Thokoza Park

About Thokoza Park

Thokoza Park lies on Ntuli Street in Rockville, Soweto. Whilst this is its official address, the park is fairly large – 4.5 hectares - that includes the Moroka dam, and it thus spreads on both sides of Vundla Street, all the way to Chris Hani Road - the longest street in Soweto that links roughly 70 percent of the suburbs in the township.

The new Reya Vaya bus system, in place since 2010, has a route from the city centre that culminates at the large Thokoza Park Station. Commuters use the bus service to get to and from work, and many park their cars at the station close to the park for the journey – a perfect stop, as nearby is the Maponya Mall. The park itself has been worthy of attention. Both Thokoza Park and the Moroka Dam Wetlands rehabilitation projects were awarded gold merit awards at the UN-endorsed Liveable Communities Awards in London in 2010.

Leading up to the awards the Moroka Dam had been desilted, and the catchment area completely revamped, whilst the park received a complete landscaping that included the planting of indigenous trees, the paving of footpaths, curbs on the roads surrounding the park, new street lights, play areas for children and a rehabilitation of the stream edge.

Now the park has benches, picnic spots, fountains, a big screen television, large fields perfect for soccer and other ball games, and a protected birdlife. It is also used often for concerts and events. Moroka Dam was named after Dr James Moroka, a former president of the ANC. Nearby is another resistance hallmark – the Regina Mundi church that served as shelter during the 1976 Soweto Uprising.