You can't come to Johannesburg and not go to Soweto. You can't go to Soweto and not do the politics. It's a place that confirms your knowledge (yes it's a township with huts, dirt tracks, shared taps and illegally tapped electricity) and it also confounds your perceptions (it's affluent in parts, very middle class in parts, there is wealth and its on show - BMWs on drives of beautiful villas covered in bouganvillea). its refreshing. There are lots of primary and secondary schools and two universities. The importance of education as a way of advancevent for the individual and society is well understood - which is different to ten years ago. There is clearly aspiration - talking to Charles he sets out the ambition of people and he says the juxtaposition of middle class achievement is
... read more