Oppenheimer Gardens
Johannesburg
At a glance
The Oppenheimer Gardens lie in the heart of Soweto in the suburb of Jabavu. These Gardens, spread over several hectares, have plenty of trees and indigenous medicinal plants. These provide a haven for many Soweto bird species.
The Gardens, which are home to the fascinating Credo Mutwa Cultural Village and the Oppenheimer Tower. Credo Mutwa , a prophet, sangoma and writer, created this Cultural Village, which is filled with eerie statues and buildings, all with specific meanings and messages. If you're lucky, you'll be shown the painting in which, years before it even happened, Credo Mutwa predicted the 9/11 disaster!
The Oppenheimer Tower was built in the Botanical Gardens, in honour of Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, who paid for the building of 14,000 houses in the area. Interestingly enough, the Tower was built from bricks taken from the remains of Sophiatown, after it was bulldozed to the ground by the Apartneid Government.
The Tower gives a the most amazing view of Soweto. It is only from here that you can really obtain an idea of the size of Soweto. You must ask your tour guide to bring you to the Gardens, as they are not automatically included on every tour.
For a description of Soweto as a tourist attraction, please click on this link
