Red Location (Township)

Ilali Ebomvu, Red Location is one of the oldest townships in South Africa. It is situated in New Brighton Township, Port Elizabeth, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, South Africa. It is commonly described as 'the umbilical cord of New Brighton. It has its characteristic red appearance due to the corrugated deep red structures of the settlement which date back to the early 20th century.These corrugated iron structures were sourced from a deconstructed concentration camp established in Uitenhage during the South African War. The recyled structures were painted red and consequently the oldest section of New Brighton became known as the Red Location. The township was aimed at housing black people and started development in 1902. Many prominent political and cultural South African leaders were born or spent time in the township.

Red Location was the first official housing scheme in Port Elizabeth. It soon became overcrowded and 'White Location' was developed to relive the population pressures in Red Location. White location became the first economic housing scheme built after the urban areas of 1923 in South Africa. Soon after, subsequent locations were built namely Monamee, Boastville, Elundi and kwaFord. This group of locations is collectively known as New Brighton township.

In South Africa the word 'location' is known as a place where black people live, this is also refereed to as a township.

The term 'location' was first used to describe a settlement of the Mfengu's on the colonial side of the Kei River after the frontier war of 1835-1836. Location became the term used to describe black urban areas until the 1960's when the term 'township' became the dominant term.

Benefits of housing schemes included physical space and privacy, financial security and social status. There were also no curfews in this location.

'Locations' were different from the towns and cities around them. The oldest location in New Brighton township, Red Location, was the only area in the location where alcohol consumption was allowed. Red Location became a hub of social gatherings and had an energising communal spirit. A culture which is unique to townships/locations was created. This culture gave rise to a sense of belonging. Red Location had high levels of criminal activity and was overcrowded. The criminal activities in the evenings rendered the area unsafe for many residents of Red Location. During the late 1940's a famous criminal 'Mabuli' killed many people in Jabavu Road, his time of power was described as 'the reign of terror'. After his death, young boys from Red Location used the name 'Mabuli' as protection against rival gangs and criminals. Another well known criminal from Red Location was 'Bra Sixteen' whose weapon of choice was a bicycle spoke like the character “Butcher” in Athol Fugard's novel Tsotsi (1980). Athol Fugard put the New Brighton township on the literary map in the 1960's through multiple plays including 'Tsotsi' and 'The Coat'.

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