Photos of Msunduza, the township above Mbabane, Swaziland

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Msunduza, the township above Mbabane

The township of Msunduza, or, commonly referred to as the "Location", is situated in the hills that forms the backdrop of Mbabane. It has grown as a result of people flocking to the capital and, as employment is hard to get, had its share of petty crime and was not considered the safest place to wander around, especially at night.

Having said that, it is a lively neighbourhood, where people live their lives basically in rural fashion. Houses are mainly built of mud bricks, there are small family run shops and "shebeens" where home-brewed maize beer, known as "tjwala", can be bought and people dance outside to the sound of "umgqashiyo" or "mbaqanga", South African Jive music, blaring from speakers.

The area overlooking Mbabane is known as "Sigombe lesimhlophe" meaning "White Location", referring to the fact there is street lighting and hence the safest part of the township; behind this, overlooking the hills away from town is "Sigombe lesimnyama", the "Black Location". It continues further on to what basically are rural kraals, like Mncilitsini, Kopola and, further on, Dlangeni.

Children of Msunduza
 
Family of Msunduza
 
Man with his bike
 
Market in Msunduza
 
Drinking
 
Mud brick house
 
Doing the cooking
 
Road to Kopola
 
Carrying
 
Riding horses
 
Women fetching water
 
Oxen-pulled sledge
 
Rural homes
 
Mixing dress
 
Mud brick houses
 
View to Mncilitsini
 
View from Corporation
 
House in Mncilitsini
 
 
View in Kopola
 
Msunduza Location
 
Shop in Msunduza
 
House, Msunduza
 
Huts in Madwaleni
 
Fetching water
 
In Madwaleni
 
Small shop
 
African Jive
 
 
Fetching water
 
Family compound
 
Outskirts of Msunduza
 
View at Mncilitsini
 
Rural Msunduza
 
House in Kopola
 
In
 

Having said that, it is a lively neighbourhood, where people live their lives basically in rural fashion. Houses are mainly built of mud bricks, there are small family run shops and "shebeens" where home-brewed maize beer, known as "tjwala", can be bought and people dance outside to the sound of "umgqashiyo" or "mbaqanga", South African Jive music, blaring from speakers.

The area overlooking Mbabane is known as "Sigombe lesimhlophe" meaning "White Location", referring to the fact there is street lighting and hence the safest part of the township; behind this, overlooking the hills away from town is "Sigombe lesimnyama", the "Black Location". It continues further on to what basically are rural kraals, like Mncilitsini, Kopola and, further on, Dlangeni.