City Overview

‘There’s a train that comes from Namibia and Malawi. There’s a train that comes from Zambia and Zimbabwe. There’s a train that comes from Angola and Mozambique – from Lesotho from Botswana from Swaziland.’ These lines are from Hugh Masekela’s quintessential anthem, Stimela (steam engine), which profoundly captures the essence of the millions of migrant labourers who, since 4 October 1886 (when the first claims were laid out) have mined the gold that built the economy of Johannesburg and South Africa.

The city today has progressed far beyond the status of a mere gold rush settlement, becoming a vibrant, violent and unpredictable place, where fortunes as well as lives can be lost and found like a small child’s toys.
In Zulu, Johannesburg is called E’goli (place of gold), an epithet no longer quite fitting, as the last of Johannesburg’s mines ran out of gold-bearing ore decades ago. The towering yellow mine dumps, once the city’s prime icons that dominated old postcards, have largely been recycled.
New commercial, retail and industrial districts have risen to replace these 40-million-ton yellow-white mounds.
In ancient cities, one may be able to find a sense of permanence within the walls of a formidable fortress; but Johannesburg is a city in flux, a place where change is the only enduring feature.

 

Sub-Saharan Africa’s greatest and, at over 2,500sq km (900 square miles), the world’s largest inland city, Johannesburg straddles rows of jagged quartzite ridges, beneath which a century of gold mining has produced a veritable honeycomb of tunnels.
Technology may have claimed the mine sands, but millions of trees have risen from the sprawling suburbs (on satellite images, much of Johannesburg resembles a rainforest), an unexpected backdrop to a formidable array of Victorian and Edwardian architecture, as well as concrete, chrome and glass skyscrapers.
Makeshift shacks of scrap, reflected in the glossy glass façade of the old Johannesburg Stock Exchange building on Diagonal Street, bear testimony to the chasm between the fantastically wealthy and the desperately poor that still divides this city.

Situated 550km (344 miles) from the nearest port, on a vast inland plateau, 1,700m (5,700ft) high, Johannesburg’s climate is much milder and drier than its latitude would suggest and is also free of malaria – a disease that plagues much of the rest of Africa.
Crime may have become synonymous with Johannesburg in the minds of many people, however, things are changing, with the green and yellow uniforms of the Central Improvement District (CID) security guards and ubiquitous security cameras a new feature on almost every street corner in ‘targeted’ areas.

Josi, Jo’burg or Joeys to the locals, this is a city undergoing dramatic changes. Black people, formerly excluded from living (legally) outside of townships, such as Soweto, are moving into the downtown and inner-city areas, while formerly privileged (white) citizens are migrating outwards, due to increasing crime, squalor and perhaps some reluctance to live side by side the newly enfranchised majority.
Paradoxically, almost all of the old apartheid-era street names, such as Barry Hertzog Avenue and Hendrick Verwoerd Drive (named after the architects of this ‘crime against humanity’) still survive. However, plans are afoot to change this: DF Malan Drive was recently renamed Beyers Naude Drive, after the dissident anti-apartheid cleric and shortly, in Newtown (amongst others) West Street will change to Ntemi Piliso, Becker to Gerard Sekoto, Bezuidenhout to Miriam Makeba, Wolhuter to Margaret Mcingana, Park to Barney Simon and Goch to Henry Nxumalo, so visitors should be warned that some of the street addresses in this guide could soon be obsolete.

 

City Statistics

Location: Gauteng Province, South Africa.
Country dialling code: 27; as of May 2002, all local numbers dialled, even from within Johannesburg, should have had to be preceded by the area code (011), but this is yet to implemented.
Population: 3.2 million (Johannesburg city); 7.3 million (Gauteng Province).
Ethnic mix: 72% black (expected to rise to 74.7% by 2010), 17.4% white (expected to drop to 14.8% by 2010), 6.5% coloured (expected to remain constant), 3.7% Asian (expected to rise to 4% by 2010).
Religion: 90% Christian, 4% Jewish, 3% Muslim, 2% other, 1% Hindu.
Time zone: GMT + 2.
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz; round three-pin plugs are standard.
Average January temp: 20°C (68°F).
Average July temp: 10°C (51°F).
Annual rainfall: 720mm (28.8 inches).

Cost of Living

Note that prices in restaurants or hotels can be 100% higher.

