KwaMashu

KwaMashu Township is an urban residential location outside of Durban, South Africa created for exclusively Africans.

History

Until 1994 it was illegal for white people to enter the townships to live due to the racial segregation policies of the apartheid regime. At this time it was also illegal for Blacks to live in the nearby city of Durban. KwaMashu is located on the border between KwaZulu Natal and Natal, twenty miles north of Durban. The township was formed by the apartheid state to house the mass resettlement of Africans that were squatting on Cato Manner during 1958-65. It is the largest of 3 townships in the area (Inanda and Ntuzuma are more rural with a lower population density). Due to high rates of deprivation, unemployment and a turbulent political history these three Black townships have been grouped together for the purpose of State regeneration and poverty alleviation projects by the South African Government. In total Inanda Ntuzuma KwaMashu (INK) area is home to 500000 people living on 9572 hectares of land. Scholars have suggested that nearly a ¼ of INKs’ residents have incomes below subsistence level and 30% are unemployed. The area is associated with high levels of violence and crime, 17 times higher than the affluent areas of the urban core (Hindson, 2001).

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 there is a lively performing arts scene thrives including Moskandi, hip hop, pansula dancing, dance, drama. Through performance the young people of KwaMashu are raising the cultural profile of KwaMashu, aided significantly by the skills, resources and direction of Ekhaya Multi Arts Centre for Arts and Performance.

Public Schools

*NqabakaZulu Comprehensive High School
*Sibonelo High School
*Sivananda FET School
*Zakhe High School
*Mzuvele High School
*Zeph Dlomo High School
*John Dube High School
*Mukelani Higher Primary
*Nkulisabantu Lower Primary
*Bhekilanga Lower Primary
*Phuthumani Primary
*Kwesethu High School
*Daluxolo Lower Primary
*Ngazane Lower Primary
*Nhlakanipho High School
*Phakama Higher Primary

Related Townships

*Inanda
*Ntuzuma
*uMlazi
*Chesterville
*Lamontville

Famous People from KwaMashu

*Siyabonga Nomvethe
*Linda Gumede
*Leleti Khumalo
*Henry Cele
* [http://www.durban.gov.za/durban/discover-durban/our-durban/history/famous_durbanites/arts/nokwe Alfred/Tu Nokwe (Nokwe Family)]
* [http://www.durban.gov.za/durban/discover-durban/our-durban/history/famous_durbanites/arts/Sipho Sipho Gumede]
*Jeff Hadebehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Radebe
*Dumisani Makhayehttp://www.whoswhosa.co.za/Pages/profilefull.aspx?IndID=2297
*Mbusi Makhanya

Film on KwaMashu

In 2008 a film called KwaMashu: Still my Home was in production by director Owen 'Alik Shahadah in conjunction with South African arts centre K-CAP, based in KwaMashu. The film is about the history of the township. [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1228932/ KwaMashu Film IMDB] , [http://www.stillmyhome.com STILL MY HOME FILM]

External links

* [http://www.stillmyhome.com STILL MY HOME: KWAMASHU]