97-521: Pageview is a suburb of Johannesburg , South Africa . It is located in Region F of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality . Populated by non-whites, predominantly Indians , until the 1970s, it was one of two adjacent suburbs (Pageview, and the portion of Vrededorp south of 11th Street populated by non-whites) commonly known as Fietas . In 1894, the land that would eventually become Pageview,
194-668: A Municipal Native Affairs Department in 1927. It bought 1 300 morgen of land on the farm Klipspruit No. 8 and the first houses in what was to become Orlando Location were built there in the latter half of 1930. The township was named after the chairman of the Native Affairs committee, Mr. Edwin Orlando Leake. In the end, some 10,311 houses were built there by the municipality. In addition, it built 4,045 temporary single-room shelters. In about 1934, James Sofasonke Mpanza moved to 957 Pheele Street, Orlando, and lived there for
291-615: A large contraction in the economy. Many companies abandoned skyscrapers that had been built in the Central Business District (CBD) in the 1960s and 1970s, and left warehouses empty or little used. When the Group Areas Act was repealed, there was a mass migration of former township dwellers and illegal immigrants to buildings in the CBD and surrounding areas, which caused crime rates to increase dramatically in
388-523: A large number of high-rise apartment blocks. These areas were formerly extremely desirable; however, due to the increase in crime, the housing stock has greatly deteriorated as many wealthier residents have left for the northern suburbs. The existing buildings in the CBD area are insufficient to meet the current demands for housing in the area, and as a result, many under-utilised or abandoned office buildings have been taken over by squatters , or converted into residential housing units. Yeoville and Bellevue have
485-492: A mix of apartment buildings and single residential units on small lots. The region is located on a mountainous divide that runs from east to west. The most conspicuous geographic feature is Observatory Ridge , which is named for the large observatory located on it. The recreational spaces are no longer used, due to security problems. The CBD area lacks open spaces; although there are small neighbourhood parks in all suburbs, they are also not used due to mugging concerns. Both
582-608: A number of protected ridges with viewsites. There are several well-developed and up-market entertainment and shopping areas in the east such as the Eastgate Shopping Centre and the Greenstone shopping centre. Soweto and the south-western suburbs, located in Region 6 and Region 10 , border the city's mining belt in the north. The area is mostly composed of old "matchbox" houses, or four-room houses built by
679-459: A popular form of transport. In 2000 it was estimated that around 2000 minibus taxis operated from the Baragwanath taxi rank alone. A Bus rapid transit system, Rea Vaya , provides transport for around 16 000 commuters daily. PUTCO has for many years provided bus commuter services to Soweto residents. The area is mostly composed of old "matchbox" houses, or four-room houses built by
776-625: A strong force amongst black South Africans. Early Career The experiences of other developing nations were examined at the Soweto entrepreneurship conference, which looked for ways to help turn the economic tide in townships. SOWETO'S entrepreneurs gathered at the University of Johannesburg Soweto Campus on 13 and 14 April to engage with experts from all over the globe about how to enhance skills and value-add in township economies. The restrictions on economic activities were lifted in 1977, spurring
873-585: A thirty-year leasehold tenure. Tenants could erect their own dwellings in conformity with approved plans. In June 1955, Kliptown was the home of an unprecedented Congress of the People , which adopted the Freedom Charter . From the onset, the Apartheid government purposed Soweto to house the bulk of the labour force which was needed by Johannesburg (1998:58). Africans used to live in areas surrounding
970-514: Is 7th Road. A national serial drama, 7de Laan , shows the strip in its opening credits, mistakenly referring to the road as 7th Avenue. In Melville, lanes run east to west while roads lie north to south. Melville borders on the north to the Melville Koppies, a small protected reserve. The chief road that cuts through Melville's business area, Beyers Naude Drive . Currently, Melville has faced decline as several businesses relocate back into
1067-552: Is a township of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality in Gauteng , South Africa , bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for So uth We stern To wnships . Formerly a separate municipality, it is now incorporated in the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality and is one of the suburbs of Johannesburg . George Harrison and George Walker are today credited as
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#17327759815801164-761: Is also the location of the most prestigious secondary schools in Johannesburg. Houghton is also the former electoral district of Helen Suzman , a famous anti-apartheid Member of Parliament . The suburbs become more commercial to the north of Houghton. Rosebank is the centre of high-end retail and shopping for northern suburb residents. Many smaller companies who cannot afford to be located in Sandton also are located in Rosebank. The suburbs near Rosebank, including Parkhurst, Parktown North, Craighall Park and Greenside are collectively known as "The Parks". Parkhurst
