South Africa’s most famous township, Soweto, synonymous with the struggle against apartheid, kicked off centenary celebrations on Tuesday with a tree-planting ceremony symbolising a new era of freedom and growth.
An African pine tree was planted as organisers geared up for three weeks of celebrations to mark the founding of Soweto, which has been home to a galaxy of freedom fighters including Nelson Mandela and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu.
”Today marks the start of when black people were moved out of Johannesburg and moved into what is today called Soweto,” said Dumisane Ntshangase, who heads the township’s tourism office. ”In effect, you can say that it was today 100 years ago when Soweto was founded.”
Many of Soweto’s 1,1-million residents — unofficially the number is closer to four million — said the tree planting at Musi school, Soweto’s oldest high school, not only marked past history but also new hope for the future.
”While we commemorate events of the past, we also look at a new beginning for the future. That is what this tree-planting ceremony represents,” said Ntshangase.
Soweto, the acronym for South-Western Townships, was founded in October 1904 when an outbreak of bubonic plague north of Johannesburg’s city centre was blamed by the authorities on teams of black men that were doing washing for nearby gold mines.
It gave them the excuse to burn what was referred to as the ”coolie location” to the ground and relocate about 118 blacks to Klipspruit farm, about 25km south-west of Johannesburg.
”There was no proper housing here, no sanitation. People lived in tents for 20 to 30 years before getting homes,” said Ntshangase.
Soweto hit international headlines in June 1976 when the township erupted in protest against the forced teaching in its schools of Afrikaans, the language of the white oppressors.
Hundreds of school children, including 13-year-old Hector Petersen, were shot dead when apartheid police opened fire on protesters.
”The blood flowed like the water which we gave this tree today,” said Mabutho ”Kid” Sithole, a television actor and one of the township’s most famous stage personalities.
”It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” he said when asked about life in Soweto. ”Although there is a history here, and a rich history at that, we are looking hopefully towards the future.”
Both 74-year-old Teboho Lebeko, one of Musi school’s first pupils in 1948, and Mphikeleli Mahlaba (14) agreed.
”When I first came here, there was nothing, just dust,” Lebeko said.
”Today, we are feeling on top of the world,” added the former pupil of Musi school, which produced numerous famous South Africans, including singer Gloria Bosman, jazz musician Sipho ”Hotstix” Mabuse and soccer supremo Jomo Sono.
Festivities in Soweto will include jazz concerts and other events to raise money for the township and help with upliftment.
This will included building swimming pools for the hot summer months ahead and establishing a nature conservancy on a nearby hill, named after Enoch Sontonga, who composed South Africa’s national anthem.
A gala dinner for 2 500 guests is planned for the end of the month.
Mahlaba, a Sowetan teenager with big ambitions, said he wants to become a doctor.
”But I’ll come back to Soweto. This is where my friends are and I love this place,” he said. — Sapa-AFP