Having spent part of my childhood in the Vaal with my grandparents and uncle, I still regard Soweto (Tladi) as my hometown. I recall how I would come home to my parents on weekends and having to go back to Vaal only meant a sour Sunday for me.

Born in Pretoria and partly raised in Sebokeng Zone 3, my parents stayed in Soweto where I would only get a chance to have long visits during the school holidays. Unlike other hoods, my streets where not filled with dust when I was around (hahahaha) although the streets where kind of perky.

Finally I got the chance to stay with mum and dad and that’s when I experienced being a full on Sowetan. Most of my friends stayed a few houses away, we would fill the streets playing “bathi”, skipping, diketo and all those games that managed to bring together the whole community (or rather the whole of Motaung Street).

Tladi is a very small community I always dubbed it the mini suburb (lol) as it wasn’t that well known, “Ke dula ko Tladi (I stay in Tladi) next to Naledi and Moletsane,” I would always say when I gave out directions. Some of the famous faces that grew up in Tladi are Shoki Sebotsana, Lebo M, Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe and Blondie just to name a few.

One of Soweto’s favoured doctors, Dr. Makhubela, has been a family doctor for as long as I can recall. His surgery situated just next to the Kae Kapa Kae shops famously known as “Kapies”, one of the shops I normally go to buy almost anything one could get at the supermarket. We also have two community clinics, the biggest one being Tladi Clinic situated at 1592 Legwale Street, a walking distance from my house.

Growing up in settings where gossip mongers are situated at every corner (literally), you bound to know stories before they even evolve what would “kasi” life be without such.

Soweto, Tladi Kasi Lam, enjoyed sharing the experience and beauty of my hometown.

Follow Polly @ElizPhly