On 1 February 2025, residents of Orlando West in Soweto gathered at Uncle Tom’s Art Centre to celebrate their history while reflecting on 30 years of democracy and beyond. The HSRC and the University of Johannesburg hosted the event to share research findings from the HSRC’s Democracy@30 Project in Orlando West. By Collin Mongale and Tshepo Moloi
Founded in 1931, Orlando township in Soweto is steeped in history. Most notably, the late President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu had houses there, and it was central to events during South Africa’s apartheid struggle. The Soweto Uprising started in Orlando West and led to the death of 12-year-old Hector Pieterson. Today, 30 years since the advent of democracy, Orlando West is a popular tourist destination, featuring the Hector Pieterson Memorial, Mandela House and Tutu House.
But three decades into democracy, how do the people of Orlando West perceive progress and the remaining challenges?
In 2024, researchers visited Orlando West as part of the HSRC’s Democracy@30 Project to find out. Dr Tshepo Moloi from the University of Johannesburg was commissioned to lead a study, assisted by community members.
On 1 February 2025, the HSRC and UJ hosted an exhibition at Uncle Tom’s Art Centre to share and discuss their study findings. The event, themed “Orlando West, Soweto: Youth Reflections on 30 Years of Democracy and Beyond”, was also attended by tourists from countries such as the United States of America and the United Kingdom, who were there to learn more about the experiences of the youth of Orlando West.
Exhibition materials at Uncle Tom’s Art Centre in Orlando West during an event to share research findings from the HSRC’s Democracy@30 Project. Photo: HSRC
Sally Gaule, who had recently retired from the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand, curated an exhibition featuring photographs and artefacts that captured the stories of the Orlando West youth. The event also showcased young talent from Orlando West. Performers from the Umbuyisa School of Arts and Culture presented a traditional dance, and the Ground Zero Trio live band entertained the guests with songs such as Shebeleza (Okongo Mame) by Joe Mafela and Redemption Song by Bob Marley. The song choice was influenced by the theme of the event, which aimed to reflect the Orlando West youth’s experiences of democracy, the area’s history, current conditions and their aspirations for the next 30 years.
The study
Led by Moloi, the researchers conducted interviews with 35 people, all either residents or individuals who had close connections with Orlando West. Of the 35 participants, 28 were young people born since 1990. The rest were older. Interviews with the older participants helped to provide a historical background on Orlando West before 1994. During the feedback session at Uncle Tom’s Art Centre, Moloi facilitated a panel discussion with three youth representatives from Orlando West, who reflected on their experiences of South Africa’s 30 years of democracy and their expectations for the next 30 years. Below are some of the youth’s comments from the interviews conducted for this study. (Elderly people were also interviewed as they provided historical context on their experiences of Orlando West before 1994. Their perspectives were contrasted and compared with those of the youth.)
Youth reflections on a better life for all: “very big changes”
Many of the young Orlando West residents had mixed feelings about democracy. They have seen developments in some areas but continue to face socio-economic challenges, as illustrated by the following two quotes:
“I am unable to identify with this celebrated ‘democracy’ because we are hungry, we are unemployed, and we are unable to put food on the table.”
“Growing up after 1989, I was fortunate to witness the changes taking place in our townships and to understand the significance of my father’s anti-apartheid activism. I was lucky to attend a multi-racial school for the first time during my higher primary education (Grade 5), as it marked a visible shift towards inclusivity.”
For one young man born in 2000, democracy meant diversity and inclusivity. He noted:
“I think that from how we grew up, I feel like we were freer to express ourselves. And we have become a more diverse country. We can now go to multi-racial schools and actually interact with other kids; can actually come back and learn new things and not just be all close-minded and thinking in a one-dimensional way. So, now we are more diverse, and we are free to express ourselves. We’re not tied down to be in this way or be in that way.”
Similarly, a young woman who was born in 1997 said the advent of democracy brought new and exciting changes to Orlando West. In her words:
“There are very, very big changes. We have Vilakazi Street and lots of restaurants. And many people frequent them. There are people selling craft work. And on the side of the museum, tourists visit that space in big buses. This did not happen before. We receive many visitors from outside South Africa wanting to learn about the history of Soweto. Actually, Orlando West is the main spot if you want to know about the history [of the country]. We can also access Home Affairs within our township. Before 1994 it was not there. We had to travel to Johannesburg to access it.”
Most participants concurred that democracy introduced changes in the township, but some felt that these changes had not benefitted (or were not benefitting) everyone. They argued that many young people in the township had been marginalised. A young woman (24) explained:
“I feel like freedom is there. Kids and people are able to express themselves in ways that they wish. But I would say in terms of job scarcity and the impact it has had on the youth of South Africa or rather in our community, it’s quite painful to see many of our youth wasting away their lives to alcohol abuse and drug abuse, which in turn, you know, limit their progress in life, because a lot of them are going to wake up at their 40s and they are going to wake up to nothing and they’re going to wake up [and realise they] had not done nothing, you know.”
Looking beyond 30 years of democracy
A young woman did not believe that the situation was entirely dire for young people. If the government could resolve the loadshedding problem in Orlando West, the situation would improve for small businesses owners:
“First, loadshedding has a negative effect on small businesses. For example, if you have an internet café, you depend on electricity. If you have a fast-food business, you depend on electricity. But if there’s loadshedding or load reduction your business becomes affected. Unfortunately, some people cannot afford to purchase a solar system. It is expensive.”
An elderly man born in 1963 believed that vocational training could help youth gain skills for self-employment. He acknowledged the value of the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges but believed more vocational centres could make a difference:
“I once asked a question about vocational training centres, which we had during the time when I was still a learner. They told me about the TVET colleges; that the TVET colleges have been roped in to substitute the vocational schools. I think the business world must also help the TVET colleges to skill young people. After learning theory, they must learn practical work.”
Conclusion
This event featured youth reflections on democracy in Orlando West, their memories of the transition period and their perceptions of progress. During the panel discussion, it became clear that some of the young people have benefitted from democracy while others have not. Some have lost hope, turning to substance abuse, whereas others continue searching for opportunities to better their lives.
Research contacts:
Collin Olebogeng Mongale (HSRC) and Dr Tshepo Moloi (University of Johannesburg)
