Masande Restaurant was started by two women in 1999 with seed funding provided by Mfesane through Zenzele. This traditional restaurant is situated on the beautiful grounds of Mfesane headquarters,. The thatched building is bright and clean and walls are decorated in the cheerful colours of the Xhosa people. Visitors are invited to morning and afternoon tea or lunch.

Masande is situated in Crossroads, a township camp that originated in 1975 as a result of mass migration from the Xhosa homelands of the Ciskei and Transkei. The settlement soon grew into a rich mixture of various South African cultures. Today it is home to over 350 000 people. Many still live below the poverty breadline, but there is a sense of vitality, of growth, of new beginnings. Masande means "let us prosper, let us grow". It is a self-help initiative and offers unemployed and poor people a chance to participate and share the rewards of a community project.

For further information, bookings and directions, please visit the Masande website