Week 2: Exploring Identity by Evan

By Evan Carr

Cape Town skyline with a cloudy Table Mountain in the background

Our week in Cape Town has presented us with numerous opportunities to engage with the community as South Africa grapples with its identity. We have met with individuals from across the political spectrum and from various racial backgrounds, including those involved in sex workers’ rights, presenting alternative historical narratives, and Parliament. A critical element of this week, especially for me, has been the time we’ve spent reflecting upon our experiences and exploring our own identity.

Robben Island Prison - Several anti-apartheid activists,
 including Nelson Mandela and Robert Sobukwe,
were imprisoned here. 

The week began with a boat ride out to Robben Island to visit where Nelson Mandela and many other heroes of the Liberation Struggle served political imprisonment sentences under the Apartheid government. By attending a performance by a Coloured stand-up comic in the evening we were able to hear not only a lighter take on race relations in South Africa, but also an in-depth account of the experience of people who straddle the divide between black and white and had a unique experience under Apartheid as Coloured (or mixed race) people.

We also did a walking tour of the city with Lucy Campbell and learned about the history and impact of slavery in the region as she presented us with a history that one can only decipher by reading between the lines. It was imperative that we understood this alternative history given that so much power in South Africa is concentrated in the hands of the wealthy and government, rather than with the people. One of the starkest examples of this power discrepancy was through monument memorialization. We observed the contrast between the looming, grandiose monuments of white South African generals compared to the essentially invisible monuments commemorating the plight of slaves. Despite the change in government in 1994, the historical narrative of Apartheid still lives on in South African spaces.

Cape Town buildings

This week has also afforded us the opportunity to better understand issues of health and sexuality, particularly surrounding HIV/AIDS. We heard from a transgender and HIV/AIDS rights activist who told her story and advocated for more work to be done in eliminating stigma surrounding these issues. A photographic and sculptural exhibit also allowed us to immerse ourselves in the experiences and lives of people living with HIV/AIDS. This valuable experience was coupled with a visit to the Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Team, or SWEAT. Activists there outlined their work in pushing for the decriminalization of sex work in South Africa and again for the need to eliminate stigma.

South Africa's Parliament Chamber

A visit to Parliament, culminating with a discussion with Andricus van der Westhuizen of the Democratic Alliance (DA) party rounded out our experience in Cape Town. He presented us with an insightful overview of his party’s stances and of the South African political climate more generally. He also stressed that unemployment was the biggest threat to the nation. Especially interesting were van der Westhuizen’s comments on current race relations and the legacy of Apartheid. When asked about the possibility for an increase in right-wing, racialized politics and populism, Mr. van der Westhuizen explained that “in South Africa we have a free association of people where you go where you feel comfortable.” I found this to be quite a privileged comment and wondered whether people living in the ghettoized townships would say they felt comfortable. The blatant contrasts of South African identity extended to the perspectives we heard this week as Pastor Allan Storey presented us with his personal take on how to own one’s privileges, love and respect others, and move forward with a more equitable South Africa and world.