First sight of Soweto

Soweto (SOuth WEst TOwnship) became world famous during the apartheid in South Africa. It's a symbol of many things : poverty and race segregation in townships, struggle against apartheid, new tourism in South Africa, etc. The visit of Soweto usually includes the house of Nelson Mandela and that of Desmond Tutu, two icons of the fight for freedom and democracy in South Africa. Near-by, restaurants and bars show that this became a very touristic place, probably the main touristic "attraction" of Johannesburg.

The Hector Pieterson memorial in Soweto.

Soweto also hosts the largest hospital in the South Hemisphere (and maybe of the world ?), which reminds you in case you forget in one second, that the health conditions of many people here are terrible. South Africa is one of the countries with the largest number of HIV/AIDS positive people. Access to medication is improving, but the problem is still here.
Close to this Baragwanath Hospital is the Soweto Campus of the University of Johannesburg. A modern campus, showing that development through education is taken seriously here.

Entrance of UJ Soweto Campus.

Parking inside the campus.

View to an old factory from the campus.

Soweto campus.

Behind and above the campus, the hill where nkosi sikelel' iafrika was written. It is now part of the South African national anthem.

If the campus looks nice, the sad reality of Soweto is never very far. The hospital mentioned above is just next, and also beyond the fences surrounding the campus you can see the poorest parts of the township. These little houses aligned and packed in areas without water or waste system, they seem to have been "built" 50 years ago and not have changed since then. It may be true.

Going towards Orlando - a suburb of Soweto -, nice (and protected) houses show that a new rich class emerges here. Or at least, that richer people start to build their home there. But right next, back to extreme poverty, with people burning tires to bring some heat to the freezing winter nights.

Close to the campus, the Soweto towers - a former power plant - have been decorated.

The Soweto towers, view from the campus.

The Soweto towers, view from the campus.