I see some more?

play29:43

- [Hardis] It's a bit dark down here.

play29:44

- [Reggie] Yeah, no kidding.

play29:45

- [Hardis] My grandmother's staying here.

play29:46

Well, Vivienne's grandmother actually.

play29:47

- Wow, so it's the whole family all in this?

play29:49

- Yeah, well it's--

play29:50

- We've got the little one just here.

play29:52

- It's the grandmother and Vivienne's mother

play29:54

that actually got us here, so.

play29:57

- So what's this through here?

play29:58

Is this shared?

play29:59

- Everything's shared,

play30:00

but unfortunately not everything works either.

play30:02

The toilets, they're permanently blocked.

play30:05

These tubs, they don't work at all.

play30:07

They got water, but only cold water.

play30:10

- [Reggie] Yeah.

play30:11

- Showers.

play30:12

And look at that.

play30:14

Needles, drugs.

play30:16

- So that's everywhere now?

play30:17

- Yeah.

play30:18

Too many drug dealers moved in, too many junkies moved in.

play30:20

We all know that it's not safe for the kids.

play30:22

- [Reggie] Yeah.

play30:24

Crime is rife here, but that's not the only danger.

play30:28

- [Hardis] These buildings are so old,

play30:30

if these roofs catch fire it's over, it's done.

play30:33

- [Reggie] Two months ago a resident built

play30:35

a fire in their room to keep warm.

play30:37

Unfortunately it got out of control,

play30:40

and tore through an entire building.

play30:45

This is awful, do people actually live in here still?

play30:47

- [Hardis] People still actually live here.

play30:49

(baby babbling)

play30:52

There's at least a roof over their heads.

play30:55

- I can't imagine anything worse than waking up in there.

play30:59

- I think in, what,

play31:00

20 minutes it was the whole wing.

play31:04

- This is the hardest I think I've seen it in South Africa,

play31:09

you know.

play31:10

So what's the future look like for you little girl then?

play31:13

- In South Africa, I wouldn't say too good.

play31:17

- [Reggie] Neither Hardis nor Vivienne

play31:19

have a legitimate job.

play31:20

To get by, they run an unlicensed shop out of their window.

play31:26

- It's difficult for us to get work in South Africa,

play31:28

especially me.

play31:29

When I just moved into Pretoria, 2018,

play31:31

I had 60 CV's that I actually gave out,

play31:35

resumes that I gave out to places,

play31:37

and it's difficult to find work in South Africa.

play31:39

- Not even one says I'm gonna call you back.

play31:41

Nothing.

play31:42

- [Reggie] Why do you think it's so hard?

play31:43

- Working place are racist as well.

play31:45

- Not racist.

play31:45

You need more Black employment than Whites.

play31:48

- [Vivienne] No--

play31:49

- It's how they work.

play31:50

If you skin color's not correct,

play31:51

then unfortunately you're not gonna get it.

play31:52

And this is (inaudible).

play31:55

- [Reggie] With no job, the family lives hand to mouth,

play31:58

so tonight's dinner depends on

play31:59

the little money the shop makes.

play32:03

Which today was nothing.

play32:05

- Unfortunately there is no money to buy things tonight,

play32:09

but I've still got some macaroni left,

play32:10

and soups, so that's what we'll be eating tonight.

play32:13

- Macaroni and soup.

play32:15

That's what you have here, yeah?

play32:16

- [Hardis] That's what I have here for now.

play32:18

(emotional music)

play32:22

- I don't want to seem judgmental or anything,

play32:24

but it almost feels like this isn't life.

play32:34

Like anyone, I find it hard to witness poverty.

play32:38

But here in South Africa, it is very common.

play32:41

Their Institute of Race Relations claims a staggering

play32:44

45% of Black South Africans also live below the breadline.

play32:49

But that doesn't make the plight

play32:50

of poor White's any easier to stomach.

play32:54

I can hear some music playing.

play32:56

Who's playing the music?