1261-440: Is known for its village atmosphere and pavement cafés and restaurants. Greenside is next to Parkhurst and has developed Parkhurst-style restaurants. Hyde Park , Sandton, and Morningside are all to the north of Rosebank, all of which are extremely wealthy and well policed. Sandton has become the new business area of Johannesburg, and features many corporate headquarters, as well as Nelson Mandela Square and Wanderers Stadium ,
1358-557: Is located in Radiopark , and two campuses of the sprawling University of Johannesburg . North of Auckland Park lies Melville , which has morphed into a Bohemian enclave of restaurants , cafés , and bookstores based chiefly around 7th Avenue . This occurred mainly following the South African Broadcasting Corporation moving its headquarters to Auckland Park. Melville's main entertainment strip
1455-457: Is located in this border area, to the east of Sandton . The north-western suburbs, located in Regions A and B, exist between the northern suburbs, Soweto , and the inner city. They are mostly low-rise although there are few skyscrapers . There are a few new developments in the recently incorporated city of Randburg , which is a chief commercial node for the area. The area is also connected to
1552-405: Is located near today's Soweto . The Central Business District (CBD) grew rapidly in the early 20th century as many formal European style buildings were constructed, such as the city's main post office . The Central Business District was the first part of the city to be built in a grid, which was designed around the major road known as Commissioner Street , which served as the central artery for
1649-476: Is publicly owned, and the city government is currently in the process of selling large tracts of it for development, which is hoped to provide jobs for the residents of the informal settlements. Rand Stadium , the oldest football stadium in the city, is located in the southern suburb of Rosettenville . Turffontein was the largest concentration camp in Johannesburg during the Second Boer War . The camp
1746-549: Is referred to as "Africa's richest square mile". The first major modern settlements in Johannesburg were loosely planned, as they grew up quickly in order to service the need for labour in the gold mines on the Witwatersrand . However, the population of Johannesburg increased rapidly and the city quickly established formal neighbourhoods, most of which were racially mixed as labourers lived together. The earliest formal settlement to house people of all races, Kliptown ,
1843-521: Is the Anglican Church of Christ the King. The area has since reintroduced the use of its original name. The southern suburbs, located in Regions 9 , 10 , and 11 , extend to the south of the inner city, and are somewhat isolated from the rest of Johannesburg. On a map, the southern suburbs appear to hang down from the border of Soweto and Johannesburg South . It is about 40 kilometres south of
1940-466: Is unknown, as many are illegal immigrants. Most higher-income residents and white people have moved to the northern suburbs and have been replaced by lower-income black people. The unemployment, education, and age profiles of the area are all unknown, due to the difficulty of obtaining reliable information about the area. There have been significant movements to revitalise the CBD , most of which have focused on
2037-467: Is well connected to road networks, especially along the north-south axis formed by the M1 and N1 . Roads to the east and west are less well developed, as there are no freeways travelling in that direction. Towards the northern border of the city, the density of development decreases, leaving large areas of undeveloped land around Midrand. Grand Central Airport is also located in the area. The first suburb to
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#17327759815802134-496: The City Council has enabled the planting of more trees and the improving of parks and green spaces in the area. Hostels are another prominent physical feature of Soweto. Originally built to house male migrant workers, many have been improved as dwellings for couples and families. The N1 Western Bypass skirts the eastern boundary of Soweto. The suburb was not historically allowed to create employment centres within
2231-499: The City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality , South Africa . As in other Commonwealth countries, the term suburb refers to a "neighbourhood", although in South Africa most (but not all) "suburbs" have legally recognised borders (see legal definition of township ) and often (but not always) separate postal codes . The municipal functions for the area, such as municipal policing and social services , are still managed by
2328-542: The Native Resettlement Act , which permitted the government to remove Blacks from suburbs like Sophiatown, Martindale, Newclare and Western Native Township. Between 1956 and 1960, they built 23,695 houses in Meadowlands and Diepkloof to accommodate the evicted persons. By 1960, the removals were more-or-less complete. In 1959, the city council launched a competition to find a collective name for all
