Graffiti is Art - And Art Is Ever Changing in Mdantsane

Graffiti is Art!

The Everchanging Art of Mdantsane!

Art is perishable in Mdantsane

In Mdantsane we find a phenomena, a natural phenomena, that artists in Europe try to achieve intentionally. Perishable art, art that vanishes and art that dissolves or is destroyed again. In the west installations are set up with great effort in public spaces or in nature, only to be taken over by natural forces or to be destroyed deliberately. The process of destruction is watched by many. It is a process, that shows that art is perishable, a creation of the mind and as such it represents the state of the mind at a given point. 

Art is ever changing in Mdantsane

We have come to this place several times, a deserted trading complex in N.U 5 that is merely a ruin now. Each time the graffiti and art on the walls have changed. I can not deny that sometimes this has left me in an emotional state - because I came back to see a certain painting but instead I found another one.

Art is loud.....to be heard

Not a second do we think that these walls have been vandalised. They have been beautified.

Art is Ever Changing in Mdantsane and it is public.

Art is verbal and loud in Mdantsane

Lucky's Mfowethu Spaza

Lucky's Mfowethu Spaza in NU 5

There are at least 100.000 spaza shops in South Africa with an estimated 40.000 located in Gautend - with a collective turnover of R 7 billion per annum. Spaza Shops or Tuck Shops are informal convenience shops, usually run from home.

They also serve the purpose of supplementing household incomes of the owners, selling everyday small household items.

These shops grew as a result of sprawling townships, that made travel to formal shopping places more dirfficult or expensive.

Each Spaza shop employs in average one or two people.

Mdantsane - A Way of Life

Car Wash on the weekend overlooking beautiful NU 5

The material for the book " The Mdantsane Way " has been collected for over five years by now, and my archive of photos and stories is still growing. The Mdantsane Way has evolved and become a project. The first version of this book will be released in January as an e-book. We have decided to publish it as an e-book as well because e-books are taking the whole world by storm. The book will be cheaper to aquire and this puts more people in a position to have access to it. There will be a hardcover version as well. 

We have named the book " The Mdantsane Way " because most of all Mdantsane stands for a certain way of life. It is the second biggest township in South Africa but foremost it represents a life-style. A lifestyle that embodies community spirit, African vibrancy and energy, uniqueness, creativity and a whole lot of humor. If you live in Mdantsane you do it the Mdantsane Way. 

It was our objective to capture and to show you as many scenes of daily life and street life of this township as possible. I can say today this has not been done before ever. Not for Mdantsane. There is very little photographic material about Mdantsane available. Nobody has taken as many pictures and collected as many stories as we did. What started in my head as an art project became a journey with consequences. I infected my friends with this idea and we could not let go of it since then. And we feel a little proud of it.

This blog was created for you, the people in Mdantsane who have helped us pushing it through. 

The stories, the faces, the photos we were allowed to take, the fun and the new things we have seen and learned are worth a trillion.

I hope you see your face here on this blog sooner or later. And it is for all the others as well that have taken an interest in it. I can say there are many who know Mdantsane by now a little bit through our stories and pictures. 

If you want to use and upload the pictures that you see here and on our facebook and twitter pages-you can. Spread them, show them around, add them to your photos. That is why they were taken. Just mention our name so that we get seen and heard more.

This will enable us may be to get more support for the online magazine and the movie we have started working on.

Mdantsane FM Goes On Air, At Last

Mdantsane FM !!!

For years Mdantsane has been starved the opportunity to have its own community media (community radio and newspaper) thus denying the local community a plartfom to be entertained, informed and educated about issues that directly affected them. 

The community of Mdantsane finally woke up to music in their ears on 18 November 2011, when Mdantsane FM went on air for the first time at the Mdantasne Hotel premises.

Mdezee studio at the back of the butcher in N. U. 5

It took the intervention by the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality for the station to finally go on air, after failing to do so for four years, when the station first received it's broadcasting license.

The Municipality threw a lifeline and funded the station with an amount of R138 000 for them to pay rental to the South African signal distributor Sentech, for their transmitter for six months with a possibility of futher funding thereafter, depending on how successful the station turns out to be.

Part of the protesting crowd at the Highway Taxi Rank

So desperate was the local community for their own station that about two years ago, an alleged illegal community radio station had to be closed down a few months after it started, as it was operating without a broadcasting licence and was deemed unlawful. 
Mdezze FM, a brainchild of a local businessman and ironically a former Sentech engineer Sivuyile Mahlahla, started broadcasting at the back of his business premises in N U 5 via setellite. It was just when the station was starting to gain popularity around Mdanstane that all hell broke loose. 

Another larger crowd

 It is alleged that the station gained popularity because it was seen as the mouthpiece of the community to voice their needs, expose lack of service delivery and incompetent councillors, something that did not go down well with the authorities. As a result members of the South African Police, Sentech and coucillors raided the premises, this move angered the community who took to the streets to protest as they felt the station was helpful.

The new Mdantsane station employs over 50 people and mostly the youth, and broadcast in 80% Xhosa and 20% Engilsh. Not only the township will benefit but also communites in the station will reach outlying area as well. 

Most of the spectators that came where form NU 5

Story and Pictures by Siyanda Nkonyeni

Together We Can Build Better Communities

It was a beautiful sunny day with a clear blue sky and the trees were blossoming all over Mdantsane.

And these two handsome dudes were in a compatible mood

What more can a street photographer ask for ?

I am happy !

