Saturday, March 8, 2025 - Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Port Elizabeth's name has now been officially changed to Gqeberha, which is named after the Xhosa and Southern Khoe name for the Baakens River that flows through the city.   The port was previously named by the Europeans which settled there and the original residents felt strongly that they wanted the name of their port to be based on their local culture and language.  Gquberha is a major seaport and the sixth-most populated city in  South Africa.  It is the cultural, economic and financial hub of the eastern part of South Africa.

Gqeberha was founded in 1820 as Port Elizabeth by Sir Rufane Donkin, who was the governor of the Cape at the time.  He named it after his wife, Elizabeth, who had died in India and over which he was brokenhearted.  The township was formally established by the British government of the Cape Colony when 4,000 British colonists settled in Algoa Bay.  Today, it is nicknamed "the friendly city" or "the windy city."  

The city's warm oceanic climate ranks it among the top cities in the world for pleasant year-round weather.  The city is known for many perfect white sand beaches along the city's urban coastline.  It  is popular as an international and local holiday destination and its rich and diverse cultural heritage.  It is a gateway city for the Eastern Cape's adventure, outdoor and African "big five" game safari tourism.  The local railway was completed in 1873 and had a major impact on the rapid increase in the town's population.  With the massive expansion of the railway network to the interior over the following years, the harbor at Gqeberha became the focus for serving import and export needs of a large area of the interior.  The increased amount of business helped to create a more diverse community of the area.

Under apartheid, the South African government established legal racial segregation and started programs to separate communities physically as well as by custom.  Non-whites were relocated to various townships built exclusively for their use in 1962.  Sometimes classification was arbitrary.  Sometimes citizens who appeared to have mixed ancestry (Colored) were, at times, moved to the segregated townships.  This practice of forcibly relocating residents was enforced from 1965 through 1975.  By the early 1980's political consciousness in black townships grew and black South Africans demanded the integration of public institutions, the removal of troops from black townships, and the end of workplace discrimination. Although struggles continued throughout 1980's, over recent years progress has been made in the integration of the races and rights for black citizens have improved.   

Today, there are 1.3 people residing in Port Elizabeth.  It is the center of the South African automobile industry and is an active port. The first presence of cars in the port was 1923.  At one point 1500 Model T's were produced and 70 people were employed.  The port is now designated as a Special Automotive Zone.

Today, we took a tour which highlighted the major sites of the city.  We had been forewarned to lower our expectations due to the fact that the infrastructure is quite basic.  However, we were also told that Port Elizabeth is loved by wealthy South African families as a holiday destination.  So, we were prepared for a town with two faces.  One face is a natural haven with unspoiled beaches rolling sand dunes and the warm Indian Ocean lapping at our feet.  The other face is a post-industrial migrant city with a rich heritage but a multitude of remaining issues.  

The bay where we docked has changed its name to Nelson Mandela Bay to celebrate the man who changed the course of South African history and was instrumental in guiding this nation to freedom.  Port Elizabeth is known as the "Friendly City" and we were told that it is enjoying an urban regeneration spurred on by the youth of the region who want to put it back on the map.  We were looking forward to seeing vibrant creative art projects, a central pedestrian zone, art galleries, restaurants serving South African fusion food, beautiful architectural buildings which have been converted to museums and restored Victorian houses.   

When we walked down the stairs of the ship, I needed a stool to even board the bus.  Once onboard, the seats were reasonable but climbing up to them was quite dangerous.  We arrived early and I took my time boarding but the people who boarded after us were not as careful and a couple of them fell backwards and would have fallen if Bob and the guide hadn't been there to steady them.  Once everyone was safely onboard we set off to see the major city sites as well as the townships.

Our tour today was to explore the areas designated as "townships" in Port Elizabeth.  Townships are residential areas that were designated for people who were classified as Black, Colored, or Indian during apartheid.  Locals still refer to these areas as townships today.   They are often underdeveloped urban areas and have very poor quality social facilities.  They were created to separate Black people from White people.  In 1950, land was officially designated for the sole use of a specific race.  Black people were evicted from their homes newly designated as "white only" areas and forcefully relocated to the segregated townships.  Most South African towns have at least one township associated with them.  Most often, the residents do not own the land and houses are built illegally.  Construction is not up to code and houses often lack access to basic services such as sewerage, electricity, and clean water which adversely affects the residents' quality of life.  

In addition to the houses in the townships, there are also backyard shacks that are additional units on a plot of land that are rented out for additional income.  Some of these shacks intended to house a single family have been turned into housing for six families.  These structures are illegally built in violation of building codes but no one ever confronts the builders because if these families were evicted it would result in many families being displaced with nowhere to live.

Gangs are a problem in townships and children as young as twelve or thirteen often get initiated into local gangs.  Some of them see violence and gangs as a way of life and a part of their culture.  Guns are easy accessible and anyone is able to get one.  We were told that out of the 14 million guns in circulation in South Africa only 4 million of them are registered and licensed to legal gun owners.  We were warned in very strict terms not to walk away from the tour group or wander around any area independently. 

