Take a trip to Soweto on Rea Vaya

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13 August 2010

A tour of Soweto's highlights and historical sites is a must-do for everyone who wants to really get to know the real Joburg.

 

EVERYONE who lives in or visits Johannesburg should take a trip to Soweto.

 

Not only one of the most historically interesting places in the country, it is also one of the most welcoming. There is loads to see and do, and always a friendly place to stop for a chat or refreshments.

 

And seeing the sites has become so much easier with Rea Vaya.

 

Simply hop on a bus, hop off wherever you want, and climb back on when you want to carry on your journey.

The Soweto Route at a glance

Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication

•    Famous for: Congress of the People and the Freedom Charter;
•    Nearest station: Klipspruitvalley Road.

 

Regina Mundi Catholic Church
•    Famous for: offering succour to anti-apartheid activists;
•    Nearest bus stop: Lakeview Station.

 

Vilakazi Street
•    Famous for: once home to Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu;
•    Nearest bus stop: Boomtown.

 

Hector Pieterson Square
•    Famous for: the 1976 student uprising;
•    Nearest station: Vilakazi Street.

 

And a little bit of Joburg's CBD

 

Main Street Mall
•    Famous for: portraying the city's mining history;
•    Nearest station: Library Gardens Eastbound.

 

The High Court
•    Famous for: architectural splendour;
•    Nearest station: Library Gardens Eastbound.

TOWNSHIP LIFE, APARTHEID DAYS

The tour with Rea Vaya to Soweto starts in the inner city of Johannesburg, allowing you a further glimpse into this fascinating, and truly African city.

 

If you are travelling into town with your own car, park your vehicle in the parking garage under Beyers Naude Square (the old Library Gardens) in President Street. The street is a one-way going in an easterly direction so you should approach from Simmonds Street with the parking entrance on the right hand side immediately as you turn into President Street.

 

Make your way through Beyers Naude Square, walking south towards Commissioner Street to catch the bus at the Library Gardens Westbound Station. The ticket for your Soweto sightseeing trip costs R9,50 one way. It is a good idea to buy your return ticket at this time too, so the total cost of the sightseeing trip is only R20 return.

 

As you will be travelling on the main trunk route (T1) you should wait no longer than five minutes for the bus. The trunk route is very popular and you will always find some friendly Soweto locals happy to talk to you. And at no point will you feel lost or confused, as station marshals and bus drivers alike are quick to point you in the right direction, with a standard question being: "Where do you want to go?"

 

Your first stop will be Kliptown and the Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication.

 

Once in the bus you will notice that it quickly leaves the city, travelling in a southwesterly direction towards Soweto – an acronym for South Western Townships because of its location in relation to Johannesburg. You will see one of the industrial areas of Johannesburg, Booysens, remnants of old gold mine dumps and the City's biggest landfill, Robertson Deep – a massive brown hill of rubbish – all on your left.

 

Within 15 minutes the spectacular 90 000-seat Soccer City stadium will loom up in front and you will get a spectacular view of the calabash-shaped structure, so designed to represent one of the important vessels in traditional African culture: the calabash is used for storing beer, water or food.

 

Entering Soweto through Diepkloof, you will have plenty of opportunity to see the township in action from your bus window, watching little children playing football matches on scraps of lawns; a roadside vendor selling hubcaps and car lights, inadvertently turning the tree used for this purpose into a Christmas tree of sorts; and lots of pedestrians on the road, all purposefully walking in different directions.

 

You will also pass the newly refurbished Orlando Stadium on your right, the traditional home of soccer in Soweto and the home grounds of Orlando Pirates, the longest surviving black team in the country.

 

You will disembark at Lakeview Station – the second last station after your departure point in the inner city – to catch the feeder bus route to Kliptown (F5).  The bus will drop you off at the entry to the big traffic circle directly in front of the square in Klipspruitvalley Road.