Kumnandi Ekhaya - It Is Nice At Home

Three elders warming up in the midday sun in NU 5 on a cold winter day.

People Are People Through Other People

The Sizamile Soup Kitchen In NU 5

Between 20  to 40 people of all ages come to the Soup Kitchen in NU 5 to get a hot meal on Wednesdays. 

The Sizamile Women's Group was established in 2005 by 19 women. The soup kitchen was launched in the same year.

A letter was handed over to us when we visited them so that we could read their story.
We want to use their own unchanged words to re-tell it to you:

" We started this project ; a certain old man came to us and asked for food. He was so destitute although he receives grant. The grant is insufficient to fulfill his needs. We met as women to solve the problem, we established a soup kitchen in order to meet with this problem. We collected some cash and bought rice, mince-meat and vegetables.

Many of the destitute came to have some meals. They were rationed from Monday to Friday. Four of the women withdrew they could not afford to give money to buy the food items. Only the eleven of us who is still on the project.

We decided to cook for them once a week. We chose to feed them on Wednesdays. The number of them has risen to 40. Six of them are bed-ridden. We visit and feed them at their homes. We are feeding the elderly people."

The government of South Africa as a young democracy has established an extensive social grant system over the years to support and help the people that have been disadvantaged under the Apartheid system and as an answer to the needs of those who are living below the minimum income level or who are in the true sense of the word destitute. 

There are a variety of social grants available for the elders, aids orphans, HIV positive people, disabled people and many more.

The necessary distribution of these grants initially instituted because of the high level of unemployment has now led to another social phenomena. The grants are often not used for their original destined purpose but they help to feed complete families. A social grant or a pension of an elderly person might help contribute to bring the grandchildren through school or pay electricity and water. A cycle that is incredibly hard to break.

This soup kitchen was set up in the spirit of UBUNTU.

Ubuntu is an African Word.

In the Xhosa language Ubuntu means " People are People Through Other People".

Reference to the word Ubuntu is made on all levels of government in South Africa and in all social circles.

We dare to say Ubuntu is most alive and strong with the people who are still very close to earth. 

With the working class.

 " The Salt Of The Earth ".

We call them the Heroes of Daily Life. Our book is about them.

These courageous women have meanwhile created an NGO and have applied for funds with the Department of Social Development. But they are still funding their activities with their own funds.

The younger ones who can, take care of the others who can not care for themselves anymore.

The Spirit of Ubuntu is alive in every NU in Mdantsane.

To the  two ladies who are the initiators of this group Mrs H. Mandleleni and Miss. T Bokoloshe

  WE SALUTE YOU !

The United Pentecostal Church In NU 5

There are many churches all over Mdantsane 

The United Pentecostal Church in NU 5 is small and pretty as a picture.

How many souls have sung and worshiped together and prayed here for a better life over the years?

NU 5 - The Best View In Town

Now, is this not a beautiful view? 

Looking down from NU 5 over the large Bridle Drift Dam you will see this. The River who feeds this dam amongst others is the Buffalo River. It is the only navigable river in South Africa and the town of East London was built around it. The Buffalo River has its source in the seeps and sponges of the Amatola Mountains Range at an altitude of 1200 m. 

The river is 126 kilometres long and drains a catchment of 1287 square kilometers. From its source, the river descends through indigenous forest in a deeply-incised channel, flanked by rock cliffs up to 120 meters high. 
The Bridle Drift Dam is the largest dam on the river, with a full supply volume of 101 million cubic meters. Small streams on the northern bank bring runoff directly into Bridle Drift Dam from Mdantsane

From Bridle Drift Dam, the Buffalo River flows through low altitude coastal forest for twenty kilometres, before entering the Indian Ocean through the estuary harbour of East London.

This is for me probably one of the nicest views in the Mdantsane. Having said this, I am already preparing myself for lots of protest from residents from other NU's when they will read this. One thing we have understood clearly is that each NU  has a distinct character and it's own pride.

We have been told very often "I will live and die in NU 5, NU 6 , NU 7" , and so on, depending of what unit the person is coming from.

But no matter if it is the nicest or if there are other views in Mdantsane that are more beautiful it must be definitely a great pleasure to enjoy this view everyday. 

There is sufficient land available in and around Mdantsane to cater for housing developments particularly when informal settlements are upgraded. The Department of Local Government and Housing is funding currently several housing projects in Mdantsane.

A wide variety of already existing residencies can be found in NU 5 ranging from neat small stone houses built on the green slopes to some more already more luxurious and elaborate properties facing the Buffalo River and the mighty dam.

In many places you can see on-going construction

Residents making their houses bigger, larger and longer......

The provision of adequate, safe and decent housing is still the greatest challenge in the township.

 And of course still there is the familiar sight of many shacks. 

The official name of this reservoir is Bridle Drift Dam but I was introduced to it as the "Grinaker"dam which is the name of the construction company that has build the dam. Grinaker was adopted as a name by the residents and generally the dam is called that way.

The vibes are good in the neighborhood.

People are friendly and welcoming

Houses are kept neat and clean

As far as we can see residents are enjoying living in NU5

like the two girls taking a stroll down the road to the river

It is only a question of time, and not too long anymore, when private developers will come in and start building prime properties. Mansions and villas will flank the slopes and the sides of the river. And the key word here will be location, location, location and again location.

Concerning the heated discussion of the development of Africa, and in fact everything else as well, one has always the choice to look close or to search for a larger picture. 

The larger picture is not always evident but it is there. It is a question of focus. Choose to see the obstacle in your way that is blocking your view or see what waits behind.