Johannesburg, South Africa, is fondly known by many names. Egoli, the Zulu word meaning “Place of Gold,” and, more popularly, “Jozi” and Joburg, are shortened versions that seem to roll off the tongue with ease and, at the same time, exude the affection we all have for this bustling metropolis.
Jozi is unlike any other city I have the pleasure of visiting, and I use the term visiting loosely, since I live 30 minutes outside of the town but spend most of my days commuting. You see, Jozi is undoubtedly the most affluent city, the fiscal powerhouse of Africa, and the capital hub for commerce in South Africa.
Dating back to over 500,000 years and evolving through the ages, Jozi was only truly founded in 1886 by Australian gold prospector George Harrison (no affiliation to the Beatles musician☺). What started as a tented settlement has boldly expanded into the urban jungle it is today, boasting the tallest building in Africa, The Leonardo – a luxurious, state-of-the-art work, live, and play lifestyle located right in the heart of upscale Sandton. The Leonardo received this impressive accolade only as recently as 2019, surpassing the Carlton Centre (also in Jozi), which held this prestigious title since 1973, and by a mere 11m (36 ft).
Despite what you may (or may not) have heard about Johannesburg, believe this: it is not, in my opinion, one of the most dangerous cities in the world, as I recently read on the internet. This “website” also mentions that unless you travel by armoured vehicle or in a group, you will be attacked. What a load of hogwash, pardon my language! Even Eden was not without crime! Yes, the city, like most cities, has its fair share of crime and violence, but this is mainly restricted to certain areas, such as venturing into the seedy parts or walking the streets of the city at night or alone. As a woman, even I have ventured out into the midst of Jozi city alone, with handbag and laptop in hand, and taken the Gautrain (railway line operating between Johannesburg and Pretoria) back home… unharmed. It is always best to do your homework before visiting any place, and also, get it straight from the locals.
Whether you’re travelling for business or pleasure, there is always time to discover and enjoy the many treasures this cosmopolitan city has to offer, and you are truly spoilt for choice whether you are visiting for the first time or the umpteenth, there is always something different to indulge in. I have had many friends and colleagues visit for business, only to have only one day to spend. In such instances, and especially if you’re from out of Africa, my first recommendation is always to the Lion and Safari Park, a 600-acre reserve located in the Unesco World Heritage Site of the Cradle of Humankind, just outside of the city. The park is home to a vast selection of animals, including indigenous species such as the Brown, Spotted, and Striped Hyenas, wild game, Leopards (including the Black Leopard), and Cheetahs, to name but a few. The park offers self-drives, guided tours (including night tours), and an interactive facility to witness and engage in feeding and experiencing these animals firsthand. If you are seriously strapped for time, opt for their flagship tour, which is the 3-hour Safari and includes snacks and drinks on the banks of the Crocodile River.
- If you have a penchant for history (and a good luck streak), Gold Reef City Theme Park & Casino is where you should head to. It is themed around the 19th Century Gold Rush and includes a mining village where you can play dress-up and step back in time and in the shoes (and clothes ☺) of miners and villagers alike. But let me just say this: it certainly is no easy feat getting into those costumes – especially when, like me, you’re barely taller than a midget, but it certainly is great fun! The thing I love about Gold Reef City is that it always brings out the child in me. It is not called a theme park for nothing. It is the only theme park in Africa with the most thrilling rides, so, if you’re feeling adventurous (and might I add, courageous) enough, hop on to one of the many thrilling rides that will be sure to get that adrenalin pumping! My favourite remains the Log Ride but be prepared to get soaked, so best carry some spare clothes with you and do this in the summertime. If you have the time (and certainly do this), take the Mine Tour. With hard hat on and torch in hand, encounter the ultimate experience of heading underground and enduring what the miners did. The mine was once one of the deepest gold mines but stopped production in 1971 although there is still gold to be found within (wink wink).
- And on the topic of theme parks, Montecasino in Fourways is the perfect place to kill a couple of hours, meet a colleague or business partner for lunch or dinner or catch the latest movies or theatre production. It is themed around Tuscan villages and whisks you away to a typical Italian setting. There is plenty of entertainment indoors and out including a bird park with exotic birds and a Piazza which centres around the public life, people watching and is where many an event is celebrated, big sports games watched on a massive screen and simply where everyone comes together – true to Italian lifestyle. This is usually where we spend our New Year’s Eve celebrations. Montecasino caters to everyone’s taste buds with an array of delectable restaurants as well as fast food outlets and is the perfect place for a weekend getaway (or for your business stay as it is close to the main business hub). It offers a range of hotels from the luxurious deluxe Hotel Palazzo, to the more affordable Sun Square and hi Monte hotels. Either way, you will not be disappointed.
- For first time visitors, a tour not to be missed is the Soweto and Apartheid Museum tour which can be arranged with any hotel or online. The tour will take you through the hotspots of Soweto where you can catch a glimpse of life in the townships. It also takes you to the National Football Stadium City which played host to the World Cup 2010 games and a drive through the vibrant and most eminent street in South Africa, Vilakazi Street, the only street in the world to have produced two Nobel Prize Laureates, former President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
- The Johannesburg inner city, which was abandoned by a commercial migration to Sandton and was avoided by all but die-hard tourists until recently, is undergoing a total renovation. The Market Theatre and its environs have been totally restored, and the area around City Hall and the Newtown Cultural Precinct now constitutes the centre of urban renaissance. But for me, it is the sprawling suburbs of Parktown, Melville, Norwood and surrounds which are shaded by leafy trees (over six million in fact) that captures my attention and ignites that excitement of discovery. In the spring and summer times, avenues are strewn with carpets of lilac from the exquisite flowers of the Jacaranda trees leaving a sweet lingering scent in the air. With their restaurant-lined avenues that cater for the hip and chic combined with the enormous malls of Sandton, Rosebank and simply every other suburb (if there is one thing we are not short of in South Africa, it would be malls), the city is a terrific location to be and you will certainly never be left wanting or bored.
- Be sure to catch my upcoming articles which will delve deeper into the culture, food and post-Covid hotspots.
- And it true Jozi style – “Shup! Catch you later, bruh”! (which simply means: Till we meet again!)