Johannesburg & Soweto

A city of cultural diversity and contrast. Yawn! How much of a clich� is that. Trouble is its true.

Johannesburg and its precocious offspring represent the good things and the bad things that made South Africa in the past and continue to shape the future.

Jo'Burg is there because of the gold and the rampant greed and avarice that drove the economy in the past. Soweto was begun as a township, a ghetto into which blacks were herded. Far enough away from the white populace not to be an irritant but close enough to provide dirt-cheap labour. Both cities have areas of conspicuous wealth alongside those of grinding poverty.

Johannesburg was founded shortly after the discovery of gold in 1886; by 1889 it was the largest city in Africa. The city is on track to regain this title; it is currently the third largest but is growing fast. It is still the powerhouse of the economy and is easily the richest city on the continent.

Soweto came about in the late 1940's when the many blacks living in camps all around Jo'Burg were moved. The name is derived from South-Western Townships.

Due to the problems attendant with the poor conditions in Soweto they became a hotbed for the struggle against apartheid and the area has witnessed scenes of terrible violence over the years. Even now one of the distinguishing features of this vast conurbation is its high level of violent crime. Despite this things are beginning to improve albeit slowly. The atmosphere surrounding Soweto is one of an uneasy optimism.

For the visitor there is much to recommend Jo'Burg it's central role in the history of South Africa is only part of the story. This is further explained in the Museum Africa a must see attraction.

There are other museums and galleries including the Bernard Price Museum of Palaentology. A fascinating place for those keen on tracing our ancestry back to Lucy. The Jo'Burg Art Gallery is also worth a look.