Famous Joburg street makes it to SA’s edition of Monopoly
08 November 2016
The City of Johannesburg has welcomed the addition of Soweto's Vilakazi Street to the South African edition of Monopoly, describing the inclusion as a testament to the uniqueness of the street.
Vilakazi Street, in Orlando West, was one of 22 destinations that South African board game lovers voted for to be on the first localised edition of Monopoly.
It is probably the only street in the world that boasts two Nobel Peace laureates: Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, who received the prize in 1984, and former President Nelson Mandela, who won it in 1993.
The late former President Mandela shared the prestigious award with then President FW de Klerk in recognition of their work towards finding a peaceful resolution to South Africa's political problems, culminating in the holding of the first democratic elections in 1994.
Vilakazi Street is also home to internationally renowned Sakhumzi and Nambitha restaurants. Both have local cuisines on their menus.
Joburg Tourism's Laura Vercueil says the City is delighted from a tourism awareness and destination perspective that Vilakazi Street has been included in the localised edition of Monopoly.
"This is testament to Vilakazi Street's uniqueness and importance as a heritage site as it is the only street in the world than has been home to no fewer than two Nobel Peace Prize winners and it's situated within the City of Johannesburg," says Vercueil.
Vilakazi Street is one of the City's biggest tourist attractions, drawing visitors from all corners of the country and the world on a daily basis.
Siphiwe Thabethe, Country Marketing Manager of Hasbro SA, says Monopoly Mzansi represents South Africa's rich cultural diversity and natural beauty.
He says the new edition has strong links to the Mandela legacy with the inclusion of Vilakazi Street and Robben Island.
The special localised Mzansi edition features four transport hubs and 22 landmarks.
Coincidentally, the newest transport hub to make it on the board is the Sandton Gautrain station, which is also in Johannesburg.
"South Africans are known for their 'gees' and pride in their country. Which is why we are extremely excited to present the final locations that made it on board as they truly represent South Africa's rich cultural diversity and natural beauty," says Thabethe.
Some locations are old favourites: the Kruger National Park, Gold Reef City and the Union Buildings.
A few new trendy spots, such as Nelson Mandela Square, Maboneng, 4th Avenue and the Oyster Box, have also been added.