One-litre bottle of mineral water: R7.50
33cl bottle of beer: R3.80
The Star newspaper: R3.00
36-exposure colour film: R24.30
City-centre bus ticket: R2.50
Adult football ticket: R15
Three-course meal with wine/beer: R85-165

1 Rand (R1) = £0.09; US$0.16; C$0.19; A$0.22; €0.13
Currency conversion rates as of April 2006

Getting There By Air

Johannesburg International Airport
Airline Name Weekly Flights Book Here Contact Number
Lufthansa 14 +27-11-484-7522
Singapore Airlines 18 +27-11-674-0606 / 21-674-0601
South African Airways 1972 011-978-1111 Johannesburg
SWISS 12 (within South Africa: 0860-040-506)
TAP 8 +27-11-455-4907
Thai Airways International No Direct Flight
Total Weekly Flights 2024

Johannesburg International Airport (JNB) Tel: (011) 921 6911 or (011) 921 6262 (help desk) handling over 11 million passengers each year, Johannesburg International Airport (formerly Jan Smuts) is Africa’s busiest (many say best) airport.
The Airports Company (ACSA) has invested R1.16 billion in upgrading facilities since 1993 – this figure will reach R3 billion when the project reaches completion in 2006.
The new Domestic Terminal was completed during 2003. Situated 19km (12 miles) east of the city centre, a total of 51 international airlines use Johannesburg International Airport’s facilities on a regular basis, with flights to and from over 60 cities in 50 countries.

 

Major airlines: National airline South African Airways (SA), a member of the Star Alliance network (tel: (011) 978 1111; website: www.saa.co.za) connects Johannesburg to all of South Africa’s major towns and cities, as well as to the capital cities of all of southern Africa’s countries and other international destinations. Other Star Alliance member carriers that operate from Johannesburg International are Lufthansa (LH), Singapore Airlines (SQ), SWISS (LX) and TAP Portugal (TP).

Approximate flight times to Johannesburg: From London is 10 hours 45 minutes; from New York (via London) is 17 hours 45 minutes; from Los Angeles (via London) is 21 hours 15 minutes; from Toronto (via London) is 18 hours and from Sydney (via Perth) is 17 hours.

Airport facilities: These include 24-hour help phones, 24-hour medical clinic, wireless Internet access, mobile-phone rental, a 24-hour food hall, bureaux de change, a 24-hour telephone centre, banks, ATMs, travel agent, tourist information, left-luggage, car hire (Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Imperial and Tempest), a brand new duty-free area, shops, restaurants, bars, a chapel, Muslim prayer rooms, 45-room transit hotel and an emergency medical clinic.
Business facilities: There is a business centre (tel: (011) 921 6991), which contains a 10-room conference centre, a media conference room, mobile-phone rental and VIP facilities.
Arrival/departure tax: Included in the price of the ticket.
Transport to the city: The Magic Bus shuttle (tel: (011) 548 0822) operates to Sandton and Midrand only for around R100. To get to the Park City Terminus at Park Railway Station, as well as to all other locations within Johannesburg, enquire at the Itram desks in all the luggage collection areas (tel: (011) 921 6062 share-call (SA 0nly) 0861656463). Except during ‘rush hours’ (peak traffic periods) (0700-0900 and 1600-1800), when there can be serious delays, the trip to Park City takes about 40 minutes, central Sandton is 50 minutes and Midrand 45 minutes. Tickets (R60 one way) can be booked from the company’s desk near the International Arrivals exit.
For less central destinations, there are shuttle buses such as the Magic Bus (tel: (011) 328 8092), Airport Link (tel: (011) 792 2017), Welcome Tours (tel: (011) 442 8905) and TTC (tel: (011) 447 1052), which charge around R400 for a door-to-door transfer.
Taking a taxi from the airport may be quicker than the bus or shuttle but visitors should make sure the driver knows exactly where to go before setting off. Taxis that are airport approved will display a green, yellow and white sticker. A taxi will cost at least R200-300 for anywhere within Johannesburg and the fare should be agreed upon before boarding.

Getting Around

Public Transport
With a fleet of new buses, Metropolitan Bus Services (tel: (011) 403 4300) offers a scheduled bus service covering 108 routes within the Greater Johannesburg Metropolitan area.
The service runs 0600-1900 and is less convenient than the forms of taxi transport but probably safer – although visitors should not travel on an empty bus, due to the high frequency of mugging.
Fares work on a zonal system centring on Ghandi Square (formerly Vanderbijl Square) bus terminus, corner of Main and Rissik Streets, with zone one (single fare R2,50) closest and zone six (single fare R9) farthest.
No bus passes are currently available. Tickets can be bought on the bus from the driver or ten-trip ‘clipcards’ can be bought from kiosks at Ghandi Square bus terminus. A fine of R200 can be imposed on anyone not in possession of a valid ticket.

