Facing the ocean: South Africa

This is South Africa. With a land mass of 1,219,090 square kilometers, South Africa has a population of around 49 million people. Of this population, 79 percent are black, 9.6 percent are white, 8.9 percent are mixed race and another 2.5 percent are Indian or Asian in ethnicity. Some of the most significant problems facing South Africa are AIDS and unemployment.

One flag, two national anthems, three capitals, nine states and 11 official languages -- these details paint an accurate portrait of South Africa. It was in 1994 that the racially based system of separation called apartheid that guided this nation came to an end. It was then that democratic elections finally took place, and Nelson Mandela was elected head of state. The 1990s generally brought blacks to power in South Africa, bringing to an end the regime that had been based on racism. Despite changes in the levels of equality brought about by blacks coming into power in South Africa, the situation and reality you see on the streets does not reflect overwhelming amounts of equality: The chasm between rich and poor here is enormous. For example, you will not see a single white person riding any mass transportation vehicle such as a bus or a mini-bus.

It is nighttime as we look out on Johannesburg, and the view is quite beautiful. The city appears to sparkle. It is a well planned and laid out city, though after 6 p.m., life here seems to finish, and the city goes silent. By 11 p.m., even the main boulevards are completely empty. This is partially because there are very real dangers that you could face on the streets at night, from robbers to kidnappers to murderers.

Soweto

A very different world awaits you southwest of Johannesburg. It is called Soweto, a name derived from a shortening of the name “South West Township.” This is a world made up of tin shack houses and home to around 4 million people. The entire population of Soweto is black. You will not see a single white person here. The homes rarely have running water or electricity in Soweto, and as we enter this shanty town, we are surrounded by children who want to talk and shake our hands. When we get to the center of Soweto, we take some photographs, though we are also surrounded by four bodyguards here. It is a known reality that, in fact, Soweto can be dangerous for whites. Last year, one young woman was killed after she dropped her black friend off at his home here in her car. Other aspects to be aware of when it comes to Soweto are that diseases such as AIDS as well as others are very frequently encountered here. And so the landscape of tin home and narrow streets that is Soweto goes on for many kilometers as we move along in our cars.

As in other African nations, many tribes live in South Africa. Some of these are the Zulu, Basutu, Ndebele, Koza and the Pedi tribes. At the Lesedi Culture Village near Johannesburg, the traditions and ways of these tribes are put on display for visitors.

Of course, the Lesedi village is just a sample village, but not far from it are homes which really do resemble the homes displayed here. South Africa has a Zulu king. We head around to all the homes open for visitation at the Lesedi village. We hear details about the traditions and ways of the various tribes represented here. Some of the traditions we hear about are hunting methods, food traditions, weaving traditions and dress styles. After this, the dances start, and we hear about which dances are important, and why. The Zulus are one of the largest tribes in South Africa. Their dances reflect important characteristics of the region. One of the dances we see describes preparations for a wedding. According to tradition, a man must be prepared to give 11 cows for the girl he wishes to marry.

One of the more interesting experiences we have in South Africa is when we allow a python to be placed around our shoulders. This is a cold animal, but in no time at all, we feel its heat. You can also feel with your entire body when its muscles move; this, after all, is an animal that uses its muscles to kill its prey. This 9-year-old python weighs around 40 kilograms.

Traveling around Johannesburg, we look for the gravesite of Mehmet Remzi Efendi, the first and last Ambassador to South Africa from the Ottoman Empire. But before we find where he is buried, we must find the Muslim graveyard. We are quite excited to be the first TV station to visit this site from Turkey. After all, he was one of the last diplomatic representatives of the Ottomans. We found a gravestone decorated with a star and crescent. Mehmet Remzi Bey died in 1916 at the age of 46. His gravestone bears the words “Envoy of the Ottoman Empire.” And the words go on to say: “Do not be surprised to see me dead here, tomorrow you will be just as I am.” On one side of the gravestone the writing is in Ottoman, while on the other side, the Latin alphabet is used. The writing has worn off and is difficult to read. Apparently his family did not have enough money to bring his body back to Turkey at the time he died. This is why Mehmet Remzi Efendi’s grave remains here to this day.

A Lesedi man in traditional clothing Carvings at a gift shop Traditional homes in Lesedi Johannesburg . Local villagers from Lesedi