Soweto - Rich Culture and Heritage in South Africa's Largest Township
South Africa's most prominent township, Soweto, is a place of tremendous contrasts. The area has the only street in the world where two Nobel Peace Prize winners once lived. It is the richest townships in South Africa, but this is also contrasted by some of the most desperate poverty. It is also the most political township and has played a major role in the history of South Africa
Soweto is enormous, stretching as far as the eye can see, with estimates of its populace ranging between three and four million. Like any city of that size, it is divided into a number of different suburbs, with unashamedly middle- and upper-class neighborhoods among them. At first sight, it appears an endless jumble of houses and shacks. Once inside, parts of it have a village feel, especially if you are exploring on foot, and unlike any where else in Johannesburg, Sowetans will often stop to welcome you or to make conversation, despite your color.
Most of Soweto's tourist highlights are famous for historical reasons and are physically unimposing. That history, however, is action-packed, not least because here it is told with perspective and context rarely found in the rest of South Africa. For visitors it means an insight not just into a place famous from 1980's news bulletins for funerals and fighting, but into a way of life most Westerners have seldom, if ever, encountered.
User Comments & Reviews
2010-02-18 11:56:42
of course it is Soweto or so where to or south western town.It has a lot of history and it has 2 noble prize winners in one location and street namely vilakazi street in Orlando West.Do not forget the memorial stone of Hector Pieterson also in Orlando west.
2010-01-12 13:33:14
I don't think soweto is the biggest township in South Africa because it consits of smaller townships, not blocks. like Soshanguve, the township has blocks, i.e block 'H', block 'K' etc, while soweto townships have thier own blocks or zones, so to say. Like diepkloof; it has zone 1 to zone 6. I mean, it's a township on its own, like soshanguve. therefore, i don't think soweto in laggest because it's one a township, but many little townships grouped together.
2009-10-30 17:51:14
Is Soweto the largest in the world? If not, what is the biggest township in the world?
2009-10-28 10:13:00
I want to beleive that Khayelitsha in Cpt is the largest Township in SA.
2009-10-06 08:02:47
Thank you for your interest in SouthAfrica.com. You are correct in saying that the name Soweto is derived from South Western Township, and consists of a series of smaller areas that have been grouped together. Soweto is nevertheless generally considered to be a township. According to Wikipedia, Khayelitsha in Cape Town is considered to be the largest single township in South Africa, although a substantial portion of what has been incorporated into Khayelitsha consists of "informal settlements". So it really depends on the definition of "township" when deciding which is the largest in South Africa. Kind regards, SouthAfrica.com Team
2009-10-02 15:40:00
i thought dbn Umlazi was the largest township in South africa and soweto means the Sourth Western Townships of Jhb.
2009-09-05 01:17:34
I thougt soweto ws a group of townships...Nt a township alone...N am sure none of da townships in soweto a bigger than tembisa and mdantshane
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