South Africa's History

Often times we talk about our history in the U.S. and we complain about how things haven't got better for us, which that still may be the case; however, South Africa's "history" or apartheid just ended less than 20 years ago. Black South Africans, Indians, and ethnic groups other than white Africans has had to endure through a lot of pain. They weren't granted the same access to housing, they weren't able to receive the same treatments, have the same education, go in the same public facilities and they were slaughtered or imprisoned for fighting for what they deserved. Many people died during the fight and people like Nelson Mandela aka Madiba "Father of the Nation," were respected for what he did for his country. Through the foundation Nelson Mandela Foundation, formed in 1999, he fought a long fight against institutionalized racism, involved himself with charity work, and fought against HIV/AIDS. He gave hope to those who didn't know if hope still existed.

We were able to visit the two cells that Nelson Mandela was housed in. In one of the photos below you will see a former inmate who was looked at as participating in terroristic activity, because he was fighting for his rights. He was only 17 and was released a few years later. He is now receiving money back from time that was taken away from him and placing a charge on his record preventing many jobs from hiring him. He still lives on Robben Island where they were kept and underfed alongside the guards that were participating in the acts. He stated that he had forgiven them, they are now friends and that he only wanted to move forward.

The suitcases that are pictured are the only items families could gather when told to pack up because they have to move out of their homes. They had no where to go and the picture right below it is an example of where many of the families are still living to this day. They have no running food or water and the government only comes and visit them to bring water once a week.