Why the Soweto Foundation was established

The apartheid legacy has left many indelible scars on the majority of South African people. Black townships that exist today were created as little more than labour camps to service industry and white settlements.

Soweto is one such township located south west of Johannesburg. Over the years of fighting for freedom, Soweto spawned the sparks that have resulted in the wonderful change to democracy in the country.

Today, Soweto is the largest city in Africa after Cairo and it is home to over 4-million people. Despite years of oppression and a way of life that is extraordinarily difficult compared to western standards, the community spirit that freed South Africa continues to thrive.

Like the rest of the country, the scars left by apartheid on Soweto preclude any short-cut solutions to solving the problems. People in Soweto need jobs, education, and homes. A whole new social, moral and economic infrastructure must be developed within Soweto to enable the community to uplift itself.

Soweto contains all the ingredients required to begin the rebuilding process on a sound footing. It is located in Gauteng - the ‘financial powerhouse’ region of South Africa.

There are many able bodied and minded people in Soweto who are eager to work - given the opportunity and necessary training. Most importantly, the community has a burning desire to rebuild and grow, and this intact spirit drives them to work together to achieve.

The community of Soweto will not stand idly by waiting for action - these people have decided to lead their own rebuilding.

In 1991 the Soweto community identified the need for various community facilities. A professional team was then appointed to analyse this need, and to develop a scheme through which the community could begin to enrich their lives and empower themselves through economic and social development.

This saw the birth of the SOWETO CENTRE - a place as well as an ideal where the community will celebrate the beginning of a new way of life, and begin to mend the fabric of society that was ripped by apartheid.

The Soweto Centre will be a beacon of hope, unity and peace.

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THE FOUNDATION :

The Soweto Foundation was established to develop, promote and manage the centre project. It is a registered trust in the Republic of South Africa.

The trust is run day-to-day by a Board of Executive Trustees, and Advisory Trustees are enlisted to provide insight and guidance to the executive - as well as to act as ambassadors for the foundation’s efforts.

The executive is made up of committed, dedicated and highly motivated professional individuals. These people are primarily from Soweto, and are supported by others from different social, cultural and economic backgrounds in South Africa.

MISSION STATEMENT

The purpose of the SOWETO CENTRE is to:

• Provide the people of Soweto and the Gauteng Region with proper first rate facilities to exercise their rights in the individual and collective development of education, sports, cultural, civic and community activities in facilities that are equal to first world standards, without any prejudice to the individuals colour, race, creed, sex, age, or political affiliation.

The objectives of the SOWETO CENTRE are to:

• Integrate the local community’s participation and involvement of all stakeholders in the development, construction, and use of the SOWETO CENTRE.
• Focus on the reconstruction and development of Soweto through the co-ordination and development of facilities involving transportation, economic, social, cultural, athletic, retail, recreation, tourism, and urbanisation aspects.
• Establish the economic vehicle to empower the community through the creation of entrepreneurial and employment opportunities.
• Become the catalyst to mend the fabric of Soweto’s socio-economic structure on both micro and macro levels.
• Create a developmental process within Soweto to achieve an integrated and sustainable environment upon which other existing and new programmes and facilities will flourish.
• Maximise the potential to coalesce Soweto with the NASREC/FNB area and Greater Johannesburg.

The Foundation’s role is strictly that of facilitator. As a registered trust and non-profit body, the Foundation is made up of an executive committee charged with the daily administration of the project and an advisory board of trustees responsible for oversight and continuity.

The Foundation’s process of policy development, implementation, and accountability is totally transparent, clear, and concise, especially with the principal of community involvement and participation.

The Foundation’s mandate is to carry out the wishes and instructions of the community to develop, build, and maintain the SOWETO CENTRE within the structured framework of economic viability to the benefit of investors, the community, and the region.

ORGANISATIONAL DETAILS