Kara Titus

June 3, 2014

Gone
1.
My sister and I were born here in Soweto1. I have lived here all
twelve years of my life. My sister Naledi is five years older than me.
She has seen and endured many more years of our corrupt
government than I have. I dont know how, but my sister has never
really realized how corrupt our government here in South Africa truly
is. Someday I will show her. I am going to make her realize that life
here is not the way anyone should be living.
I was seven years old when I first experienced the segregation and hurt
of our government. My mother and I had gone into Johannesburg that
day so that my mom get could buy various food items for our dinner
that night. I was so happy that my mother had chosen me over my
sister to accompany her into town. It was the first time I had ever been
outside of our home in Soweto.
I remember walking into town and immediately feeling out of
place. My mother held my hand the whole time we were in town. My
mother never held my hand. As we approached the store, my mother
tugged my hand and dragged me to the street beside the store. I was
very confused.

1 Soweto- an abbreviation for South Western Townships. It is a

collection of over 25 townships to the south of Johannesburg, South
Africa
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Mom, why are we not going into the store, I remember asking
my mother.
We must go to the back of the shop sweetie. Follow me.

We waited for at least five minutes until we were attended to. My

mother was so patient. Even when the man came to the door and
looked down at my mother and I as if we were animals that had come
to scrounge through his trashcan for food she still held her head high.
The man eventually got our food to us, but he took his time doing so.
Now get off my doorstep! I remember the man exclaiming.
My mother and I hurried down the street, ready to get back to
the security of our home. But, as we were walking down the sidewalk
approaching the edge of town a European couple approached us on the
sidewalk. My mother again tugged at my hand and this time led me off
of the sidewalk. When we passed the couple I felt something wet
splatter across my forehead. The saliva slowly slid down my dark
brown forehead and into my eyes. I wiped off the spit and we carried
on our way home. My mother spoke nothing of that day ever again.
Life went on, but I would never forget what had taken place.
2.
1974

2 During the system of apartheid from 1948-1994, there were certain

laws that segregated the Africans. One of these laws stated that only
white people were allowed inside the store and black people must be
helped at the back of the store.
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Everyday, I walk to school with my sister. My sister and I go to the

Phefeni Junior Secondary School3 in Orlando West. My teachers name
is Mr. Naidoo. Naidoo4 is a very common name around where I live. You
cant go 3 miles without meeting someone with the last name Naidoo.
Mr. Naidoo is a fairly nice teacher. He is strict but kind, loud but not
obnoxious, and caring of his students but does not pry.
Today there was an announcement on the radio. A new decree had
been issued by the Bantu Education Department. They said that it was
called the Afrikaans Medium Decree.5 I did not know what this decree
was or what it meant for me, but I was sure that I would find out from
Mr. Naidoo the next day at school. I arrived at school extra early that
day. I approached Mr. Naidoo and he explained to me what the decree
meant. When I arrived home, my mother and sister were already
preparing dinner. I had stayed late at school talking with Mr. Naidoo so
my sister had just walked home with some friends. I told them about
the decree and all that Mr. Naidoo had taught me about it today. The
subject intrigued me. I wanted to learn more, and I wanted to fight
against the people who were enforcing these absurd laws and decrees.
It was not fair the way the Europeans treated my mother and I a few
years ago, it was not fair for my mother and father to be forced to

3 Phefeni Junior Secondary School- famous for its participation in the

Soweto Uprising of 1976
4 Naidoo- most common South African surname
5 Afrikaans Medium Decree- stated that all black schools must use
Afrikaans and English in a 50-50 mix as languages of instruction.
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move here, and it is not fair for these people to enforce laws upon us
without our say in them. My mother and sister just didnt understand.
They told me to be quiet and go talk to someone else about it. I didnt
get how they did not care at all about what was happening. All they
wanted to do was turn their cheek and look the other way. But I am not
like them. I am my own person, and I am willing to stand up and fight
for justice.

3.
Naledi
Hector stayed after class today so I ended up walking home with a few
of the girls in my class instead of the usual walk home with my brother.
I got home, did some homework and helped my mother prepare dinner.
When Hector got home you could tell that his gears were turning. He
was all wound up about something that his teacher had told him in
class. He kept going on and on about it.
Our government is not right. We must speak up. We must act
against it!
He wouldnt stop! I mean, our government is messed up, but it is not
like there is anything we can do about it. We finally told him to leave
and go to his room or bother our dad about his political nonsense. My
mother and I finished making dinner and called everyone to come eat.

I was thankful that my brother did not say anything to arouse

discussion at the table. All that was heard at dinner was the slurping of
water and the clanking of forks, as everyone was persistent upon
getting every last bit of food from their plate.
4.
A couple of years have passed and I now have personally faced
the absurd decree in my classroom. Although Mr. Naidoo is not an
Afrikaans6 teacher, he has been forced to try to teach it for instruction
half of the time. Afrikaans is not our language. Afrikaans is the
language of our oppressor. I and many other school children have
decided to speak out and finally fight for what we believe. Tomorrow
my school, as well as a few others, has organized a rally to walk from
our schools to Orlando Stadium in order to protest having to learn
Afrikaans. What my sister does not know is that I am one of the main
people who have organized this march. I joined a new group called the
SSRC7 in August. I am one of the founding members of the group and it
was my idea to organize the march. I am so thankful that it is all
coming together, and I intend to make an impression tomorrow. I
intend to make a difference.

6 Afrikaans- a language that originated from Dutch: was thought of

with contempt and hatred by black South Africans because it was a
language that was forced upon them by their white oppressors and
was most commonly associated with apartheid.
7 SSRC (Soweto Students Representative Council)- was founded by
Tsietsi Mashinini in August of 1976. Fought to build inter-generational
unity and to strike an economical blow against apartheid.
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5.
June 16, 1976

Today is the day. I jumped out of bed with excitement of the actions I
would be taking for my country and my family today. As I walked into
my classroom that day, all of the children in my classroom as well as
Mr. Naidoo gave me a nod of approval.
We will all be joining you. We want to help. I will walk. All
of the children began chiming in at once.
6.
Naledi
I watched him fall to the ground. My brother, Hector Pieterson9,
gone. His thoughts, emotions and hard work, gone. All of it gone with
the wind, just as every other act against the government has gone.
The march was meant to be peaceful. But, as the police began to show
up, the crowd became uneasy. The police released their dogs and the
children threw rocks at them in defense. Hector was one of the first to
be shot. As the dogs were being stoned, the police began to get angry
and started firing their guns. Pow. Just one shot and my brother was

8 June 16, 1976- Youth Day, a public holiday in South Africa to

remember the events that occurred in 1976. Well known as the Soweto
Uprising where an estimated 20,000 students took part in protests and
up to 700 deaths were estimated.
9 Hector Pieterson- the subject of an iconic image of the Soweto
uprising in 1976. He was killed at the age of 13 when police opened
fire on protesting students.
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gone. One bullet and all he had worked for has been put to shame. One
man has just taken everything from me.
Burying him was the hardest. My baby brother, my rock, my
bright and caring brother, will no longer be here to stand up to the
government and fight for what he believes. That was the moment that
I realized. I realized that the cause that my brother was fighting for is
worth it. The police were killing innocent people, my brother among
them. I would fight. I would fight until my brothers death is avenged
and victory is won.
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10 Famous image of Hector Pieterson being carried by another student

as his sister runs beside them. Picture received widespread adverse
publicity toward the policy of apartheid around the globe.
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