White South Africans' uneasy love affair with Nelson Mandela

SOWETO:

A trip to Johannesburg is incomplete without a visit to Soweto, a "blacks only" township during the apartheid era. Those days are over, but every lane here carries memories ofNelson Mandela. For Soweto's two million people, Madiba and freedom are synonymous.

Blacks who were driven away from Johannesburg settled down in Soweto (South West Township). Under the apartheid law, they were not allowed to live anywhere else. "Even people who could afford better homes had to live like squatters here. Sowetans would work in white localities but couldn't live there. We were very conscious of our differences," recollects Calvin Nemakonde (58), a former policeman who is now a chauffer and lives in Soweto. Calvin however is content staying in Soweto. "After integration happened I did not move out. It was the only life I knew as a child and moving out not an option."

As he shows tourists around the township, Calvin has a smile on his face. "We were freed by Mandela. We had the freedom to move out if wanted to. Now Soweto looks so different. People have constructed big houses. Some families have moved to areas that were once only for whites," he says.

Soweto's labour "hostels" are part of the tour itinerary. The poky, tin-roofed houses with common bathrooms were meant for mine workers from rural areas. They are now being renovated to make them more liveable.

A lot of bed-and-breakfast places have started coming up in Soweto as tourists throng here to witness South Africa's transformation. Lolo Mabitsela, 75, a retired schoolteacher now runs a B&B. On Friday, as the world woke up to news of Mandela's death, Lolo got emotional. "People have been weeping and are anxious about their future. In our language we say the soil has been stolen, a great man has died. We still fear that apartheid is going to come back. The mood is very sad," she says, speaking over the phone. Lolo adds that she could start her own B&B only because of Mandela. "I remember when I was a high school teacher in Soweto, we were asked to teach in Afrikaans, a language we couldn't speak. If we were caught teaching in English, the inspector would call us to their office. We were not supposed to take the same train or bus, eat at the same restaurants or even enter the post-office. Mandela changed everything for me," she says.

Most of her guests are white, unlike a few years ago when it was rare to see any white people in Soweto. Lolo says again: "The spear has fallen. We have lost our protector."

The high point of the Soweto tour is Mandela's house at 8115, Orlando West onVilakazi Street. He moved here in 1946 and lived with his second wife Winnie. "People have gathered at Vilakazi Street. They are singing and dancing to celebrate Mandela. Many had expected rioting but the community is at peace. There are some factions of our community who are pessimistic. They think the country will change after Mandela. But I don't think so. I think we have moved on," says Calvin. For him, Mandela's legacy of integration will continue. (Jayashree was in South Africa last week)

White people has choice , they can move to Europe where they belong

I did not practice apartheid so there in no need for me to go back to the land of my ancestors .
White people does not belong in South Africa . The have a home but they would not go home.
Whatever they own in that country is stolen property.
No one invited them to Africa

Native Indians , East Indians .. we all Indians.. Whites do not belong

Did my ancestors exploit the natives ? You are confusing two issues
If indeed I own property in America , then yes I purchased stolen property

  Answer this  what  were white people doing in  America , Africa  and  Asia , Who invited them and by the way my ancestors and Africans  who were slaves were also stolen property

Chin , answer me this . Name me one country that the white man went to  and did not fcuk it up by committing exploitation or genocide  against the indigenous population.
The white man is by nature evil 

Idi Amin was right to kick them out .
The Indians never mixed with the black people and they were hated by the natives
The went there on their own accord and became wealthy  . The had black servants  who were not treated with respect 
They  maintained their British passports even after Independence and was there  only as exploiters . Good riddance

Chin I can see that you know even less about history
You harp about  zimbawbe being the bread basket when the land belong to the whites ;
You conveniently forgot that when Mugabe appropriated the land , sanctions were imposed by the west which is there up to this time.
Read about the Lancaster  agreements where Britain and America  were to compensate the white farmers with one point two billion dollars , an agreement signed but was reneged by Thacher  and Reagan .
Do  you notice that I do not cut and paste  but write from knowledge  and memory?

Those  three  men Amin excepted  are heroes in Africa and I can see that you know very little about Kwame Nkrumh