Soweto

Soweto is an urban area of Johannesburg. The name was adopted in 1963 and is an abbreviation for South Western Townships. From the start Soweto was designed to segregate, keeping black people out of the area where whites lived. In 1904, Klipspruit, the oldest of the current Soweto townships, was established. It was mainly used to keep black laborers that worked in mines away from the city center. In the 1950s, many people were relocated from “black spots” within the city to Soweto under the apartheid government. The whites were given more space in Johannesburg. Soweto grew extremely rapidly due to the influx of immigrants from bordering countries and people coming to work in the city and mines. Many problems have arisen in Soweto including poor living conditions, overcrowding, and a high unemployment rate.

Soweto has a large amount of political history, especially with struggles against the apartheid government. In 1976, the Soweto Uprising began there and spread across the country. Other political movements including the squatter movement of the 1940s and the defiance movements of the 1980s began in Soweto and spread elsewhere. Political figures and Nobel Peace Prize winners Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu both grew up in Soweto. Other significant people who grew up in Soweto include boxer Baby Jake Matlala, singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka, soccer player Jomo Sono, mathematician Professor Thamsanqa Kambule, medical doctor Nthato Motlana, and journalist Aggrey Klaaste.

Soweto has a large mix of cultures, including some that are exclusive to the area. It is always busy with people on every corner with what they have to offer for an informal trade. There is so much contrast between different areas of Soweto, but everyone gets along like they are one of the same. Rows of tin-roofed houses lay right alongside luxurious mansions, yet everyone shares the same cheerful energy despite the high unemployment rate. Although some “matchbox houses” are small, most residents take a lot of pride in making their house good looking and cozy. Large prison-like buildings called hostels were built to house immigrant laborers many years ago, but the government is currently trying to renovate them into family units.

Modern-day Soweto boasts many tourist attractions such as restaurants. People from the city center come to Soweto just for the evening for entertainment or a meal. During the day, the hustle and bustle does not stop; people are moving throughout the area trying to get people to trade for or buy their items. The people there may be poor, but they take a lot of pride in their homes and lifestyles.