The Last Country Performances took place from the 19th to the 21st February 2018 in 5 different communities in Durban.
This Cities Alliance project stage presentation brings to life the stories of African women, both migrant and local.
- The performances took place in these Durban communities:
- Thokoza Hostel, this was attended by the hostel residents.
- Umlazi L section, Christian Life Center, for the community of Umlazi
- EThekwini City Officials at Glenridge Church, and
- KwaMashu at KCAP.
Each of these performances were followed by a dialogue, using the Democracy Development Program (DDP) Methodology, which is structuring the room to enable a conversation in which all voices are heard.
The aim of the dialogues from each performance was to unpack the performance for the communities and to get their views on some of the treatment of migrants in the Durban townships.
The dialogues also introduced one of the DDP’s publication Democracy and You– booklet which is a community comic on governance and participation in the new South Africa.
This booklet educates residents and communities on how to take part in their communities and talk about the things they are not happy about.
Apart from the D&Y dialogues, residents also got a chance to comment on the performances, the characters and the stories.
Since the performance has scenes of migrant women who come to SA in search for a better life, residents at Umlazi were eager to ask questions and voice their opinions on migrants.
Some comments during the dialogue on the performance:
“I never even thought about this way, it is true, we all go through the same hardships to get into a better life.
I have always thought that these migrant people come to our country to steal our jobs, opportunities and our men. This performance has opened my eyes to see a human being in every migrant person I see, and to understand that we all come from the same place, poverty! we all have dreams, families and responsibilities”.
“Communities to unite and protect migrants in their community”.
The play is directed by Mpume Mthombeni and Neil Coppen for the Cities Alliance Project, supported by the DDP, ASONET (Africa Solidarity Network) and the DUT Urban Futures Centre.
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