from the BBCThe BBC has picked up on the story of white poverty in South Africa. Attention has been drawn to the subject by the ANC president Jacob Zuma. - Kaleby Peter BilesKarel and Annetjie du Randt moved to the Bethlehem settlement in Pretoria West five years ago after falling on hard times.Previously, Mr du Randt had been employed, making tombstones in the town of Rustenburg.The du Randts' home today is a tiny wooden hut on a private plot of land where about 30 whites make up the small community.The huts have no electricity or individual toilets, but there is a spacious garden where the residents can grow and sell vegetables."We try to help each other", says Mr du Randt."We're not just sitting around and crying. Most of the guys here don't have any income, but we're just starting a...
from AFP via Google You might remember yesterday's post that previewed Zuma's meet. Now we have details what happened on the visit. - KalePRETORIA — Jacob Zuma, leader of South Africa's ruling ANC party, promised Thursday to break the silence on white poverty as he met Afrikaans residents of a township living without running water or electrity.Zuma, favourite to become only the third black president of South Africa at elections next year, said he had been shocked and embarrassed by the plight of the residents of Bethlehem, situated on the outskirts of the capital Pretoria."I am shocked and surprised by what I have seen here," said Zuma."The vast number of black poverty does not mean that we must ignore white poverty which is increasingly becoming an embarrassment to talk...