Red Location (township)

Red Location, ''Ilali Ebomvu'', is one of the oldest townships in South Africa. It is situated in the township of New Brighton in Nelson Mandela Bay, Eastern Cape. 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 twentieth century. These corrugated iron structures were sourced from a de-constructed concentration camp established in Uitenhage during the South African War. The recycled 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

Red Location was the first official housing scheme in Port Elizabeth. It soon became overcrowded and 'White Location' was developed to relieve 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.

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

In South Africa the word ''location'' originally referred to Mfengu settlements on the colonial side of the Kei River after the frontier war of 1835–1836. It came to have a more general meaning of a place where black people live, though the term ''township'' became the more common term after the 1960s.

'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 1940s 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). Fugard put the New Brighton township on the literary map in the 1960s through multiple plays including 'Tsotsi' and 'The Coat'.

By the early 1940s, government officials knew that New Brighton township was an ANC stronghold. The ANC organised multiple acts of resistance in New Brighton against rent increases in 1945 and again in 1951. There was a bus boycott in 1949 and many in the locations of New Brighton participated in the Defiance Campaign in Port Elizabeth at the New Brighton Railway station in 1952.

Housing

Housing in Red Location were categorised:
* CLASS A was a 2 bedroom house for the 'civilised native'
* CLASS B was a 1 bedroom house for 'ordinary native labourers' and
* CLASS C was dormitories for single men

Red location had no sewage system or electricity. A communal bucket system was used. Red Location had a distinguishably foul smell.

Tuberculosis

Red Location was referred to as the ''TB Huis'' (TB House), with poor living conditions being a major factor for the pandemic in the area.

Schooling

In the 1930s Red Location had two schools, Lower Primary Upper United School (Grade 1–4), which was under the authority of the Order of Ethiopia Church, and Upper United (Grade 5-5), which was run by the Methodist Church. Most of the schools were on church premises and were multi-grade. They promoted Christian values and faith. This meant Christianity and education were largely intertwined in the locations. There were no high schools in Red Location. Mount Rod's Paterson High School was multiracial but mainly provided for Indian and Coloured students. Other options for high schools included the historic Eastern Cape Missionary School, Lovedale College, in Alice and Healdtown Methodist Missionaries School in Fort Beaufort, which were located outside Port Elizabeth. By 1948 the only black secondary school in Red Location was Newell High School in Jolobe Road.

Early segregation

Segregation in the Cape Colony started in the 1770s to avoid conflict between the Xhosa people and the British settlers. In the 1800s residents of places such as Gubbs Location, Strangers Location, South End and Korsten were forcibly evicted from their homes. They were evicted due to fears of violence and social disorder that would follow the fast rate of immigration of black people to the towns and cities. Native locations were legitimised by colonial law in 1847. Red Location was developed in order to govern the natives and preserve European and Native national individuality through the Native Strategy.

The Location Strategy

The Location Strategy was implemented in rural areas in the 1830s and later in 1840s in the urban areas of the Eastern Cape. Objectives of the location strategy included supervising tribunal institutions, maintaining order, tax collection as well as the provision of services like tribunals. It was believed that contamination of disease could be reduced through separating from the natives. Black people resisted the governments laws of segregation with the passing of the Native Reserve Location Act of 1903. This law was passed due to an increasing number of black people dwelling near white settlements. Black people who lived close to white people were evicted and moved to Red Location, New Brighton.

Below are a few recommendations that were made for such "locations" in South Africa:
*each location would be governed by a superintendent as well as an assistant appropriate to the size of the location,
*order would be maintained through police forces,
*each location would have a 'model mechanical school' where appropriate arts and skills would be taught,
*systemic agricultural instruction of each location would be given by the superintendent.

The Location strategy ensured that whites and blacks lived separately and that the 'ordinary white person' would almost never visit the locations.

Locations pre-Red Location

During the 1800s the following black residential areas existed:

Strangers Location

Strangers Location is the oldest location in Port Elizabeth. It was established in 1855 and started through a land grant by the British government. In 1844, Strangers Location had approximately 1700 people residences. They lived in 177 cottages and 37 huts paying 30/- for rent. The people living in this location included the Mfengu people, the Xhosa, Basotho, Zulu and Khoi people. Strangers Location was commonly known as 'Fingo City' as the majority of the residences were initially the Mfengu people. The Mfengu people were the first to work as labourers in Port Elizabeth and after time, inter-mixing of cultures occurred between the Mfengu people and other residences in the location. Officials decided to destroy Strangers Location after a bubonic plague in October 1901.

Coopers Location

Coopers location was situated between the ravine

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