Where Does The Name Mdantsane Come From ?

What does the name Mdantsane mean ? Where does it come from? 

Nobody knows. It does not mean anything. Really, we don't know. It's just a name.

We have heard that more than once. 

But it was rather hard to believe for us! In Africa every name has a meaning! Every name comes from somewhere. In Africa behind every name there is a story. In Africa every name has significance and stands for an event, a place, a great happening or a story. Like the guy, named ambulance, whom we met and who in works in an upholstery in town. His mother gave birth in an ambulance. That is logic, that is real! That's a great story!

So we asked again and again most of the time receiving the same answers - until we came, across a  document about the history of East London and Mdantsane, that satisfied our curiosity!

MDANTSANE = UMDANZANI

Mdantsane is said to have received its name from the farm Umdanzani on whose ground it was established

By the 1940s, living quarters for black East London workers were hard to find and the existing locations and the already big township Duncan Village were overcrowded. Duncan Village is a township, that existed long before Mdantsane.
More Residential areas for black labor were needed and lengthy discussions took place on the level of the town council concerning the most suitable location for another "Bantu Residential Area". More information can be found in our article The Origin of Mdantsane.

In 1954 the City Engineer was requested to find space for expansion, especially on suitable land adjoining Duncan Village.

But the survey was refused by the national government and the area was declared to be for white people only. 

Areas near Newlands, Macleantown, Kwelegha and a farm with the name “Umdanzani”, were examined. 

The latter was found to be suitable as it lay alongside the national road and railway line, and in 1958 the new site was declared.

The municipality undertook the planning which was based on the "neighbourhood concept" of a garden city, first suggested by E. Howard in 1898. This envisaged a central CBD (Central Business District) with neighbourhoods clustering around it. 

In each neighbourhood there would be low order central areas, which would house shops, churches and educational facilities. 

The nature of the topography, ridges and valleys, dictated much of the layout, which tried to avoid the formal grid pattern and worked around curves, loops and triangles. 

By the end of 1963 the first 300 residents occupied the new houses.
In 1966 it was proclaimed a "Ciskei homeland" town and excised from East London. The advantage at least was that this did allow for freehold title. It was originally only intended to make provision for 120 000, but it grew very rapidly and today it is divided into eighteen zones which are still expanding, with the newest unit known as Unit P.

The original Name Umdanzani transformed over time to Mdantsane.

Pelisa Welemu - A Woman And Her Dream

Pelisa Welemu is dreaming of a better society. 

She is dreaming of a society where old people are respected and treasured. 

She is dreaming of the old African ideal, that the elders are kept safe and protected in the last years of their life until the day comes when they leave this world and become our ancestors. This ideal was once a collective ideal and can be found all over Africa but it degenerated in modern South Africa. 

The situation of many old people is far from rosy. They are subjected to neglect, poverty, emotional abuse and physical violence.

This undeniable fact made her dedicate her life to the creation of a non-profit orgnization and the establishment of the only old age home in Mdantsane in N.U 1. 

Ethembeni - Let's Help Each Other is home to close to 50 old people.

I have been visiting this home since 2005 I owe it to Pelisa Welemu to give her an opportunity to voice her quest and to share her experiences. 

Pelisa Welemu - A Woman And Her Dream is part of "The Mdantsane Tales" a series of short movies and interviews about people from Mdantsane produced by us. We invite you to listen to the interview, that we have recorded last week with her and that shows how one person can make a significant difference to society. 

The Last Sheep

While the last sheep waits more or less patiently on Hi-Way market that his fate will be determined, a group of young men are engaged in a board game and some intense conversation on on the other side.

Fan Of Siya

Africa is the continent of Soccer.

Soccer is a uniting force. 

It's a peace maker ( in the true sense) and a crime fighter.

Siyabonga Eugene Nomvethe, born 2 December 1977,  is a South African soccer player who has played in several European leagues, and now represents Moroka Swallows in the Premier Soccer League. If I am wrong, please do correct me !
And here is his fan in Mdantsane. One of many.

Commando Brandy

The leader of Commando Brandy !

The Commanding Officer.

The General !

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. 

Norman's Wine And Dine

The windows and shutters tightly closed by day - but do come back at night and you will find a different sight !

Vukuhambe - Wake Up And Walk Away

Do you wonder what this sculpture means?

When you drive down the valley in NU 9 you see a big sky blue painted building.

It is the Vukuhambe school for learners with a challenge.

104 children with many different learning challenges be it physical or mental stay in this institution.

Vukuhambe could be translated like : Wake up now and walk away !

On Nelson Mandela Day, on Madiba's birthday we met a group of young men from another school who had come to do 60 minutes of community service in honor of Madiba.

All over the country people of all ages, social background, capacities and capabilities came to institutions to help, clean, cook and offer their services to the ones who need them in the spirit of Ubuntu. This group was one of them.

