15/09/2026
๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ด๐
๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฎ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐จ๐ป๐ฎ๐บ ๐ญ๐ฎ๐บ๐
๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฎ, ๐๐๐ถ๐น๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐-๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ง๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐บ ๐๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐บ๐
As part of Tourism Month, Wesgro is spotlighting pioneers who are helping shape the Western Cape's tourism offering by creating meaningful experiences, protecting our heritage and showcasing the depth and diversity of the destination.
Founded in 2023 by Monica Magxwalisa and local farmer and tour guide Unam Zamxaka, the Middelpos Township Experience offers visitors an authentic, community-led introduction to life, culture and heritage in Middelpos Township, Saldanha Bay.
From guided walking tours led by local youth and storytelling sessions with the community's Elderly Club, to traditional food, urban farming, beadwork, crafts and live music, the experience brings together the people and businesses that make Middelpos unique.
โThey are the foundation of the entire experience,โ Monica and Unam explain, referring to the role of local people, culture, food and stories in creating memorable tourism experiences.
Importantly, Monica and Unam have built a model that allows existing community entrepreneurs to participate in the tourism value chain. Local cooks, artists, farmers, storytellers and musicians gain collective access to visitors and markets that can be difficult to reach individually.
Their approach is rooted in a simple principle: โFor us, Ubuntu is not just a slogan โ it is our core business model.โ
This demonstrates the multiplier effect of tourism: visitor spending can reach multiple local businesses while creating opportunities for more residents to participate in the tourism economy.
Their flagship event, โMiddelpos Township Heritage Experience: KwaNtu 2026โ, takes place on Heritage Day, bringing together local food, music, crafts, storytelling and community experiences.
โWhen visitors come to Middelpos, they don't just see a destination, they experience the living practice of Ubuntu through our food, our music, our stories and our shared warmth.โ
Middelpos demonstrates how tourism can do more than bring visitors to a destination. It can create connections, open markets and help more local businesses participate in the value chain.