In Johannesburg, a city larger than New York or London, is another city, the largest black township of its kind in South Africa. This is Soweto, the South Western Townships, which started as housing for gold mine workers. It’s made up of 32 different townships and running through it for less than half a kilometre is one of the 5 most famous streets in South Africa, Vilakazi Street.  

The street is named after Dr BW Vilakazi, a poet, novelist and intellectual. Employed as a 'language assistant' because Apartheid law didn’t allow black lecturers, he was the first black man to teach at the University of the Witwatersrand. With a PhD in literature, he helped develop the written form of both isiZulu and siSwati and helped put together the isiZulu dictionary.

While Diagonal Street, Donkin Street, Long Street and Victoria Embankment are famous for skyscrapers, hotels, churches and trendy shops and restaurants, Vilakazi Street is famous for the fact that 2 Nobel Peace Prize winners lived here, at the same time. Nelson Mandela went on to become the world’s most famous political prisoner and the first democratic President of South Africa. Desmond Tutu became the first black Bishop of Johannesburg and Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town.

Between 1946 and 1962, Nelson Mandela lived at 8115 Vilakazi St, Orlando West and where he spent the first few nights with his former wife, Winnie Mandela, after his release from 27 years of imprisonment. This home is now the Mandela House Museum.

Across the road, is the home of The Arch, as Desmond Tutu is fondly called. When he’s in town can occasionally be seen strolling along Vilakazi Street.

On the corner of Vilakazi and Moema Streets is the Hector Peterson Museum and memorial. The young student, Hector Peterson was killed by police during the June 16, 1976 uprising. Today, June 16 is the South African public holiday, Youth Day. Nearby is Uncle Tom’s Hall. One of the few government buildings left alone during the riots because of the integral part it played as a community centre for the people living in Soweto.

A couple of well-known restaurants, Nambitha and Sakhumzi, with local cuisine as their speciality, the only community television station in the city, Soweto Tv which is broadcast from a classroom in the local primary school, art, and dance troupes are now all found on Vilakazi Street. A guided tour is definitely the best way to visit and experience this small but vibrant stretch of history.