Ikwezi A Town Lacking in Dreams
The desires the people hold are simple: Better education, basic amenities and healthcare, but many of these are out of reach. Time will tell. A typical street in Ikwezi.
from Port Elizabeth. Its economy is stagnant, and unemployment is high. The mayor of Ikwezi does not live ZIMBABWE ZIMBABWE ZIMBABWE ZIMBABWE ZIMBABWE It is midday in Klipplaat, one of the in this small town on the Eastern Cape. four towns that make up the municipality. Instead, he commutes nearly an hour — BOTSWANA BOTSWANA BOTSWANA BOTSWANA BOTSWANA Goats mill about in search of food. They an indication that those who seek careers come across growing trees that have been and higher education must go elsewhere. Johannesburg Johannesburg Johannesburg Johannesburg Johannesburg planted inside tires in a futile attempt Inside the mayor’s office a line of women SOUTH SOUTH SOUTH SOUTH SOUTH to keep the animals from reaching their AFRICA AFRICA stand, waiting to fill outAFRICA paperwork. Some AFRICA AFRICA leaves. A farmer quickly chases them carry babies on their hips in hopes of BradleyPort Levack Port Port Port away. Green, grassy hills nearby provide Elizabeth Elizabeth gettingElizabeth powdered milk. Others seek answers Cape Cape Cape Cape Elizabeth N A Town Town Town Town I N grazing for many livestock. Farming is D N I N families. DIA on how toI Nprovide for their growing AN AN N N N D I AN CEA I N D IA N I the I N D IA N A O E C one of few occupations available. A O a town lacking in dreams. The Ikwezi is OCE OCE OCE One group hopes to change desires that the people hold are simple: Ikwezi Cape Town Port Elizabeth Nieu-Bethesda Karoo facing these towns. limitations Better education for their children, The Youth Forum is a simple basic amenities and health care. name. No clever acronyms or fancy With many of these out of reach, dreams are an afterthought. monikers. Under direction of Bradley Although the name translates as “morning star” Levack, the forum is named for those in Xhosa, one feels that the warmness of its people is who it is trying to reach. Levack is a artificial. One wonders if their smiles reflect contentment developmental practitioner for Ikwezi. or reluctance to accept an inevitable fate. Thandeka Mduna, the Ikwezi is a municipality of fewer than 12,000 residents secretary for the forum, speaks fewer than 230 kilometers (a little more than 140 miles) inland Thandeka Mduna
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Reflections on Freedom 2013
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By Bracey Harris