2425-781: The University of the Witwatersrand and the University of Johannesburg are located in the inner city. One of South Africa's leading sporting venues, Ellis Park Stadium , is located in Doornfontein . It serves as primary home of Jo'burg's two professional rugby union teams, the Lions in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition and the Golden Lions in the domestic Currie Cup . It
2522-466: The city government . Johannesburg, like many other boom towns , grew rapidly and with little planning, and thus the city covers an extremely large area . The main differences between the city's suburbs tend to be socioeconomic: The north is often associated with wealth due to areas such as Houghton, which boasts large properties and contained the residence of former president Nelson Mandela, and Sandton which has become an alternative business district and
2619-533: The first non-racial elections were held in April 1994. In 2010, South Africa's oldest township hosted the FIFA World Cup Final and the attention of more than a billion soccer spectators from all over the world was focused on Soweto. In April 1904, there was a bubonic plague scare in the shanty town area of Brickfields. The town council decided to condemn the area and burn it down. Beforehand, most of
2716-477: The Act was to provide for improved conditions of residence for natives in urban areas, to control their ingress into such areas and to restrict their access to intoxicating liquor. The Act required local authorities to provide accommodation for Natives (then the polite term for Africans or Blacks) lawfully employed and resident within the area of their jurisdiction. Pursuant to this Act, the Johannesburg town council formed
2813-525: The Africans living there were moved far out of town to the farm Klipspruit (later called Pimville), south-west of Johannesburg, where the council had erected iron barracks and a few triangular hutments. The rest of them had to build their own shacks. The fire brigade then set the 1600 shacks and shops in Brickfields alight. Thereafter, the area was redeveloped as Newtown. Pimville was next to Kliptown ,
2910-680: The Afrikaans word meaning separateness. They thought they could separate the various racial groups in South Africa. In those days, the Johannesburg City Council did not support the National Party. The city council and the central government competed to control the Black townships of Johannesburg. Following the election of the new government, some 7,000 new houses were built in the first two or three years, but very little
3007-597: The Black Affairs Administration Act, No. 45 of 1971. In terms of this Act, the central government appointed the West Rand Administration Board to take over the powers and obligations of the Johannesburg City Council in respect of Soweto. As chairman of the board it appointed Manie Mulder, a political appointment of a person who had no experience of the administration of native affairs. Manie Mulder's most famous quote
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3104-511: The Black Local Authorities Act. Previously, the townships were governed by the Johannesburg council, but from the 1970s, the state took control. Black African councilors were not provided by the apartheid state with the finances to address housing and infrastructural problems. Township residents opposed the black councilors as puppet collaborators who personally benefited financially from an oppressive regime. Resistance
3201-498: The Black section of Johannesburg Hospital (known as Non-European Hospital or NEH) was transferred to Baragwanath Hospital . In 1997, the facility was renamed Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital after former General Secretary of the South African Communist Party , Chris Hani . The National Party won the general election of 1948 and formed a new government. The party's policy was called apartheid,
3298-563: The British Government built a military hospital next to the road between Johannesburg and Potchefstroom . The place was to be at the 8th milestone near the old Wayside Inn, owned by a Cornishman called John Albert Baragwanath. It was called The Imperial Military Hospital, Baragwanath . After the war, the Transvaal Provincial Administration bought the hospital for £1 million. On 1 April 1948,
3395-524: The Burghers (Whites), Coolies (Indians), Malays (Coloureds) and Black Africans (Africans), but the whole area simply stayed multiracial. Soweto was created in the 1930s when the White government started separating Blacks from Whites, creating black "townships" . Blacks were moved away from Johannesburg, to an area separated from White suburbs by a so-called cordon sanitaire (or sanitary corridor) which
3492-458: The CBD also felt the demographic change as previously white and middle class suburbs like Yeoville became mostly black and dangerous within the space of two to three years. The city government has attempted to rectify this situation as of 2005 by installing CCTV cameras all over the city centre, and increasing police presence. Some businesses and residents have returned, although most businesses have built permanent and better facilities in
3589-500: The Central area of the city. Many businesses that had not closed their CBD offices left for more secured Northern suburbs, and in particular, Sandton . The amount of business and population of the northern suburbs increased exponentially, while the CBD was left empty and abandoned as a "no-go zone". The previous owners of buildings in the CBD abandoned them as their value decreased, and more illegal immigrants moved in. Many suburbs near
