Despite the availability of highly effective therapy, tuberculosis (TB) remains a major problem in South Africa, even in urban centres such as Soweto which is relatively well provided with health services. We therefore assessed two aspects of TB management in Soweto: (i) the proportion of known tuberculous patients adequately treated; (ii) whether case finding through investigation of home contacts of notified patients was effective. In 1978 patients with TB were required to take chemotherapy for at least a year. Only 28% of newly notified patients attended the clinics frequently enough and/or were hospitalized long enough to obtain 80% or more of the treatment they required during that first year. A major part of this problem of non-compliance was infrequent attendance; these patients received therapy of an adequate duration, but at an inadequate dosage. At least 17% of patients over 10 years of age had tubercle bacilli in their sputa on microscopy more than 4 months after therapy was started. About two-thirds of known home contacts were investigated by the health services in accordance with their stated policy, and 5% of contacts were subsequently notified. Home-contact tracing therefore seems worthwhile.