I realised over the weekend that I needed to get some 'green' time. I find that although I never intend to live outside of a major urban area again (except perhaps in England) - Sorry Mum and Dad - I do need to be surrounded by or at least get a decent dose of 'greenness' every couple of weeks. In Australia that just meant wandering through Victoria Gardens 100m from my flat. Here, it's a little more of a challenge. So I went to Emmarentia Botanical Gardens on Sunday and walked around for an hour. It was lovely!
I also took some pictures of the two towers - Brixton (on the left) and Hilbrow (on the right). Both towers are in areas you wouldn't want to frequent after dark (or at any time in Hilbrow) if you look like me!
I have a tshirt that was made as part of a visual literacy programme. It has Hilbrow Tower on it.
Both were used by the Apartheid regime. They controlled all media and were more than a little paranoid about what got on the air. They never introduced tv until 1976! Afeared as they were that it would lead to the "destruction of a white South Africa". I guess they were right about one thing, even if nothing else! Although, the role played by tv in the struggle movement is higly problematic and deeply questionable. Still, it makes an interesting case study! I'm working on some research examining the introduction of tv to SA at the moment. If I find some particularly delightful (and by delightful I mean abhorrent and unashamedly racist and patronising) material in the Hansard, I'll try and share!
