12 May 2009

Geography and Politics

Funny how geography can reflect recent political realities. On a drive South of Joburg though the countryside I noticed that many of the small towns with Afrikaans or English names (Petrusburg, Kestell, Reddersburg, Smithfield) had another town nearby with a name that definitely didn't come from a European root (Mofulatshepe, Qhoweng, Bolokanang). Then I realised: segregation during Apartheid meant that, since people weren't allowed to live together, but were still required to work together, the whole country developed mini-Berlin-before-the-wall-came-down's, where there was always a definite 'wrong side of the tracks'. Here are some examples:

Petrusburg

Warrenton

Kestell

Bethlehem- no, not that one...

Fouriesburg

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