WALTER SISULU SQUARE OF DEDICATION

Cross the road and you have entered the square, which at all times is a hub of activity as hundreds of street vendors sell their wares here every day. It is a colourful mix of bananas, oranges and cheap clothing and a marvel of humanity that so many people, selling exactly the same products, for exactly the same price, in exactly the same location, can make any kind of money. You will see this economically harmonious co-existence among informal traders replicated in many spots throughout Johannesburg.

 

Kliptown is Soweto's oldest suburb and the oldest urban settlement in the Johannesburg area to accommodate people of all races. It is the location of Freedom Square – now Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication – where half a century ago, on 26 June 1955, more than 3 000 representatives of resistance organisations and ordinary people made their way through police cordons to gather on what was then only a dusty square.

 

Referred to as the Congress of the People, it was here that the Freedom Charter was drawn up and adopted. This document offered an alternative vision to the repressive policies of the apartheid state, and to this day remains the cornerstone of ANC policy, seen by many as the foundation of South Africa's 1996 Constitution.

 

At the time, Nelson Mandela was in hiding to avoid the police, and on the second day of the gathering authorities broke it up, but by then the charter had already been adopted as a guiding document. A museum located next to the Soweto Hotel at the bottom end of the square is open daily and offers an insight into this historic period through various memorabilia and art works.

 

Freedom Square today is a beautifully paved area, planted with over 100 indigenous trees and 10 impressive sculptures, standing atop 10 columns to represent the 10 clauses in the Freedom Charter. The square is also the location of Soweto's first four-star hotel, the Soweto Hotel on Freedom Square. Its restaurant offers lunch, buffet and a la carte meals daily and is a good stopover place for lunch, brunch or a quick coffee.

 

Next stop is Regina Mundi Church and Thokoza Park. Walk back to Klipspruitvalley Road, turning to your left to locate the Rea Vaya bus stop further down the road. It is located approximately one block further down, next to the sign for Polly's Place. The bus will take you back to Lakeview Station where you will disembark for your site visit to Regina Mundi Church and Thokoza Park.

 

Again, you should not wait longer than 20 minutes for the bus to arrive.

REGINA MUNDI AND THOKOZA PARK

No trip to Soweto is complete without a visit to Regina Mundi – Queen of the World in Latin – Soweto's largest Catholic Church.

 

Not only has the vast church always been a spiritual haven for thousands of Sowetans, it also played a pivotal role in the township's history of resistance against apartheid. When political meetings were banned, people sought the safety of Regina Mundi to form their political strategies. What started out as "church services" often ended up as political rallies.

 

 

And there is nobody better to give you an entertaining and quirky overview than tour guide Danny Dube himself.

 

When he opens his mouth one cannot help but get caught up in the stories he relates: about how the police stormed through the church doors, firing live ammunition at fleeing students. Adding to the experience, his voice takes on a curious song of haphazard accentuation – paying no heed to the laws of language, he gives emphasis to words which he feels should be so enhanced for better effect.

 

He is an entertaining host and although he never loses the restrained seriousness in his voice, his repertoire is delightfully flavoured with little anecdotes – like the visit by Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary, which caused a major uproar because they were the only non-Catholics to be given Holy Communion; or how the butt of a police R1 rifle broke off a huge chunk of the solid marble communion table at the back of the church, showing the severity of the force used.

 

The church also has a photographic gallery upstairs, documenting its history and that of the broader subjects of Soweto and Johannesburg. From 1995 to 1998, the church was also the site of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings presided over by Tutu.

 

Regina Mundi is just off Elias Motsoaledi Road, on the corner of Mkiza and Kumalo North roads and offers daily tours. No reservation for these tours is necessary.

 

Once your site visit is completed, take an easy stroll down towards Thokoza Park and Moroka Dam, both upgraded in 2002, to get another glimpse of Sowetans at home, especially over weekends when the park fills up to capacity. Soak up the township vibe as you walk the paved footpaths, delighting in the children hanging like little bats from the colourful play equipment.

