The Soweto Civic Association was an organisation formed in Soweto, South Africa, in 1979, formed out of what was known as the "Committee of Ten", by black professionals who wished to administer the city's affairs by themselves and not by an Apartheid representative local administration board officials and councillors.
[1]: 356 After a suggestion was made in the World newspaper that prominent Sowetan people form a local government to run Soweto, a meeting was held in June 1977.
[1]: 357 Three hundred people met and a Committee of Ten was formed under the chairmanship of Dr Nthato Motlana with the rest made up of professionals, teachers and churchmen.
[1]: 357 Its aim was not to collaborate with the local government administrative boards but to negotiate directly with the national government with the objective of running the city with an elected council and a budget financed by local taxes and a state subsidy.
[1]: 358 By late 1979, the Soweto Civic Association was advocating for a Greater Johannesburg Metropolitan Board which would include existing Black, Indian and Coloured townships as the revenue required to run a city like Soweto was not sufficient.