Nyanga, Western Cape
{{Short description|Suburb of Cape Town, in Western Cape, South Africa}}
{{Use South African English|date=August 2017}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Nyanga
| image_skyline = Nyanga profile 2012.png
| image_caption = 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.
| pushpin_map = South Africa Western Cape#South Africa#Africa
| coordinates = {{coord|33|59|S|18|35|E|region:ZA|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = South Africa
| subdivision_type1 = Province
| subdivision_name1 = Western Cape
| subdivision_type2 = District
| subdivision_type3 = Municipality
| subdivision_name3 = City of Cape Town
| subdivision_type4 = Main Place
| subdivision_name4 = Cape Town
| established_title = Established
| leader_title = Councillor
| area_footnotes = {{cite web |url=http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/199031 |title = Main Place Nyanga |work=Census 2011}}
| area_total_km2 = 3.09
| population_total = 57996
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_density_km2 = auto
| demographics_type1 = Racial makeup (2011)
| demographics1_title1 = Black African
| demographics1_info1 = 98.8%
| demographics1_title2 = Coloured
| demographics1_info2 = 0.3%
| demographics1_title3 = Indian/Asian
| demographics1_info3 = 0.1%
| demographics1_title4 = White
| demographics1_info4 = 0.2%
| demographics1_title5 = Other
| demographics1_info5 = 0.7%
| demographics_type2 = First languages (2011)
| demographics2_title1 = Xhosa
| demographics2_info1 = 90.2%
| demographics2_title2 = English
| demographics2_info2 = 3.0%
| demographics2_title3 = Sotho
| demographics2_info3 = 1.6%
| demographics2_title4 =
| demographics2_info4 =
| demographics2_title5 = Other
| demographics2_info5 = 5.1%
| timezone1 = SAST
| utc_offset1 = +2
| postal_code_type = Postal code (street)
| postal_code = 7755
| postal2_code_type = PO box
| postal2_code = 7750
| area_code_type = Area code
}}
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,{{cite book|author=Catherine Besteman|title=Transforming Cape Town |year=2008|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-94264-6}} 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 {{convert|20|km|abbr=on|}} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sahistory.org.za/places/nyanga-township|title=Nyanga Township|last=Leander|date=2013-11-08|website=South African History Online|language=en|access-date=2019-02-16}}
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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/cape-schools-join-revolt|title=Cape Schools Join the Revolt|last=sahoboss|date=2011-03-31|website=South African History Online|language=en|access-date=2019-02-16}} 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.{{clarify|date=April 2012}}{{cite web |url=http://www.anc.org.za/show.php?id=4221&t=Goldstone%20Commission |title=Goldstone Commission : Report on Violence at Crossroads Camp March-June 1993 |access-date=2013-08-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130903212145/http://www.anc.org.za/show.php?id=4221&t=Goldstone%20Commission |archive-date=2013-09-03 }}
Nyanga comprises nine township subdivisions: Lusaka, KTC, Old Location, Maumau, Zwelitsha, Maholweni "Hostels", White City, Barcelona, Kanana, and Europe.
