South Africa: Lotus Park

As part of my Leaders in Grassroots Organizations class, I had the opportunity to visit one of the townships and witness the conditions under which a large percentage of South Africa's population are forced to live. On Friday I travelled to Lotus Park, which is located in the Gugulethu township, just 15 kilometers from Cape Town's city center. Lotus Park is an informal human settlement, meaning these shack communities are made from scrap materials and constructed on illegal land tenure.

After stepping off the bus and into the community, I was first struck by the horrific smell, and then amazed at the amount of garbage lying throughout the community. Lotus Park lacks any type of drainage system, leading to extreme pollution and contamination. I couldn't help but compare this environment to that of my childhood dwellings. At that moment, I knew this was going to an even harder day than I had ever imagined.

Lwazi, a 24 year old resident of Lotus Park offered to show me around his community. In addition to being involved in a community leadership committee, Lwazi is an aspiring rap artist. He has actually turned his small shack into a recording studio. Currently, he is working on a proposal to receive funding for his recording efforts. He was kind enough to show me where he stayed. Upon arriving at his house, I was amazed by his engineering skills. He managed to construct his shack on top of another; and being the only 2nd story shack in the community, his view of Lotus Park was indescribable. I was even lucky enough to hear some of his music, and I pray that some day, more people will have had that opportunity as well.

As we wandered through the community, Lwazi informed me that about half the community is lacking electricity, causing them to rely on candle light during the evening hours. Consequently, seeing as many of the shacks are constructed form plywood and cardboard, raging fires are quite common. Lwazi then pointed out that there were no roads constructed through the community, making it impossible for emergency vehicles to respond to incidents within Lotus Park. This is the case for fire trucks, ambulances, and police respondents as well. As a result, Lotus Park has become one of the most dangerous areas in South Africa.

The police response time for emergencies is around one hour. Hence, gender based violence and rape are prominent issues in the community. Other issues facing the community include the lack of resources and intervention programs for the youth. Many children become involved in drug abuse and gang activity at a very early age. Once a child has gained membership into a gang, it is impossible for them to escape.

Towards the end of the visit, I encountered an elderly woman, sitting outside her home. She only spoke Xhosa, but thanks to Lwazi's translations, I was able to speak with her. The emotion this woman conveyed was incredible, everything about her reeked of exhaustion, frustration and hopelessness. This made me question the revolutionary concept of a 'new South Africa.' Of course, I agree that South Africa has come a long way since the demise of apartheid. But how can they boast of a "new" nation when so many communities are still living in such despair?

Lotus Park is located right off the N2 Freeway…less than 10 miles from downtown Cape Town. That is just minutes away from luxurious hotels, expensive boutiques and sky high office buildings. It is unbelievable to me that these two realities exist in the same world, let alone practically on each others door step. And even worse is the lack of acknowledgment.