Break free in our townships
Freedom to move around a chance to heal and explore
Challenging and fun travel activities in townships and semi-urban areas this June are the order of the day.
After the strict Covid-19 lockdown, South Africans finally have the freedom to move around extensively and visit their favourite destinations again.
June, a youth month in the South African context, is closely linked to the Soweto June 16 uprising in 1976.
So why wouldn’t young people celebrate youth month and their freedom by travelling after being grounded by the pandemic?
And why be conventional when township tourism has so much to offer?
These are questions that a variety of township and semi-urban activities can answer if you look at them in the context of June travel plans.
Freedom has been a concept the youth of Mzansi have had great passion and desire for, with some from the generations that came a few decades before having literally died for the ideal. This is a sentiment that is highlighted by head of marketing and communications at online booking platform Jurni, Tshepo Matlou.
He challenges travellers to fully explore their freedom of movement.
“Covid-19 has caused distress financially, mentally and emotionally. People are still dealing with the emotional side-effects of the virus.
“South Africa has a lot of unique destinations that are untapped and are waiting to be explored. Now is the time to enjoy these offerings as we embark on a journey of self-healing and recovery from the trauma of having our movement restricted,” he said.
Beside the June 16 commemorative music concerts that will take place across the country, here are fun and challenging travel activities for the young at heart to do in townships this month:
Hiking as a healthy lifestyle choice
“Hiking is now a popular activity among travellers in the country. The reason is the newly recovered freedom of movement – people want open spaces. The travel sector is starting to see a large number of firsttime hikers signing up and trying new destinations. Travellers get the health benefits of doing outdoor activities, which is commendable,” said Matlou.
The Thabaphaswa hiking trails just outside Mokopane in Limpopo are an example of an offering of hiking experiences that can last a couple of days, should you wish to test yourself for that long.
destination also offers a series of mountain biking and 4X4 trails for those who are looking for breathtaking scenery, biodiversity and bird watching.
The joy of backpacking
One of the best ways to experience multiple destinations in one outing is to forget your inhibitions and live out of a backpack for a few days.
Backpacking is when you travel carrying your belongings for the whole trip in a backpack, while sleeping in a hostel-type setting and exploring different activities in the surrounding area. So the difference between this activity and hiking is that this involves a car, normally not yours, transporting you from one place to another.
This is something you can do this June in almost any township. You can book to stays in B&BS or a hostel, where you cook your own quick meals or braai, and explore the daytime and night-time activities in that area.
To give an estimate of the costs, a backpacker company in Orlando West, Soweto charges R585 per person for a single stay, while another one in Ermelo, Mpumalanga charges R400.
Some hostel settings, where you pay overnight, have areas where you can pitch a tent for the full experience.
Youth month football bonanzas
For diski lovers, this is a very exciting time of the year, with the top-tier Dstv Premiership having been wrapped up by Sundowns in emphatic style recently.
Professional and semi-professional football players usually grace township teams with either their playing time or presence, depending on prominence and contracts they are tied down to.
When these players go to these tournaments, it’s normally a thing to adore, with a lot of fanfare and skill on display, known as kasi flavour.
One of the big tournaments this June is the Midway Cup Top 32, which will be played at Vuwani Grounds in Chiawelo, Soweto over the next few weekends. The competition includes the likes of Mathaithai FC, now famous due to their Nedbank Cup exploits, Mambas FC, Limpopo Masters and Soweto All Nations.
Bungee jumping, ziplining and big swing challenge for the brave
You can try bungee jumping at the Orlando Towers in Soweto, or if you’re into the great outdoor and biodiversity, you can try the big swing and zipline at the Graskop Gorge in Mpumalanga, for your adrenaline rush.
The fun times are back, and the freedom to travel is here. Go out and explore the townships this June. They have a lot to offer travellers with the desire to challenge themselves.