Soweto, South Africa – action attractions
If you’re looking for a new thrill then Soweto near Johannesburg in South Africa is where it’s at. The name Soweto is an acronym derived from the first two letters of the original name of the settlement, South Western Township, and it is now home to around four million people.
Shortly after the discovery of gold in South Africa on the Witwatersrand in 1886, both miners and thousands of labourers flocked to Johannesburg, in what was to become the biggest gold rush in history. In 1905, after an outbreak of bubonic plague, the Johannesburg City Council took the opportunity to establish racially segregated residential areas, and sent a number of black residents of "Coolietown" in Johannesburg to settle in the Klipspruit area of what is now known as Soweto. Housing was available on a rental basis only.
During the 1930’s the demand for housing in Soweto grew and additional houses were built in the Orlando area, named after the first administrator Edwin Orlando Leaky. In the 1940s a controversial character James Mpanza led the first land invasion and some 20,000 squatters occupied land near Orlando. James Mpanza is known as the “Father of Soweto”. In 1959 the residents of Sophiatown were forcibly removed to Soweto and occupied the area known as Meadowlands.
Today Soweto has grown from a shanty village into a large, vibrant city with an interesting history. Just past the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital is the newly completed Maponya Mall, a large, modern shopping centre with a wide array of designer and chain store shops and other attractions, the first of its kind and magnitude in Soweto.
"Made up of 21 different ’townships’ clustered together, Soweto is a heady mix of urban African cultures. Built for migrant black mineworkers in the early 1900’s, Soweto exploded into an urban sprawl for desperate job seekers. There’s been some extensive upgrading and the result is a mosaic of colourful contrasts - old and new, rich and poor. See the ’matchbox’ houses sandwiched alongside millionaire mansions, the hawkers and spaza shops peddling their wares."
Close by are the famous Orlando Cooling Towers, remnants of the old coal fired power station.
These are not just any towers! They are the largest landmark in historical Soweto, now one of South Africa's biggest tourist attractions, after Table Mountain in Cape Town and the Kruger National Park. The towers were originally built for the Orlando Power Station, the most advanced facility in the Southern hemisphere in its day. From the top of these Soweto towers you have the chance to ride the first ever bungee swing between two cooling towers, a whopping 100m from the ground. Take the lift to the top of the towers and swing out towards the Orlando Dam, between the two cooling towers, for a never to be forgotten experience.
Although the facility is no longer in operation, you can still feel the power in these immense towers. Come along for the most exhilarating view of Soweto ever! We invite you to stand on the rim of a 100m tall tower.... and jump inside on our internal swing cable. You cannot even begin to imagine the adrenaline rush as you contemplate jumping off into the concrete void....
Although the facility is no longer in operation, you can still feel the power in these immense towers. Come along for the most exhilarating view of Soweto ever! We invite you to stand on the rim of a 100m tall tower.... and jump inside on our internal swing cable. You cannot even begin to imagine the adrenaline rush as you contemplate jumping off into the concrete void....
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With many IPL Cricket and Lion’s Rugby fans expected in South Africa to support their teams together with the soccer 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in June and ICC 8-Nations Champions’ Trophy in September, South Africa is certainly expecting thousands of fans for these upcoming top level sporting events,” notes Robert Wilson. CEO of travelinsouthafrica.net . “Visitors from overseas and sports fans would be well advised to sort out their travel and accommodation soon,” he said.
If visitors to Soweto find the idea of bungee jumping too scary, they can always take part in a sedate cycle tour of Soweto or have a beer and meal at one of the many taverns.
