Johannesburg

Eyitha Tours

 +27 79 319 0578     28 Feb 2024
Mbali Zwane of Eyitha Tours leads tours through Sophiatown that follow the stories and lives of the musicians, writers, and activists who grew up in this community before its destruction in 1955. Tours can also be arranged to include a visit to the Fietas Museum (another nearby neighbourhood that was a victim of the forced removals) and lunch in Fordsburg. There is also a five-hour Sophiatown to Soweto tour that traces the journey of the forcibly removed residents of Sophiatown to the Meadowlands area of Soweto, and the option of a hiking tour. 

Sophiatown, Sof'town, or Kofifi of the 1950s has been immortalised in countless literary and musical works. Then it was the epicentre of Joburg's jazz, politics, and literary scenes – a vibrant, multi-racial community that, while poor, was culturally rich beyond measure. In 1955 the neighbourhood was cruelly and brutally crushed by the apartheid authorities, who bulldozed the entire area and forced its residents to move to distant townships, each of which was segregated according to race. Only three of the original buildings from old Sophiatown remain – a church, an orphanage, and the home of Dr Alfred Bitini (AB) Xuma (now Sophiatown The Mix, a community centre).

Social Links:

Email

eyithatours@gmail.com

Open

Tours run daily. The hiking tour is only offered on Sundays.

Price/Additional Info

Tours start from R200

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