3686-561: The South African government's privatization drives will worsen the situation. Research showed that 62% of residents in Orlando East and Pimville were unemployed or pensioners. There have been signs recently indicating economic improvement. The Johannesburg City Council began to provide more street lights and to pave roads. Private initiatives to tap Sowetans' combined spending power of R4.3 billion were also planned, including
3783-668: The Soweto Highway, links Soweto with central Johannesburg via Nasrec and Booysens . This road is multi lane, passes next to Soccer City in Nasrec and has dedicated taxiway lanes from Soweto eastwards to Booysens and Johannesburg Central. A major thoroughfare through the south-eastern part of Soweto ( Eldorado Park ) is the R553 Golden Highway . It provides access to the N1 , N12 and M1 highways. Minibus taxis are
3880-592: The Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek in search of riches. They were of many races and nationalities. In October 1887, the government of the South African Republic (ZAR) bought the south-eastern portion of the farm Braamfontein. There were large quantities of clay, suitable for brickmaking, along the stream. The government decided that more money was to be made from issuing brick maker's licences at five shillings per month. The result
3977-505: The area are the N3 eastern bypass freeway (which connects Sandton with Germiston ) and the R24 freeway (which connects Johannesburg to O. R. Tambo International Airport ). The eastern suburbs are some of the oldest areas of Johannesburg, there are large communities of Jewish and other European backgrounds, the majority of the population is English speaking. There are three golf courses as well as
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4074-405: The area, so almost all of its residents are commuters to other parts of the city. There is efficient road access for many parts of the region along busy highways to the CBD and Roodepoort , but commuters are largely reliant on trains and taxis. The northern suburbs, located in Regions 2 , 3 , 4 , and 7 , include the most wealthy and developed parts of the city. Spreading to the north from
4171-479: The area. Hostels are another prominent physical feature of Soweto. Originally built to house male migrant workers, many have been improved as dwellings for couples and families. In 1996, the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality awarded tenders to Conrad Penny and his company Penny Brothers Brokers & Valuers (Pty) Ltd. for the valuation of the whole of Soweto (which at the time consisted of over 325,000 properties) for rating and taxing purpose. This
4268-614: The call issued by African National Congress 's 1985 Kabwe congress in Zambia to make South Africa ungovernable . As the state forbade public gatherings, church buildings like Regina Mundi were sometimes used for political gatherings. In 1995, Soweto became part of the Southern Metropolitan Transitional Local Council, and in 2002, was incorporated into the City of Johannesburg. A series of bombings occurred in 2002. They are believed to be
4365-439: The city council was KwaMpanza, meaning Mpanza's place, invoking the name of Mpanza and his role in bringing the plight of Orlando sub tenants to the attention of the city council. The city council settled for the acronym SOWETO (South West Townships). The name Soweto was first used in 1963 and within a short period of time, following the 1976 uprising of students in the township, the name became internationally known. Soweto became
4462-422: The city, so the authorities felt it would be more expedient to concentrate black workers in one district that could be easily controlled (1998:58). The new sub-economic townships took off in 1956, when Tladi, Zondi, Dhlamini, Chiawelo and Senoane were laid out providing 28,888 people with accommodation. Jabulani, Phiri and Naledi followed the next year. Sir Ernest Oppenheimer arranged a loan of £3 million from
4559-544: The city, that was burned for sanitary reasons after an outbreak of bubonic plague in 1904. Most of the displaced Indians moved into the Malay Location, and by the 1940s was it mostly inhabited by Indian South Africans. On 27 January 1942, the Malay Location Standholders and Traders Association requested the name of the township be changed to Pageview after Johannesburg Mayor J.J Page. The town
4656-444: The city. During this time period, the city invested in street cars , which mostly served to connect wealthier white suburbs with the CBD. Physical growth, although somewhat limited by transportation, continued quickly as immigration to South Africa, and Johannesburg in particular, increased dramatically. This problem was solved in the 1930s when the automobile was introduced in mass production to South Africa. Automobiles were, for
4753-571: The construction of Protea Mall, Jabulani Mall, and the development of Maponya Mall, an upmarket hotel in Kliptown, and the Orlando Ekhaya entertainment center. Soweto has also become a Centre for nightlife and culture. Well-known artists from Soweto, besides those mentioned above, include: The Soweto Wine Festival was started in 2004. The three-night festival is hosted at the University of Johannesburg 's Soweto Campus on Chris Hani Road in
