‘GIRLS MAKE THE CITY’ LANGA: Creating Safer, Inclusive Public Spaces
Girls Make the City (GMTC) envisions safer, more inclusive, and accessible public spaces for girls and gender minorities. The project follows the transformative journey of 17 girls from Langa representing four local organisations. Together, they co-create pathways and actions to unlock the full potential of their neighbourhood, striving for more vital, viable, and free public spaces for all. Wetopia, in collaboration with local female social impact entrepreneurs, traveled from Belgium to Cape Town, joining forces with community organisations in Lange such as Love Life, Just Grace, Project Playground, and the Hurricanes Netball Club.
Understanding the Context:
Addressing a Global Challenge: The urban environment, often considered masculine, marginalizes women, making them feel unsafe and excluded. ‘Girls Make the City’ aims to bridge this gap by involving girls in the urban planning process, and addressing gender inequality in South Africa. Teenage girls, in particular, face challenges such as insecurity, sexual harassment, and restrictions on their freedom of movement.
Co-Creating Solutions:
The project focuses on the potential of the neighbourhood to identify and create solutions. As the community experts, representing all girls and women from their community, they are taken on a fun journey of discovery, finding their voice, power, and new alliances to create vital, viable, and free public spaces as a collective. The girls will propose interventions and pathways, involving the roles of various groups like women, activists, teenage boys, parents, politicians, urbanists, and artists that can contribute to the solutions.
Community Stakeholder Workshop:
Securing the commitment of essential community stakeholders was pivotal for the success of this project. Following a workshop with potential stakeholders, the following organisations were identified as our key partners: LoveLife, Project Playground, Just Grace, and the Hurricanes Netball Club.
These stakeholders played a crucial role in nominating girls from their respective networks who closely aligned with our criteria for ideal candidates to participate.
Workshop One:
Understanding Project & Place: Monwabisi Centre, Langa – 28 October 2023
Walking the neighbourhood we asked the girls to advise politicians, urbanists, etc. on how to make different public spaces on the walk more vital, viable, and free for girls.
What do you LOVE about Langa? Seeing the POTENTIAL of Place
- “Langa Li Dolophu” – meaning ‘The Sun is in the City’ in Xhosa. A celebratory sentiment as part of “The Mother City” of the world, evoking a strong sense of home.
- Rich History and Opportunities: A century of existence, pivotal for Human Rights in South Africa, and a hub of possibilities for growth. Oldest township in South Africa.
- Notable Figures and Legends: Home to iconic figures like mam ’Sylvia Mdunyelwa, Brenda Fassie, and Thabo Ntshinga, contributing significantly to South African culture and arts.
Culture and Diversity:
Vibrant Langa Vibe: A lively atmosphere with a united spirit and a deep respect for cultural diversity.
Sports and Celebrations: Enthusiasm for sports, community celebrations like Mandela Day, and a strong community spirit.
Arts and Sports:
Guga S’Thebe: A cultural hub fostering arts, with the first art gallery in Langa.
Artistic Expression: Nurturing musicians, artists, and the vibrant culture of bikes and netball.
Community Involvement and Engagement:
Safety Initiatives: Proactive safety patrols and initiatives raising awareness about gender-based violence.
Diverse Organisations: Numerous associations in arts, sports, care, and education, working towards inclusive community goals.
Solidarity and Care: Commitment to supporting the less privileged, is evident in initiatives like soup kitchens.
Entrepreneurial Creativity:
Local Ventures: Thriving local businesses such as Jordan’s, Ikhaya Lelanga, and Guga s’Thebe contributing to entrepreneurial creativity.
Youngsters and Education:
Educational Opportunities: Focus on educational programs and better opportunities for the youth in Langa.
Community Support: Initiatives like Love Life and Just Grace programs actively support the education and development of young people.
Tourism:
Township Tours: Langa’s engagement in township tours showcases its unique cultural and historical appeal.
Touristic Interest: Growing interest in Langa as a tourist destination, offering unique experiences and innovative approaches.
Food:
Amagwinya Delights: The local culinary scene highlighted by the popular Amagwinya. refers to a popular type of fried dough or deep-fried bread. It is a common street food and snack in South African townships.
Safety:
Proactive Safety Measures: Community-driven safety awareness and patrols contribute to a lower crime rate compared to other townships.
WORKSHOP TWO: Monwabisi Centre Langa
Post-Walk Conversations: Identifying Challenges and Crafting Solutions
Challenges Faced by Girls in Langa:
- Body-shaming
- Lack of sisterhood
- Jealousy
- Peer pressure
- Low self-esteem
- Inappropriate comments from men
- Male domination
- Sexualization by older individuals
- Victims of gender-based violence
- Lack of safety
- Substance abuse
- Limited access to opportunities in sports
- Insufficient public toilets for girls
Positive Contributions of Langa identified by the girls:
- Rich with role models
- Strong sense of community
- Unique cultural vibrancy
Proposed Solutions by Girls:
- Empowerment initiatives for women reclaiming public spaces.
- Leadership courses tailored for girls.
- Sisterhood workshops fostering unity.
- Inclusive workshops involving both boys and girls, addressing their mutual impact.
- Substance abuse awareness sessions.
- Promotion of female role models.
- Encouraging girls to stand up for themselves.
- Promoting responsible upbringing of boys by fathers.
- Awareness and self-defense classes for girls.
- Increased access to law enforcement patrols for girls’ protection.
- Implementation of mobile toilets.
STARTING FROM THE POTENTIAL OF PLACE
FIRST PROCESS WORK: FIVE PROPOSED THEMES FOR INTERVENTIONS
Collaboration with Fontys Students: Langa and Zeitz MOCAA
Fifteen female students from Fontys Academy for Creative Economies in the Netherlands joined their Langa sisters for a workshop in Langa and at the Zeitz MOCAA to further develop thought paths for solutions. This global collaboration enriched possibilities, solutions, and outcomes, offering hope and aspirations to both South African and Dutch girls.
Zeitz MOCAA Visit
NEXT STEPS
Final Phase: The girls from Langa conceptualised five strong interventions based on the five themes they identified. In 2024 and with the support from our funders, Friedrich Naumann Foundation and the Department of Cultural Affairs & Sport, Western Cape Government, our team will be able to support the girls to implement and take ownership of their impactful interventions.
Stay tuned for our 2nd ‘Girls Make The City’ Chapter in 2024: Girls in Athlone
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