Crime
File:Nyanga SAPS precinct area 2022.png
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,{{Cite web |last=Isaacs |first=Lauren |title=Nyanga remains SA’s murder capital, but CPF vows to make area safer |url=https://ewn.co.za/2019/09/13/nyanga-remains-sa-s-murder-capital-but-cpf-vows-to-make-area-safer |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=ewn.co.za |language=en}} until it was overtaken by another precinct area in 2022.{{Cite web |last=Mlamla |first=Sisonke |date=22 February 2022 |title=Nyanga no longer murder capital of SA after police and City of Cape Town interventions |url=https://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/news/nyanga-no-longer-murder-capital-of-sa-after-police-and-city-of-cape-town-interventions-8d42a7b4-acd1-46f7-a871-da72362adb72 |website=Cape Argus}} In the five year period before 2018 a total of 1,473 homicides were recorded in the precinct area.{{Cite news |date=2018-10-16 |title=Fear Stalks Township Streets of South Africa Murder Capital |language=en |work=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-16/fear-stalks-township-streets-of-south-africa-s-murder-capital |access-date=2023-11-15}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Masson |first=Eunice |date=2022-05-17 |title=Police resources might further drop in Nyanga, former ‘murder capital’ of SA |url=https://mg.co.za/top-six/2022-05-17-police-resources-might-further-drop-in-nyanga-former-murder-capital-of-sa/ |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}}
By 2021/22 the number of recorded homicides had declined to 203.{{Cite web |title=4th quarter crime stats shows Nyanga murder rate continues to decrease |url=https://www.westerncape.gov.za/news/4th-quarter-crime-stats-shows-nyanga-murder-rate-continues-decrease |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=Western Cape Government |language=en}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Marks |first=Samane Jnr |date=2023-11-13 |title=Google Maps to avoid Cape Town township route after attacks on motorists |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-11-13-google-maps-will-no-longer-direct-visitors-through-cape-town-township-after-attacks-on-motorists/ |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=Daily Maverick |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Solomons |first=Lisalee |title=Google Maps will no longer suggest routes through Cape Town crime hotspot Nyanga |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/google-maps-removes-crime-hotspot-nyanga-from-its-routes-20231114 |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |date=2023-11-09 |title=Family of Essex surgeon claims South Africa police chatted as he lay dying |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-67307552 |access-date=2023-11-15}}
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{{cite web |url=https://www.westerncape.gov.za/facility/nyanga-home-affairs-office|title= Nyanga Home Affairs Office|website=Western Cape Government |access-date= 27 September 2021}}
- The South African Department of Labour has a satellite office in Nyanga.{{cite web |url=http://www.labour.gov.za/Contacts/Satelite-offices|title= Satelite Offices|website= The South African Department of Employment and Labour|access-date= 27 September 2021}}
- The Nyanga Community Health Clinic{{cite web |url=https://www.westerncape.gov.za/facility/nyanga-community-health-clinic|title= Nyanga Community Health Clinic|website=Western Cape Government |access-date= 27 September 2021}}
- Masincedane Clinic{{cite web |url=https://www.westerncape.gov.za/facility/masincedane-clinic|title= Masincedane Clinic|website=Western Cape Government |access-date= 27 September 2021}}
- Nyanga Police Station{{cite web |url=https://www.saps.gov.za/contacts/stationdetails.php?sid=235|title= Services SAPS (South African Police Service)|website= South African Police Service|access-date= 27 September 2021}}
- Nyanga Public Library loans books to the community and provides several useful informational services.{{cite web |url=https://www.capetown.gov.za/Explore%20and%20enjoy/See-all-city-facilities/our-service-facilities/Libraries/nyanga-public-library|title= Nyanga Public Library|website=City of Cape Town |access-date= 27 September 2021}}
Churches
Some of the churches that are located in Nyanga are:
- Apostolic Church
- Assembly of God Nyanga
- FH Gow AME Church{{cite web |url=https://www.iol.co.za/the-star/tribute-for-gifted-man-of-the-lord-1355543 |title=Tribute For a Gifted Man of the Lord |date=3 August 2012 |website=IOL |access-date=20 September 2021}}
- Fresh Fire Church
- Holy Cross Anglican Church{{cite web |url=https://www.worldanglican.com/south-africa/cape-town/the-anglican-church-of-southern-africa/holy-cross-nyanga |title=Holy Cross Nyanga |website= World Anglican|access-date= 20 September 2021}}
- New Crossroads Baptist Church{{cite web |url=http://wpba.co.za/regions/region-3-central-cape-flats/ |title=Region 3 - Central Cape Flats |website=Western Province Baptist Association |access-date=20 September 2021}}
- Reformed Gospel Church
- St Mary's Catholic Church{{cite web |url=http://adct.org.za/nyanga/ |title=Nyanga - Archdiocese of Cape Town |website=Archdiocese of Cape Town |date=12 November 2013 |access-date=20 September 2021}}
- Trinity society Church{{cite web |url= https://ewn.co.za/2019/09/23/gallery-prince-harry-and-meghan-markle-visit-cape-town|title=Gallery: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Visit Cape Town |website= Eyewitness News|access-date=20 September 2021}}
See also
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Cape Town|communities}}
{{Authority control}}