Nyanga, Western Cape

Nyanga
Top: Zolani Recreational Centre. Middle: Nyanga taxi rank. Bottom left: Nyanga Community Health Centre. Bottom right: government built RDP houses that are common in the area.
Nyanga Show map of Western Cape Nyanga Show map of South Africa Nyanga Show map of Africa
Coordinates: 33°59′S18°35′E / 33.983°S 18.583°E / -33.983; 18.583
Country	South Africa
Province	Western Cape
Municipality	City of Cape Town
Main Place	Cape Town
Area [1]
• Total	3.09 km2 (1.19 sq mi)
Population  (2011) [1]
• Total	57,996
• Density	19,000/km2 (49,000/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011) [1]
•  Black African	98.8%
•  Coloured	0.3%
•  Indian/Asian	0.1%
•  White	0.2%
• Other	0.7%
First languages (2011) [1]
•  Xhosa	90.2%
•  English	3.0%
•  Sotho	1.6%
• Other	5.1%
Time zone	UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)	7755
PO box	7750

Nyanga is a township in the Western Cape, South Africa. Its name in Xhosa means "moon" and it is one of the oldest black townships in Cape Town. In 1948, ^[2] Athlone was declared a coloured-area, resulting in the forced removal of black residents, who were forced to settle in Nyanga near Langa.

Nyanga is situated 20 km (12 mi) from Cape Town along the N2 highway, close to the Cape Town International Airport and next to the townships of Gugulethu and Crossroads.

History

The neighbourhood was established in 1946 and was built for the black residents of Elsie's River, Athlone and Simon's Town who were forcibly removed as a result of the 1948 Group Areas Act. Between 1956 and 1959, an estimate of about 21 000 residents from Goodwood, Parow, and Bellville were forcibly relocated to Nyanga. ^[3] Later on, the government built hostels and for contract workers working in the docks in Cape Town.

Politics

Residents of Nyanga were active in joining a national call to protest against the apartheid laws passed in 1960. Later they were active in the 1976 student uprisings, which had begun on the other side of the country on 16 June 1976 in Soweto against the use of Afrikaans as the primary medium of instruction in schools. ^[4] Nyanga and Crossroads became notorious for black-on-black faction fighting that was allegedly perpetrated by police in the early eighties. The local authorities (izibonda) were either allied with UDF or the apartheid police force.

These political differences were allegedly used by the police to stir up violence, and elements of the community were infiltrated by the apartheid regime. This led to emergence of the notoriously violent group called "the witdoeke" (the white scarfs). As a result of these fights Tambo square was formed.^{[ clarification needed ] [5]}

Nyanga comprises nine township subdivisions: Lusaka, KTC, Old Location, Maumau, Zwelitsha, Maholweni "Hostels", White City, Barcelona, Kanana, and Europe.

Crime

The SAPS precinct area for Nyanga in Cape Town as of 2019 after Samora Machel was separated to become its own precinct area.

The high rate of violent crime in Nyanga had earned the area the moniker "murder capital of South Africa" with 289 recorded homicides in 2018/19, ^[6] until it was overtaken by another precinct area in 2022. ^[7] In the five year period before 2018 a total of 1,473 homicides were recorded in the precinct area. ^[8] The South African Police Service (SAPS) Nyanga precinct area includes half of the Nyanga neighborhood as well as the adjoining communities of New Crossroads and Brown's Farm. Prior to December 2018 the precinct area also included Samora Machel. ^[9]

By 2021/22 the number of recorded homicides had declined to 203. ^[10] In November 2023 Google Maps announced that it would no longer recommend routes through the area following a number of violent incidents targeting motorists that included the death of motorists during the 2023 taxi strike. ^{[11] [12] [13]}

Government institutions and public services

Several government institutions maintain a presence in Nyanga in order to provide various vital services to the community:

• Nyanga Home Affairs Office ^[14]
• The South African Department of Labour has a satellite office in Nyanga. ^[15]
• The Nyanga Community Health Clinic ^[16]
• Masincedane Clinic ^[17]
• Nyanga Police Station ^[18]
• Nyanga Public Library loans books to the community and provides several useful informational services. ^[19]

Churches

Some of the churches that are located in Nyanga are:

• Apostolic Church
• Assembly of God Nyanga
• FH Gow AME Church ^[20]
• Fresh Fire Church
• Holy Cross Anglican Church ^[21]
• New Crossroads Baptist Church ^[22]
• Reformed Gospel Church
• St Mary's Catholic Church ^[23]
• Trinity society Church ^[24]

See also

• Goldstone Commission

References

1. "Main Place Nyanga". Census 2011.
2. Catherine Besteman (2008). Transforming Cape Town. University of California Press. ISBN   978-0-520-94264-6.
3. Leander (2013-11-08). "Nyanga Township". South African History Online. Retrieved 2019-02-16.
4. sahoboss (2011-03-31). "Cape Schools Join the Revolt". South African History Online. Retrieved 2019-02-16.
5. "Goldstone Commission : Report on Violence at Crossroads Camp March-June 1993". Archived from the original on 2013-09-03. Retrieved 2013-08-30.
6. Isaacs, Lauren. "Nyanga remains SA's murder capital, but CPF vows to make area safer". ewn.co.za. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
7. Mlamla, Sisonke (22 February 2022). "Nyanga no longer murder capital of SA after police and City of Cape Town interventions". Cape Argus .
8. "Fear Stalks Township Streets of South Africa Murder Capital". Bloomberg.com. 2018-10-16. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
9. Masson, Eunice (2022-05-17). "Police resources might further drop in Nyanga, former 'murder capital' of SA". The Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
10. "4th quarter crime stats shows Nyanga murder rate continues to decrease". Western Cape Government. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
11. Marks, Samane Jnr (2023-11-13). "Google Maps to avoid Cape Town township route after attacks on motorists". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
12. Solomons, Lisalee. "Google Maps will no longer suggest routes through Cape Town crime hotspot Nyanga". News24. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
13. "Family of Essex surgeon claims South Africa police chatted as he lay dying". BBC News. 2023-11-09. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
14. "Nyanga Home Affairs Office". Western Cape Government. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
15. "Satelite Offices". The South African Department of Employment and Labour. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
16. "Nyanga Community Health Clinic". Western Cape Government. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
17. "Masincedane Clinic". Western Cape Government. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
18. "Services SAPS (South African Police Service)". South African Police Service. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
19. "Nyanga Public Library". City of Cape Town. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
20. "Tribute For a Gifted Man of the Lord". IOL. 3 August 2012. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
21. "Holy Cross Nyanga". World Anglican. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
22. "Region 3 - Central Cape Flats". Western Province Baptist Association. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
23. "Nyanga - Archdiocese of Cape Town". Archdiocese of Cape Town. 12 November 2013. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
24. "Gallery: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Visit Cape Town". Eyewitness News. Retrieved 20 September 2021.