Cape Town Townships

The townships of Cape Town stand in strong contrast to the wealthier suburbs - economically, culturally and (still) racially. There is a lot of poverty and unemployment, but there is also an amazing warmth and community spirit that is sometimes lacking in richer areas.

On a tour of the townships you will:

• Visit a "shebeen". (a township pub where you can try a local beer)
• See areas that were important in the struggle against apartheid.
• Shop in a craft market.
• Meet local residents.

You will find people extremely friendly and glad that you are interested in their lives.

If you want to experience the vibrancy and rhythm of the townships you can do a "township music tour". You will be taken to some of the most lively and interesting live music venues in Cape Town. Jazz, rap, reggae, and a distinctive dance music called "kwaito" are some of the forms of music that you can enjoy.

In the days of apartheid, black people were not allowed to live in traditionally white areas. Instead they were confined to areas away from the city.

Langa, which means "sun", is the oldest of Cape Town's black townships. It was established in 1923. Gugulethu, (meaning "our pride") and Nyanga (meaning "moon") date from the 1950s. Khayelitsha (meaning "new home") dates from the 1980s.

Most residents of Cape Town (about 55%) are of mixed descent and generally speak Afrikaans. These people (referred to as "coloured") lived in areas separate from the black townships and white areas. Today, over one million coloured people live in a region known as the Cape Flats.