4850-556: The eastern boundary of Soweto. There is efficient road access for many parts of the region along busy highways to Johannesburg and Roodepoort , but commuters are largely reliant on trains and taxis. The N12 (named the Moroka Bypass) forms the southern border of Soweto, separating it from Lenasia . A new section of the N17 has been built, connecting Soweto with Nasrec as a four-lane dual carriageway. The M70 , also known as
4947-610: The election of the National Party in the 1948 elections, who began to formalise the system known as apartheid . Apartheid formally designated which suburbs each race could live in under the Group Areas Act . Consequently, the city was divided into white and black suburbs. The white suburbs were mostly wealthy and well-developed, and located in the nicest areas in the Johannesburg region. Black South Africans lived in poorly developed townships and suburbs out of view of
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#17327759815805044-402: The extreme south end of the city, there are extremely large informal settlements, such as Orange Farm , which suffer from widespread poverty and unemployment , which are compounded by their isolation from the rest of the city, which in turn makes it costly to extend much-needed infrastructure from the more integrated suburbs. A significant amount of underdeveloped and vacant agricultural land
5141-451: The first day in Soweto, 21 of whom were black, including the minor Hector Pieterson , as well as two white people, including Melville Edelstein , a lifelong humanitarian. The impact of the Soweto protests reverberated through the country and across the world. In their aftermath, economic and cultural sanctions were introduced from abroad. Political activists left the country to train for guerrilla resistance. Soweto and other townships became
5238-473: The government, that were built to provide cheap accommodation for black workers during apartheid . Soweto is an abbreviation, standing for "South Western Townships". Street after street in this area is lined with matchboxes; however, there are a few smaller areas where prosperous Sowetans have built houses that are more similar in stature with those in more affluent suburbs. Many people who still live in matchbox houses have improved and expanded their homes, and
5335-443: The government, that were built to provide cheap accommodation for black workers during apartheid . However, there are a few smaller areas where prosperous Sowetans have built houses that are similar in stature to those in more affluent suburbs. Many people who still live in matchbox houses have improved and expanded their homes, and the City Council has enabled the planting of more trees and the improving of parks and green spaces in
5432-582: The growth of the taxi industry as an alternative to Soweto's inadequate bus and train transport systems. In 1994 Sowetans earned on average almost six and a half times less than their counterparts in wealthier areas of Johannesburg (1994 estimates). Sowetans contribute less than 2% to Johannesburg's rates Some Sowetans remain impoverished, and others live in shanty towns with little or no services. About 85% of Kliptown comprises informal housing. The Soweto Electricity Crisis Committee argues that Soweto's poor are unable to pay for electricity. The committee believes that
5529-423: The inner city every day, and it functions as a regional shopping node for visitors from the southern suburbs. All major arterial roads originate from the inner city and spread out into other parts of the city. Johannesburg's main railway station , bus terminal , and minibus taxi centre are all located in the inner city. The suburbs close to the CBD, in particular Joubert Park , Hillbrow , and Berea , have
5626-412: The inner city to the border with Midrand , the northern suburbs include both large housing developments and commercial centres. The northern suburbs benefited greatly from the deterioration of the CBD, as many people and businesses moved. The northern suburbs have developed along the M1 and N1 highways, which serve as their major arterial roads. The N1 Western Bypass connects the northern suburbs with
5723-632: The inner city. It is actually the most isolated, least integrated area of Johannesburg, with its east, west, and southern boundaries also forming Johannesburg proper's boundaries in the area. It is diagonally traversed by the N1 , with the N12 running along its northern border. The southern suburbs tend to be either solely industrial or solely residential, with most residents in the residential areas being long-term residents in well-established communities. The majority of houses in these formal settlements are included in one of Johannesburg's lowest income brackets. At
5820-545: The largest Black city in South Africa, but until 1976, its population could have status only as temporary residents, serving as a workforce for Johannesburg. It experienced civil unrest during the Apartheid regime. There were serious riots in 1976, sparked by a ruling that Afrikaans be used in African schools there; the riots were violently suppressed, with 176 striking students killed and more than 1,000 injured. Reforms followed, but riots flared up again in 1985 and continued until
5917-577: The levy was used to finance basic services in Black townships. In 1954, the City Council built 5,100 houses in Jabavu and 1,450 in Mofolo. The city council's pride and joy was its economic scheme known as Dube Village. It was intended "primarily for the thoroughly urbanised and economically advanced Native". Stands, varying in size from fifty by hundred feet to forty by 70 feet, were made available on