Taxis
The quickest (but not necessarily safest) way to get around Johannesburg is on one of the minibus taxis (sometimes called Zola Budds), which depart when full, pick up anywhere (simply hold up an arm with raised index finger) and serve the main routes 0500-2100.
The main minibus ranks are at the Newtown public car park, along the length of Noord Street between Twist and Claim Streets, and at Kazerne, on the corner of Sauer and Pim Streets.
Visitors should note that taxi ranks are plagued by petty thievery and should use a metered taxi if encumbered with baggage.
The fare from central Johannesburg to Sandton or Soweto is around R7 – closer destinations, such as Melville and Bruma Lake, cost between R3 and R5.
There are no passes or pre-paid tickets available for minibus taxis.
Metered taxis are infinitely more expensive but far safer and more convenient than minibuses. They do not cruise the streets and apart from at major hotels and the airport, where they are usually waiting at an official rank, can only be telephoned for pickup.
Visitors must ensure that the controller (on the telephone) and the driver state the fare before allowing any luggage to be loaded.
The meter rate is generally around R4-6 per kilometre, however, this is not properly regulated so all fares should be confirmed with the driver in advance.
Unlike locals, foreigners often tip, and, although it is not expected, a R10-20 tip is appreciated.
Visitors should avoid all men offering rides in their ‘taxis’, as these are likely to be unregistered, illegal and unroadworthy. Rose Radio Taxis (tel: (011) 403 0000; fax: (011) 403 9896) are well established and have a reputation for reliability.
Alternatively, Maxi Taxi Cabs (tel: (011) 648 1212; fax: (011) 648 8581) are also recommended.

Limousines
Ambassador Limousines (tel: (011) 886 7313; fax: (011) 886 7339) offers limousines, starting at R350 per hour (minimum three hours).
SALimousines (tel: (011) 614 4581; fax: (011) 614 7617) and VIPLimo (tel: (082) 903 0888; fax: (011) 615 3506) hire limousines at R550 for the first hour and R250 per hour thereafter.

Driving in the City
Johannesburg’s rise fairly closely parallels that of the automobile and this has allowed successive city planners to cater very well for the needs of private motorists. The network of roads and highways is excellent and well maintained and, apart from in the CBD (Central Business District), parking facilities are usually more than adequate.
There is secure pay parking (R3-5 per hour) at Park City (24hrs) and at the Kazerne Municipal Parking Garage (0600-1800), entered from Simmonds.
Visitors using street parking will come across an extremely common practice, where children and adults hang around the area and expect a tip of about R2 for ‘guarding’ people’s cars – it is advisable to pay up as ‘not guarding’ the car may actually mean damaging it!
Traffic congestion is generally limited to the rush-hour periods of 0700-0900 and 1600-1800. At other times, most locations within the city can be reached in well under an hour.
The main road hazards are poor driving (especially by minibus taxi drivers), a lack of visible traffic policing and the constant threat of attack by smash-and-grab thieves and armed hijackers.
Visitors should never stop for hitchhikers or at accident scenes and always keep their doors locked and windows up.
After dark, many motorists also (illegally) ignore red traffic lights (when in isolated or deserted areas, such as highway exits or intersections adjacent to parks), for safety reasons.

Car Hire

The car hire companies with a reputation for reliability (although not necessarily for low prices) are Avis and Imperial. Avis (tel: 0861 021111) has a branch in Sandton, 167A Rivonia Road, Morningside, with rates starting from R220 per day.
Imperial has branches nationwide nationwide (tel: (011) 784 1452), and the Rivonia Boulevard branch, Rivonia Road, Morningside, offers rates from R173 per day.
A cheaper option for travellers may be Apex (tel: (011) 402 5150; fax: (011) 402 0655), otherwise known as Rent-A-Wreck, with branches at various locations. Apex rates are from R70 per day, R500 weekly (excluding kilometre charge).
All the above rates exclude insurance and other charges. Optional insurance is provided by the car hire agencies and is highly recommended, particularly against theft.
All car hire companies require drivers to be at least 23 years old and to have been driving for a minimum of five years. A passport, credit card and International Driving Permit (IDP) will be required.

Bicycle Hire
Johannesburg’s town planners have made absolutely no provision for bicycles in their grand schemes and consequently many motorists do not view cyclists as being legitimate users of the road. It therefore comes as no surprise that no one hires out bicycles in the city.

Business

Business Profile: Despite the continuing negative influences of the apartheid economic policies of the past, a high (but declining) crime rate, a low rand gold price and erratic oil prices, South Africa still has the strongest economy on the African continent. Indeed, the 40% appreciation of the rand against the US dollar over the past year attests to this.
Gauteng Province, of which Johannesburg is the capital city, contributes over 40% of South Africa’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product), while covering only 7% of its surface area.
A sophisticated ‘first-world’ economy is epitomised by the JSE (Johannesburg Stock Exchange – recently renamed Johannesburg Securities Exchange), which is the tenth richest in the world.
A struggling third-world economy, however, coexists alongside, as exemplified by large squatter-settlements in the city. Unemployment in Johannesburg is 30% up from 27% three years ago. Some 116,827 families live in shack settlements, while some 108,000 families live in illegal backyard shacks. There are 4,500 homeless people in Johannesburg. Unemployment rates, at 36.4% in 2003, were still lower than the national average, which stood at 40%.

