Manenberg, Cape Flats
Manenberg is a largely Coloured community on the Cape Flats, where clotheslines span across apartheid-government-built housing and children play in the streets - the back of Table Mountain visible in the distance - the one redeeming factor in a township with high levels of unemployment, overcrowding and a disturbing reputation for high levels of gang activity.
But not all is doom and gloom. Residents have joined with religious groups, schools and community organisations in the Proudly Manenberg campaign to rid the town of the stigma it has earned as little more than a ghetto. Their focus is to positively re-brand Manenberg and provincial government is putting money and people into the campaign to uplift the crime and poverty-ridden neighbourhood through community initiatives.
Established by the apartheid government between 1966 and 1970, the coloured community of Manenberg is divided from the black township of Gugulethu by little more than a railway line. Graffiti, which graces many a wall in Manenberg, changes the official definition from one of crime to one of art, and many feature the ‘king of rap' - Tupac Shakur.
The famous Cape Flats night club - Club Montreal - has hosted some of the best in the realm of jazz, including the likes of Willie van Bloemenstein and Tony Schilder, and has given birth to its own musicians like Roy Davids, who now plays for the counterpoint project.
In the vicinity
Hotels & other accommodation options
Camdene Guest House
Camdene Guest House offers accommodation in an Halaal friendly environment and is a home away from home. Ideally situated to explore the charms o...
Hotel Verde
Located 400m from Cape Town International Airport, Hotel Verde offers 145 rooms, conference facilities, restaurant, bar, indoor gym, outdoor jogg...
Liziwe's Guest House
Experience township life, a warm welcome and a relaxed atmosphere at Liziwe's Guest House. The guest rooms are decorated with a tasteful touch of...
Cheval Vapeur
Cheval Vapeur offers self catering Philippi accommodation on a horse farm in the heart of Cape Town's seasonal wetlands. All the units are self c...
Noteworthy attractions
Table Mountain
Since the first person laid eyes on Table Mountain, it has exerted its powerful and charismatic pull, enchanting and drawing any and all who fall...
Teez Lounge
Teez Lounge is Guguletus most popular hang-out spot. Every Saturday and Sunday this is where people spend their afternoons, eating meat, chatting...
Cape Town Township Tour
This is a full day visit to the poverty stricken "Townships" of Cape Town. Experience Township life, visit schools and be entertained by the scho...
Rondevlei Nature Reserve
One of the country's oldest ornithological field stations, has some easy walks and fantastic bird hides that offers the bird lover hours of enter...
Gugulethu Seven Memorial
Built to commemorate the death of seven young black activists from the Cape township Gugulethu (meaning our pride) on 3 March 1986, the Gugulethu...
Zeekoevlei Nature Reserve
Zeekoevlei is a huge freshwater lake in the middle of the Cape Flats. With the rather densely populated suburbs of Grassy Park, Lotus River and P...
Manyanani Peace Park
The Peace Park, known as the Manyanani Peace Park, which is Xhosa for 'to bring people together', lies in Khayelitsha. The development of the pea...
False Bay Ecology Park
False Bay Ecology Park, FBEP for short, lies in Cape Town and is 1200 hectares that includes Rondevlei Nature Reserve and Zeekoevlei Nature Reser...
Cape Care Route
The Cape Care Route, situated in and around Cape Town, offers those who take it a chance to experience the 'other' side of Cape Town, and the cre...
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