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#17327759815806014-580: The men who discovered an outcrop of the Main Reef of gold on the farm Langlaagte in February 1886. The fledgling town of Johannesburg was laid out on a triangular wedge of "uitvalgrond" (area excluded when the farms were surveyed) named Randjeslaagte, situated between the farms Doornfontein to the east, Braamfontein to the west and Turffontein to the south. Within a decade of the discovery of gold in Johannesburg, 100,000 people flocked to this part of
6111-528: The mining industry, which allowed an additional 14,000 houses to be built. It was decided to divide Soweto into various language groups. Naledi, Mapetla, Tladi, Moletsane and Phiri were for Sotho- and Tswana-speaking people. Chiawelo for Tsonga and Venda. Dlamini Senaoane, Zola, Zondi, Jabulani, Emdeni and White City were for Zulus and Xhosas. The central government was busy with its own agenda. The presence of Blacks with freehold title to land among Johannesburg's White suburbs irked them. In 1954, Parliament passed
6208-590: The more affluent northern residential areas to the inner city. However, links are poor towards high economic and commercial areas in the north, such as Randburg and Sandton. This gives rise to increasing numbers of secondary roads, creating congestion and putting pressure on residential areas and infrastructure. Towards the extreme north-west of the city, there are well-developed farms , as well as smaller formal and informal residential areas. There are also large manufacturing and industrial nodes. The informal settlements in this area are growing rapidly, with 76 per cent of
6305-412: The most part, confined to the wealthy, and permitted them to move to the north of the city and commute into the centre. The South African economy did extremely well at the end of World War II and many new immigrants came to South Africa from Europe. Most poor suburbs were mixed, with poor blacks and whites living together, although the wealthy suburbs were usually reserved for whites. This changed with
6402-491: The most prestigious cricket ground in South Africa. The skyline of Sandton has grown rapidly and there are many projects under development in the area. Sandton is also the location of the JSE Securities Exchange , Africa's largest stock exchange , which relocated from the CBD in 2000. The quality of life deteriorates on the outer fringes of the northern suburbs. One of the poorest townships , Alexandra ,
6499-457: The newly renovated Newtown area in the city centre. West of Melville is Westdene and Sophiatown , once one of the most vibrant black suburbs in the city. Considered a criminal and political hotbed, the entire suburb was razed to the ground in the 1950s. A white suburb of Triomf , meaning "triumph" in Afrikaans , was constructed in its place. The only remaining original Sophiatown building
6596-486: The next year, the city council proclaimed a new emergency camp. It was called Moroka. 10,000 sites were made available immediately. Moroka became Johannesburg's worst slum area. Residents erected their shanties on plots measuring six metres by six metres. There were only communal bucket-system toilets and very few taps. The camps were meant to be used for a maximum of five years, but when they were eventually demolished in 1955, Moroka and Jabavu housed 89,000 people. In 1941,
6693-458: The north of the inner city is Parktown , which is located on a hill overlooking the inner city and Hillbrow. It has many wealthy residents and Edwardian -style mansions , as well as the Education and Medical campuses of the University of the Witwatersrand . The large concrete Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital dominates the skyline of Parktown. There are numerous office parks in
6790-517: The north-western suburbs. The residential areas in the northern suburbs are mainly formal, with no significant areas of informal housing, or housing that lacks a permanent structure. Although this is an established area, there is a trend of land use change from residential to commercial, especially along main arterial roads and around established nodes. The area is also becoming more dense, as large residential properties are subdivided , or redeveloped, as townhouse and cluster house complexes. The area
6887-436: The northern suburbs, so a large-scale return is unlikely. The city has grown so quickly to the north that the border between Johannesburg, Midrand , and Centurion is mostly an arbitrary political border, as the two cities have grown together so there is no space between them. The city of Johannesburg is divided into seven regions for administrative purposes, lettered from A to G. The previous system of eleven numbered regions
6984-398: The oldest Black residential district of Johannesburg and first laid out in 1891, on land which formed part of Klipspruit farm. The future Soweto was to be laid out on Klipspruit and the adjoining farm called Diepkloof . In the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek and the subsequent Transvaal Colony , it was lawful for people of colour to own fixed property. Consequently, the township of Sophiatown
7081-556: The population of Diepsloot living in informal housing. The industrial areas along Malibongwe Drive in the south-west form part of the Kya Sand area. Fourways , in the south-east, is the major retail, office and entertainment area. The first suburb to be grouped in the north-west is Auckland Park . Auckland Park is home to the headquarters of the South African Broadcasting Corporation , which
