Three hours ago, Fergal Keane of BBC News tweeted about an encounter he had in South Africa that left a lasting impact on him. He described a squatter camp outside Johannesburg in 1994, just before South Africa’s first non-racial elections. Keane met a woman named Cynthia Mthebe who was burying her shack to hide it from government bulldozers. Despite facing tear gas and rubber bullets, Cynthia and others returned each evening to sleep in their homes. Cynthia’s story exemplifies the struggles of millions of South Africa’s poorest people under apartheid and in the years since democracy has endured. Today, Cynthia lives in a house built by her children, surviving on a small welfare grant and support from her family. She remains critical of the ruling African National Congress, expressing frustration over the lack of jobs and ongoing hardships faced by many in the country.