Johannesburg is South Africa’s centre for all rail and road connections – it also has the main container terminal at Kaserne and the busiest international airport.
Greater Johannesburg and its surrounding areas attract approximately 76% of foreigners visiting South Africa from the rest of Africa and 60% of those visit Johannesburg primarily to shop and look for entrepreneurial opportunities, over and above leisure pursuits.
Johannesburg is the economic epicentre of the country and the government has recognised that in order to attract domestic and foreign investment, it must necessarily be a clean, functioning city.
Much of downtown Johannesburg has been victim of capital flight to the (perceived) safer, less-congested and cleaner suburbs and satellite towns, such as Sandton and Midrand. Symptomatic of this growing inner-city decay is the fact that the JSE has recently followed the path of many major corporations, by migrating from the CBD (Central Business District) to Sandton, 10km (6 miles) north. Efforts are being made to attract investment back into the city centre and national rail provider Spoornet’s relocation here already indicates a degree of success.
A programme labelled ‘iGoli 2002,’ which aims to once more make the CBD secure and attractive to tourist and businesspeople alike, has been instituted. Managers are being put on performance contracts, while workers are being transferred to new, private enterprises that will run the various municipal services along business lines. This is being vehemently opposed by unions, such as SAMWU (SA Municipal Workers Union), which has rejected the restructuring due to the large number of jobs that will be lost.

Black Economic Empowerment and Affirmative Action are still contentious issues, both in the political and business arenas. Business is still largely dominated by white people, however, there are a number of black-controlled groups on the JSE and several JSE stockbroker firms are black-owned.
Major black empowerment acquisitions include JCI and Johnnic (from Anglo American) and Zenex Oil (from the Zenex Trust).
Many companies have well designed programmes of Affirmative Action, designed to correct the inequities of the past and accelerate the development of historically disadvantaged employees. However, others make ‘politically correct’ affirmative action appointments, which are very well paid but often protected from real decision-making.

Through its GEAR (growth, employment and redistribution) policy, the South African government has shown its commitment to privatisation, free trade and the fostering of a favourable investment climate.

The mining (Anglo American has its African head office in Johannesburg) and heavy industry (Iscor Vanderbijlpark, AECI) sectors are fast being eclipsed by financial services (Johannesburg Stock Exchange, First National, ABSA, Barclays, Western Union and Standard banks), telecommunications (Telkom, Vodacom, MTN), retailing (Pick’n’Pay/Wooltru Holdings) and technology (IBM, PQ Holdings, Dimension Data).

The tourism sector’s contribution to the GDP of South Africa (presently around 11%) continues to be undermined by crime. During August 2003, figures show that a total of 160,470 foreign travellers visited South Africa by air alone (80% via Johannesburg International), down 3.5 % on the record 2002 figures. Probably the best way for one to become familiar with business practice and opportunity in Johannesburg is to contact the Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI, founded in 1890). Their website is reliable, authoritative and informative. Detailed information and statistics regarding Johannesburg’s and the rest of South Africa’s business and economic climate can be found online, while the City of Johannesburg also publishes its procurement needs online.

Business Etiquette:
The South African population is characterised by heterogeneity. This is nowhere more evident than in cosmopolitan Johannesburg, where some areas have the feel of a large European city, while other parts are unmistakably third-world Africa.
South Africa has 11 official languages, although English is the most widely used language in government (both national and provincial) and commerce.

Normal business hours are 0800-1700, although not much happens after 1500 on Fridays. Although South African business people have, in the past, been considered to be quite conservative and formal in both demeanour and dress, the influence of newly empowered black entrepreneurs has introduced a business culture that is more friendly, informal and relaxed.
Businessmen and women in Johannesburg tend to wear suits, although ethnic outfits are increasingly evident. It can, however, become very hot during summer and bitterly cold during winter in this part of South Africa, so this should be taken into account – lightweight materials in the warm months (October-April) and heavy overcoats for the cold period (May-September).
Punctuality is still highly prized and it is advisable to address hosts as ‘Mr’ or ‘Ms’ until requested to use first names, which usually happens soon after formal greetings are dispensed with.
The triple handshake is common among black businesspeople, although, even in these situations, the standard handshake may well take precedence with an international visitor.
Gifts are not expected in either business or social situations.
Business cards are often exchanged where businesspeople meet informally, such as in hotel lobbies, airport lounges and at product launches.
Most initial business-related social contact is along the lines of ‘let’s do lunch,’ while dinner and breakfast appointments are far less frequent.

