Soweto

American  

[suh-wee-toh, -way-] / səˈwi toʊ, -ˈweɪ- /

noun

1. a group of townships in northeastern South Africa, southwest of and administered by Johannesburg: constructed in the 1950s and early 1960s to provide housing and services for Black Africans. 26 sq. mi. (67 sq. km).

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Soweto British  

/ səˈwɛtəʊ, -ˈweɪtəʊ /

noun

1. a contiguous group of Black African townships southwest of Johannesburg, South Africa: the largest purely Black African urban settlement in southern Africa: scene of riots (1976) following protests against the use of Afrikaans in schools for Black African children. Area: 62 sq km (24 sq miles). Pop: 858 649 (2001)

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Soweto Cultural  

1. Collective name for a group of townships inhabited by black Africans, located southwest of Johannesburg, South Africa.

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Discover More

Soweto was the site of severe racial violence before the dismantling of apartheid.

Etymology

Origin of Soweto

C20: from so ( uth ) we ( st ) to ( wnship )

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Soweto

The first series in 30 years between these two mighty rugby nations is shaping into an epic, with the third Test back at altitude in Soweto, Johannesburg next Saturday.

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026

The 37-year-old hairstylist settled in Soweto, on the outskirts of Johannesburg, found work, built a life and believed he had a future in one of Africa's biggest economies.

From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026

Fugard once told Mann she took more trips to Soweto in a single month than he did in his entire lifetime.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 14, 2026

Situated on the edge of the iconic Soweto township and chosen as a symbol of post-apartheid "spatial integration", the venue hosts large-scale events such as the ruling African National Congress annual congress.

From Barron's ● Nov. 12, 2025

The following day I went up to Harlem, an area that had assumed legendary proportions in my mind since the 1950s when I watched young men in Soweto emulate the fashions of Harlem dandies.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

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