Paul Frymoyer on his experience of South African townships

Photo Credit: Paul Frymoyer

Paul Frymoyer, M.D., is a physician from Manilus, New York who travelled to Malawi to practice medicine. He has previously talked about his many experiences in Africa, from the rich culture of the Africans to his African safari adventure with his wife Carolyn. As he was there not merely as a tourist but primarily as a professional who was out to share his expertise, Dr. Frymoyer also witnessed what it was like for people living in Africa’s townships.

South Africa was famous for its townships but Dr. Frymoyer confessed that he and his wife did not actually see one on their trips to Johannesburg. Dr. Paul Frymoyer had heard quite a lot about the concept but it was not until he arrived in Cape Town that he was able to see a massive township, which was just around the airport.

Photo Credit: Paul Frymoyer

The term township and location are usually used to refer to often underdeveloped urban living areas that were reserved for non-whites (meaning: black Africans, Coloreds, and Indians) from the late 19th century until the end of Apartheid.

 Dr. Frymoyer shared that the townships he saw consisted of small shanties, placed on top of each other, located on unoccupied land. They were, he said, huge and went as far as the eyes can see in some cases and still somehow provided a sort of contrast with the rural poverty that he and his wife saw in Malawi.

Photo Credit: Paul Frymoyer

Fortunately, the South African government was doing a lot to try and replace townships with sturdier housing and it seems that there has been good progress on that end.  

Visit Dr. Paul Frymoyer’s Facebook page for more stories about his work in Africa.