Friday, March 14, 2014
bus tour of Durban
Durban is a city of 4 million people and a major seaport of
South Africa. Paper pulp and wood chips
from Eucalyptus trees are a major export. Fields of sugar cane, another major export,
surround the outskirts of the city. The
soil is very good but the stalks are shorter than we see in the USA because
there is no irrigation done. When the crop is ready the migrant families come
in to harvest while the tops are burned to provide richer sucrose. 25 % if
Durban’s population is decedents of India, who were brought in as a 10 yr. Indentured servant by the British for cheap
labor in the 1800’s. We visited the downtown Indian trade market where spices
etc. are sold. It is a way of life. The large roads into the city are toll
roads. They have been privatized so the
tolls pay for the upkeep and improvement.
Our first stop in Durban was the Zulu Cultural village. It was up in the hills overlooking the
city. We had a demonstration of their native
dance, a history of their tribe, and then advanced into their native huts for
more educational demonstrations it was very interesting and we then toured
their display of crocodiles and snakes.
We visited the downtown Indian trade market where spices
etc. are sold. They also sell many
cultural and beaded items in the stalls.
The downtown was interesting as you saw the diverse cultures of the
people and the buildings. On the sidewalks there is an informal policy of free
trade. People come to town and sell
their wares and produce on the sidewalks. It is a way of life and very helpful
for the poorer people where they can buy, sell, or barter.
We had lunch at the downtown Aquarium in Durban. We sat at tables which were beside a tank of
fish including sharks. It was a great
meal and the ambiance was terrific.
We
followed that with a guided tour of the Phansi Cultural Museum where we saw
many artefacts of the different cultures of SA.
While driving along the highways it is interesting to find
the cell towers. They are all built to
look like various trees. No two appear
alike so you have to look close to find them.
The educational system in SA requires that each child get 12
years of education to receive a certificate.
Children may leave school at age 16 without a certificate. Anyone with a certificate can apply for a
place in the university but acceptance numbers are controlled by the ethnic
background of the country and the
individual. Some people have to apply
several times to get in. Whites are the
minority and thus it is harder for them to get in but this is done to reverse
the effects of apartheid. Some of the
public schools in rural areas have 60 students to 1 teacher. The public schools are given seed and the
children are taught life lessons including how to plant and care for private
crops. They are taught to grow
vegetables for their family and to sell.
Vegetables grown at the school are often sent home with the children who
live without parents. Aids is still a
big risk factor and thus personal hygiene and aids prevention is taught in
school starting at age 6.