7178-458: The reduction of crime , especially street crime in the central area, and the redevelopment of Newtown as a cultural hub for the city. Centred on the CBD, the region includes the suburbs of Yeoville , Bellevue , Troyeville , Jeppestown , and Berea to the east. To the west it spreads to Pageview and Fordsburg . There are small industrial areas to the south, such as City West-Denver and Benrose . Around 800,000 commuters pass through
7275-626: The rest of his life. A year after his arrival in Orlando, he formed his own political party, the Sofasonke Party. He also became very active in the affairs of the Advisory Board for Orlando. Towards the end of World War II, there was an acute shortage of housing for Blacks in Johannesburg. By the end of 1943, the Sofasonke Party advised its members to put up their own squatters' shacks on municipal property. On Saturday 25 March 1944,
7372-481: The rest of the city by the N1 Western Bypass . Roodepoort is another major formerly independent municipality, recently incorporated into Johannesburg. Roodepoort's previously predominantly white population is changing as its proximity to Soweto has made it attractive to middle-class black people who want to move to nicer houses while maintaining ties to their old communities. There is ample access from
7469-634: The squat began. Hundreds of homeless people from Orlando and elsewhere joined Mpanza in marching to a vacant lot in Orlando West and starting a squatters camp. The city council's resistance crumbled. After feverish consultations with the relevant government department, it was agreed that an emergency camp, which could house 991 families, be erected. It was to be called Central Western Jabavu. The next wave of land invasions took place in September 1946. Some 30,000 squatters congregated west of Orlando. Early
7566-534: The stage for violent state repression. Since 1991, this date and the schoolchildren have been commemorated by the International Day of the African Child . In response, the apartheid state started providing electricity to more Soweto homes, yet phased out financial support for building additional housing. Soweto became an independent municipality with elected black councilors in 1983, in line with
7663-457: The suburb as well. Just to the west of Parktown is Westcliff and Parkwood, which is one of the wealthiest areas in Johannesburg, as it is located on the side of a very tall hill and overlooks the inner city as well as the northern suburbs. Other wealthy residential suburbs, Saxonwold , Houghton and Oaklands continue to the north of Westcliff. Nelson Mandela had a house in Houghton, and it
7760-522: The townships south-west of the city's centre. It was only in 1963 that the city council decided to adopt the name Soweto as the collective name. The name Soweto was officially endorsed by the municipalities' authorities only in 1963 after a special committee had considered various names. The apartheid government's intention was for Soweto to house black people who were working for Johannesburg. Other names considered included "apartheid Townships" and "Verwoerdstad" (Gorodnov 1998:58). In 1971, Parliament passed
7857-472: The townships. In Soweto, popular resistance to apartheid emerged in various forms during the 1980s. Educational and economic boycotts were initiated, and student bodies were organized. Street committees were formed, and civic organizations were established as alternatives to state-imposed structures. One of the most well-known "civics" was Soweto's Committee of Ten , started in 1978 in the offices of The Bantu World newspaper. Such actions were strengthened by
7954-410: The white suburbs. Many large freeways were built to link Johannesburg with the rest of South Africa, although this permitted the further outward expansion of the city along the N1 , N3 , and M2 roadways. Public transport construction was completely abandoned, except for a minor bus system. This system continued until the 1980s, when international sanctions and a poor security situation led to
8051-485: The work of the Boeremag , a right-wing extremist group, damaged buildings and railway lines , and killed one person. In 2022, 15 people were killed in a mass shooting at a bar. Soweto's population is predominantly black and the most common first language is Zulu . Soweto landmarks include: Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as subtropical highland (Cwb). The suburb
8148-568: Was allocated by the South African Republic for Cape Coloureds (including Malays ) and it became populated by Cape Malays. It was known as the Malay Camp (later Malay Location ) with 279 stands. Coloureds had managed to obtain some concessions from the Boer government of Paul Kruger , possibly because they shared the Afrikaans language . Indians lived in the Coolie location , a slum west of
8245-539: Was also a venue for the 2010 FIFA World Cup . Johannesburg Stadium , a training ground for both the Golden Lions and Orlando Pirates , is adjacent. The eastern suburbs of Johannesburg are located in the city's 7th and 9th regions. The area is also functionally integrated with East Rand border towns outside of the official boundary of Johannesburg, such as Bedfordview and Edenvale (both part of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality ). The major freeways in