play32:57

- [Irene] Uh, all the rich people.

play32:59

- What?

play32:59

Do the rich guys come around here and park up their cars,

play33:03

play music, and--

play33:04

- [JD] Yeah, (inaudible) you know?

play33:06

When I was like these people, I was exactly the same way.

play33:11

(dog barking)

play33:13

Can you believe it's two different worlds?

play33:16

Can you believe it, huh?

play33:18

- Can I be completely honest with you?

play33:20

- Yes.

play33:21

- When you spoke about rich people,

play33:23

in my head I had White people.

play33:26

- Yeah, not at all!

play33:28

- They're all Black guys.

play33:29

- They're all Black guys--

play33:30

- [Woman In Checked Jacket] They're all Black guys.

play33:31

- Look at those people there.

play33:32

Most of them are young people.

play33:34

(distant music)

play33:36

So they're getting what they deserve now.

play33:40

Fairness.

play33:42

- [Reggie] Is this fair?

play33:44

- Their moms and dads wasn't treated this way.

play33:47

They wouldn't have been allowed to come here.

play33:50

So them enjoying their freedom?

play33:53

There's nothing wrong with that.

play33:54

You should go and ask them what

play33:56

they think about Coronation Park,

play33:58

and you'll get your answer.

play34:00

- [Reggie] Do you want to do that now?

play34:01

(upbeat music)

play34:03

(yelling)

play34:06

Hello guys, how you doing?

play34:09

Where have you guys come from tonight?

play34:11

- Soweto.

play34:12

- [Reggie] Soweto?

play34:13

- Yes.

play34:14

- [Reggie] So you guys are from the township?

play34:15

- Yes.

play34:15

- [Reggie] Nice, so you come out here

play34:16

to enjoy yourself for the night?

play34:17

- Yes.

play34:19

- South Africa has come a long way.

play34:22

Some middle class Black people live in Soweto now,

play34:25

with cars, jobs,

play34:26

and money.

play34:28

Whilst it's strange to think this party

play34:29

wouldn't have even been allowed 20 years ago,

play34:32

it's even stranger that it is happening right next to

play34:35

the tents and shacks of hundreds of impoverished Afrikaners.

play34:40

There's a group of people living just over there.

play34:42

- Permanently stay--

play34:44

- [Reggie] They live there.

play34:45

- Living there a while?

play34:46

- [Reggie] You didn't know that they were there?

play34:48

- No, I didn't know anything,

play34:49

because this is a park.

play34:51

- I'm living in that squat camp tonight.

play34:52

- You won't get White people here.

play34:55

- You won't get White people living in the park?

play34:57

- You won't.

play34:58

- Well--

play34:59

- Did you prove something?

play35:00

- I'm staying there tonight, and there's a lot.

play35:02

There's about 100--

play35:04

- No, White people that are living there,

play35:06

there for days and then they are going home.

play35:09

- No, eight years.

play35:10

- No, you're lying.

play35:11

- You don't believe that there could be that many

play35:14

White people living that way over there,

play35:15

Why not--

play35:16

- I don't believe it. - Why not?

play35:17

- I'm telling you straight, you're lying.

play35:19

- No.

play35:20

I came over this hill expecting

play35:22

sort of arrogant rich White kids.

play35:25

(laughs quickly) It was quite the opposite.

play35:28

White families still earn six times

play35:30

more than Black ones on average,

play35:33

so I can understand the stereotypes.

play35:35

I hold them too.

play35:36

But if Black people can't even accept White poverty,

play35:40

I can't see a way out for JD,

play35:42

Hardis, and Harry.

play35:47

I'm on my way back to see Hardis.

play35:49

I'm surprised to hear he's been

play35:50

given a last minute job interview.

play35:53

It could be good news,

play35:54

but I'm finding it hard to be positive.

play35:57

I see his kids walking around barefoot,

play35:59

and I see used needles in the gutter,

play36:01

and drug dealers hanging out seconds from his open doorway.

