The Unseen Helenvale: Delving into the Heart of Katanga Port Elizabeth 🇿🇦

"Helenvale is a suburb in the north of Port Elizabeth. It was established in the 1950s when the apartheid Group Areas Act was implemented, resulting in the forced removal of families living in the established communities of South End, Fairview and Willowdene. Helenvale was originally developed to accommodate 6 000 people, but is now home to approximately 30 000. 

The dense concentration of people in the area – in very small dwellings of between 25 and 30 square metres, which often house several generations in one home – has contributed to a poor quality of life for the residents of Helenvale. Over the years the area has become increasingly dangerous and violent. 

The social fabric of the area has also been eroded by unemployment, substance abuse, gangsterism and teen pregnancy. But in spite of the difficulties, there are parts of the community with high levels of social cohesion which manifests in various ways, including volunteerism in community-driven projects from street patrols to cleaning cooperatives."

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