Kliptown, Johannesburg
Kliptown is the oldest district in Soweto, famous as the site known as the Congress of the People, where 3 000 gathered together in 1955 to write the Freedom Charter. It later served as the basis for South Africa's liberal constitution.
There is more history. The place where they met was declared a national heritage site, and in 2005 what was a dusty field saw Thabo Mbeki light a flame of freedom to mark its space as the Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication – some 50 years on from the Freedom Charter. It is now a park with a marketplace for traders, shops, offices and a hotel. Kliptown has also been the site of a R375 million upgrade, a huge effort to re-develop the largely dilapidated settlement.
At the edge of the square is a museum, which one can enter free of charge, about the Congress of the People. The museum stands where once there was an old hardware shop, owned by an Indian family called the Jades – the Congress has a multicultural history. The museum is beautiful and well worth a visit, even if there is little information about it in your average tourist guide to Johannesburg.
In Kliptown is a youth centre that helps neglected children in the area, known as SKY (Soweto Kliptown Youth). Kliptown has a real feeling of tolerance and multiracial integration. As one blogger on Jhb Live put it: 'I saw white people walking around freely in a squatter camp like they were in Melville.' To experience it firsthand, take a tour of Soweto that includes Kliptown.
In the vicinity
Hotels & other accommodation options
Sunbury Bed & Breakfast
Sunbury Bed & Breakfast is located in the friendly, beautiful neighbourhood of Melville, Auckland Park. The accommodation is in close proximity t...
Jean's Green House
Jean's Green House is ideally located in Randburg in Johannesburg for business travellers. The property is very secure and the views from the top...
MacHaven B&B
MacHaven B&B offers comfortable accommodation in Ferndale, just 5km away from Sandton City and about 20km from Lanseria Airport. The guest house ...
Eikenhof Country Guesthouse
Eikenhof Country Guesthouse offers comfortable accommodation in Eikenhof, south of Johannesburg. The rooms are equipped with a bar fridge, microw...
No 66 Sandton
Ideally located in the peaceful secure suburb of Inanda and set in a large mature garden, close to the CBD of Sandton, Sandton Gautrain Station, ...
Hills and Dales Accommodation
Situated on 23 hectares of countryside, Hills and Dales Accommodation is a relaxed, country and home style venue. The establishment boasts beauti...
Sunninghill Guest Lodge
Sunninghill Guest Lodge offers accommodation in Sunninghill, only a few minutes away from the heart of Sandton city centre. Choose from a selecti...
Emzini Apartments
Situated in the quiet leafy suburb of Buccleuch in Johannesburg, Emzini (which means our home) offers two up-market, serviced self catering apart...
Melville Turret Guesthouse
The Melville Turret Guest House offers guests a choice of seven en-suite rooms and two self-catering suites. Our 6 en-suite rooms are spacious an...
Things to do in the area
Choc's Restaurant & Bar
Famous for being a vibey spot that services upmarket locals of Soweto, Johannesburg and tourists from all over the world, "Choc's" as the locals ...
Credo Mutwa Cultural Village
The Credo Mutwa Cultural Village is one of Soweto’s many gems, and a must to see for visitors from all over the world who want a taste of deep Af...
Diepkloof Park
The suburb famous for the Soweto Wine Festival and one of the founding places of kwaito (a style of hip-hop specific to South Africa) and where a...
Walter Sisulu Square
Walter Sisulu Square in the heart of Kliptown, Soweto, is South Africa’s first township entertainment explosion centre, the very first of its kin...
Noteworthy attractions
Crown Mines Golf Club
South Africa is famous for its gold, and Crown Mines Golf Club is built in genuine mining country, just a few kilometres southeast of central Joh...
Observatory Golf Club
Observatory Golf Course is one of the less well known Johannesburg courses, but just as good as many of its more famous neighbors. A sophisticate...
Randpark Golf Club
With two very distinct but different golf courses, Randpark offers golfers of varying ability an unforgettable experience on two of the finest an...
Royal Johannesburg Golf Club
The World Atlas of Golf, which lists the great courses and how they are played, features just two South African clubs on its hallowed pages. One ...
OR Tambo International Airport
Formerly officially known as Johannesburg International Airport, the OR Tambo International Airport is a large airport near the city of Johannesb...
East Rand Flea Market
Just outside Johannesburg in Boksburg, the East Rand Flea Market lies right next to the East Rand Mall, and as a result, is open just about all w...
East Rand Mall
The popular East Rand Mall takes full advantage of the prime position of this area and offers a variety of restaurants, boutiques, chain stores a...
Absa Money Museum
Home to the largest collection of money used in South Africa’s past in the world, Absa Money Museum lies in downtown Johannesburg on Troye Street...
Apartheid Museum
The Apartheid Museum is the story of the triumph of the human spirit over adversity. Beginning in 1948, the white elected National Party governme...
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