play36:06

It just really gets you down.

play36:08

It just makes you think, Jesus.

play36:10

(tense music)

play36:17

Oh, that's interesting.

play36:18

There are police.

play36:19

Ah, lots of police.

play36:22

I'm gonna go find out what's gone on.

play36:32

Excuse me officer.

play36:33

- If you get inside that side through that building,

play36:35

all the people is inside there.

play36:36

- Is there something happened in that building?

play36:37

- I don't think that something has happened,

play36:39

but all the White people are inside that building.

play36:41

- Okay, thank you.

play36:42

Something's going on.

play36:50

(knocking)

play36:51

Hey, Hardis.

play36:52

- [Hardis] What's up?

play36:53

- You alright, man?

play36:54

- [Hardis] Yeah.

play36:55

- So what's happened?

play36:56

- They're busy doing a raid.

play36:57

- [Reggie] For drug dealers--

play36:58

- Drugs, cigarettes,

play37:00

if you got a shop,

play37:01

if they find any cigarettes on you,

play37:02

they're gonna confiscate it.

play37:03

- So what about you guys then, 'cause you've got--

play37:05

- Well luckily I'm a smoker,

play37:06

so I'm just going to say I smoke it.

play37:09

- Vivienne, I noticed that your shop sign's come down.

play37:12

So if they'd seen the sign, what would have happened?

play37:15

- They will search the room.

play37:16

If they find anything, they will lock me up,

play37:19

or they will give me a fine.

play37:21

- [Reggie] Vivienne and Hardis have been lucky,

play37:23

but escaping arrest isn't how I

play37:25

choose to prepare for a job interview.

play37:27

- [Hardis] It's going to look like the rainbow nation today.

play37:30

- [Reggie] Oh really, why's that?

play37:30

- [Hardis] Blue shoes with black.

play37:32

- [Reggie] Crazy colors?

play37:33

Do you not have any blacks and whites?

play37:34

- [Hardis] No.

play37:35

- They're dark, there we go.

play37:37

That'll work.

play37:39

It's funny, no matter where you are in the world,

play37:40

there's wives still dressing their husbands.

play37:45

- [Hardis] Bye bye Sienna.

play37:46

Si-no-no.

play37:47

- Hardis is interviewing for a door to door sales job.

play37:50

Looking sharp, hello.

play37:52

Look at you.

play37:53

- [Hardis] Let's go do this. (laughs quickly)

play37:54

- [Reggie] It's a massive opportunity that

play37:55

doesn't come around very often.

play37:57

- I applied for this job two years ago.

play38:00

- Wow.

play38:01

- Two years ago, and they finally--

play38:03

- Called you out of the blue.

play38:04

This is a good 30 minute drive from your place.

play38:07

How are you gonna get here as soon as you get job?

play38:09

- [Hardis] Walk.

play38:10

- It's gonna be a long walk, isn't it.

play38:13

- Oh, get these nerves.

play38:16

- You'll be fine, you'll be fine.

play38:20

So what's the situation with AA?

play38:23

- I'm hoping that there's no such thing,

play38:25

and there's opportunity.

play38:26

Even if there is, I'm still hoping that I get,

play38:30

that I convince them to actually give me the chance.

play38:33

- This is the first time I've actually

play38:34

seen him appear unsure about something, you know?

play38:37

In any scenario, you'd sort of understand,

play38:40

but in this one, there's so much more on your shoulders.

play38:44

It's not just someone trying to get a job to earn

play38:46

some money to pay for their satellite subscription.

play38:49

I really hope Hardis can get his dream job,

play38:52

but competition is tough.

play38:54

This is just the first of three interviews

play38:57

he'll have to ace to stand a chance.

play39:00

Even if he does succeed,

play39:02

his ultimate goal is not just to leave his home,

play39:05

but to take his family out of South Africa.

play39:09

(dramatic music)

play39:13

Like many Afrikaners I've spoken too,

play39:16

he's fearful for the future.

