Soweto has been singled out by the city as one of the premier tourist destinations in Johannesburg, and there are now already more than 200,000 visitors a year.

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Soweto (SOuth WEstern TOwnship) is a former township from the times of Apartheid. Starting about 15 km away from the center of Johannesburg, it comprises some 63 sq. km., where an estimated three million people live, predominantly black. Originally there were only temporary living quarters for the mine workers, before Soweto in 1923 was declared a ghetto for the black population of Johannesburg.

Today many parts of Soweto rank among the poorest in Johannesburg, although individual townships tend to have a mix of wealthier and poorer residents. In general, households in the outlying areas to the northwest and southeast have lower incomes, while those in southwestern areas tend to have higher incomes. In recent years there have been signs indicating economic improvement. The Johannesburg city council has begone to provide more street lights and to pave roads, and Soweto has also become a center for nightlife and culture.

Soweto has been singled out by the city as one of the premier tourist destinations in Johannesburg, and there are now already more than 200,000 visitors a year. Among the tourist attractions is the Mandela Museum in Vilakazi Street, it is the former four-roomed home of Nelson and Winnie Mandela. The Hector Pieterson Memorial is another place many visitors want to see. The 13-year old Hector was one of the first casualties of the Soweto uprising in 1976, when over 500 people were killed.

Among other places in Soweto worth visiting are: Chris Hani Baragwananth Hospital, the largest in the world; the Regina Mundi Church, used by anti-apartheid activists as a meeting point; Avelon Cemetery; the Sisulu House; Desmond Tutu's House; the Soweto Boxing Academy; and Ubuntu Kraal, a collection of straw-roofed rondawels that form a homestead, it is popular for wedding and conference venues.