orlando towers

Why does South Africa celebrate Heritage Day?

Heritage Day – 24 September – is one of South Africa's newer public holidays, declared after the republic became a democracy in 1994. The...

Soweto, heartbeat of the nation

Infused with the history of the struggle against apartheid and alive with the energy of the city of gold, Soweto is a must-see for tourists in search of more than sun, sea and the big five.

Bungee jumping in South Africa

Weehah! South Africa has the third highest commercial bungee jump in the world - it's official. The 216-metre Bloukrans on the border of the Eastern and Western Cape is not for the faint of heart.

Soweto: from struggle to suburbia

Twenty years of freedom have transformed Soweto, once a sprawling dormitory dumping ground for Johannesburg's black workers, into a green and attractive city of its own, with housing, parks, shopping malls, efficient public transport and a vibrant tourist trade.

Soweto Theatre speaks in colour

The R150-million Soweto Theatre will do more than boost tourism and the performing arts in South Africa's famous township. It forms part of a multi-million rand "culture-led" urban regeneration project in the area, and in pure visual terms has made an immediate impact on its surroundings.

South Africa’s ‘born-frees’ come of age

South Africa's "born frees" - a nickname for those born in the year of the country's first free elections - turn 18 this year, coming of age at the same time as a democratic SA. While they acknowledge the importance of remembering the struggle, the future is where their focus lies.

Born free to dream

The “born frees” turn 18 this year, coming of age at the same time as a democratic South Africa. While they acknowledge the struggle, for them the future is more important than looking back to a past that happened before they were born.
Hold on to freedom, says Brand SA

Soweto tours with a twist

Entrepreneur Lesika Matlou's new tour operating business offers visitors a unique experience of the diverse history and rich cultural mix in Soweto – South Africa's largest and most famous township.
Celebrating Soweto's heritage

The changing face of Soweto

Once a dusty, dry and forgotten dormitory for South Africa's "city of gold", Soweto is staking its claim to Johannesburg's riches. At the same time, it is becoming a vibrant, sustainable and economically active city in its own right.

Take a Sho’t Left through Soweto

Bungee-jumping between Soweto's Orlando Towers, driving around the township in a double-decker-open-top bus, and visiting the Apartheid Museum made Lesego Madumo's Sho't Left tour a humdinger of an escapade.