Africa

Southern Treasures

Gold and diamonds have given South Africa fantastic wealth. They also contributed to the rise of apartheid. Now with official discrimination discarded, the opportunities for black South Africans have exploded. And Xoliswa Vanda stands ready to take advantage of them. This 26-year-old is the first black female master blaster in a Johannesburg gold mine. She has now set her sights on a higher goal: becoming a mine manager. But even as Xoliswa works toward her goal, other miners are not faring so well. Putswa Tekane is one of many who cross the border from neighboring Lesotho to work in South Africa's mines. But as South Africa's mining industry stagnates, more and more of these migrant workers are being laid-off. Will South Africa's gold mines reward Xoliswa and Putswa? Or will they be forced to find other opportunities in the new South Africa?