King Langalibalele Drive in Langa was abuzz with excitement when people from all walks of life gathered there during the switching on of the festive lights yesterday (Tuesday 2 December).
The event, organised by the City of Cape Town, was attended by the mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and some of his executive members.
Hill-Lewis stated that it is the first time that Langa hosts such an event. He mentioned that Langa is one of the beautiful areas with a rich history in Cape Town.
“This is part of celebrating its centenary. Langa is a special and loved part of Cape Town. We love this community, and we want to make sure that Langa is a full part of Cape Town. That is why we are bringing the Christmas lights to Langa,” said the mayor.
The City’s Mayco member for urban waste management, Grant Twigg, urged the community to keep Langa clean.
“If you look around there are rubbish bins all over Langa. Let’s use them and stop discarding the rubbish on the ground. We need to make sure that Langa is clean during the festive season,” said Twigg.
Ward 51 councillor Lwazi Pakade described the event as stunning. He bragged by saying Langa is well-known for making history.
“It is nice to see people coming out in numbers to attend such a milestone. This is history. I believe Langa is the first black township to host this kind of event. As leaders, we don’t take this lightly. We appreciate it,” said Pakade.
He urged the community to behave during the festive season.
Resident Margaret Faku (58) from Zone 23 praised the City for bringing such an event to their area. She said it unites them.
“Some of us used to see these things on television. We never experienced them. Today, we are part of it. It feels good when we are united as different communities having fun instead of speaking politics,” said Faku.