play39:21

I've come to a rally for a popular movement called EFF

play39:25

that's taking South Africa's poor Black youth by storm.

play39:29

(cheering)

play39:30

(inaudible yelling)

play39:33

The Red Beret's think Affirmative Action

play39:35

hasn't gone far enough.

play39:37

They're demanding more extreme measures

play39:39

to help Black people out of poverty,

play39:42

like taking back farm land,

play39:44

and nationalizing lucrative mines.

play39:47

- We are going to take what belongs to us.

play39:51

- [Reggie] They've become controversial

play39:53

for singing an apartheid rebellion song,

play39:55

'Shoot the Boer, Kill the Farmer'.

play39:58

- Viva EFF, tifa.

play40:01

- From old women to little kids.

play40:03

They're all screaming viva EFF.

play40:07

Just because there's now a Black government doesn't mean

play40:10

poor Black Afrikaans aren't still suffering or angry.

play40:14

- We're going on 20 years of so called independence.

play40:16

I'm only free to sit next to a White person on a bus,

play40:19

but I got no income, I got no money,

play40:21

I cannot buy anything for my children.

play40:23

My children just watch life going by.

play40:25

- Talking to people like Hardis,

play40:26

you sort of get an idea that he feels like he's

play40:28

not part of what's happening in South Africa.

play40:31

It's no different to the people here.

play40:33

They feel just as marginalized, just as not listened too,

play40:36

and just as ignored, to be honest.

play40:39

People here want change, and there's a militancy in the air.

play40:44

(yelling)

play40:45

(whistling)

play40:47

Look at that, look.

play40:48

That's mad.

play40:48

When their Commander in Chief Julius Malema turns up,

play40:52

he gets a welcome that David Cameron could only dream of.

play40:56

I think we might be able to talk to him--

play40:57

- I want to touch him with my hand.

play41:01

(whistling)

play41:04

(cheering)

play41:11

(excited yelling)

play41:13

(screaming)

play41:15

- You need to come to Marikana on the 13th.

play41:19

Now you must not sit back.

play41:21

(chanting in foreign language)

play41:27

Kiss the Boer, the farmer.

play41:30

Kiss the Boer, the farmer

play41:34

Brr, pow.

play41:35

- [Crowd] Pow.

play41:36

- Pow.

play41:37

- [Crowd] Pow, pow.

play41:38

Brr pow.

play41:39

- The whole time I've been here

play41:40

I've heard about this 'Kill The Boer' song.

play41:43

Clearly Malema has become hip to that,

play41:46

because, you know,

play41:47

it's something that's really sensitive

play41:48

to the Boer Afrikaner population out here.

play41:51

He's now changing to words of the song to kiss the Boer.

play41:54

The funny thing is that's quickly

play41:56

followed by people going pow pow.

play42:00

Different words, pretty much the same meaning.

play42:04

- Shoot to kill, Boer.

play42:06

- [Crowd] Hey.

play42:09

- I ain't never seen any politician in Britain do,

play42:11

well, sing with the people,

play42:12

and sing traditional songs.

play42:13

- Yeah, yeah.

play42:14

- And he sang the 'Kill The Boer' song,

play42:16

but he changed the words to kiss the Boer.

play42:17

- Yes.

play42:18

- [Reggie] Do you think it's a fair song?

play42:19

- Yeah, it's a fair song.

play42:20

We are kissing the knowledge.

play42:22

We do not want to fight.

play42:23

We want to fight spiritually, not physically.

play42:27

We do not want to fight with guns or whatever.

play42:29

We have to fight knowledgeably,

play42:33

and we have to fight with knowledge.

play42:36

(singing)

play42:40

- I don't want to believe that everyone here

play42:42

wants to take violent revenge on White people,

play42:45

but chanting a hate song isn't building any bridges.

play42:51

A few years ago,

play42:52

Julius Malema was tipped as a future president,

play42:55

but he's not someone many people

play42:57

in Coronation Park would vote for.

