So today we saw a completely different side of Cape Town. Above is a picture of part of Langa, one of the oldest townships in Cape Town. These two teeny shacks a just a small part of the hundreds of "houses" like this in Langa. (Langa means sunrise in Xhosa, the native language). Clearly, there is no running water or plumbing of any kind in these homes. Sometimes they have to light fires in them to stay warm.
If you are a bit more fortunate, you might be able to stay in a place like this. This is the kitchen of a hostel that is used by several families. They have running water and electricity. It costs 20 rand a month to live here - about $2.60 in U.S. dollars. Also, there are several bedrooms in the hostel that families share - at least two families per room. However, it not just their room, it's really their entire home.
Here is a lady from the hostel that was so excited to share her home with me.
Everything she owns is behind us.
The government is working to update and modernize these hostels, but it is a slow process.
Cape Town Time
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