Project 2 / The Gang-Affected Community of Lavender Hill, South Africa

CONFLICT

The scars of apartheid-forced removals run deep in this area known as the Cape Flats, historically designated for “non-whites” and commonly referred to as ‘apartheid’s dumping ground’. On 11 February 1966, the government declared District Six, a historical location in Cape Town, as ‘white only’ and began forced removals of residents. The forced removal of black individuals meant that they had to relocate to the areas surrounding Cape Town, the Cape Flats. An area cut off from the city, with no regular public transport and very little infrastructure. This in turn has led to very little development with regards to job opportunities. Today, poverty and drugs now feed into entrenched and sophisticated gang structures that plague the community.

solution

This funding will support the development of a dedicated music studio and performance space right in the heart of the community. Constructed from repurposed shipping containers - the space will house a state of the art music studio, a music computer room and a live performance area. The space will engage young people away from gangs and offer them a safe space to build positive futures.