Township Tourist

Title

Township Tourist

Description

In my last post I wrote about my anxiety about that day’s “township tour,” particularly after our experience visiting Crossroads, a settlement just outside a township. Our township tour was not nearly as voyeuristic as I had feared, though it certainly felt uncomfortable at times. I am left with an experience that is, more than anything, complicated and contrasting—much like all of South Africa today.

Mike and Sabo, both lifelong residents of Langa township, formed their tour company a few years ago, and they made clear from the beginning of our day together how much tourism helps that township’s economy. They told us they were interested in giving us an authentic experience and in showing us different aspects of Langa.

After our visit to Crossroads I was so worried that I would be driven through a neighborhood full of poverty, with pain on display for us as tourists. I was wrong, though, in many ways. We did drive and walk by some shanties and learn about the informal settlements; our guides asked that we not take photos. We also visited a family’s room in government-built housing from the 1920s, and our guides asked for donations for the families in that building, all of whom lived in cramped, substandard conditions.

But we also saw many nice homes in Langa, where some families are very poor while others are middle-class. We saw the markets and small businesses and bus depot. We went to historical sites, including Langa’s former “Dom Pass” office, the office where Africans and Coloureds received their pass books. We went to the local Catholic diocese, the sports fields, and the town swimming pool. At Guga Sthebe, the regional arts and cultural center, we met students training in a ceramics class and received a drumming lesson.

Mike told us, “when people think of townships, they don’t think of aspirational spaces.” I know that this was certainly true for me: though I knew that people living in townships had aspirations, I thought the conditions there would not support those aspirations. Mike and Sabo showed us a different side of Langa, though, one where the community’s assets are apparent.

Our visit was very tourist-y, from the drum circle, to the sheep’s head we ate from a street vendor, to the lavish meal we enjoyed at Lelapa restaurant. The tourist aspect is an easy product to sell. The photo I sent my mother at the end of the day was me laughing with a drum between my knees because that is the easy story to tell. I look forward to sharing the complexities of my experiences here, but tours like this allow someone to peek into post-apartheid Langa, with all of its beauty and flaws, enjoy many photo ops, and download the story to others in what could be a superficial way.

Is there anything wrong with what Mike and Sabo are doing? Is everyone involved benefitting equally from this experience? I am honestly conflicted. While it feels weird to parade through someone’s home, these folks are trying to tell a new story about their neighborhood. Are some people capitalizing on the past tragedies of this country, commodifying painful experiences? Absolutely. But is this a necessary step in reframing the reality of and creating new opportunities in townships like Langa? Perhaps.

Creator

Jessie

Date

May 26, 2013

Files

townshiptour.jpg
projectplayground.jpg
Date Added
May 26, 2013
Collection
Jessie's Field Journal
Citation
Jessie, “Township Tourist,” Race, Gender and Social Justice Histories of U.S. & South Africa, accessed March 28, 2024, https://wgst591.omeka.net/items/show/29.