 

Thokoza Park is home to 92 indigenous trees, planted by Johannesburg City Parks to commemorate the 92 years of Nelson Mandela's life. Across the road is the Moroka Dam, where you will be able to see some indigenous water birds.

VILAKAZI STREET

Your next stop is Boomtown Station to visit the world famous Vilakazi Street.  Make your way to Thokoza Park Station in Chris Hani Road for your return trip. You should not wait long for a bus as this is the busiest station on the Rea Vaya trunk route, with buses stopping at the station every five minutes or so.

 

Vilakazi Street is within easy walking distance of Boomtown Station and can be seen on the other side of a small valley. It is advisable to wait the 20 minutes or so for the bus though, as the road to Vilakazi Street is busy and could be dangerous for pedestrians.

 

This street in Orlando West is one of the most famous in the world – for it is home to two Nobel Peace Prize winners, former president Nelson Mandela, whose house here is now a museum and national heritage site, and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, who still has his home here.

 

Vilakazi Street is also famous for being part of the route taken by marching schoolchildren on 16 June 1976, before their confrontation with police. The route snakes from Morris Isaacson High School in Mputhi Street, Jabavu, to the Hector Pieterson Memorial in Kumalo Street, Orlando West.

 

The street is always busy and a favourite stop for foreign tourists. There is plenty of entertainment from the many individuals and cultural groups performing along the pavement and African trinkets to be bought from the various street traders. Have a drinks break at Sakhumzi, Nambitha or the Mandela Family Restaurant, all located in the street. These restaurants all offer light lunches and buffet meals.

 

With all the refurbishments done to Vilakazi Street to turn it into a tourist hub, it has unfortunately lost much of its struggle appearance and authentic charm. In addition, a number of residents, and in fact throughout Soweto, have upgraded their little red-brown matchbox homes with gothic columns, Romanesque pillars and cement eagles taking flight, none of which really add to Soweto's sense of place.
 
You will still be able to see plenty of examples of the old-style homes, though.

 

Yet, above all you should visit this area, still rich with human suffering and history, to experience the pride and friendliness of the inhabitants of the biggest township in South Africa. Be prepared to be greeted, welcomed and embraced with warmth, with a "hello, how are you" or a "welcome to Soweto" coming from young and old at regular intervals as you walk the streets.

 

You will feel at home and safe wherever you venture, and perhaps get the sense that for the first time Sowetans are truly proud of their place in South Africa.

Unfortunately, the narrow Vilakazi Street quickly becomes a traffic nightmare as large tourist buses, taxi tour operators, pedestrians and even cyclists – making use of one of the cycling tours offered in Soweto – all juggle for space on the road.

 

It is for this reason that a tour making use of Rea Vaya buses is such a viable option, offering cheap and painless transport to and from all the sites.

HECTOR PIETERSON MUSEUM AND JUNE 16 TRAIL

Next up is the Hector Pieterson Museum in Kumalo South Street, just a short walk from Vilakazi Street. The museum was opened in 2002 to remember the 566 people who died in unrest around the country in 1976, among them the young Hector Pieterson.

 

One room is devoted entirely to 16 June, the first day of the schoolchildren's protest, and includes the social context of Soweto, the political climate of the time, the language issue, and the reaction: the national and international solidarity in the form of marches and gatherings.

 

Walk up Vilakazi Street until you reach Moema Street, with the direction to the museum clearly signposted. A number of information plaques have been put up along the way, which make for fascinating reading into the state of affairs at the time of the student uprising. Take the time to read these, especially if you don't plan to pay a visit to the actual museum.

 

The museum is located in Kumalo South Street just two blocks away from where Hector was believed to have been shot and fell on the corner of Moema and Vilakazi streets. This fact has since been disproved, but a plaque and wall has been erected here to commemorate the shooting.

