Alexandra township in Johannesburg – in pictures

A mother walks her child to school past brightly coloured shacks Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA

People stand outside the African Hair Salon in the late afternoon sunlight. Townships like Alex, Diepsloot and Soweto were built outside the main white areas as a cornerstone of South Africa's apartheid policy Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA

A girl wearing a mask stands outside a shop Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA

A man stands on the street sign for Eighth Avenue as he waits for a taxi Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA

Two Alex residents pose for a photograph Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA

An elderly man sits in his small stall where he sells crisps Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA

A woman washes her family's clothes in a dustbin in a side alley as her friends look on Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA

A dance instructor leads a class on an open patch of ground Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA

A man walks between some of the thousands of shacks that make up the township Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA

A mother watches television while her month-old boy sleeps Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA

Men play a communal board game after work. Dwellers here enjoy and open society: children play outdoors, adults take part in dice and card games, and a wide array of small businesses thrive Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA

Boys play on an old shopping trolley Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA

A girl and boy walk past a hand-painted mural in honour of the former president Nelson Mandela. The township's major connection to fame dates back to 1943 when Mandela stayed for a short time while studying at the University of South Africa Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA

A man stands behind a washing line by homes made from corrugated iron and spare wood Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA

A man carries a young child down one of the streets of the township. In stark contrast to the walled complexes and houses that are a hallmark of middle-class Johannesburg, Alex boasts a colourful environment Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA

A girl carries a bucket of water to her family's shack. Most of the shacks and houses in Alex do not have running water so many households have to collect water with buckets from communal taps Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA

A boy listens to his radio next to a fruit seller's stand Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA

A girl who has just finished school stands near a small shop selling fruits, sweets and crisps Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA

A tailor sits at his desk and sews a pair of trousers in the late afternoon sun Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA

Children play a skipping game after school Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA