Khayelitsha: Our Home

(4 reviews)

Cape Town audio tour: Khayelitsha: Our Home

This is a 0.6mi walking tour

It takes an average of 20 mins to complete.

Cape Town

South Africa

Archived

This tour isn’t available for download. We’ve preserved the script and audio as a record of its moment in time, but we don’t recommend doing the tour. It was published in May 2017.

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About the Tour

Khayelitsha means Our New Home, and it was named that because in 1985, tens of thousands of black South Africans were moved here by the government, to relieve overcrowding in other townships.

Rachel Chitongo moved to Cape Town from Harare, Zimbabwe, and she lives here in Khayelitsha. She'll take you on a walk through the township's bustling centre, and tell you about the spirit of some of the people who live here, as they make their daily commutes to the white suburbs to work.

Tour Producer

Rachel Chitongo

0 tours

I am a Zimbabwean single mom of two living and working in Cape Town. I enjoying writing short stories about how I live and the lives in the communities I live and work in.

Preview Location

Location 1

Welcome to Our Home

Khayelitsha means “our new home”, and in 1985, it was exactly that. You’ve probably heard of the Group Areas Act – it was a l aw put in place by the apartheid government, which allowed them to forcefully remove black people from the inner city, and move them to dusty, cramped ... Khayelitsha means “our new home”, and in 1985, it was exactly that. You’ve probably heard of the Group Areas Act – it was a l aw put in place by the apartheid government, which allowed them to forcefully remove black people from the inner city, and move them to dusty, cramped settlements in outlying areas. Khayelitsha was the government’s last effort, and it was created to relieve the intense overcrowding in other townships. Back then, only 30,000 people lived here. Now, it’s home to almost a million people.
When the country gained freedom, the government started to build some modern houses with water and lights, and it continues to do so. But much of the population still lives in informal shacks.

Let’s begin our walk.You should be standing outside the Magistrates Court. If you’re facing it, turn left and start walking, sticking to the left pavement.

My name is Rachel, and I am originally from Harare in Zimbabwe. Khayelitsha is a notorious haven for vice, squalor and crime. When I first came here, in 2014, I was curious and very cautious, but soon I warmed up to the heart and verve of the people of Khayelitsha.

You see, to the bulk of Cape Town’s population Khayelitsha is just … home. It is home to people that have dreams, hopes and aspirations just like anyone living anywhere. I’ve always been amazed by the hard-working, dedicated mothers who live here. In many families, the mothers are both the primary breadwinners and the primary caregivers. Today, I’ll tell you a bit about the lives of these women.

Many of them are domestic workers. Every morning, from as early as 4:30, they begin their journeys to different parts of Cape Town to work in suburban houses. They leave home before the sun has reached the horizon, and arrive back long after it has set. They often have no choice but to leave their children to their own devices. Without the guidance of adults, the crime rate, prostitution, and pregnancy rates are rising among young people.

But these women work very hard to better their lives. Through their hard work they manage to educate, feed and clothe their children. Many have managed to improve the houses they were given by the government. There’s no greater sign of prosperity and success here than being able to send your children to more affluent schools in the suburbs. Read More

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Getting There

Route Overview

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Start location
Walter Sisulu Rd, Graceland, Cape Town, 7784, South Africa
Total distance

990m
Final location
158 Ntlazane Rd, Village 1 South, Cape Town, 7784, South Africa
Distance back to start location

503.12m

Directions to Starting Point

The walk starts outside the Magistrates Court, on the corner of Steve Biko and Walter Sisulu Road.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

Department of Coffee, Shops and Food Stalls

Best time of day

Only do this walk during daylight hours, between 9am and 5pm.

Precautions

The route follows a safe and well-worn path, but still, township life is hard, and opportunistic thieves do roam the area at times. Walk with a friend or in a group. Keep your phone in your pocket, and don't linger in quiet areas.

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App Store Review

“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”

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Questions and Reviews

4.8 / 5

4 Ratings

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