play43:00

(upbeat music)

play43:02

Why do you think that so many Black people

play43:05

in townships are supportive of Malema?

play43:07

- Because they want to kill us.

play43:10

(laughing)

play43:12

You're shocked, hey?

play43:13

- I definitely don't agree.

play43:14

- He says kill the Boer, kill the White man,

play43:16

kill the Boer, kill the White man.

play43:18

They're gonna kill us.

play43:19

They're gonna kill us!

play43:20

As soon as he comes in, we're gonna be killed.

play43:23

- Our fathers before our fathers

play43:24

treated Black people very bad.

play43:26

They did.

play43:27

And I think Julius Malema wants to just turn it around.

play43:30

- But it's wrong, it's wrong!

play43:33

So why do you want to treat us like dirt

play43:36

because of what happened that time of year?

play43:39

- It was a long time ago, but it's not that long ago.

play43:41

The fact that people are still alive

play43:44

who remember apartheid is a problem.

play43:46

The fact that there are still people who are

play43:47

holding onto feelings from that era is a problem,

play43:50

and that is why there are some people,

play43:52

not all people, some people,

play43:54

who feel a level of resentment,

play43:56

and why there is anger between Blacks and Whites.

play43:58

- Forever, and forever,

play44:00

and forever.

play44:02

(inaudible)

play44:03

Blood is blood, and flesh is flesh,

play44:05

so just leave it.

play44:06

- There are lessons in what happened,

play44:07

and I think the only way that you move forward

play44:10

is learning from what happened as opposed to forgetting.

play44:12

- And you're one stupid man.

play44:14

There's people in this world,

play44:15

that's why the world is like it is.

play44:17

Because they can't forgive and forget

play44:19

what happened in their lives.

play44:21

That's why the world is a fuck up.

play44:23

Straight talking, breaking no friendship.

play44:26

That's why the world is fucked up.

play44:28

- But to forget what's happened

play44:29

will be completely irresponsible,

play44:30

because then you can't learn from what went wrong,

play44:33

and that is why,

play44:33

hear me out, Irene.

play44:34

Hear me out, hear me out--

play44:35

- I don't want to speak to you anymore.

play44:36

I told you now what I think about the life.

play44:39

I just told you everything I know,

play44:41

everything that I know, everything I want to say to you.

play44:44

And that's that.

play44:45

- We're not going to agree on this.

play44:46

- We will never agree.

play44:47

Never.

play44:47

Let me tell you one thing, my friend

play44:49

We will never agree.

play44:52

- Forgiving and forgetting is not the way I live my life.

play44:56

I mean, I've got a tattoo on my arm that says never regret,

play44:58

never forget, you know?

play45:02

I think it's important that you don't forget.

play45:05

It's definitely important that you forgive,

play45:07

and that's the only way that things are gonna change.

play45:08

If people forgive.

play45:10

But you must never forget.

play45:12

'Cause if you forget, what the hell are you gonna learn?

play45:16

There is no quick fix for the divisions

play45:18

and inequality in South Africa.

play45:20

The poor Afrikaners I've met are

play45:22

undoubtedly getting a rough deal now.

play45:25

But if there is a price to pay for decades of oppression,

play45:28

perhaps this is the least worst option.

play45:33

In Pretoria,

play45:35

Hardis has asked me to meet him after making it through

play45:37

to the final interview for his sales job.

play45:40

Okay, so today it was the big day?

play45:42

- Got some bad news and some good news.

play45:45

- [Reggie] Okay, bad news first?

play45:46

- I need to wake up early tomorrow morning.

play45:49

Best news, I can start working on my birthday,

play45:52

which is tomorrow.

play45:56

- Incredible.

play45:57

That's unbelievable, congratulations.

play46:00

What a birthday present!

play46:01

- Yeah, it is.

play46:02

It's, uh,

play46:04

I really didn't expect this.

play46:05

- What does this mean for you and your family then?

