Bank hold up!

This is the view from inside the bank where we were locked in for our own security this morning.




A large student demonstration was taking place outside in the city centre. The students were demonstrating about the doubling of student fees at Lubumbashi University this academic year. As well as paying the fees, students are expected to pay for the course sylabus, course books, duplicating paper for all handouts, pay the teachers for their work to be marked, pay to enter the exams and pay for their results to be published in certificate form in order to move to the next year. If one mark is missed on one course the student has to resit all the exams again. Due to the costs, many able students are prevented from enrolling at University. The conditions of studying are made worse as there are so many students on each course. There are approximately 1,800 in one law class this year. Students need to bring their own chairs if they have any chance of sitting during the lectures that sometimes lasts up to 4 hours with a 30 minute break in the middle. Accommodation has to be found too. In halls of residence, there are 'officially' 4 students in rooms which just fit two bunk beds side by side. As the toilets are in a terrible state, most students use the surrounding bush land which brings with it all other kinds of health problems. It suddenly puts into perspective the relatively luxurious conditions which I enjoyed when studying at SOAS and Exeter Universities. During the demo this morning,a number of cars were attacked and shops set apon. Whilst the destructive acts shouldn't be condoned it was reassuring to see that freedom of speech was upheld, the demonstration was allowed to take place without the heavy hand of the law coming down as it would have done during the Mobutu era. When we were finally allowed out of the bank, we continued our monthly food shopping for the centre at a shop around the corner, only to be locked in there too as another group of students passed by! Thankfully all is calm again in the city this afternoon.

Goats for sale!

This area between the railway tracks and rubbish dumps is where goats are brought into town everyday to be sold.

Lizard in the kitchen!

Lubumbashi women and the traffic police celebrating Mazembes victory last Saturday!

Football win for Mazembe!

Some good news for Lubumbashi was the one-nil victory against a Nigerian team in the final of the African Champions League played in Lubumbashi last Saturday! The city had been building up to the match all week with trees and railings being painted, as well as the rumour of a half day of work on Friday! Moise, the progressive Governor of Katanga and Kabila the first democratically elected President of DR Congo were both present at the match. At the final whistle the city erupted into exuberant chaos, with crowds of people rushing to the city centre throwing flour over the heads and faces of friends and passers by! The celebrations continued well into the night!