Soweto
From Free net encyclopedia
Soweto is an urban area in Johannesburg, in Gauteng, South Africa.
Contents |
History
In 1950, during the apartheid regime, Soweto was constructed as a self-sufficient housing project. African people until then had been living in government designated areas for white settlement (such as the multi-racial area called Sophiatown). It began as a grouping of the farms Doornkop, Klipriviersoog, Diepkloof, Klipspruit and Vogelstruisfontein.
Image:Soweto Riots.jpg Soweto came to the world's attention in 1976 with the Soweto Riots, when mass rioting broke out over the government's policy to enforce education in Afrikaans rather than English. After the riots the question "So Where To from now?" was asked in a drama staged by students at the University of Stellenbosch. See History of South Africa.
A series of bombs rocked Soweto in October 2002. The explosions, believed to be the work of the Boeremag, a right wing extremist group, damaged buildings and railway lines, and killed one person.
Demographics
Today Soweto's population is predominantly black, and the two main linguistic groups are Zulu and Sesotho. Some people believe the city has surpassed Johannesburg in population, but the 2001 Census put its population at 896,995—[1]
Suburbs
The suburbs of Greater Soweto also consists of 29 former townships: Chiawelo, Dhlamini, Diepmeadow, Gauteng (Diepkloof, Meadowlands and Medowlands West), Dobsonville including Dobsonville Gardens, Doornkop, Dube, Emdeni, Jabulani, Jabavu, Klipspruit, Mapetla, Mmensi Park, Mofolo (Mofolo Central, Mofolo North, Mofolo South), Molapo, Moletsane, Moroka, Naledi, Noordgesig, Orlando (Orlando East, Orlando West), Phiri,Phiri Ext., Pimville, Power Park, Protea Glen, Protea North, Protea South, Senaoane, Tladi, Zola and Zondi
Economy
Today, Soweto is among the poorest parts of Johannesburg. However, there have been signs recently indicating economic improvement. Soweto has also become a center for nightlife and culture.
Miscellaneous
Soweto was the birthplace of:
- Cyril Ramaphosa (born 1952), lawyer, trade union leader, activist, politician and businessman
- Tokyo Sexwale (born 1953), businessman and former politician, anti-apartheid activist, and political prisoner
- Jomo Sono (born 1955), a South African soccer club owner and coach and also a former star soccer player
- Doctor Khumalo (born 1967), soccer player
- Lucas Radebe (born 1969), former soccer player and national team captain
- Mandoza (born 1978), kwaito musician
- Bonginkosi Dlamini, aka. Zola, poet, actor, and musician
Current and past residents include:
- Lilian Ngoyi (1911-1980), anti-apartheid activist
- Nelson Mandela (born 1918) spent many years living in Soweto. His Soweto home in Orlando is currently a major tourist attraction
- Desmond Tutu (born 1931), cleric and activist who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s, through his opposition to apartheid
- Gibson Kente (1932-2004), playwright
- Aggrey Klaaste (1940-2004), newspaper journalist and editor
- Percy Qoboza (1938-1988), newspaper journalist and editor
- Hector Pieterson (1964-1976) student who died during the 1976 uprising in Soweto. A picture where the dying Hector is carried away by a man became a famous press photo. Today a memorial named after him in Orlando East reminds of the 1976 Student Uprising.
See also
External links
- "Soweto Uplifting" Travel story by Roderick Eime
- Google Map
Template:SouthAfrica-geo-stubde:Soweto
es:Soweto
fr:Soweto
he:סווטו
lt:Sovetas
nl:Soweto
no:Soweto
sv:Soweto