Township tourism has vast potential to attract foreign visitors to South Africa, but amateurism and mediocre standards could have the reverse effect, reports Khadija Magardie
Like their famous television namesakes, the South African version of “The A-Team” are proud of their ability “to get the job done”.
But where the guys on the box relied on pistol-whipping and ass-kicking to clean up their turf, the local variety have a more peaceful but important panacea for South Africa’s ills promoting economic growth through tourism.
Amid much fanfare the A-Team, made up of former taxi industry bosses and fledgling tour operators, this week launched what they claim is the first “Vaal township” tour. Like other township tour operators before them, they plan to carve a niche in the industry by selling a “unique” product to foreign visitors the Vaal Triangle townships.
Despite their historical significance, these areas have been regarded in tourism circles as the poorer cousins of more famous areas like Soweto, and Tembisa on the East Rand.
The lack of professionalism could leave foreign tourists feeling bamboozled. The impressive brochure says that tourists will, among other things, learn about the “struggle history” of townships like Sebokeng, Sharpeville and Boipatong, and of other informal settlements in the area, like Orange Farm.
But the most incisive comment delivered by the tour guide, as the bus whizzed past Orange Farm in a swirl of dust, was that there were “big oranges growing” there.
A visit to a shebeen before 10am indicated that the itinerary had not been logically arranged. Instead of listing areas of historical interest, like the notorious hostels, the brochure is taken up nearly entirely by addresses of taverns, restaurants and shebeens.
Despite its banality, the A-Team will likely succeed in capturing a very specific market cultural tourists. Nowadays, the sight of abelungu (whites) sauntering down the streets of Manenberg in Cape Town, or sipping quarts of beer at a Naledi shebeen, is hardly unusual.
Whale-like tour buses whizzing through narrow streets, or the incessant clicking of dozens of camera shutters, have lost their novelty for township residents. Open-mouthed stares are either few, or have been replaced by grins. This is because there is money to be made from marketing the “other side” of South Africa, beyond the shopping malls and luxury hotels of suburbia, to tourists.
Critics say marketing South Africa, particularly townships, as “wild and exotic” has an unpleasant colonial flavour, doing little to break down stereotypes held abroad.
But operators of both the established and the Johnny-come-lately agencies are fighting for a slice of the pie.
The Internet is awash with advertisements wooing potential visitors with tailor-made township tour packages. Most are cashing in on the “cultural” image one operator describes a visit to Guguletu in Cape Town as “not for the faint-hearted”. It offers as part of the itinerary a visit to a sangoma “to glimpse the native theologies”.
Another, whose main offering is safari tours, includes “cultural activities” for visitors, describing townships as “the then and now African way of life”.
The government has long identified tourism as a catalyst for economic growth. Speaking at the A-Team launch in Sharpeville, Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Valli Moosa said townships in the region “hold a tremendous fascination for tourists, both foreign and local”, and pledged support for initiatives that could speed up the development of the areas and create jobs for locals.
Similar sentiments have been expressed by various industry stakeholders, but they have cautioned that a drop in standards could have a domino effect for tourism as a whole and tarnish South Africa’s reputation abroad.
Lack of professionalism takes many forms. Some township tour operators have not had substantial contact with foreign clientele, and this means some are not always aware of the expectations of foreign tourists, and the standards of service, in terms of accommodation or entertainment, they may be accustomed to.
The two guesthouses listed on Johannesburg Tourism’s website for Soweto, for example, are non-existent. One, despite its cheerful Ndebele-painting exterior and huge sign, closed down a year ago.
Tourists have complained that it is impossible to find even the most famous landmarks of Soweto, like the Hector Peterson Memorial, because there are no tourist information centres in the area, or even maps that point out the historical landmarks.
Crime has been a problem in some areas. With hijackings and muggings rife in the Northern Province around the Kruger Park gates, critics have pointed to lack of proper security for tour groups as signs of unprofessionalism.
But industry insiders say the biggest threat to the industry is posed by pirate operators. Gail McCann of the South African Tourism Services Association (Satsa) says dropping standards can have severe ramifications for the industry. She says strict criteria laid down for running a tour business are crucial in maintaining South Africa’s reputation abroad as a tourist destination.
For instance, operators have to have transport permits to operate vehicles, as well as passenger insurance. In the case of an accident, this is crucial if a client decides to pursue legal action. And likewise, health and safety authorities require valid permits in a range of areas, from clearance to operate a restaurant, to a liquor licence, to being VAT registered.
There is also a growing problem of unqualified “fly-by-night” tour guides who do not follow the proper channels in obtaining registration. Such operators, say industry insiders, deprive qualified guides of an income and can even promote rivalries that could turn messy.
Nicho Ntema, a tour operator from Sharpeville, says the impact of conflict over tour routes even has the potential to turn violent.
“One operator may see it as invasion of territory so partnerships should be created between all stakeholders,” he says.
Black tour operators say the industry is excluding them under the guise of standards.
Queen Mokghopo, manager of one of the country’s most successful black tour operations, Jimmy’s Face2Face Tours, says the industry remains protectionist, and even racist.
Pointing to obstacles in accessing financial resources like bank loans and vehicle finance, she says some black entrepreneurs are left with no choice but to operate on a “pirate basis”. She said that “pigeon-holing” of black tour operators, which made them “only good enough to take people to Soweto”, remained an obstacle for breaking into an industry where entrepreneurs had to dig into their own pockets to start up a business and then have to build up their client bases alone.
The industry counters that this need not be the case, because there are measures in place to make tour operating more inclusive. Satsa, the country’s tourism accrediting body, for instance has a “mentoring programme”. The organisation has entrepreneurial development workshops where aspirant tour operators are taught the basics of the industry, such has how to set up a company and the protocols to follow in running a legal, credible operation.
Mentoring is also one of the aims of the A-Team.
They say they want to bring newcomers on board, to share skills. Several youth groups, such as the South African Youth Development Association, were part of the launch and expressed interest in learning skills that could be used in encouraging tourism to the Vaal townships.
“The older people, who know the history of the area, must teach us about it; they must give the skill back to us,” said one youngster.