Ndabeni
Encyclopedia
Ndabeni is an industrial suburb of Cape Town
mainly occupied by light industries such as textiles and clothing. It is located about 6 km east of Cape Town city centre and is serviced by a railway station. Ndabeni is bordered to the south east by Pinelands
and to the north by Maitland. Its postcode is 7405.
carried out by the colonial government
put the figure at 274 (Western, p. 45). By 1881, some of the whites had begun to think the black population in Papendorp
and District Six was so sizeable that they "[needed] to establish an official 'Kafir location' for it..." (Saunders, p. 29). In 1890 the Dock Native Location was established to house black labourers at the dock. This removed the need for employers to house them, often in their own homes. By the end of the century the population had, according to Saunders, risen to 10 000 in greater Cape Town.
In 1902, the bubonic plague
broke out among the population which the authorities soon blamed on "these uncontrolled Kafir hordes" (Iliffe, p. 115) leading to many whites demanding segregation. According to the Cape Town Medical Officer of Health the living conditions of Africans were 'very undesirable, both from the point of view of sanitation and socially, by bringing uncleanly, half-civilised units into intimate contact with the more cleanly and civilised portion of the community". (Illustrated History of South Africa, pp 314–5). It was as a result of this that Ndabeni was established, Cape Town's first black township (Richmond, p. 48). The location was, at the time, on the Cape Flats
near a sewage plant (Iliffe, p. 115). "Natives who were living under insanitary conditions in the slums of Cape Town were offered accommodation at low rental in Ndabeni" (Wilson & Mafeje, p. 3), although several thousand remained in the city. Iliffe suggests the number moved to the township is in the 6 000–7 000 range, "many at bayonet-point". In an early example of Nimbyism local residents objected to Cape Town "shunting its kaffirs" in their direction. There were also complaints from Cape Town merchants that it would be inconvenient to have their workers housed out of town. The Cape Register replied in March 1901 "the protection of the metropolis from the insanitary disease-spreading nigger is a much more vital matter than the convenience of a few St George Street merchants". (Illustrated History of South Africa, p 315).
The black township was not to be tolerated within the city so, as the city grew, new townships were built on its outer edge and the community was relocated. In 1923 Langa
was established about 5 km south east of Ndabeni and it was to here that the population was sent before Ndabeni was dismantled. In this year the Natives (Urban Areas) Act passed restricting the entry of black South Africans into the city (Western, p. 46).
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
mainly occupied by light industries such as textiles and clothing. It is located about 6 km east of Cape Town city centre and is serviced by a railway station. Ndabeni is bordered to the south east by Pinelands
Pinelands, Cape Town
The "garden city" suburb of Pinelands is located on the edge of the southern suburbs of Cape Town in South Africa and is known for its large thatched houses. The suburb is primarily residential and is often praised for its peacefulness and abundance of trees...
and to the north by Maitland. Its postcode is 7405.
History
Throughout the 19th century the black population of Cape Town increased dramatically. A 1865 censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
carried out by the colonial government
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
put the figure at 274 (Western, p. 45). By 1881, some of the whites had begun to think the black population in Papendorp
Papendorp
Woodstock is a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. It is located between the docks of Table Bay and the lower slopes of Devil's Peak, about east of the city centre of Cape Town. Woodstock is served by Woodstock and Esplanade railway stations, and has the postal code 7925 for street addresses and...
and District Six was so sizeable that they "[needed] to establish an official 'Kafir location' for it..." (Saunders, p. 29). In 1890 the Dock Native Location was established to house black labourers at the dock. This removed the need for employers to house them, often in their own homes. By the end of the century the population had, according to Saunders, risen to 10 000 in greater Cape Town.
In 1902, the bubonic plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
broke out among the population which the authorities soon blamed on "these uncontrolled Kafir hordes" (Iliffe, p. 115) leading to many whites demanding segregation. According to the Cape Town Medical Officer of Health the living conditions of Africans were 'very undesirable, both from the point of view of sanitation and socially, by bringing uncleanly, half-civilised units into intimate contact with the more cleanly and civilised portion of the community". (Illustrated History of South Africa, pp 314–5). It was as a result of this that Ndabeni was established, Cape Town's first black township (Richmond, p. 48). The location was, at the time, on the Cape Flats
Cape Flats
The Cape Flats is an expansive, low-lying, flat area situated to the southeast of the central business district of Cape Town. To many people in Cape Town, the area is known simply as 'The Flats'....
near a sewage plant (Iliffe, p. 115). "Natives who were living under insanitary conditions in the slums of Cape Town were offered accommodation at low rental in Ndabeni" (Wilson & Mafeje, p. 3), although several thousand remained in the city. Iliffe suggests the number moved to the township is in the 6 000–7 000 range, "many at bayonet-point". In an early example of Nimbyism local residents objected to Cape Town "shunting its kaffirs" in their direction. There were also complaints from Cape Town merchants that it would be inconvenient to have their workers housed out of town. The Cape Register replied in March 1901 "the protection of the metropolis from the insanitary disease-spreading nigger is a much more vital matter than the convenience of a few St George Street merchants". (Illustrated History of South Africa, p 315).
The black township was not to be tolerated within the city so, as the city grew, new townships were built on its outer edge and the community was relocated. In 1923 Langa
Langa, Cape Town
Langa is a suburb found in Cape Town, South Africa. It was established in 1927 interms of the 1923 Urban Areas Act. Similar to Nyanga, Langa is one of the many areas in South Africa that were designated for Black Africans before the apartheid era. It is the oldest of such suburbs in Cape Town and...
was established about 5 km south east of Ndabeni and it was to here that the population was sent before Ndabeni was dismantled. In this year the Natives (Urban Areas) Act passed restricting the entry of black South Africans into the city (Western, p. 46).