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 Prize laureates including Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, who received the prize in 1984, and former President Nelson Mandela in 1993.
Vilakazi Street is also home to internationally renowned Sakhumzi and Nambitha restaurants which both have local cuisine on their menus.
Joburg Tourism’s Laura Vercueil said 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 a testament to Vilakazi Street’s uniqueness and importance as a heritage site as it is the only street in the world that has been home to no fewer than two Nobel Peace Prize winners and it’s situated within the City of Johannesburg,” said 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 South Africa, the company that makes the famous board game, said Monopoly Mzansi represents South Africa’s rich cultural diversity and natural beauty.
He said 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 in Johannesburg.
“South Africans are known for their 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,” said Thabethe.
Some locations found on the board are old favourites such as 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.
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