Soweto Accommodation

For years the name Soweto sent shivers down peoples spines but in recent years it has soared to become one of Gautengs top tourist destinations. The name Soweto is an acronym for South Western Township and its township that provides visitors with a unique cultural experience. It is the largest black residential area in South Africa, a product of the apartheid governments policy of segregation. A lively, culturally rich area on the periphery of Johannesburg, it has a rich political history and it was a site of struggle in the fight for freedom in South Africa.
Sowetos historical significance and its vibrant buzz make it a must see for visitors looking for more than a wildlife and nature experience in South Africa and it calls visitors both local and international to visit.
This large area which has a population of over 900 000 people has been home to a number of political, sporting and social personalities. Some of these personalities include; former president Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu. Both Mandela and Tutu are recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize and both lived in the renowned Vilakazi Street area of Orlando West. The Boxing legend Baby Jake Matlala, music veteran Yvonne Chaka Chaka, the late Dr Nthato Motlana, a businessman and struggle icon, and journalist Aggrey Klaaste are also products of Soweto.
Attractions
There are many tourist attractions in Soweto but one that draws thousands of visitors can be found in Orlando West, on the corner of Vilakazi and Ngakane streets, the modest house that Nelson Mandela and his family called home from 1946 to the 1990s. Mandela lived in the house with his first wife, Evelyn Ntoko Mase, and, after his divorce, with his second wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. Mandela himself didnt spend much time at the Vilakazi Street home: his growing role in the anti-apartheid struggle drove him underground before his arrest in 1962. Madikizela-Mandela continued to live in the house with their two daughters, Zenani and Zindzi, until she was banished to the Free State town of Brandfort in 1977.
Upon his release from Robben Island in 1990, Mandela moved back to the house for a short 11 days before moving to Houghton.
The four-roomed home now houses various memorabilia, arts and crafts, honorary doctorates conferred on Mandela and picture collections of the Mandela family. It is around the corner from the Hector Pieterson Memorial, and close to the actual spot where Pieterson fell in the June 16, 1976 Soweto uprising.
Climate
Soweto experiences a subtropical climate, which sees average temperatures usually below 30 degrees Celsius. During the winter months (May through August), temperatures drop below freezing at night but are still relatively mild during the day. The coldest months of the year are July and August. It rains frequently throughout the summer months (October to March) although temperatures are warm, usually around 26 degrees Celsius. The rain usually falls hard and fast and is complemented by lots of thunder and lightning, as well as occasional hail. You are usually guaranteed bright blue skies and sunshine after a heavy rain shower.