Verse 42: Stories and Tales

A part of traveling is the people you meet where-ever you go. As your journey goes on, you'll hear from many MANY people many MANY stories. In South Africa, locals consist of whites, coloureds, and blacks - each with a different, but first hand tale of South Africa. These are some their stories.


1. "...[we] would have to sit at the back of the bus. And when it rains, the front of the bus would be empty and there'd be tons of coloureds and blacks waiting at the bus stop...but the bus driver wouldn't stop...because the bus can't take more PEOPLE....if he [the bus drive] did, he'll get fired....".

Name: J
Perspective: Coloured
Occupation: Unknown
Context: On a bus



2. "I feel alone man. No I can't get a job...food? I ask someone to buy it for me...yes, everyday..."

Name: M
Perspective: Coloured
Occupation: Homeless
Context: Cafe inside a grocery store



3. "We go to a school, they go to a different school. We sit here on this side, they sit over there...We just knew...Our parents didn't tell us about..., we just knew...we grew up with it...it was very confusing, we just didn't know why..."

Name: X
Perspective: Black
Occupation: Convenient store owner
Context: Cafe


4. "Eastern Cape...get off work, go home, come here, go home, sleep, go to work."

Name: Unknown
Perspective: Black
Occupation: Employed
Context: Shabeen (township pub)


5. "...like, c'mon, apartheid ended 11 years ago... they just gotta get off their asses and do something."

Name: Unknown
Perspective: White
Occupation: Restaurant and Bar owner
Context: Restaurant bar table



6: "Most of the white people here are going to say "Nelson Mandela? That bastard...but I think he's a great man...changed the image of South Africa...people don't look at us the same way after...he's done good things for us."

Name: Vernne
Perspective: White
Occupation: Safari Ranger
Context: On our quadbikes on top of a mountain in the middle of bare African landscape


7: "You see, the next generation won't know....because they never lived through those days. It was really oppressing and depressing."

Name: Andre
Perspective: Coloured
Occupation: Navy electrician
Context: balcony cafe over looking Mandela Day Festival


8: "...think my mind is as black as my skin. They are wrong."

Name: Buyiswa
Perspective: Black
Occupation: Creche manager
Context: Over a cup of coffee during break



9: "Aspeling Street. 45 Aspeling Street. It's where I lived [laughs]...we were forced to move...all coloured, blacks had to...had to carry a passport to go in that area...caught without [passport], they'll take you to jail."

"My father was involved in a conspiracy to....government. But my mom found out and didn't let him go...all of the other guys were arrested and...25 years. My brother...leader of student council...with other school started a protest in town...beaten until...then arrested."

Name: Ray
Perspective: Coloured
Occupation: Delivery Driver
Context: In his car, on the road to township


10: "Our country's got great potential."

Name: Robert
Perspective: White
Occupation: Master builder
Context: In his truck, on the open road


11: "Look at the colour of my skin, that's why."

Name: Unknown
Perspective: Black
Occupation: Unknown
Context: Street curb