Visit Langa with Jo Weber - FYN

Today was the day of truth, our visit to the township of Langa with Jo Weber. We took an Uber to Sea Point around 08:30 am, to the accommodation of the Studer's, where we waited together for Jo Weber, who picked us up at 09:00 am.

After a short greeting, we started our journey with Jo's bus to the District Six Museum, where Jo introduced us to the history of the townships and apartheid. Then we visited the cleared area of the old District Six.

From there, we continued by bus to Langa (the township is about 10 km from Cape Town and is the first and oldest township for "Blacks"). First, we visited a community center where artists from the township offered and sold their art. There were also rooms where various art objects were being created (whether it be a pottery or a workshop that recycled materials and produced everyday objects).

Next, we visited the township's own pass office and court (these are facilities from the apartheid era and fortunately are no longer in operation today), the entire complex no longer stands, but a barracks with detention cells and the pass office have been preserved. Every township resident had to be able to identify themselves outside of the township at any time. They were only allowed to stay in the township or at work and travel directly between the two. Offenders were prosecuted for minor and major offenses, the jurisdiction was in the hands of the "Whites", and the trial lasted an average of 3 to 4 minutes. So you can imagine for yourself how great the chance of a "fair" verdict was.

After that, we were picked up by the local guide (Odwa Futshane) and together we explored the township. The first stop was a coffee shop, where we took a coffee or chocolate to go. Then Odwa showed us a container where two families have been living for 18 years and are waiting for a Mandela house. The container is divided into two parts and a four-member family lives in an area of 2.30 x 2.90. The space is dominated by a bed, and there is also a cooking facility. The parents sleep in the bed and the children on the floor. Unimaginable how hot it can get in such "ovens" in summer.

Our walk continued to the single-sex barracks, where in previous years 3 to 4 men per room, who worked in Cape Town, lived. 32 gentlemen shared a bathroom, a kitchen, and a common room, and another 32 lived on the first floor under the same conditions.

Today, the same room is not inhabited by 3 to 4 men, but by 3 families. Unimaginable for us in the first world.

We visited the orphanage in Langa, which is supported by Jo Weber and Jürg Caluori. It is managed voluntarily by the mother of our local guide (Odwa). At the moment, there are about 20 children in the orphanage, and they share about 7 beds in one room. All adults in the township look after all the children and intervene if things get out of hand. The children were either at school or in kindergarten, and we surprised them in the kindergarten during their nap (on the floor). Most of them were sleeping, but some were awake and happily waved at us.

Then we went to "Beverly Hills" in Langa, yes, it exists. Many successful people from the township stay here and buy a plot of land in a better location. Here, the streets, which are paved throughout the township, are cleaned several times a week.

When asked about crime, Odwa explained to us that it is not worse than anywhere else. Where we saw security facilities, it is rather a requirement of the insurance to keep premiums low or for the object to be insured at all.

We also saw the preparation areas for sheep heads, when cooked and grilled, they are called "Smilies" and, according to Odwa, they are a delicacy. However, we consciously abstained from trying them.

Towards the end of the tour, we also saw the police station, no different from ours or in any other neighborhood in Cape Town.

At around 2 pm, after a good 5 hours, our tour came to an end. Many impressions remained, many things unimaginable to us, and many preconceived opinions dispelled. It will occupy us for a while, and everyone must find a way to deal with this experience. But I can only recommend everyone to take this tour and experience it with Jo Weber and Odwa Futshane.

If you want to support the orphanage in Langa, you can do so via Jürg Caluori (a Swiss person, find him on Facebook) or via Jo Weber (https://joweberamkap.wordpress.com/langa-waisenhaus/), our local guide here in Cape Town. But Tanja Gutmann (ex Miss Switzerland, Facebook) also supports Jürg Caluori's project.

Jo brought us back to the Waterfront, and we let the impressions sink in over a beer at Mitchell's. After a short break at the accommodation, we met with the Studer's for a final dinner at FYN at 7 pm. We indulged in African delicacies prepared Asian-style (by Peter Tempelhoff), accompanied by a red blend (Trilogy by Warwick) - it was a culinary experience.