Townships, Johannesburg

Also in Soweto is the large Hecter Pieterson museum, which covers the events around the Soweto Uprising
A great mix of photos from the time, video footage as well as the very interesting exhibits of weapons used both by the police and the protestors, including bin lids used as shields by the black protestors against the police
Very good experience and a quirky museum with a nice layout
There is also a memorial to Hector outside and some small stalls with locals selling artefacts etc..

When doing a tour of Soweto you need to stop by Regina Mundi church, not for its architecture or grandeur, but for an insight into the role played by the church during the Soweto Uprisings and anti-apartheid activities. During the uprising many took shelter in the church when fired at by the police to avoid tear gas and live rounds. The church has visible scars including a broken marble alter and bullet holes all around left from when the police stormed the building.

You'll likely get a quick tour around, and then be left to climb a staircase to a very interesting photo gallery depicting events of the time, including the now famous photo of Hector Pietersens body being carried away (below)

I knew little about these events and it was a moving experience

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The Hector Pieterson Memorial is a wonderful museum dedicated to a single - but monumentally important - event: the Soweto Uprising on 16 June 1976 (sensitively commemorated in the 'new' South African calender as the Children's Day public holiday).

The Soweto Uprising started as a peaceful demonstration by schoolchildren at the imposition of Afrikaans (widely viewed by the black population as the language of the oppressor) as the medium of instruction. Riot police opened fire on the demonstrators, and Soweto descended into chaos. Hector Pieterson was immortalised as the first casualty - there is a searing photo of his hysterical friend fleeing with Hector's body in his arms, his terrified sister running alongside, which is arguably one of the most enduring images of the apartheid era (his sister is apparently a tour guide at the museum).

The architecture of the building is brilliantly thought out - for example, there is description of what the view from several of the windows would have been on that fateful day. There is also tremendous use of audio visual material and many, many personal accounts of the events (although a visitor could not realistically take in all of these in a single visit).

If you are going to be in Soweto, then I think that this museum is a 'must' for anyone with the slightest interest in understanding South African history. However, I suggest that you give yourself sufficient time to take this in (a hour at the least). Most people will visit as part of a township tour, but I understand that some less reputable tour guides only pay this museum a flying visit - to my mind, it's worth a lot more time than the small (and, to my mind, underwhelming and overpriced) Mandela House at Vilakazi St or lunch in a shebeen (such as Wandi's, which is fun but hopelessly commercialised and not very different to any other tavern worldwide), so to avoid disappointment, make sure that you have some idea of the time allocated to these various attractions before you select your tour.

Some of the worst squalor in SOWETO revolves around these mining camps. In Apartheid days, men were brought in to work the mines and were not allowed to bring in their families. The restriction on families has been lifted but the poverty remains along with some of the highest AIDS rates in SA.

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As the world's most famous prisoner (held in captivity for 27 years) and, then becoming South Africa's president, Nelson Mandela exemplifies a moral integrity that shines far beyond South Africa.

In the revolution led by Mandela to transform a country based on apartheid laws and dirision, into an open democracy, he alone has achieved a miracle.

This house in Orlando West, is where 'Madiba', Nelson Mandela, used to live in the township Soweto. He lives in a 'formally-white' area now, in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg.

The house has 4 rooms, with a variety of memorabilia, photos and paintings of the Mandela family. It also has a variety of honorary doctorates that Mandela has been given by various universities and institutions from all around the world.

This was home to both his wives and daughters, and has seen a lot... including petrol bombs and being caught alight because of his political activities!

They hold tours here for tourists visiting, interested in learning more about this amazing man. I wouldnt advise visiting Soweto on your own, rather go in a tour group.

The tour itself wasnt that good to be honest, the guide was a local, which is great, but they need to brush up on their general knowledge of the house, and be more people-friendly.

Others have told me their tour guide was knowledgable and easily understood.. I am glad to hear this! :) Perhaps it was our guides first day?

Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, ===the largest hospital in the world, ===is situated to the south west of Johannesburg, ===on the southern border of Soweto. ===The Hospital grounds cover and area of 173 acres.
On 23 September 1942, Field Marshall Smuts officially opened the hospital. He used the opportunity to indicate the post war plan, which was that the Government would use the hospital for the Black population of the Witwatersrand. In the meantime Baragwanath was called on to deal with casualties of the war, mainly from the Middle East command. During the latter part of the war Baragwanath treated mostly Tuberculosis patients, not only from Middle East Command, but also from the Far East Command - mainly the Burma theatre.

It is therefore not surprising that Baragwanath Hospital was an important venue for the Royal visit in 1947. Many British and Commonwealth troops were still recovering here, and King George VI used the opportunity to present medals on that day (5 April 1947).

Post war plans were already underway. The South African Government had bought the hospital for one million pounds. On 1 April 1948, the black section of Johannesburg Hospital (known as NEH) was transferred to Bara, and the hospital opened with 480 beds.

Over the next 30 years Baragwanath grew in size and status. Today it not only provides for Soweto, but also serves as referral hospital for a large part of the country, including surrounding African States.

The schools in the township are all surrounded by barbed wires. A vestige of the high crime rate that exists in the townships

One of the saddest moments of apartheid was the gunning down of 13 year old Hector Pierson after he and his classmates took to the streets to protest being forced to learn Afrikaaner.