| Type | Daily newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Tabloid |
| Owner | Avusa |
| Publisher | Avusa |
| Editor | Bongani Keswa is the Editor-in-Chief |
| News editor | Willie Bokala |
| Photo editor | Johnny Onvervacht |
| Founded | 2 February, 1981 |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | Johannesburg |
| Official website | http://www.sowetan.co.za |
The Sowetan is an English language, South African newspaper that started in 1981 as a liberation struggle newspaper and was freely distributed to households in the black township of Soweto, Johannesburg, Gauteng Province.
The paper carries a left-wing editorial tone, usually strongly favourable to the ruling African National Congress, and in 2006 carried a readership of 1.6 million and a circulation of 124,000.[1]
The Sowetan which was started in 1981,replacing the Post newspaper. At the time there was a total strike at the Post (for better increases) Unfortunately the strike lasted so long that the Post which was financially independent from the Argus printing and publishing nearly went bankrupt resulting in the property and printing presses being sold to Caxtons. Caxtons then got the contract to print the Post and another building was found in Industria.Two days before publishing the Post again the government decided to ban the Post. Fortunately the Post had more newspaper names registered and after some deliberation it was decided to go with the Sowetan. This was a weekly, Saturday and Sunday paper. The latter was later closed as it was never financially viable. The Sowetan never was a free sheet. Sales in the beginning was slow because people wrongly assumed that the Sowetan had only news from Soweto .It took nearly two years before it was accepted and sales started soaring. Percy Qoboza was the editor at the time but was soon replaced by JOE Latakgomo. Later JOE Latakgomo left due to death threads and was replaced by Aggrey Klaaste. These were rather turbulent years.