Hotels

By law, VAT, which currently stands at 14%, is included in all hotel prices. Porters are generally tipped around R10 but this not obligatory if the service does not warrant it. Guests can claim VAT back at the airport on their way home so it is a good idea to keep all hotel receipts. The prices quoted below are the starting prices for double rooms, excluding breakfast but including VAT, unless otherwise specified.

Holiday Inn Johannesburg International Airport: With the full range of business and conference services and facilities, encased in a soulless, glass facade just 500m (1640ft) from South Africa’s busiest airport, this hotel is unashamedly aimed at the business traveller.
Guests, who if in possession of hand luggage only, could walk from the airport terminal to the hotel, can choose from standard rooms to executive suites, offering every amenity and round-the-clock room service. Some rooms offer access to the Internet by means of an infrared keyboard system.
Although close to the airport, the gardens and outdoor pool provide a relaxing setting, the informal restaurant provides a satisfactory choice of cuisine and the Cocktail Bar is the perfect setting for that post-conference drink. There is a fully equipped international business centre and conference rooms range in size from the 240-seat classroom to the 520-seat Orly Suite.

Airport Grounds, Jones Road, Johannesburg International Airport Tel: (011) 975 1121. Fax: (011) 975 5846.
Price: From R765 (including breakfast).

Indaba Hotel: Set in a 30-hectare (74-acre) country estate featuring indigenous flora and fauna, the white-walled, thatched buildings have become a landmark, minutes from the fast-growing Fourways business, retail and entertainment node and close to the N1 highway. With 210 very reasonably priced en-suite, air-conditioned bedrooms, including four executive suites and three studio rooms featuring modern facilities, such as modem points, cable/satellite TV and mini-bar, this is one of South Africa’s premier business and conference venues – a favourite with international air cabin crew.
Crime is ever a concern in frenetic Johannesburg and the Indaba’s low-key security team has been able to maintain an enviable crime-free safety record.
The hotel features 30 air-conditioned conference venues that can accommodate up to 2000 delegates in total, with banqueting facilities for up to 830 people.
A variety of recreational facilities, such as a swimming pool, tennis courts, volleyball, outdoor chess and a jogging track, are provided.
The function rooms are all equipped with the very latest in multimedia technology, including overhead video and transparency projectors, slide projectors, PA systems (roving and lapel microphones) and recording facilities.
Three popular restaurants ensure that even the most challenging of palates will be satisfied.

Fourways, Sandton Tel: (011) 465 1400. Fax: (011) 705 1709.
Price: From 635 (including breakfast).

Rosebank Hotel: This unpretentious, homely and well-run hotel is situated in the suburban business and retail node of Rosebank, 30 minutes from Johannesburg International Airport. A friendly, helpful and efficient staff and the thoughtful touches, such as ice cubes in the urinals and rose petals in the loos, have earned the hotel a loyal clientele.
Two large shopping malls with a wide variety of shops, restaurants, cinemas and entertainment are within three minutes’ walk of the hotel.
A highly experienced banqueting and audiovisual team serves six function venues on ground-floor level, able to accommodate gatherings from ten to 350 people.
The hotel has 294 standard rooms with satellite TV, safe, telephone, modem point, air-conditioning, tea- and coffee-making facilities, and en-suite bathroom.
In addition, the 24 luxury suites have a lounge-sitting area with dining room and bar.
Additional facilities within the hotel include a business centre with secretarial service, car hire desk, hair and beauty salon, ample parking, pool, gym and a concierge available to help with sightseeing and entertainment reservations.

Corner of Tyrwhitt and Sturdee Avenues, Rosebank Tel: (011) 447 2700. Fax: (011) 447 3276.
Price: From R960.

InterContinental Sandton Sun & Towers: Located in Sandton, the business and economic capital of South Africa, with direct access to the immense Sandton City shopping complex, as well as to the Sandton Convention Centre (the largest in the country), this modern, skyscraper-type hotel offers a 24-hour front desk, pre-registration for groups, business centre, fitness centre/spa, restaurants/bar/lounge, beauty salon/barber, airline desk and car hire.
A memorable if somewhat overdone feature in the foyer is a waterfall tumbling down a green marble wall, which is intended to create a relaxed atmosphere.
The Towers atrium boasts Grecian friezes and soaring vaulted ceilings, while granite, marble and maplewood are the main materials used to create what purports to be a ‘harmonious blend of Art Deco design and ethnic style’ in the rooms.
There are non-smoking floors and bedrooms, as well as two specially equipped rooms for the disabled. Restaurants include Ferns, which features ‘A taste of Africa’, and Vilamoura, a popular nightspot, providing Portuguese and seafood dishes.
Guests can enjoy an aperitif before dinner in the Towers Bar, set against the backdrop of the spectacular atrium, or relax in the Gazebo Bar, with its rich African decor and motifs. A frequent guest has been South African Defence Minister, Terror Lekota.

