Mdantsane Ghost Town

Mdantsane Resembles a Ghost Town and Still Lacks Amenities

For many Mdanstane residents, March 4 1990, remains one of the most memorable days in the history of this township, when the homeland of Ciskei under the leadership of Dr Lennox Sebe, fell into the hands of one of his senior soldiers, Brigadier Joshua Oupa Gqozo in a military coup. 

Mayhem erupted after the announcement of the coup, when residents destroyed everything that represented Sebe's regime, and thus leaving the township in ruins.

When you drive around Mdantsane you can not help but notice many dilapidated buildings, which are a strong reminder of this ugly past, when the township went up in smoke as offices and businesses alike were destroyed. 

Nofikle complex in NU 1 used to be a bottle store and a butchery with living quarters above

What was supposed to be a celebration of the end to an era - the apartheid homeland system under which Mdantsane fell, turned into chaos.

These were exciting times for South African politics, as Nelson Mandela had also just been released from prison less than a month to that day.

These eye-saw buildings are almost everywhere, bearing the scars of that fateful day as many of these buildings are still in the same state of that aftermath, derelict and casting a folorn picture of this once vibrant township with great potential. 

The Xoilisani butchery in the far left corner in NU 14 used to be a butchery but is now a Spaza shop run by Somalian Nationals 

  

Having mentioned that, however, there is a glimmer of hope as some of the buildings have since been renovated. The downside is the fact that the township still lacks basic amenities like cinemas, small business centres, old age homes, youth centres, swimming pools etc. 

Mushrooming around the township are instead church denominations, which seems to be invading almost every avaliable building as a result of breakaway fractions, branching out to different premises. 

The building used to be the Embo butchery but is now used by a church

 

Also spaza shops, mostly run by foreigners nationals like the Somalians are found everywhere.

Some however have seen the need to promote a healthy lifestyle in the township by turning some of these buildings into gymnasiums, which is also a positive way to develop the youth and keep them away from the streets.

This is a building in N U 11 which has been turned into a boxing academy and gym

Story and Pictures by Siyanda Nkonyeni

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

Vukuzenzele - Do It Yourself, My Experience

JUST DO IT FOR YOURSELF !!!

About three years ago the world economic downturn resulted in the highest unemployment figures ever recorded in recent times, as millions of people lost their jobs. The prediction that the world might soon experience a double-dip recession means that more and more South Aficans could face further retrenchments. The scourge has also led to fewer job opportunities, thus adding salt to the wound, as many young people already find themselves in an a state of dispondency, as most of them are unemployed.

It is estimated that in Africa alone 100 000 000 jobs are needed to try and solve the status quo.

Vukuzenzele is one of the initiatives by the government to encourage South Africans to stand up and do it for themselves, with a promise to create platforms and catalysts for assisting such efforts. 

As noble and sound as this idea might sound, the above mentioned promise exists only as such, just an idea and or promise to many, as accessing financial assistance remains a far fetched dream. This intended obligation by the gorvernment is clouded, namely by lack of available information, corruption, lack of funding and too much red tape to name just a few.

A friend of mine who just opened a hardware store in Mdantsane related to me how disappointed and shocked he was to find signages, advertising his business, were taken away by municipal authorities without any warning because they clashed with by-laws. What infurated him was that he did not understand why he was the only one targeted as there were many other signages around Mdanstane. 

He went to the municipal office and demand his signages be put back where they were or if not, all signages in Mdantsane be taken down. After his protest, he was given back his signages and he put them up, and was never bothered again. 

My turn of Vukuzenzele gone bad, came when I wanted to have my mobile shop outside the Nontyatyambo Clinic at the Highway Taxi Rank in the township. I saw a business opportunity to sell take-aways there, since there was no cafeteria at the premises. 

I was told to make an application to the municipality, where I was given a long list of things to install in my mobile shop before I could go ahead. A sink, storage spaces, a tap were some of the things I was asked to install before a permit could be issued. 

 

The total cost of the installations was estimated at R 7 000, mind you, I am in between jobs at the moment and do not have a regular income. In Mdantsane many businesses are run without permits and as a law abiding citizen, I went through all the trouble as I wanted to do things by the book. 

I tried to explain to the manager that I could not afford such installations, and besides around the township there are containers who are standing there without any licenses from the municipality. 

The manager insisted that I should meet the requirements first, and what makes me angry is that there are hawkers who are trading already next to the clinic entrance, also without permission. With the levels of corruption I would not be suprised to see that the permit to sell at the clinic will be given to a person who has a close relationship with the powers that institution.

A  story by Siyanda Nkonyeni

Paying Tribute To A Boxing Legend - Happy Boy Mgxaji

We have been promosing you since a while that we would start telling stories about Mdantsane's boxing history and the famous boxers the township has produced over decades. And Siyanda Nkoyeni has written the first story for us. Here it is.

It is a fact that Mdantsane is famous for boxing and has produced not only South African but many world champions as well, and thus has placed South Africa on the world map. There are many stories as to why boxing is popular in the Eastern Cape and mainly in Mdantsane, but there is one thing for sure that the sport is like a culture in the province. 

Over the years champions came and went, and many local boxing fans will agree that the name Nkosana "Happy Boy" Mgxaji, is so synonymous with boxing in Mdantsane that the history of the sport cannot be told without mentioning his name.

Happy Boy Mgxaji at his prime

 

The huge attendance by hundreds of boxing fans at his funeral, from all over South Africa on 13 February 2011 at Sisa Dukashe stadium, was a true testimony to this man's stature in the sporting frartenity. Mention must be made that it was only befitting for this Mdantsane hero to be buried in the same venue where he used to mesmirise his fans with this boxing skills.

