Where are we - Our world |
The Eastern Cape, or the ‘former Transkei’ is struggling to catch up with the developing world. Over populated and under resourced, the situation here is a far cry from the magnificent wealth of Johannesburg, or the manicured farms and vineyards around Cape Town. This owes a great deal to the legacy of apartheid and centuries of colonial oppression. |
In 1976 the Transkei became the first and largest independent homeland within South African borders. It was the showpiece of South Africa's homeland project, which was intended to highlight to international communities the “benefits” of separate development and separate settlement. The Xhosa people were encouraged to live in the Transkei, whereupon the South African Government revoked their citizenship. One of the deliberate consequences of this was that black people living in these areas were denied equal access to education, employment, public services and resources.
The elections in 1994 gave birth to South Africa’s nascent democracy; however a large majority of the population has yet to reap the material and social benefits of this. The constitution promises to bring black South Africans their long-overdue human rights, some of the most basic being rights to health and education. However, the Xhosa people of the ‘former Transkei’ are still waiting for the time when they can truly celebrate the end of apartheid and grasp their rights as the fruits of their new democracy.
Long-term changes need to take place in order to significantly improve the situation in the Eastern Cape, and the Government is starting to implement changes to boost infrastructure, education, health, and economy. In the meantime life for the Xhosa people is about surviving from one day to the next. Transcape wants to take people beyond mere survival by helping communities develop meaningful opportunities to improve their quality of life.
