THE TOWNSHIPS
Soweto is a part of Johannesburg in the provence Gauteng. The name is short for South Western Townships, by locals also explained as "So Where To". Parts of Soweto are the most impoverished of Johannesburg. The economic development of Soweto during the years of the apartheid was limited by the government. There was no improvement of infrastructure and any activity of locals was prevented. Many families had to share their water and toilet. Soweto was seen as a place for black Africans who worked in homes or factories of whites. Now, there are signs of economic improvement in Soweto. De government of Johannesburg started placing street-lighting and improving pavement. There also are initiatives from the private sector. But the poverty from the biggest part of the population is still very large, mostly because there’s hardly any employment in Soweto. By a lack of transport the price to go and work somewhere outside Soweto is higher then what they can earn, most of them stay unemployed.
Kopanang is situated between Geluksdal and Tsakane townships in the Brakpan area, 50 odd kilometers south east of Johannesburg. The area still has some farming but the mines which were the chief source of employment have all been closed in the last six years. Typical of an impoverished area, transport is scarce and expensive, infrastructure has improved little in the last twenty years but crime, overcrowding, ill health and malnutrition are on the increase.
KwaMashu is a township twenty miles north of Durban, with very high levels of poverty and crime. The township was formed by the apartheid state to house the mass resettlement of Africans that were living in Cato Manor during 1958-65. It is the largest of 3 townships in the area (Inanda and Ntuzuma are more rural with a lower population density). Until 1994, apartheid rules meant that it was illegal for white people to live in the township, or for blacks to live in the nearby city of Durban.
In total the Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu (INK) area is home to 500,000 people living on 9,572 hectares of land, with almost 25% having incomes below subsistence level - and a 30% unemployment rate. The area is associated with high levels of violence and crime, 17 times higher than the affluent areas of the urban core. Due to high rates of deprivation, unemployment and a turbulent political history these three townships have been grouped together for the purpose of State regeneration and poverty alleviation projects by the South African Government.
The City of Durban or eThekwini Municipality runs a system of governance called Area Based Management (ABM) as part of the South African government’s urban renewal program. INK ABM’s stated aims are to complement the services of the municipality whilst focusing on the mobilisation of actors and the coordination of secure integrated and sustainable development at the local level. Projects include the development of a shopping centre and health care clinics, providing microfinance to small business and creating agricultural opportunities for unemployed women, funding local development projects.
KwaMashu is notable for its lively performance arts scene. Although the people of KwaMashu have to cope with issues of high rates of sexual abuse, violence, crime and high rates of HIV, within the township, a lively performing arts scene thrives including Maskandi, hip hop, pansula dancing, dance, drama.