A Glimpse of Township Life

Description

Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.

What you will visit:
Community Arts & Craft Center
A local art gallery celebrates the work of township artists living in the informal settlement (squatter's camp) of Rhamaphosa Village. Here, you'll have the opportunity to peruse the different styles of work, and the symbolism of the artwork will be discussed by your guide. You will have the opportunity to purchase pieces you admire directly from the artists.
Local School
Interact with community teachers and students in a local township school. See the classrooms, learn about their studies and share a refreshment. A small donation of pens, paper and other much-needed stationery supplies will be handed out at the school.
What you will see along the way:
The drive through the townships can be emotional, as some of them are quite underdeveloped. Your tour includes the Strangers Location, then proceeds to Korsten via Livingstone Hospital and to Missionvale, a residential township. Continue through the Govan Mbeki Township to the middle-class areas of Kwadwesi and Kwamagxaki and on to the heart of the township via Veeplaas and Zwide, passing Njoli Square to Kwazakhele. You'll also pass the hairdressers at Goniwe Hostel, Emlotheni Memorial Park, and the historic Red Location.
Photo Opportunity:

Strangers Location
As black workers in the mid-1800s moved to Port Elizabeth to find work, so-called "locations," or ghettos, cropped up on the edges of white suburbs. The oldest of these communities, Strangers Location was followed by several others but remained for years a religious and schooling center for other "locations." It was shut down and destroyed after being ravaged at the turn of the century by a bubonic plague.
Historic Red Location Museum
Noted for its stark architectural style, this museum was built in 2006 to commemorate the struggle against apartheid. It is found in a shack settlement, one of the oldest in Port Elizabeth. In October 2013, the museum closed after protests from Red Location residents over housing issues.

Special Notes:

This tour is not suitable for guests in wheelchairs; however, those with walking difficulties can manage this tour with a little assistance. Please wear flat, comfortable walking shoes, a hat & sun block. Only local currency (South African Rand) is accepted in the crafts building and there is no shipping. The WC facilities are cleaned prior to your arrival but are very basic. Please note that most of the sites visited on this tour are part of an African Township, which whilst having extreme poverty, is busy being uplifted by the government and the local community, making it a place of hope. One needs to be prepared for this aspect of the tour, as it is definitely a "no frills experience". Through participating in this tour, you will receive an insight into the local African culture like no other you have ever experienced, and in doing so, will contribute to the economic renewal so vital for the people of South Africa. A small donation of pens, paper and other much-needed stationery, will be handed out at the school.