I like these pictures very much that is why you get to see four of them.

The Deputy Principal Mr. R.Z Gobingca, dressed proudly traditional, was wearing a bright orange Madiba Shirt with black bead embroidery on that day.

Vukuhambe is the biggest institution of its kind in Mdantsane. It does get government support. But still, the principal says, to take care of 104 learners in a proper way is a big challenge financially. Some of the children are accident victims, being left paralyzed and others are disabled since birth.

The physiotherapy room. Wheelchairs and walking aids are stored in one corner. 

And there is a computer laboratory as well.

VUKUHAMBE

Wake up and walk away into the light !

Power

You Are Poweful - through your kindness

And Love....... for the ones who can not take care of themselves

Words are not enough to describe the power inherent in a determined woman. But a photograph can show you the emotions, that unfold in a human being in a split second. It can show you a facial expression, that would have been lost in the universe or that you would have never even perceived in the first instance.

A photographer from India wrote the other day on our facebook wall: I believe, the camera is the most beautiful thing ever made by man.We do agree! The camera is the reason, we can show you love, emotion, sadness, despair and each and every other emotion, the cretuares belonging to the human race have lived through through the centuries. 

There is power here. It takes power to take care and to attend to the needs of more than 60 old and frail human beings.

Mdantsane Is A Lovely Place - Isn't It ?

Tembisa Dema

" Mdantsane is a lovely place - isn't it ? ", Tembisa Dema said to me.

Tembisa is a friend of my friend Pelisa and we met on Nelson Mandela Day.

Mdantsane Is A Lovely Place Isn't It?

Tembisa took me on a ride through the neighborhood in her car. I had not asked. She just offered and I was more than happy to go with her. Sometimes I speak to a person for three hours and fill a small note book with useful and interesting information. I can truly say that there has never been a conversation that has not been interesting and stimulating for me. But sometimes it is just a single sentence that makes my day.

Mdantsane is a lovely place isn't it ?

Yes it is !

Mdantsane can be called idyllic.

It has a warm and positive spirit.

There is a lot going on.

It's friendly.

We started writing this blog to introduce our book and to allow the people whom we have met and who have given us so much of their time to see their pictures and to read their stories. 

But we are also writing it for the ones who have never been here. And very often they are close and could in fact visit the township. 

I met a very nice lady a couple of weeks ago who has been living in East London for 30 years but has never been to Mdantsane. She said, she always wanted to visit Mdantsane and was curious but the reason she had not was that she was scared.  What she told me can be probably called collateral damage inflicted through the Apartheid regime. Not only was the politic of suppression successful for a long time but the system did also estrange people. Today there is a different spirit.

I can only say Mdantsane is a lovely place and there is no need to be scared. Just come closer.

The people are as lovely as the whole township.

It is green. House owners have started everywhere planting little gardens or growing their own vegetables.

People like to be outside and a lot of socializing happens on the streets directly in front of your door and not inside your house which I think is so nice. 

Tembisa lives in NU 2 and is the proud mother of a daughter who has just been admitted to Hudson High School a well reputed school in East London. She has been working many years in the sector of HIV/Aids prevention but since June she is looking for a new job. 

" It is extremely difficult to find work ", she says. A statement that few people would want to object today. But still her spirit is strong.

Experienced By Me - Isiziba Siviwa Ngodondolo

The " hood " is a buzz with artists. It is amazing how many creative spirits live in Mdantsane.

Zanele Gamnca- Mweli is one of them. She is a drama writer and has written three books in the Isixhosa language. Her books deal with the society at large and with the role of women in the South -African society in particular. None of her books have been published yet but she has submitted all three manuscripts to the Department of Arts and Culture in Buffalo City. She has been promised that her books would be published. 

She becomes passionate and intense when she talks about her writing. She is determined to publish her book even if the publishing process will not be funded by the Department of Arts and Culture.

Her first book carries the title Masakhane Bafazi - which means Women Let's Build Each Other.

We, as women must not laugh at another woman who has a problem or whose child has done a bad thing, Zanele explains. We must not condemn. The condition of our society is the responsibility of all of us. If you are stronger than somebody else you must give part of your strength to that person.

Zanele is married and has two children. I can feel the love for her children coming through in every sentence when she speaks about her family. No wonder that her second book talks about her own home and carries the title " Experienced by me " Isiziba siviwa ngodondolo. She feels that writers must practice to write in their own native languages.

Her daughter is 18 years old and wants to write drama like her mother. But Zanele shakes her head. I don't want her to do that now. I want her to finish school. 

Her son, eight years of age, loves music and has composed an album for his mother for the world cup 2010. Zanele has recorded this album already. 

Her husband is encouraging her but he shares the fate of many partners, who are not artists and who have to deal with an artist in their family. It is not always easy for him to understand why she writes, Zanele says, but he is very supportive and we are a happy family.