The riches of Soweto

SIZE: HOME ΤΟ 1.5 MILLION PEOPLE, IT OUTRANKS UMLAZI, KHAYELITSHA » Lightstone compares big three townships.

- Tshehla Cornelius Koteli

While South Africa's property spotlight usually shines on Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, little attention is given to the townships in these metros.

Soweto, Umlazi and Khayelitsha are the largest townships in these cities. However, they remain easily forgotten, despite their size and significance.

Lightstone's data compared the three townships from the provinces with the highest GDPs to determine which is the wealthiest, using factors such as household income, home values, adult population and property transfers, among others.

Among other services, Lightstone provides information, valuations and market intelligence on properties in South Africa.

Data reveals that Soweto houses at least 1.5 million people, the largest number compared to its counterparts, and it is the oldest township. It was created in the early 1900s and was formally named South Western Township (Soweto) in 1963.

Lightstone describes Khayelitsha in the Western Cape as the fastest-growing township in the country.