8342-554: Was built on some of the land, with large parts remaining undeveloped. This heritage is now commemorated at the Fietas Museum . The Oriental Plaza , a shopping centre, was built by the Johannesburg City Council to compensate the traders who lost the shops during the forced removals. This Johannesburg -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Suburbs of Johannesburg The suburbs of Johannesburg are officially demarcated areas within
8439-698: Was done thereafter. In 1952, there was a breakthrough. Firstly, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research came up with a standard design for low-cost, four-roomed, forty-square-metre houses. In 1951, the Parliament passed the Building Workers Act , which permitted Blacks to be trained as artisans in the building trade. In 1952, it passed the Bantu Services Levy Act, which imposed a levy on employers of African workers and
8536-760: Was given to the Rand Daily Mail in May 1976: "The broad masses of Soweto are perfectly content, perfectly happy. Black-White relationships at present are as healthy as can be. There is no danger whatever of a blow-up in Soweto." Soweto came to the world's attention on 16 June 1976 with the Soweto uprising , when mass protests erupted over the government's policy to enforce education in Afrikaans rather than their native language. Police opened fire in Orlando West on 10,000 students marching from Naledi High School to Orlando Stadium . The rioting continued and 23 people died on
8633-513: Was laid out in 1903 and Blacks were encouraged to buy property there. For the same reasons, Alexandra, Gauteng was planned for Black ownership in 1912. The subsequent Natives Land Act of 1913 did not change the situation because it did not apply to land situated within municipal boundaries. In 1923, the Parliament of the Union of South Africa passed the Natives (Urban Areas) Act . The purpose of
8730-667: Was located where the Turffontein Racecourse is now, and held about 5,000 people. The 700 who died of that group are buried at the Suideroord Concentration Camp Cemetery which was on a farm called Klipriviersberg and which is now the suburb of Winchester Hills. The racecourse hosts the Summer Cup one of three major races in South Africa. Soweto Soweto ( / s ə ˈ w ɛ t oʊ , - ˈ w eɪ t -, - ˈ w iː t -/ )
8827-438: Was not historically allowed to create employment centres within the area, so almost all of its residents are commuters to other parts of the city. Metrorail operates commuter trains between Soweto and central Johannesburg . Soweto train stations are at Naledi, Merafe, Inhlazane, Ikwezi, Dube, Phefeni, Phomolong, Mzimhlophe, New Canada, Mlamlankunzi, Orlando, Nancefield, Kliptown, Tshiawelo and Midway. The N1 Highway skirts
8924-529: Was renamed on 23 February 1943 and the council asked the government to give the Indian land owners ownership of their land. In 1948, the National Party won the election and would soon introduce Apartheid . The area would be declared a white area which meant the eviction of all non-white residents, with black residents going to Soweto and Indian residents to Lenasia with evictions continuing from 1964 to 1970. Many homes were bulldozed , and housing for white people
9021-412: Was reorganised in 2006. The inner city of Johannesburg is located within the city's Region F. The inner city is an extremely diverse region, with areas ranging from severely degraded residential areas such as Bertrams , to the somewhat stable commercial area of Braamfontein . The estimated population of the region is 200,000, but the number of people living in the inner city on an informal basis
9118-479: Was spurred by the exclusion of blacks from the newly formed tricameral Parliament (which did include Whites, Indians and Coloreds). Municipal elections in black, coloured, and Indian areas were subsequently widely boycotted, returning extremely low voting figures for years. Popular resistance to state structures dates back to the Advisory Boards (1950) that co-opted black residents to advise whites who managed
9215-460: Was that many landless Dutch-speaking burghers (citizens) of the ZAR settled on the property and started making bricks. They also erected their shacks there. Soon, the area was known either Brickfields or Veldschoendorp. Soon other working poor, Coloureds , Indians and Africans also settled there. The government, who sought to differentiate the white working class from the black, laid out new suburbs for
9312-564: Was the single largest valuation ever undertaken in Africa. Being part of the urban agglomerations of Gauteng , Soweto shares much of the same media as the rest of Gauteng province. There are however some media sources dedicated to Soweto itself: Soweto is credited as one of the founding places for Kwaito and Kasi rap, which is a style of hip hop specific to South Africa. This form of music, which combined many elements of house music , American hip-hop, and traditional African music, became
9409-478: Was usually a river, railway track, industrial area or highway. This was carried out using the infamous Urban Areas Act of 1923. William Carr, chair of non-European affairs, initiated the naming of Soweto in 1949. He called for a competition to give a collective name to townships dotted around the South-west of Johannesburg. People responded to this competition with great enthusiasm. Among the names suggested to
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