I truly believe that people visiting Cape Town need to visit a township to get the whole picture. I know that visitors are wary of a voyeuristic approach; being in a bus passing the streets of the townships, taking pictures of people. And this is not how it should be. Maybe this is one is for you. I am on my way to go on an Eco-tour through Langa, Cape Town’s oldest township (population ≈ 80.000) which is also the closest to the city centre.

We take the train with our very knowledgeable guide Samantha, who grew up in Langa herself. Train stations are often seen as dangerous, almost as a no-go-area, but to be honest, the refurbished Cape Town station is more luxurious than many stations in Europe. We, a bunch of white people, are on the train to Langa, a good way to engage with locals. Samantha explains that the trains are an important way of transport for many living in the township. Every 15 minutes in rush hour a train transports about 1500 people. Samantha tells us about the vibrant coaches: "There is usually the over-crowded church coach where you can experience a morning service, there is the coach where the guys are smoking, other coaches where you can hear guys talking about girls..." 

We look out of the train windows and Samantha gives us a brief history lesson on what we‘re seeing: Table Mountain, Signal Hill, the Castle of Good Hope.. Langa is 20 kilometres away from the Cape Town central station and it takes us 18 minutes to get there.

Lovely ladies with big hearts - feeding and teaching the community

Langa’s train station welcomes you with several fruit and veggie shops as well as barber shops. We walk to the Sinebhongo Community Garden, the place for good nutritious food. Here you can meet a bunch of strong ladies that are trying to change the world. With the veggies they grow (since 2006) and with donations from big supermarket chains, since March 2010 they cook for people with chronic illnesses as well as the elderly. 

"I don’t know what to say." says the very energetic garden manager Sindiswa Lugulwana "This is my pride". Sindiswa calls the plants her babies. Her aim: to feed and teach the community. This passionate lady and her strong team, train people for their gardens at home as well as school children. And these she encourages in turn to teach others.

"Their vision is to feed the world" says Samantha. The garden ladies get cross about the laziness of many residents that would have the time to help. The Sinebhongo Community Garden is a big inspiration. Everyone that works here does not earn a salary. They live alone on the donations people give for receiving veggies. 

We have the chance to give the team a hand in the garden for half an hour and then move on to have a look at the housing of Langa residents, a pre-school where children sing and dance for us as well have a look at the 'Beverly Hills' of Langa. This township is an inspiration to me. Strong people make big things happen.

by Antonia Heil

Another township tour that is a great experience is the Gospel tour.  

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