Things are usually pretty calm here except for this past Monday.
University students have been protesting all over the province I think since Friday. Read more here: http://www.dailynews.co.za/ukzn-students-go-on-rampage-1.1034280
Joe and I went to Howard campus at around noon to hear some jazz not really thinking of the protests. We had just comeback from a very laid back weekend in Eshowe with my aunt. We headed for the library but it was closed. We decided to head to the building right next door (Shepstone building). We found relief there and then were going to start heading to the theater. I think we were a bit early because I began hearing some singing and got curious to just observe. It was just a few students in the hall at first. Then about 300 yards away in the direction of the theater a large group of students came marching by and singing. I got out my camera to document, as a good anthropologist should. Anyhow, the first wave of students came by without incident and seemed joyful at their united effort. However, as some of them in the back were passing you see their efforts were not entirely peaceful as they knocked over very heavy cement trash bins onto the tile floor. A wave of trash was left in their wake.
About 10 seconds later another wave of students could be seen. I wondered out loud to Joe whether we should follow or wait for the next wave. We decided to wait off to the side. It was exciting hearing the singing and watching the students march. Unfortunately, the next wave were not so peaceful because right at the beginning a young man threw something at me. Then he screamed for me to turn off the camera that I was not permitted to take pictures. Before I could do or say anything he came up to me and tried to grab the camera. Joe pushed the guy to prevent him from touching me. Then the guy hit Joe. It was surreal! My camera was flung out of my hands, I was pushed to the ground, my glasses flew off my face and I lost a flip flop. At that point I had nothing material to worry about so I tried to get between them but Joe was swinging to defend himself. People were screaming all around (from what I got from the video). Then a bunch of other guys jumped in, luckily some were trying to help us! Anyway some guy picked up my stuff and handed it to me and we were shoved into an empty class room. We just looked at each other in shock. Joe's nose was bleeding but was not broken or anything. It didn't look very good though.
When we gathered are barrings we exited to the same guys that I assume shoved us into the room. They enquired whether we were okay and if we wanted to go to the clinic. As we were standing around a large group of students began gathering around us. I was not really scared or nervous at that point although maybe I should have been. I really just wanted Joe to clean himself up and make sure he was okay. The young man had the foresight to lead us away from the protestors. He apologized profusely and explained to us how sometimes the people get very emotional during these times and when they see someone from another race taking pictures they get angry because they think those people are trying to make them look bad. Well, if I must say his actions made himself look bad and I got it on video!
Joe washed up. While he was in the bathroom a young lady came up to us to apologize for the incident. I think they felt really bad when they found out we were from overseas! Another student came up to us and asked us to report the incident to the police. Joe did not want to but we ended up talking to them outside after the guy led us out. Anyway, when we were talking to the police the student who had led us out and urged us to report ran up to us saying "it just happened again" around that same time there was almost another altercation between the protesters and another guy (dunno if he was a student or not). The police asked if we wanted to press charges but we were like "who would we press charges against?" because we really didn't see his face. We gave them our contact info. and the captain - a tall, thin Indian man with shotgun shells round his waist, a bullet proof vest, and aviator type sunglasses on - stated he would file a report for their purposes.
Anyway by the time the students were outside we watched a few of them stage a sit in and then decided to leave because I had an interview to conduct. It was hectic but luckily nothing worse happened. Joe's nose is okay but he has a black eye. :( Lesson learned, next time I see a protest I will be far away if I want to document!
University students have been protesting all over the province I think since Friday. Read more here: http://www.dailynews.co.za/ukzn-students-go-on-rampage-1.1034280
Joe and I went to Howard campus at around noon to hear some jazz not really thinking of the protests. We had just comeback from a very laid back weekend in Eshowe with my aunt. We headed for the library but it was closed. We decided to head to the building right next door (Shepstone building). We found relief there and then were going to start heading to the theater. I think we were a bit early because I began hearing some singing and got curious to just observe. It was just a few students in the hall at first. Then about 300 yards away in the direction of the theater a large group of students came marching by and singing. I got out my camera to document, as a good anthropologist should. Anyhow, the first wave of students came by without incident and seemed joyful at their united effort. However, as some of them in the back were passing you see their efforts were not entirely peaceful as they knocked over very heavy cement trash bins onto the tile floor. A wave of trash was left in their wake.
About 10 seconds later another wave of students could be seen. I wondered out loud to Joe whether we should follow or wait for the next wave. We decided to wait off to the side. It was exciting hearing the singing and watching the students march. Unfortunately, the next wave were not so peaceful because right at the beginning a young man threw something at me. Then he screamed for me to turn off the camera that I was not permitted to take pictures. Before I could do or say anything he came up to me and tried to grab the camera. Joe pushed the guy to prevent him from touching me. Then the guy hit Joe. It was surreal! My camera was flung out of my hands, I was pushed to the ground, my glasses flew off my face and I lost a flip flop. At that point I had nothing material to worry about so I tried to get between them but Joe was swinging to defend himself. People were screaming all around (from what I got from the video). Then a bunch of other guys jumped in, luckily some were trying to help us! Anyway some guy picked up my stuff and handed it to me and we were shoved into an empty class room. We just looked at each other in shock. Joe's nose was bleeding but was not broken or anything. It didn't look very good though.
When we gathered are barrings we exited to the same guys that I assume shoved us into the room. They enquired whether we were okay and if we wanted to go to the clinic. As we were standing around a large group of students began gathering around us. I was not really scared or nervous at that point although maybe I should have been. I really just wanted Joe to clean himself up and make sure he was okay. The young man had the foresight to lead us away from the protestors. He apologized profusely and explained to us how sometimes the people get very emotional during these times and when they see someone from another race taking pictures they get angry because they think those people are trying to make them look bad. Well, if I must say his actions made himself look bad and I got it on video!
Joe washed up. While he was in the bathroom a young lady came up to us to apologize for the incident. I think they felt really bad when they found out we were from overseas! Another student came up to us and asked us to report the incident to the police. Joe did not want to but we ended up talking to them outside after the guy led us out. Anyway, when we were talking to the police the student who had led us out and urged us to report ran up to us saying "it just happened again" around that same time there was almost another altercation between the protesters and another guy (dunno if he was a student or not). The police asked if we wanted to press charges but we were like "who would we press charges against?" because we really didn't see his face. We gave them our contact info. and the captain - a tall, thin Indian man with shotgun shells round his waist, a bullet proof vest, and aviator type sunglasses on - stated he would file a report for their purposes.
Anyway by the time the students were outside we watched a few of them stage a sit in and then decided to leave because I had an interview to conduct. It was hectic but luckily nothing worse happened. Joe's nose is okay but he has a black eye. :( Lesson learned, next time I see a protest I will be far away if I want to document!
On a lighter note, yesterday evening we did a few interviews in the late morning and afternoon. At 18:30 hrs (6:30 pm) we went to give a talk at the Rotary Club in Amanzimtoti at the Winkelspruit Bowling club. Sipho Gumbi is the President of the club. We were welcomed by last year's president Roy. Joe and I went around he room introducing ourselves to everyone. The club's attendance was about 80% with 20 people present. There was a nice mix of people in age and ethnicity. There was even a Rotarian there who knew Bloomington, IN very well since he had gone on a training there for five months! We had a lot to talk about. Everyone was very warm to us and we were treated as part of the family. We even found that some of the Rotarians were our neighbors! After I spoke we were invited to make the "Toti" club our second home, especially because it is so close to where we are staying.
Our next meeting is in Chatsworth, can't wait to meet those Rotarians.
Our next meeting is in Chatsworth, can't wait to meet those Rotarians.
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