South Africa > The township of Knysna

At the breakfast table in the shared lounge, we have a beautiful view over Knysna Bay. The sun is shining today, and the outlook is excellent. At half past eight, we are picked up from the restaurant parking lot for a tour through the townships of Knysna.

South Africa - Children in the Knysna township

Cynthia is our guide. She herself lives in a township and can tell us a lot about daily life. For this tour, she has dressed in traditional clothing and painted her face. These markings used to indicate that someone was married.By bus, we drive out of the center of Knysna. On the outskirts of the town lie large townships, mostly consisting of wooden shacks. Cynthia explains that there are two types: formal and informal townships. In the formal ones, land is allocated to build a house, and there is an effort to provide water and electricity. In the informal townships, anyone can build wherever there is space. In Knysna, government houses (Mandala houses) are also being built. Anyone earning less than 3,000 rand qualifies for a free house provided by the government.

South Africa - A narrow sea passage connecting Knysna harbor with the open sea

We visit a workshop for people with intellectual disabilities in the township. Then we take a walk among the houses. It is striking how friendly and enthusiastic the people are. I feel somewhat uncomfortable taking photos and try to do so as discreetly as possible. A little further on, we visit an orphanage. The children run out to greet us excitedly. By bus, we continue our tour through the township—or rather, the townships, as there are 14 different ones in Knysna. It’s encouraging to see that, despite the poor living conditions, there are ongoing projects for new housing, sanitation, and electricity. There is visible progress. After two hours, we leave the townships and are dropped off in the center at the boat to Featherbed.We are among the first to board. On the roof is a small upper deck with ten seats, which we quickly claim. With 120 people on board, the boat is almost full, mostly with American tourists. The boat sails through Knysna Bay, which is an inland lagoon. The passage to the sea is narrow and only navigable at high tide.

South Africa - The coastline of Knysna

For ships, however, it is a very dangerous route. We do not pass through to the sea but dock at Featherbed Nature Park. We transfer to a small open-sided train that takes us to the top. From there, we begin a walk through the nature park, led by a guide—which in practice mainly means the guide walks ahead, as the group is too large for commentary. From the top, we have a beautiful view of the bay and the coastline. We visit a rocky viewpoint and the caves by the water, and eventually arrive at the restaurant, where a full lunch buffet of fish dishes awaits. Afterwards, the boat takes us back to Knysna.In the afternoon, we stroll through Knysna, buy souvenirs in small shops, and enjoy a beer at the Waterfront. While we sit in the sunshine, a large Christmas tree is being decorated in front of us, and behind us “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas” is playing. A strange experience at over 25°C. We have dinner at a seafood restaurant and walk back to the apartment in the evening. We stay up chatting in the living room until eleven o’clock.