Soweto

My notions of Soweto came from the news reporting of the 1990's. Today we visited a quite different place from that in my head. Both these photos were taken in Soweto today. They show the extraordinary divide between those Africans who are doing well financially - having received an education and working in well paid professions. They have chosen to go back to Soweto to live.

On the other hand there are still homes without electricity or proper amenities - shanties - such as you see in the bottom photo.

The vast majority of the one and a half million people living in Soweto live in homes somewhere in between these two. Basically, four-roomed, single storey houses - many of which have been extended over the years.

There are shopping centres, smart cars and over 100 schools. I have to say I was relieved to see that there had been any progress at all, but there's still a long way to go to improves the living conditions of so many people.

We also spent a very educational morning in the Apartheid Museum. You can't take photos there, but the images and feeling will stay etched on my mind. The chap who drove us was a real historian. He knew his stuff and put it very clearly.

In a few hours the President, Joseph Zuma will give his State of the Nation speech. As he's been accused of spending 247 million rand on upgrading his home, one can expect quite a big kerfuffle from the demonstrators who are currently in a security-heavy Cape Town.