An international journalist taking pictures of the outside kitchen of a corner take away joint in New Brighton. Informal restaurants like this can be found all over Port Elizabeth's townships and this specific one is a popular sightseeing stop on township tours.
This time of year there are a lot of people all over South Africa returning to their home towns to be with their families over the festive season. A lot of people living in the townships in Port Elizabeth have family in rural Eastern Cape in what used to be the former black homelands of the Ciskei and the Transkei and most of them will make use of long distance taxis and buses to go home for Christmas. The long distance…
Most of the tour operators doing township tours in Port Elizabeth support a school or other worthwhile project by visiting them on the tour and contributing to them financially. One of the schools visited by probably the biggest township tour operator in the city, Calabash Tours, is the New Brighton Primary School. On the visit to the school the visitors get taken through some of the classes to see the kids work before having tea and being told how they…
Some of the traditional herbs being sold on the sidewalk in the townships. The ladies (and men) selling the herbs will explain to you exactly what each item is, what its for and instructions how to use it. So for help with everything from a sore tummy and luck to an ingrown toe nail and fertility, the sidewalks in the township is the place to find your solution.
Ramaphosa Village is one of the informal settlements (squatter camps) here in Port Elizabeth. It is situated close to the industrial area of Struandale. You often find informal settlements like this close to industrial areas as that is where the men will most likely find work. The houses consist mainly of wood and corrugated iron. I used to pass through the townships on a regular basis on township tours when I still guided, but at that stage I never really…
Njoli Square is one of the busiest parts of the townships. It is where most taxi routes come together and there is normally a lot of commuters moving around to and from work. Njoli Square is also a prominent market area where you can get everything from fresh vegetables to traditional medicine or freshly made traditional food. Locals can also get their hair cut, exchange bottles for some cash or just bump into an old friend. Its one big open…
Most of the tour operators doing township tours have projects that they support. Somewhere along the tour they would stop at a school, creche or feeding scheme for a visit. A portion of the tour's income also gets donated to that specific project. Most of the time the tourists would also open their hearts and wallets and in this way many worthy projects in the townships keep afloat. Here a group of tourists are listening to the New Brighton SDA…
In the townships you get to see many unusual sites. Well, unusual for those of us not used to daily township life. One of those is seeing somebody prepare smileys. A smiley is the head of a sheep. It gets put into the fire to burn off all the hair and skin and then cooked. It is a traditional delicacy in the townships and a very popular dish. This lady was preparing smileys in Njoli Square.
Another picture from guest photographer Bongi Magongo, taken in New Brighton. This was the venue for an open air fashion show that took place there recently (cool fashions can be seen on Bongi's facebook album). And by the way, note the pavement decorations, what is it about architects and balls? hehe
Today's photo comes from guest photographer Bongi Magongo, who was at a fashion launch in New Brighton recently. So here is a glimpse of township or Location life (old apartheid terminology which has, with tongue in cheek, been corrupted to Loxion.....) more tomorrow. Thanks Bongi!