What to do Sights and sounds of Soweto 
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| Sights and sounds of Soweto |
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| Written by Rudo Mungoshi | |||
| Monday, 05 May 2008 | |||
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If you’re in Joburg, it’d be a waste to miss out on a tour of the vibrant township of Soweto. The place is packed with history, high spirits and hot spots.
IT'S early in the morning and I’m feeling a bit uneasy about my trip to Soweto today. It’s the first time I’m visiting the huge Johannesburg township which will forever be associated with the fight against apartheid.
Elias Mutsoaledi Settlement
“As you can see the settlement has no electricity; we use paraffin stoves to cook and boil water. And those with television sets rely on motorcar batteries or generators.” We stop briefly at a local crèche, where small children greet us at the gate. Their behaviour clearly indicates that they are used to visitors. Kat Khumalo points out the grey portable toilets shared by residents - they are cleaned weekly - and the tap that supplies water to the community. Despite the harsh conditions, it is not difficult to see that the residents have established a strong sense of community. After the tour we walk back to the car, and Khumalo waits for the next tourists. “What I like about this tour is the effort made to keep it grounded in reality and avoids the possibilities of voyeurism as much as possible,” says Kristin Heivoll, one of the other two women on the tour. Cooling towers We drive slowly along Old Potchefstroom Road and Khumalo points out aspects of Soweto life - the spaza shops run by informal traders mushrooming along the roads, the hustle and bustle of taxis constantly hooting to attract passengers, and the differing styles of houses. A hub of the liberation struggle during the apartheid years, Soweto was definitely not what I expected. The legendary township is a bustling and thriving area with the construction of a new stadium and other tourist amenities for the 2010 World Cup adding to the clamour. Suddenly, Khumalo stops his car and points out the two large towers in the distance; both are covered in colourful murals. These used to supply electricity to Johannesburg in the apartheid era, but were shut down because of the air pollution they created. The towers are landmarks in Soweto. The mural on one depicts the culture and heritage of Sowetans, while the second focuses on the bank that financed the murals. Kliptown 
Kliptown
Crammed with hawkers’ stalls, untidy bundles of clothing and caged chickens, with music playing in the background, today it is the epitome of a typical African market. We visit the new Freedom Charter monument to read the 10 clauses of the document that are inscribed on a round table. Regina Mundi church 
Regina Mundi Church
A political hotbed during apartheid, Regina Mundi symbolises the spirit of resistance. Many anti-apartheid activities took place on the church grounds from the 1970s right up until the end of apartheid in the 1990s. Mdluli leads us to the altar and shows us the corner of a marble table, which was broken by students fleeing from police while commemorating the death of Hector Pieterson. “It took us 11 years to commemorate the death of Hector Pieterson as we were always disrupted by the police. Fortunately no soul was lost in church,” Mdulili says. Pieterson was one of the first children shot dead by police during the 1976 Soweto uprising. The famous photograph of his lifeless body being carried by his friend is an iconic image and symbol of resistance around the world. For a moment I could almost picture that year, my head filled with images of schoolchildren knocking over benches as they fled from police. Another significant feature in the church is the famous painting Black Madonna and the child of Soweto, painted by Laurence Scully in 1974. Mdluli ends the tour by showing us the church’s original windows, pockmarked with bullet holes. Lunch at Wandie’s We stop briefly for lunch at the well-known Wandie’s Place. The restaurant is housed in an ordinary Soweto home that has been converted and extended. On the walls are business cards and autographs, signed by the many famous folk who have stopped in at the watering hole over the years.
Meals are in the form of a buffet, featuring many traditional African dishes. Included are simple but delicious mutton, beef, tripe and chicken. For vegetarians, there are plenty of salads and, of course, there is chakalaka, a local hot relish and staple, consisting of tomatoes, beans and chillies. 
Credo Mutwa Cultural Village
Mita Makhule, the guide, shows us around. Adorned with white birds on top, I cannot help noticing that the Oppenheimer Tower is reminiscent of Great Zimbabwe. It was built in 1955 by mine workers using bricks that were the remains of shacks, to honour the first chairman of Anglo American Corporation, Ernest Oppenheimer. Oppenheimer, who was appalled by the housing shortage and living conditions in the area, played an instrumental role in securing funds for the demolition of shacks and construction of houses in Soweto. After a long and difficult climb up the narrow winding steps, we finally reach the top, where we are greeted by a panoramic view of Soweto. Makhule points out to us the infamous hostels, prison-like buildings designed to house male migrant workers from the rural areas. He reminds us of the fierce running battles between township residents and hostel dwellers that occurred during the apartheid era. Other landmarks visible from the tower include the 1976 Memorial Acre, near the suburb of Central Western Jabavu, which surrounds the tower complex to the north and east. We are then led to Credo Mutwa’s village, a few metres away from the Oppenheimer Tower. A writer, sangoma and playwright, Mutwa began building the village, a vibrant depiction of various African cultures, in 1974. There is a remarkable variety of African building styles and collections of large painted sculptures of human and animal figures - in some cases displaying a fearsome quality - depicting African culture and folklore. Parts of the village were destroyed during the 1976 uprising by students who thought Mutwa was a collaborator with the apartheid regime, and it was abandoned in 1986 when he left the site. I found particularly amazing Mutwa’s claims of foreseeing significant political developments, such as the 1976 Soweto uprising, the assassination of Chris Hani, the HIV/Aids scourge and even the death of Britain’s Princess Diana. Makhule draws our attention to a huge, man-like statue. He asks us to try to interpret the meaning of the statue. “If you look closely you will see that the statue has a penis surrounded with holes, which symbolises the HIV/Aids scourge, which Mutwa predicted in the early 1970s,” he says. Hector Pieterson Museum After bidding farewell to Makhule, we head straight to the Hector Pieterson Museum. A walk around the multimedia centre takes us back to the days of the struggles of the youth against the injustices of apartheid. It tells of South Africa’s history, leading to the transition to democracy. This stop is followed by an uneasy silence in the car, as each of us ponders our experiences at the museum. Nelson Mandela’s house 
Nelson Mandela’s house
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s house Our final stop is Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s house. Khumalo drives slowly towards it to give us the opportunity to take photographs. The house, in which she still lives, was built before her divorce from Nelson Mandela and was supposed to be a grand place to host international visitors. The home has high security walls and is by far the largest we saw in Soweto. And then it is time to leave. On our way back to Johannesburg we discuss our experiences. “Soweto is an amazing place, I would not mind coming back,” says a thrilled Stacey Stevens, the other tourist who has been quiet throughout the tour. “I can’t believe that the time has gone so quickly. Soweto is indeed a beautiful township with so much to do,” she concludes.
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