Soweto is a township that is no doubt on the bucket list for many locals and people from around the world. It is a place that boasts Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, two Nobel laureates and global icons, amongst those who’ve called it home. As South Africa’s most famous and largest township its stature is dwarfing and can easily prevent visitors from experiencing some of the country’s other formidable townships. One such place is Mdantsane, the second largest township in South Africa. We set off to the heart of Mdantsane and neighbouring Duncan Village to experience the very best of day-to-life in Eastern Cape.

The Eastern Cape is predominantly Xhosa speaking and so our first stop, an herbalist’s practice, involves a fair amount of orientation around the Xhosa language, culture and traditional beliefs. The role of traditional medicine and ancestral veneration cannot be overstated, even in an urban environment like the township. Following this brief stop, we head to Duncan Village the first of the two townships we’ll visit on the tour. This former black township is in close proximity to East London’s central business district but is worlds apart culturally. Though many of its residents live in poverty, the community is rich in their history of resistance to Apartheid and the planned forced removals. It is also a place alive with people’s own innovative strategies and solutions to local problems around space and employment.

‘Informal’ trading accounts for the lion’s share of the local economy and every corner is someone’s place of business, like the ladies who sell Amacala Egusha (sheep’s head). We stop for a few minutes while one of the women demonstrates how the local delicacy is prepared and of course enjoyed.

Our final stop on our tour of Duncan Village is a memorial commemorating the Duncan Village Massacre. The statue is dedicated to those who put their lives and bodies on the line in 1985 when security forces killed 19 community members and left 138 injured. The assassination of community leader and human rights activist, Victoria Mxenge sparked violent protests and resulted in security forces using deadly force. At the centre of the protest action were other well-known anti-apartheid activists like Steve Tshwete. The statue is the embodiment of the township’s spirit of resistance to apartheid, but is ironically also a point of contention for residents who maintain that the armed effigy it depicts is at odds with the reality of unarmed protest, which took place.

Next, we head off to Mdantsane, which came into existence when some residents of Duncan Village, either voluntarily moved or were forcibly removed from their homes. The name Mdantsane is believed to come from the chief Mdazane who is said to have ruled a nearby village. At the Mdantsane highway market place we get an even greater sense of the important role the informal sector plays in maintaining the economic and cultural pulse of the country’s townships. We see firsthand how integral the taxi business is to the lifeblood of the township and the many different businesses and livelihoods a taxi rank and industry creates.

The arts enjoy a special place in Mdantsane. This is evident through the pride that is displayed in the township’s arts center and artists. Following a walkabout of the art centre we take a breather at Mthombo’s Place where we have lunch. On the other side of lunch we’re treated to more arts and crafts at the Mdantsane Community Centre.

At first glance Duncan Village and Mdantsane are no much for a glossier giant like Soweto, but when we start to look closer and more carefully we begin to realise their cultural and historical significance. This has always been in the form of fighting – fighting to make ends meet by thinking out the box or fighting for one’s life and liberties.