Corner of Fifth and Alice Streets, Sandhurst, Sandton Tel: (011) 780 5000. Fax: (011) 780 5002.
Price: From R2145.

Palazzo InterContinental Montecasino: This extravagant hotel is part of the newly completed Montecasino gambling, leisure, entertainment and shopping complex in Fourways, just 30 minutes from Johannesburg International Airport. It is also in close proximity to the Sandton Convention Centre, one of South Africa’s premier convention facilities.
In keeping with the ‘Tuscan Village’ theme, the hotel attempts to look like an Italian palace, while the setting does manage a surprising resemblance to the real thing.
Luxurious accommodation includes two presidential suites, ten suites, 21 deluxe rooms and 213 elegantly appointed standard rooms, each with en-suite bathroom and separate shower, and all overlooking the lush, landscaped Tuscan gardens.
All rooms have one king-size or two double beds, custom air-conditioning, telephone with voice-mail link and automatic wake-up call facility, modem point, hairdryer and refreshment centre.
There is also a fully equipped fitness centre, outdoor swimming pool and a business centre, while at renowned impresario Pieter Toerien’s Montecasino Theatre, ‘The Graduate’ has recently played.

Montecasino Boulevard, Fourways, Sandton Tel: (011) 510 3000. Fax: (011) 510 4000.
Price: From R1685 (including breakfast).

The Westcliff: The Westcliff claims to be ‘Johannesburg’s most luxurious hotel’ and with unique services and features such as private courtyards and Johannesburg’s best sunset and moonrise viewing spot, it probably is.
The hotel clings to a steep mountainside in the manner and design of a Mediterranean hillside village and is likely to meet and exceed the expectations of the most experienced and particular of travellers.
The breathtaking views from the hotel, to the far-off Magaliesberg Mountains or to the elephants browsing in the Zoo just below, have made it a sought-after rendezvous for everything from traditional afternoon teas to astronomical sightings under the intense African night sky.
There are 115 spacious guest rooms and suites, all individually furnished, with a full range of business services and luxurious facilities – most feature charming terraces, balconies or private courtyards.
Facilities include a business wing, complete with IT butlers, offering a range of services for business travellers, conference rooms, a magnificent hilltop heated swimming pool, tennis court, health and beauty spa, signature restaurant, Polo Lounge & Bar, a conservatory and poolside terrace.
The Westcliff is just 20 minutes’ drive from the airport and is near upmarket shopping districts and three major golf courses (preferred tee-off times can be arranged by hotel staff).
Famous guests at The Westcliff have included Sir Peter Ustinov, Dame Margaret Thatcher, Sting, U2, Jane Fonda, Stephanie Powers and most recently Sir Antony Sher, to name but a few.

67 Jan Smuts Avenue, Westcliff Tel: (011) 646 2400. Fax: (011) 646 3500.
Price: From R2275.

Eastgate Holiday Inn Express: While this hotel certainly suits the budget bracket, with air-conditioning, work desks with modem points, swimming pool and secure parking, it is certainly not ‘cheap’.
The Eastgate is an ultra-modern hotel, built from concrete and glass and despite offering relatively small rooms, the no-nonsense Eastgate really is amazing value for money.
The hotel is situated just 15 minutes’ drive from Johannesburg International Airport and a mere ten minutes’ walk from the Eastgate Shopping and entertainment complex (ten cinemas).
An added advantage is that the Eastgate is located just off the start of the N12/R24 freeways, making destinations such as Sandton, Pretoria, Durban and the Kruger National Park easily accessible.

8 South Boulevard, Bruma Tel: (011) 622 0060. Fax: (011) 622 0030.
Price: From R480 (including breakfast).

The Quatermain Inn: The epitome of gracious living and a home-from-home atmosphere, The Quatermain, located in the upmarket suburb of Morningside, provides the travel-weary businessperson or leisure tourist with a convenient and tranquil base close to Sandton and Johannesburg.
Set in manicured indigenous gardens, from its welcoming lounge to its luxuriously appointed rooms, The Quatermain is small enough to offer truly personal attention, but large enough to offer sophisticated service and assistance.
Details like heated towel rails, Zimbabwean teak furniture and queen- or king-size beds in all 45 rooms are designed to make one feel pampered.

137 West Road South, Morningside, Sandton Tel: (011) 290 0900. Fax: (011) 290 0901.
Price: From R820 (including breakfast).