Some are taking refuge under their umbrellas from the sun at the Grand Stand during Mgaxji's Funeral

 

Born in Tsolo location in 1949, a black township just outside East London, Mgxaji came from a poor family where his mother sold vegetables for a living. Like many township kids at the time, Mgxaji did not go far in school and dropped out in standard six. 

He grew up in the rough neighbourhood where he took up the sport of boxing so as to defend himself, and also later to earn a living to help his struggling mother, unbeknown to him that this was the beginning of his illustrous boxing career.  

Former boxers forming a guard of honor at Mgaxaji funeral

 

It was the 1963 amateur championships in Port Elizabeth, that Mgxaji's star started to shine, and where boxing officails took note of this wonder kid from Mdanstane. He became an amateur champion that same year and in 1968 turned professional, remaining unbeated untli 1971.

"Happy Boy", a name bestowed to him by his brother, Nzimande Douglas Mgxaji, was known to be a fitness fanatic and disciplinarian, a reason why he never had a trainer. He preferred to work out alone and only strategised when facing the opponents in the ring.  Mgxaji fought many memorable fights and had an incredible record of 101 professional fights, winnng 88, with 27 KO's, drew 4 and lost 9. 

Dignitairies and MEC's also attended the funeral

Those old enough will tell you that there was only one reason why large crowds of boxing fans would descend upon Sisa Dukashe stadium in the 1970's and 80's on Sartudays afternoons, only to watch Happy Boys' boxing craft in the ring. Sadly, like many local boxers, Happy Boy died a pauper due to an asthma attack at the age of 61. Driving down Qumza Highway, his house in NU 3 casts a monumental picture of this trailblazer's history.  

A Story  By Siyanda Nkonyeni

A Young Circumcision Surgeon's Quest To Preserve Tradition

The old age circumcision ritual is one of the most practiced and popular in the Eastern Cape. It is the ritual of admitting young boys into manhood upon reaching the age of 18 years when they are sent to the bush for several weeks into so-called circumcision schools and are taught how to become a man. However the practice has been attracting the wrong attention, and receiving negative coverage in recent years, as many young boys lose their lives, have their penises amputated or land up in hospital due to diseases. 

Different factors like inexperienced practitioners (traditional nurses and surgeons), underage initiates, unhygienic conditions, diseases and greed are some of the ills that are threatening this tradition. This has led to government and other stakeholders formulating measures to curb this carnage, and producing laws to regulate how the ritual is perfomed. The Traditional Circumcision Act, is a measure that provides for qualified people to perfom the ritual and also provides for the observation of health standards.

In the past being a cicurmcision surgeon was a role played by old and experienced men but now times have changed, as new methods of circumcision have been introduced. 

Andile Siko is one of the youngest traditional surgeons in the Eastern Cape who has taken upon himself to help preserve, promote and restore the circumcision ritual back to what it was. True to the stereotype, when you meet Siko you can be forgiven for not associating this charming, soft spoken and respectable young man as a traditional surgeon who is gaining popularity around the Eastern Cape.

Siko adimts that his choice of work was not his first preference, but that his job is a calling. He now cannot imagine doing something else.

SIKO in his traditional attire

"I started this kind of work when I was 19 years old and never looked back. I now have this responsibility of making boys to man, and I see more than 300 boys a year taking this important journey to manhood. I do not have a formal training but was told by ancestors in a dream to do what I do. I did not understand the meaning of my dream, and when I told my father he advised me to do this as it was my calling," he said.

He is concerned by the negativity the ritual has evoked in the community as many are calling for circumcision to be done away with, and advises parents and traditional nurses to be more involved.

"People should take precaution, be observant and extra cautious when working with young initiates. Nowadays most initiates are young, as young as 14 years old, unlike during our days. We went to the bush when we were between 18 and 20 year old, and never encountered such problems".

He pointed out greed as one of the problems and that parents should consult people who know the ritual well.

"Here in Mdantsane to circumcise a boy costs about R300 and a bottle of brandy. The money and the bottle of brandy are not a necessary payment, but a token of appreciation and helps to appease the ancestors. 

A Story by Siyanda Nkoyeni

Siyanda's Dream

We have been silent over the last few weeks because we are in the final phase of the editing process for the E-book version of " The Mdantsane Way " which is scheduled to be published at the end of October 2011. This has proven to be a task much more labourious than ever anticipated in our wildest dreams or nightmares. But there are some good and exciting news to tell. 

We are proud to introduce Siyanda Nkoyeni as our first guest blogger. Siyanda, born and bred in Mdantsane, saw an article about our book that has been published in our local newspaper " The Daily Dispatch" - thank you Daily Dispatch ! - and approached us with the proposition to contribute to the future online-magazine for Mdantsane that we are in the process of creating as well.

 

Siyanda has more than one story to tell. In 2010 he started a community newspaper with a friend in Mdantsane called the MDASB CONNEXION. Both men ran and funded the newspaper out of there own pockets and without assistance from any governmental institutions. The MDASB CONNEXION was well received by the Mdantsanians.

Community newpapers are not only a very important and sometimes the only source of education for people who live in underdeveloped areas with a lot of infrastructural problems but they are the people themselves. But even though the efforts of both men have done Mdantsane proud the CONNEXION died due to a lack of funds.When looking at the edition of April 2010 which Siyanda has kept as a memory (a memory not to forget his dream) it can only be said it was professionally printed and the standard can absolutely be compared to that of many other community newspapers.

Siyanda still has his dream which is to run a newspaper in Mdantsane for Mdantsane. And we are happy that he took the decision to contact us. That is what we wanted and what we were looking for.

Welcome Siyanda, we are looking forward to your stories and to your contribution. We also like the picture.