Politics & Development
While the city of Cape Town itself only has a population of 800,000, an estimated two million people live in the neighbouring townships, 90 percent of whom are black and only 10 percent white.
Khayelitsha, South Africa’s third largest township, is located on the outskirts of the city in the Cape Flats, and consists mainly of huts made of tin, wood and board. In the native language, Xhosa, Khayelitsha means „new home“.
After the end of apartheid in 1994, hundreds of the thousands of black people came from the country areas to the city, with the hope of finding work. However, after the demise of apartheid in 1994, it was the underprivileged blacks in particular who felt abandoned by the government, the regeneration process in South Africa taking longer than expected.
Although some changes and improvement have occurred since 1994 – there is now water and electricity in the townships, for instance – the living conditions are still such that 500 families have to share one toilet. And a lack of security, unemployment and a high crime rate are still predominant in the townships.
The most urgent thing at the moment is to reduce unemployment and to provide school education for the townships inhabitants. Only this way can the country develop further. From a political point of view, South Africa may have achieved freedom, but apartheid still exists, and with it all of the prejudices.
Speaking to the inhabitants one thing is clear: They have their visions of the future of their country – and most of them are positive. Most of the people believe that only they themselves can change their situation, and that they cannot rely on any help from the government.
