It proved to be quite a challenge.Įven though Langa’s population grew, its accommodations lagged behind. Yet, in time, that separation would prove too big a hurdle and wives and children relocated to the township to attempt some normalcy of family life. For the men who left the agrarian existence of rural village life in search of a paycheck at the docks, it was an opportunity to provide for their families even though separation was included in the deal. As the industrial capitalism of the time dictated, the accommodations were built with cost in mind, companies striving to protect their bottom line.īuildings were constructed with a focus on maximum occupancy rather than functionality workers packed four to a room to maximize sleeping space. The oldest township in the Western Cape, Langa was built during the 1920s to house shipyard workers sent from the surrounding villages to provide the labor needed at the busy port. But as we found out, looks can be deceiving. In contrast, Langa’s sprawl of ramshackle makeshift housing sits alongside the N2 (the highway that runs east from Cape Town) garnering fear, pity, or a bit of both from those same visitors. Adorned in luxury hotels and ocean-view high-rises perched on seaside cliffs, Cape Town is a beautiful city attracting visitors from around the world. Yet at first glance, the two seem worlds apart. Lying in the shadow of Table Mountain, Langa sits mere minutes away from the heart of cosmopolitan Cape Town. After a few moments the youngsters were off on another exploration while we continued on our neighborhood tour. A cultural exchange ensued in the form of demonstrating the customary American greeting of slapping hands, a bizarre ritual judging from the faces of our pint-sized acquaintances. Apprehensively they inched forward, the youngest needing physical persuasion to get within arm’s reach of the strangers. Our guide turned and invited them to join. The small spectators that trailed in our wake were having a cultural experience as well our pale skin sparking their curiosity. We were in the heart of Langa Township on the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa, in the midst of a cultural experience that would prove to be as refreshing as a glass of Sauvignon Blanc from one of the many rolling hills under vine nearby. Under a blue African sky dotted with fluffy white clouds, my wife and I walked alongside Nandi, our guide for the afternoon, as he described the community around us, explaining a foreign existence to foreign visitors. Yet the laughter behind us betrayed the normalcy, indicating something was amiss. It could have been a normal day anywhere in the world. Residents made their way to the local shops, greeting neighbors and chatting briefly about the day’s happenings before continuing to finish their errands. The scene was otherwise unremarkable.Ĭonstruction workers toiled under the midday sun to alleviate curbside drainage issues while passing vehicles cautiously navigated the buzzing neighborhood. We collect you from your hotel and drop you off after your township experience which ends with a visit to one of the communit projects we support.The pitter-patter of small feet trailed soft giggles as we made our way down the narrow road, following us with apparent giddiness. Private Langa Township Tour – half-day tour (with return transfers) To truly experience the warmth, friendliness and humanity of township residents, you have to walk its streets, hear the children at play, smell the sidewalk barbecues, learn a local greeting (“Molo”) and experience the meaning of “Ubuntu”. This will likely be the tour you remember most vividly, long after you’ve left the shores of South Africa. Townships were created as dormitory-styled, racially divided suburbs for black South Africans during apartheid (political system in South Africa based on the policy of racial segregation).
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