KWAMASHU township in Durban is known for its SABC1 most-watched soapie, Uzalo.
But many people don't know where the name KwaMashu came from.
In 2024, the township in KZN will celebrate 65 years since it was established from the sugarcane farm.
Legendary playwright Edmund Mhlongo is preparing to publish a book about the township.
Actors such as Nomzamo Mbatha, Leleti Khumalo, Abdul Khoza, and Nompilo Maphumulo, as well as musicians like Zakwe, Zakes Bantwini, and Dladla Mshunqisi hail from KwaMashu, a kasi better known as Esinqawunqawini.
Edmund (57), founder of KwaMashu Community Advancement Projects (KCAP), which grooms' actors and musicians, told Daily Sun that he saw it fit to publish a book about it and give people a rich history about the township.
He said the name KwaMashu came from the sugarcane farm owner Marshall Campbell, who was using the place as the farm before, and Zulu people were calling him Mashu, and later the place became KwaMashu.
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“My book will be titled Heritage Streets of KwaMashu, and I will be giving detailed rich history of KwaMashu from where people were moved from eMkhumbane to start the township called KwaMashu in 1958.
“My book will be launched next year because I want to link it as the 30-year anniversary of democracy and the 30-year anniversary of KCAP because as the KCAP, we played a huge role in changing KwaMashu's bad reputation,” he said.
“That will be my first book which is not about a theatre because many books I have published were about a theatre."
He said that he would exclusively give details about why the township is also called Esinqawunqawini as many people say it was called Esinqawunqawini after one meat seller sold cooked dog meat to her clients and said it was isinqawunqawu (wild dog).