Our tour today took us through a variety of townships in the Port Elizabeth area.  I thought we were emotionally and intellectually prepared for what we would see since we have visited Africa on a number of occasions.  However, when we came face-to-face with the severe poverty in these townships it caused a pit in my stomach and a sense of wanting to help lift people out of these horrific living conditions.  We have poverty in the United States, but not to the degree that exists in these South African townships.  When we sit in our comfortable homes in the U.S. and see these living situations we miss the entirety of the situation.  We don't smell, feel, or taste the environment.  We can't sense the isolation or separation from the rest of society that exists.  One would have to have a heart of stone not to be significantly affected by these townships and the people who reside in them.  

There is a sky high rate of unemployment in the townships and as we drove through them we spotted so many people just standing around, talking and wasting time. Our guide told us that the unemployment rate in the townships is 60%.   One of the most significant features of all of the townships is the amount of garbage everywhere on the streets.  It is everywhere.  Any land which doesn't have a structure or designated use (like a basketball court) is covered with garbage.  I can't begin to imagine how many "critters" live in those piles of trash, or the diseases that can percolate in them.  As one of our passengers climbed on the bus after one of our stops she whispered to me "I don't understand why they don't have any pride in their community."  All I could think of is it might be hard to have pride if you don't have hope.  It seems like many of the people who live in the townships are trapped and will live their entire lives in them.  

I asked our guide about the role of religion and faith in the lives of the people in the townships.  He told me that a great majority of residents are Christian, but they combine their traditional African beliefs with their Christian beliefs.  There are many churches in the areas and people flock to church on Sundays but they continue to depend on their traditional beliefs, as well.  They believe in a spiritual connection between the living and the dead. They believe that some people can cast evil curses or spells on others.  They also believe that sacrifices to ancestors or spirits can protect people from harm.  They still have rituals and believe in spirits, ancestors and the supernatural. They believe in the protective power of charms and shrines.  They believe that traditional medicines and healing practices can cure illnesses.  

Although many people living in the townships will spend their entire lives there, there are certainly exceptions to the rule.  For example, our tour guide told us he lived 30% of his life in one of the shacks with no facilities.  He used a bucket for a toilet which had to be emptied daily.  They had no electricity or running water.  Finally, he was able to move into a "Mandela House" which has access to clean water electricity, sewage systems, etc.  It was Nelson Mandela's  goal to improve life for the people living in the townships.  He also wanted Blacks to be free to live wherever they wanted and could afford.  He arranged for houses to be built within the townships which had the basic utilities.  There continues to be struggles in getting them built and disagreements about their aesthetics.  Still, when I look at the living conditions of people living in the "shacks" and the amenities in the Mandela Houses, there is no comparison.  The Mandela Houses are a giant step forward in living conditions.  Throughout South Africa there are other housing projects that are attempting to improve the living conditions of the Black population, but driving through these townships reminds us that there is a very long way to go.

Today, there is no more apartheid, but driving through the communities, I can still feel a sense of separation among the races.  Driving through the traditional Black areas, I didn't see any Whites walking on the streets.  When we returned to the ship we asked one of the crew members where all of the Whites were "hanging out" and she told us that she was told they go to the local shopping mall, where there are lots of security guards stationed to make sure that the mall is safe and order is maintained.  

As we made our way back to the pier we spotted many, many individuals selling fresh produce in stalls located on the sidewalks.  Our guide said that locals buy most of their produce from these stands.  We also passed many individual businesses located inside shipping containers open on one end, such as barber shops, hairdressers and cafes.  It was encouraging to see so many entrepreneurs focused on making a better life for themselves.  Our guide told us that he is a free-lance tour guide and once our ship leaves town he will, once again, join the unemployment lines which are very long.  We were happy that at least for a couple of days he will receive an income and undoubtedly great tips from many of the ship's passengers. 

Although we carried away plenty of uncomfortable, very sad images of the townships and the people who populate them, we also have lasting memories of the faces of so many people we passed on the street who were smiling brightly and waving to us. They appeared to be happy and were eager to share time with us. They were open and appeared to enjoy our visit.  As we returned to the pier and our waiting ship, we had so many mixed feelings about this port.  Visiting here put us on an emotional roller coaster.  The people here are welcoming, warm and friendly.  They are creative and artistic, entrepreneurial, and still have their fighting spirit.  But, the living conditions that they endure are heartbreaking.  It seems that discrimination among the races is still a huge issue, with Blacks still excluded from many opportunities.  My feelings about this port will stay with me for a very long time and I will be even more grateful for the government, the freedoms and opportunities we have in the United States. 

Tomorrow we have a sea day and it will be nice to have a day to relax and reflect on everything we saw and experienced here.  Spending time in ports like Port Elizabeth is one of the main reasons I love traveling the world.  It's so important to see other cultures firsthand, and to gain a better understanding of people and cultures that may be different than ours.  It certainly gives me lots of information to process and internalize.   This evening we had the opportunity to attend a local show on board.

 

Now, in a few more hours we will be on our way to Cape Town, one of the most fabulous and exciting cities on the entire World Cruise.  Bob and I will spend our time there exploring the amazing Victoria and Alfred Waterfront!  So excited.  I will write more once we leave there.