South Africa – vibrant despite inequality

A group of us in London attended a weekly musical vigil every Thursday for years throughout the 90’s outside the South African Embassy to show our opposition to apartheid; In April 1994 black South Africans queued for hours to vote for Nelson Mandela ANC everyone felt things were going to change… 34 black miners were shot for protesting at Marikana platinum mine last August in an action reminiscent of the Sharkville massacre (protesters at Marikana had travelled hundreds of miles away from their homes in the Eastern Cape to look for work, having to live in tin shacks without electricity, water or bin collection).

I eventually visited South Africa earlier this year (initiating workshops to kick-start links with an SMU in Wales) and was overwhelmed by the exuberance and kindness of the people.

Everywhere there was music so I sketched as much as I could…….

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