Soweto tour

In front of Mandela's house.

Thursday, April 13
My first time into the Soweto district of Johannesburg.  Originally a township, and still classified by many as one, it has approximately 5 million people living in it.  Our guide explained that this is often the starting point in South Africa for all blacks coming to Johannesburg looking for work.  Soweto offers cheap accommodation (squatter residence) that is not available elsewhere in Jo'burg. When I was here in 1990, I could not get a tour into Soweto due to fighting, and at the time decided I would just drive in and out on my own.  I chickened out as I approached due to the fear of death.  Today, it is a thriving tourist destination with B and B's all over the place (in the tourist districts).  We visited Mandela's home, and then then walked down the street to where Desmond Tutu resides.  The only street in the world with two Nobel Peace Prize recipients on the same street.  Soweto also has the largest hospital in the world, and four shopping malls.  They look like any other, minus the tight security to drive both in and out.  There are two massive decommissioned power generator stacks that are now a symbol of hope and you can also bungee jump off of.  They were located in Soweto, powered Johannesburg, and made the blacks in Soweto ill.  The local government now boasts that 70% of Soweto has power and water.  My math adds that up to being 1.5 million people without.  But it is progress from no one having power or water.  Now for our last night in Africa, and then a pleasant 24 hours to get to Melbourne.