Photographs of James Mpanza House (The Heritage Portal)
Known as “The father of Soweto”, Mpanza led squatter movements claiming land for dispossessed people. Under the slogan “Housing and Shelter for All” he founded Sofasonke Party in 1935. This house was a centre of the movement, where public meetings were held. In 1944, Mpanza led people out of the overcrowded slums of Orlando, and set up a shanty town on vacant land called Sofasonke Township, this became a self-governing settlement of 20 000 people.
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957 Phiele Street, Orlando East
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