 

While the life and times of the dead is effectively recorded and brought to visitors to great effect, the same cannot be said of the needs of the living, with the availability of public ablutions sorely lacking both in Vilakazi Street and Hector Pieterson Museum. There are two toilets on Hector Pieterson square, one male, one female, but neither are in good condition.

 

Once your tour of the square is complete, retrace your steps to the Rea Vaya pick-up point in Vilakazi Street for your trip back to Boomtown Station and your return trip to the inner city. You will see the Rea Vaya bus stop signs along the road in this street, indicated by a sign with a blue bus and the letters Rea Vaya.  Disembark at Boomtown Station and take the trunk route bus (T1) back to the inner city.  Trunk route buses go all the way to Ellispark.

BACK TO JOBURG

The bus retraces its route and within about 30 minutes you will be back in the inner city of Johannesburg. It is time to disembark at the Library Gardens Eastbound Station in Market Street. With so much already covered you may want to call it a day, and leave the latter part of this tour for another time.  But consider a little bit more sightseeing within the inner city itself and if you wish, an early supper.

 

What you should do before you collect your car is have a quiet drink and a plate of peri-peri prawns at the oldest bar and restaurant in Johannesburg, The Guildhall on the corner of Market and Harrison streets. The pub was built in 1888 and has the typical rustic charm of yesteryear, with a long wooden bar counter. The restaurant is upstairs and has the added advantage of an old fashioned stoep running the length of the building, allowing patrons to experience Joburg street life while soaking up the afternoon sun.

MAIN STREET MALL AND GANDHI SQUARE

After your break, and if you still feel up to it, this would be a good time to take a quick stroll down Main Street Mall. Walk in a southerly direction down Harrison Street until you reach Main Street. Completely overhauled in 2004, this pedestrian walkway is a delight and a must see for visitors if only to challenge some of the stereotypical views of the inner city as a dangerous, no-go zone. It is filled with a profusion of coffee shops and eateries and with a number of mining houses located in this area, has been given a distinct mining look.

 

Mining artefacts, including an old mine shaft and coco pans, dot the eight blocks that have been refurbished, while information plaques put up along the way provide an insight into the history of the area and other interesting facts. But above all it is a place of beauty, with water features, trees and sculptures all delighting, among them the restored Impala Stampede, an impressive arch of 17 jumping impalas created by Herman Wald.

 

The pedestrian mall stretches from the Magistrate's Court in Ntemi Piliso Street to the western edge of Gandhi Square. The square itself is something to behold as it too, had a major refurbishment in 2001. This square is immaculate at all times, and the central point for Joburg Metrobus with over 25 000 people travelling through here every month. It is safe and offers various eateries.

 

But, remaining in Main Street for a while, an excellent choice for something a little bit more extravagant is Twist restaurant in the Mapungubwe Hotel in Marshall Street, named after the kingdom of Mapungubwe in the northern Limpopo Province of South Africa – a world heritage site. The hotel is the only four-star hotel in the inner city and also offers a delightful pub, located in what was once the bank vault for the Bank of France, with safety deposit boxes still intact.

HIGH COURT

You can also take a short diversion to the High Court in Pritchard Street. It is a relatively easy walk of six blocks from Main Street walking in a northerly direction up Eloff Street until you reach Pritchard Street. Look to your left and you will see the majestic green dome and sandstone structure of the court.

 

Another of Joburg's buildings dating back to the early years of the 19th century, the High Court was erected in 1911 on a piece of land much used by the early inhabitants of the city. At one time, the town square housed a Dutch Reformed church, a school and was a favourite gathering place for local farmers. This building contains some unique features, such as its stained glass window and coat-of-arms, while the floor is embedded with brass strips providing the accurate standard measurement of 100 Cape feet.

 

On the westerly corner of this building stands the statue of Carl von Brandis, Joburg's first magistrate and mining commissioner.