Topographical Buffer: Soweto & Johannesburg By the beginning of the twentieth century, city planners decided mine workers should no longer be allowed to live within the city limits, but rather be placed outside the city. Some of the workers had contracted diseases and white residents feared their spread to the general population. A site was selected southwest of the city, just beyond the mines. Thus, the primarily black laborers were settled close to the mines, but at the same time outside the city—and out of the sight of the white population due to the physical height of the mines. This signified the founding of the Southwest Township, known as Soweto, and currently the largest township in South Africa.
Š COOPERATIVE URBANISM
Today, the population of Soweto continues to increase. As the mines are no longer active, people have moved into the open fields surrounding them in order to live closer to the city. In 1989, Soccer City was built, the largest soccer stadium in Africa and host to the 2010 World Cup Final. It is located near Gold Reef City amusement park and the Apartheid Museum. Most public buildings and service-oriented functions were constructed within the last ten years.
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