As a volunteer, you will have the opportunity and privilege to work in these communities and experience their hidden gems first-hand. But what you don’t see in the media is the incredible spirit of resilience and creativity that have led to townships being described as the “heartbeat” of South Africa.
Don’t be fooled though – the mainstream media loves to concentrate on bad news as if it’s the only news! Yes, it’s true there is poverty and restlessness in townships. You’ve probably heard frightening tales of South African township unrest and crime, and seen footage of shabby run-down third-world streets lined with dirt, and angry unemployed people gesticulating at or even attacking police and journalists. That’s where you, as a volunteer, can step in and help out.
This led to poverty and social unrest, which in turn have led to a great need for social development programmes on a number of levels. Historically, the communities in these townships were socially marginalised and economically disadvantaged by the apartheid regime. The township neighbourhoods sprang up in a big way in the late 19th century as urbanisation grew, and people had a need to live near work opportunities. The township people were mostly native Africans, Coloured people of mixed-race ethnicity, mixed-race families who were banned from living in the suburb of the white spouse, and people of Asian origin who came to the country as migrant labourers from China and India. These areas were inhabited almost entirely by non-white people, who were not allowed by law to live in “Whites Only” suburbs.
Throughout South African history, the terms “township” and “location” are what the local people have used to describe the neighbourhoods on the periphery of developed towns and cities. As a prospective volunteer in South Africa, you may have heard the terms “township” or “location”, and you’ve wondered what on earth they mean.
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