8 April 2005

By Clifford Mogotsi

INTEREST in the historical and cultural treasures in the townships of Kagiso and Munsieville is growing, and tourists are being drawn to the areas.

Mogale Tourism board members and stakeholders were recently given a lesson in black history on their first ever visits to eKasi. Dennis Pretorius, of the tourism board; Jeannet du Plooy, the City's former social services deputy director; and Knowledge Makhwara, Mogale City's acting deputy director of tourism, were on the bus.

First stop was Munsieville and a visit to the Old Dutch Reform and Anglican Church, where Nobel Peace Prize laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu preached. Munsieville is the Archbishop's hometown. From there, hair salons operating from shacks lined the route to the house of his sister, Gloria Rhadebe. The visitors were delighted at the entrepreneurial spirit, seen in the various welding and car mechanic businesses.

Pretorius said he had never visited the townships during the apartheid years. "When I was young, I was scared to visit Munsieville because we were divided by the apartheid system."

Munsieville has always had a vibrant social culture and was at the forefront of the struggle against apartheid. Today children continue the custom of playing in the streets, which originated when there were no sport or recreation facilities. These happy children add to the township's neighbourly atmosphere, and residents' contagious smiles prove that the people of Munsieville are friendly and eager to please.

From James Munsie's town, Mogale Tourism's Delia van Staden directed the bus to Kagiso. This laidback township is a happy mix of Tswana, Xhosa, Zulu and North and Southern Sotho people. Here the visitors took in the local art at the Backyard Art Studio, where Nkosinathi "Kgosi" Khumalo, 29, exhibited his paintings and textile designs.

Kagiso is best known for producing leaders like Reverend Dr Frank Chikane, the former secretary-general of the South African Council of Churches. It also has entrepreneurial centres for its young residents and the tourists visited Imbali, a project where clothes, duvets and pottery are made.

Going as far afield as Extension 12, the visitors stopped in at the Basadi Pele Foundation, where students learn catering and cleaning. The foundation aims to empower unskilled woman to enable them to be self employed or to get jobs.

The five-hour tour culminated in a delicious meal at the popular Shimi's Inn, where the menu included mogodu (tripe), dumplings, pap, beef stew, spinach, rice and chicken.

Mogale City attractions and activities

Doing business in Mogale City

Kagiso

Taxi to Soweto