Gold Reef City Casino Hotel: Situated just off the M1 freeway, 20 minutes from Johannesburg International Airport, this grandiose Victorian-styled (to match the adjacent Gold Reef City Museum complex) hotel opened in March 2000 and has already accommodated celebrities from Miss Universe to Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini.
Its 38 luxurious, ‘old-world’ bedrooms are aimed at the corporate and conference markets, as well as tourists.
There are conference rooms at the adjacent Gold Reef City, which include the 30-seat exclusive President's Room, the 500-seat Platinum Room and a 1400-seat arena, all with modern facilities and conference aids.
The hotel’s Three Ships Restaurant (Nelson Mandela has dined here) has maintained the enviable reputation it developed at its previous location in the historic (but now somewhat neglected) Carlton Hotel. Next door, is the celebrated Globe Theatre (the original opened in the early 1890s) where energetic ‘African Footprint’ recently played.

Shaft 14, Northern Parkway, Ormonde Tel: (011) 248 5700. Fax: (011) 248 5791.
Price: From R850 (including breakfast).

Sunnyside Park Hotel: Built in 1895 as a gracious country residence for mining engineer Hennen Jennings, and the official residence of the Governor of the Transvaal during the Anglo-Boer War, the Sunnyside Park Hotel has been proclaimed a National Monument Site.
The hotel’s rich history is reflected in the original magnificent balustrade, gleaming wooden-panelling, historic fireplace and glittering chandeliers.
Although now situated among business parks, the building is still set in glorious English gardens and has been extensively refurbished to provide all the modern touches required by today’s traveller.
Located just off the M1 freeway in the exclusive suburb of Parktown, it is a few minutes’ drive to cinemas, banks and shops at the Killarney Mall or to Rosebank, Sandton City and the new Sandton Convention Centre, and just 30 minutes to the airport.
The Sunnyside Park Hotel is able to host banquets, conferences or small, intimate functions for between ten and 200 people.
Milners Restaurant on site is all starched linen and quiet elegance with a British bent in food, tempered to suit all tastes.

Princess of Wales Terrace, Parktown Tel: (011) 643 7226. Fax: (011) 642 0019.
Price: From R750 (breakfast included).

Restaurants

We have selected 25 restaurants, which we have divided into five categories: Gastronomic, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories, which serve as guidelines rather than absolute definitions of the establishments. By law, VAT, which currently stands at 14%, must be included in all prices on menus and will, thus, already be included in restaurant bills. Most restaurants do not charge a service fee and ‘waitrons’ (local term which incorporates waiters and waitresses) expect to be tipped at least 10% for very mediocre service and more if they make an effort. The prices quoted below are for a three-course meal and for a bottle of house wine (usually a dry red) or equivalent, including VAT but excluding service charge, unless otherwise stated.

La Belle Terrasse and Loggia: Perched at the top of the cliffs, into which the Westcliff Hotel has been carved, this terrace certainly has one of the city’s most beautiful and surprisingly pastoral views.
The decor, in quiet pastels, is elegant, opulent and unabashedly colonial, while the service is confident and competent.
The Sunday brunch (a weekly pilgrimage for discerning folk in search of refuge from the bustling city streets) offers a cold buffet that includes French oysters, Caspian Sea caviar, queen prawns, smoked salmon and charcuterie, as well as a host of terrines and salads.
The hot buffet includes eggs Benedict, as well as other lunch specialities, such as roasted spring lamb in a rosemary-scented jus. It is a fantastic place to dine in luxury while watching elephants (in the Zoo) amble across the paddocks below.

The Westcliff Hotel, 67 Jan Smuts Avenue, Westcliff Tel: (011) 646 2400. Fax: (011) 481 6071.
Price: R200. Wine: From R90.

Le Canard: 15 years ago, a stately suburbian Georgian Homestead became this elegant, romantic rendezvous with noble halls and flower-filled courtyards.
Dishes are typically timeless with duck, veal and seafood dishes that are Le Canard's signature.
Try the Le Pansotti (ravioli, cheese, vegetables in olive) for starters, followed by my favourite - chicken in coconut milk seasoned with ginger, juniper and liquers and then top it all with baked cheesecake.

163 Rivonia Road, Morningside, Sandton Tel: (011) 884 4597. Fax (011) 883 8735.
Price: R175. Wine: From R95.

Dino's: Visitors should not be put off by Dino’s bland Bedford Shopping centre location.
With decor resembling the opulent dining carriage of South Africa’s five-star ‘Blue Train’, it is certainly a ‘dress for dinner’ establishment.
The ambience is sophisticated and dignified, the staff highly trained and the menu a fusion of gourmet indigenous African and French colonial.
Notable are the wild duck in a litchi-orange sauce, accompanied by vegetables, or the ostrich fillet, cooked in a delicious plum and port sauce.

Bedford Centre, corner of Smith and Bedford Streets, Bedfordview Tel: (011) 622 3007/8. Fax: (011) 615 6226.
Price: R140. Wine: From R65.

