Mzukisi Lembeni's township tours which aim to empower local communities have recently been mired in controversy.
Image: Supplied
South Africa's townships bear the brutal history of displacement, denial of human rights and violence of the apartheid government.
Yet, true to the nation's resilience, they are vibrant areas filled with unique cultures and citizens despite relatively higher statistics of crime than rural areas and cities. Nyanga, a township in the Western Cape fits this description.
Deemed one of the nation's dangerous townships and a steer-clear zone for those privileged enough to reside outside, where others saw fear, one man saw opportunity.
Mzukisi Lembeni, a 38-year-old who grew up in abject poverty in Lady Frere, a rural part of the Eastern Cape, founded iMzu Tours, provides tours that immerse visitors in the heart of Cape Town's townships.
Mzukisi Lembeni's childhood home in the Eastern Cape.
Image: Supplied
Lembeni started the business in September of 2011 with R65 to his name and grew it to a successful endeavour.
"I grew up with nothing and faced poverty in my daily life. So, what I decided to do was to follow my passion and turn it into a business. I specialise in township tours and school tours. The reason why I do school tours is because I want to make sure that township children get to see the beauty of Cape Town because some of the learners have not seen the rest," he said.
He went on to say that he aimed to generate jobs for unemployed South Africans, particularly in townships, and encourage young people to pursue education.
The entrepreneur also Imzu Tours also offers a 'cultural walking tour' through the township of Langa. "Our full and half walking tours through the informal settlement will give our guests an opportunity to meet the local entrepreneurs, residents, observe the sights and sounds of the township life and even sample some local offerings."
All of those who take the walking tours are international tourists with the fee being R780 per person. This aspect of Lembeni's business is highly inflammatory on social media where South Africans shared their unmitigated opinions of the tours.
They accused Lembeni of being tone deaf, running poverty porn and exploiting some of the country's most disenfranchised populations. An Instagram user commented on the above video asking: " So people's poverty is entertainment?"
In a similar note another person said imagine suffering day after day and seeing a group of white tourists touring your hardships. They went on to mock the visitors. "Guys, I was with the poor. I really wish I could have done more when I was there, 'pulls out phone'. Look at me in a township with poor people."
Others in the comment section seemingly could not articulate how they feel and simply described the tours as being 'weird' or 'wrong'.
Another group advocated for violence and crime against the tourists asking someone rob them. "I want to rob them on behalf of the locals that are being turned into a zoo because this is nonsense," read a comment.
Despite the negativity, the businessman remains positive and unshaken in his convictions. "They need to learn more about township tourism, about the local projects supported by tourists who help the local businesses like crafts, restaurants and many more. Tourism is for everyone they need to get involved and educate them to be a game changer for they communities," he said.
Lembeni said crime doesn't pay for those calling for the tourists to be robbed. "The main focus is to make our township a better community, create jobs for locals and to empower them for the future."
IMzu Tours also has a Youth Development Project which is a non-profit organisation. Lembeni is seeking is raising formalise it. The project aims to:
Create a soup kitchen and cook for 100 children twice a day.
Teach the youth hand and job skills.
Help children with their schoolwork.
Combat drugs, child abuse, and gender-based violence.
Provide career assistance.
Support sports and culture.
The business' website is filled with rave reviews from tourists who experienced the tours.
"This is no doubt the high point not only of my trip to South Africa, but of my travels in general," one read.
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