play46:07

- We get a life, which is what I've been hoping for,

play46:10

what I've been dreaming for.

play46:11

- [Reggie] Yeah.

play46:12

Does Vivienne know yet?

play46:13

- No.

play46:16

(speaking in foreign language)

play46:18

(baby crying)

play46:30

- Congratulations, Vivienne.

play46:32

Big news.

play46:33

What's the first thing you want to do?

play46:35

- Just get out of this place.

play46:36

(baby screaming)

play46:37

You have to understand something,

play46:40

I can't let them grow up here in this place.

play46:44

- When I got the yes,

play46:45

after I left the office it was just,

play46:49

it felt like I was taking a huge

play46:51

load of stuff just of my shoulders.

play46:54

So, it's a big change for me.

play46:59

I'm still gonna make it, and I'm still gonna do it.

play47:03

- It's been a pleasure meeting you.

play47:05

Take care.

play47:05

Best of luck, okay?

play47:06

- [Vivienne] Okay, thank you.

play47:07

- Take care.

play47:08

See you later, little man.

play47:10

- [Hardis] She wants to give you a hug.

play47:11

- Oh, do I get a hug?

play47:13

Okay, monkey.

play47:14

See you later.

play47:16

- [Vivienne] Goodbye!

play47:17

- See you later, little monkey.

play47:18

- [Sienna] Bye!

play47:18

- Bye!

play47:19

- [Vivienne] Bye.

play47:21

- See you later, Hardis.

play47:22

Bye monkey.

play47:23

- Bye.

play47:25

- I'm really pleased that Hardis

play47:27

at least has made a positive change.

play47:31

I'd come here hoping to see a rainbow nation,

play47:33

but there's clearly some way to go.

play47:35

Integration is happening, but only in pockets.

play47:39

I'm surprised it's the poor Afrikaners who feel

play47:42

they don't belong in South Africa anymore.

play47:45

Essentially,

play47:46

Black and White people are victims of apartheid,

play47:49

and they're still feeling the effects of it.

play47:52

It's a problem that's affected poor,

play47:54

rich, White,

play47:55

and Black.

play47:57

Do you think that you're a victim of apartheid still?

play48:04

- Definitely my generation.

play48:08

Paying a price.

play48:10

Paying a price for our forefathers.

play48:15

South Africa's passed this door hunting.

play48:22

But it won't be like that always.

play48:25

Change takes time.

play48:28

It really does.

play48:30

Happy?

play48:30

- Very happy.

play48:32

I look 10 years younger, it's amazing.

play48:33

Nice work, J.

play48:37

(laughing)

play48:38

(giggling)

play48:40

See you later guys.

play48:41

- Bye.

play48:42

Always look to the trees and to the sky.

play48:46

Remember us then.

play48:52

- It's a bit weird seeing them react

play48:56

the way that they have to me.

play49:00

And it's a,

play49:02

if I'm gonna be really honest,

play49:04

I feel a bit strange leaving.

play49:05

I mean, not that I want to stay here but...

play49:11

you know, I'm going home,

play49:14

and I know what I'm going home too.

play49:16

And they're staying here.

play49:18

I mean, they're staying here in this.

play49:21

This is how kids play here.

play49:23

This is the reality for them here.

play49:26

Good people.

play49:29

Really good people.

play49:33

My time in Coronation Park and Joburg has come to an end.

play49:38

The people I've been living with

play49:39

are in a very difficult position,

play49:41

but they still have make me very welcome,

play49:43

and that's important.

play49:45

Thank you so much.

play49:46

- Take care. - Take care, okay?

play49:47

- I will.

play49:48

- During the years of apartheid,

play49:49

I wouldn't have been been allowed to step foot in this park.

play49:53

And that is progress, at least for me.

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関連タグ
ApartheidSouth AfricaRacial StrugglesPovertyReconciliationWhite AfrikanersBlack Middle ClassAffirmative ActionSocial InequalityPost-ApartheidCultural Divide
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