Soweto – A City Within a City – Johannesburg’s South Western Bantu Townships

A scarce illustrated municipal publication titled “Soweto – A City Within a City: Johannesburg’s South Western Bantu Townships”, issued by the Non-European Affairs Department of the City Council of Johannesburg in September 1969 (revised March 1970).

Soweto – A City Within a City was produced during a pivotal period in South Africa’s urban development and documents the planning and expansion of Soweto, one of the largest township complexes in the country. Richly illustrated in colour, the publication outlines housing projects, municipal services, recreation facilities, and social infrastructure being implemented by the Johannesburg City Council during the late apartheid era.

Soweto – A City Within a City provides a fascinating primary source perspective on municipal policy, urban planning, labour migration, and township development in the post-war decades. Period photographs illustrate daily life, amenities, transport, and community infrastructure in Soweto during the late 1960s.

Accompanying the booklet is a period newspaper clipping titled “Living Costs in Soweto” (May 1972) detailing the monthly budget and poverty datum line for a family of five, offering additional historical context to the economic realities faced by township residents during the period.

Today, publications such as this are collected as important documentary material relating to Soweto’s history, apartheid-era administration, and the development of black townships around Johannesburg.

Condition – Very Good

Good condition overall. Original pictorial card covers with visible rubbing, creasing and edge wear. Interior pages clean and well preserved with colour illustrations intact. Includes original “Living Costs in Soweto” newspaper cut-out (1972) laid in.