A visiting donor and cow heads

On Monday, LRC hosted two board members from one of our UK donor agencies. Organizations like the LRC face a difficult reality - their work is extremely important to a large number of people and often impacts the everyday lives of people beyond just our clients. However, in order to do this great work, there needs to be financing in place and often those doing the on-the-ground work, are either too busy, or just not as good at the fundraising as others may be. This is where people like Jill come in. Jill is a board member with one of our major donor organizations. She believes in the work of the LRC and works along with other organizations to ensure that the LRC can continue the great work done behalf of the most marginalized and vulnerable members of South African society. One of the things that the LRC likes to do with visiting donors is to show them, in real terms, what the work of the LRC does for our clients. One of our clients that we have worked with on a number of problems is the informal traders of Warwick Market in downtown Durban. This is an area that I have wanted to see since coming to Durban, bu because of certain realities in society here, it has so far been off-limits. But Monday was different. In order to show Jill and her husband the work of the LRC, we were hosted by one of our contacts at the market and given a tour. The Warwick area has been host to a market since the 1880s and it has only grown bigger since. The market area as a whole employs approximately 100,000 people and everyday, more than 400,000 people make their way through the area. It is hectic to say the least. A tour guide is essential both for safety and to ensure you don't get lost. First stop - the Bovine Head Market. Yep, cow and sheep heads. I think Emma (one of our candidate attorneys) and Celeste (an attorney at LRC) are both going vegetarian for awhile. The head market is basically like a food-court, serving one type of food. Apparently if you are there over lunch, it is crazy hectic. The Zulu men will stay and sit at one of the many small tables; the women have their meals take-away. The women who have their stalls in the Bovine Head Market faced eviction a number of years ago and being informal traders had very little bargaining power. But with the help of organizations like the LRC, they were able to lobby the municipal government to provide a more protected area only a short distance from the previous informal market, as well as rectifying some of the issues with the previous location including ventilation and drainage problems. The women were able to keep their businesses open, continue serving the many many people who make their way by everyday, and most importantly, continue to be able to produce an income in order to provide for their families. The women now pay rent on a monthly basis in order to keep their little table/stall open, and with this have gained a security that was lacking under the previous structure. After recovering a bit from the site of an axe and a cow head, we were on to the fruit and veg market - The Early Morning Market (that was still buzzing well into the afternoon). It is in this market that the LRC has its most recent case. The Early Morning Market is made up of more informal traders who are primarily Hindu. I only note this to point out a previous disagreement between traders from different areas within the market, as opposed to a disagreement with the municipality. In this case it was between the Bovine Head Market traders and the Early Morning Market traders - vegetarians versus meat eaters (everything was eventually resolved). The Early Morning Market, a permanent structure, celebrated its 100 year anniversary last year but are still having to battle on a number of fronts, from the provision of certain services, to the upkeep of the market floors, to just keeping the market open. The current problem is potholes. Now, I know that doesn't sound like a huge problem, but you should see these potholes (Dad, they make the Paradise Canyon Road look like it is in perfect condition). The issue is that the potholes are so big that the carts taking the fruit and veg to the stalls can't actually get past, making it virtually impossible for the traders to trade. Also, people are falling into the potholes and getting seriously injured (including some serious head wounds). So, the current project is advocating alongside the informal traders organization to force the municipality to maintain the property, including filling in the potholes properly in order to ensure that the market can continue. After wandering through the Early Morning Market, we passed through the music market (sooooo loud) and onto the Herbalists' Bridge. The bridge is actually two abandoned freeway portions that are linked to the surrounding markets by footbridges. At the stalls there are all kinds of herbs, roots, plants and animal parts. You can find sangomas (traditional doctors) who will identify whatever ails you and then onto the inyangas who will get everything you need for the concoction to fix your ailment. It is an amazing, wonderful, overwhelming place. My only moment of panic was when I saw the snake skins, but I kept trying to tell myself, at least they are dead - one less snake in the world is always a good thing in my opinion. We also stopped at the clay market where you can buy red clay from sunscreen, white lime for various rituals and ceremonies and impepho, a dried plant that is burned in order to communicate with your ancestors. Unfortunately the Brook Street Bead Market is only open on Fridays, but MK (our intern from the University of KZN) promised he would take me back one Friday to go there. So a wonderful experience getting to see what the work of the LRC does on the ground for some people. I think I also better understand the role the LRC plays in situations like this. It is not that we are championing the case for the affected people, rather we are helping them champion their own case. Helping them to access certain avenues and helping formulate arguments where need be. Empowering those affected to champion their own positions and needs. I should just note - I didn't have my camera with me, but hopefully when I go back to the Bead Market with MK, I will bring my camera along and you too will be able to enjoy he sights of the Bovine Head Market (and maybe some of the other great things to see at Warwick). But...I did get some pictures from our rugby tournament from Ellie, and thought I would throw them on here now... Sabrina was learning to play. It's not a particularly intuitive game. I scored a try!!!!!And celebrated. Mat seemed to be getting the hang of it. Intense action... Part of the LRC Levellers - Rufus, me, Richard, Mathieu and Tim.