Lele Mbinda says The Township grew from lived experience and years of guiding researchers through communities shaped by poverty and resilience
Peter Luhanga
- The book was first released in May 2024 and formally launched at the District Six Museum on 6 November.
- It captures the hardships and community bonds that define daily life in Gugulethu, Khayelitsha and Langa.
- Mbinda has begun donating copies to township schools and community reading groups and manages his own distribution.
When Capetonian writer Lele Mbinda released his first book last year, there was no grand launch or formal unveiling. What he felt instead was a quiet sense of relief that he had finally carried township memories onto the page.
Earlier this month, on 6 November, the District Six Museum hosted the book’s official launch, a moment he describes as both humbling and necessary.
The book was first released on 8 May 2024.
“The Township” is a collection of true stories that traces the uneven landscape of post apartheid South Africa, where poverty, social strain and deep inequality stand alongside an enduring community spirit. The book moves through scenes of unemployment, substance abuse and gender based violence, yet it also shows how people come together in joy, grief and everyday solidarity.
Mbinda grew up in Gugulethu, Khayelitsha and Langa. He said he saw the same patterns in each place: families carrying the same burdens, responding in familiar ways and holding on to shared traditions. His decade as a tour guide strengthened that understanding as he accompanied international visitors and researchers trying to make sense of urban poverty.
He wrote much of the book during the Covid 19 lockdowns, a period he recalls as emotionally draining. He had lost his job, been evicted and was living with a friend. Writing pushed him to confront personal hardship and to reflect on communities where many dreams collapse long before they can take shape. “It gave me pain and gratitude at the same time,” he said.
Although the book has not yet reached public libraries, Mbinda has donated copies to township schools and community reading spaces.
He says he believes young readers will see themselves in the pages and plans to share more copies with any community that shows interest.
He says the District Six launch carried a special meaning for him. The history of forced removals in the area echoes many of the displacements he writes about, and the museum draws thousands of local and international visitors each month.
He says he sees it as the right place to situate stories that speak to the heart of township life.
The book is available on Takealot and Amazon, and can be bought at the District Six Museum. Mbinda manages his own distribution and has sold more than four hundred of the five hundred copies he printed.“The stories do not claim to solve anything. They are a reflection of communities that are often overlooked. I hope they help open honest conversations about dignity, injustice and the ties that keep people going,” he said.