Linger Longer – Sandton: Set in the converted mansion of a former mining magnate, the classic decor with a romantic feel recommends smart to formal dress.
Service is skillful (menus are superfluous and the waitrons can rattle off all the standard and special dishes) and the haute cuisine is top class.
As a starter, fresh knysna oysters or snails swimming in garlic are fantastic, for the main event either the duck (an all-time favourite) or one of the tempting specials are recommended, topped with homemade assorted sorbet.
The Linger Longer opened in the 1970s and can be relied on to impress the most picky of palates – ideal for business lunches or dinners.
Guests are advised to book well in advance.

58 Wierda Road, Wierda Valley, Sandton Tel: (011) 884 0465. Fax: (011) 884 4798.
Price: R160. Wine: From R85.

Vilamoura: Vilamoura has been considered one of the city’s best Portuguese/seafood restaurants for long enough that the label has firmly stuck. It is smart and quite formal, with a cream and gold interior and stiff, unconvincing art prints decorating the walls. It has a renowned seafood platter that will delight any fish fanatic and is the ideal place to impress important guests (with price tag to match). In addition to seafood, Vilamoura’s piri-piri chicken, Portuguese steak and rabbit casserole are consistently delicious. There is a private dining area with seating for up to 130.
Sandton Sun Hotel, corner of Fifth and Alice Streets, Sandhurst, Sandton Tel: (011) 884 0360. Fax: (011) 784 3615. Price: R220. Wine: R250 red.

Browns of Rivonia: Occupying a charming old farmhouse, in the relatively rural suburb of Rivonia close to a major freeway, Browns offers elegant ‘impress-your-clients’ dining, a large patio, a cosy fireplace, and a 40,000 bottle cellar. Recommended are the roquefort snails in garlic, the calamari, the chouriço (Portuguese traditional sausage), the roast duck in black cherry compote, Eric’s prawns, and the ever popular Moroccan lamb. The restaurant can accommodate private groups of up to 50.

21 Wessel Street, Rivonia, Sandton Tel: (011) 803 7605 or 803 7533. Fax: (011) 803 7605.
Price: R180. Wine: From R105. Closed Sundays.

Carnivore: Situated just off the N1 highway on the outskirts of the city, with a dozen types of flesh on offer, Carnivore clearly aims to beat the appetite of the most ravenous of meat-eaters. Waitrons carve meat off converted Masai spears, while patrons sit round a huge, open central fire and scoff everything, from tame chicken legs and lamb with mint sauce to the wilder crocodile, eland and zebra. It is the local version of the original Nairobi Carnivore and not a pretty sight for vegetarians. Guests lower a white flag to show when they are totally stuffed.

Plot 69 Drift Boulevard, Muldersdrift Tel: (011) 957 3040. Fax: (011) 957 3132.
Price: R70-100 (for the carvery). Wine: R60.

Giles: The English evergreen cartoonist Giles and, closer to home, the writers of the Madam and Eve newspaper cartoons are much in evidence on the walls, tablecloths and menus of Giles the restaurant. This is a homely, convivial and unpretentious place, offering the most cosmopolitan collection of English cuisine prepared by affable chef Gary Segal. For starters, the Giles’ trout salad is recommended, followed by traditional English fish and chips, ended off with ‘Madam and Eve’ chocolate brownies with cream or ice cream. It is very pleasant to sit outside under the South African sun on the terrace-balcony and sip one of the excellent beers, while another awesome Highveld sunset spreads itself across the horizon above an urban forest. There is a cosy wooden-panelled traditional British pub for pre-dinner drinks.

9 Grafton Avenue, Craighall Park Tel: (011) 442 4056. Fax: (011) 442 4057.
Price: R100. Wine: From R55; BYO (free corkage).

Ile de France: Really want to impress your company CEO or a visiting member of the Maîtres Cuisiniers de France (patron Marc Guebert is a member)? Then Ile de France, under Geubert for a magnificent 40 years, is by far your best bet in Johannesburg. Outside of France, it is difficult to find dishes such as bouillabaisse, cassoulet, tripe in Calvados and cider and deboned saddle filled with chestnut puree in Dijon mustard sauce. It is expensive but with six types of French oysters, and a seven-course banquet on offer to special groups, it is money well spent. Oh and remember to end off with the signature dessert: a Grand Marnier soufflé. Open for lunch and dinner on Tuesday to Friday and on Sunday. Dinner only on Saturdays.

Cramerview Centre, 277 Main Road, BryanstonTel: (011) 706 2837.
Price: R125. Red wine from R85.

Moyo Melrose Arch: While the fenced and safely patrolled Melrose Arch development may look about as African as Buckingham Palace, recently relocated from Norwood, Moyo manages to be fixed firmly deep within the soul of this enigmatic continent. Mimicking the impressive subterranean scale of Joburg’s famous goldmines, Moyo’s eclectic African decor of beaten copper ceilings, Ali Baba lanterns, brightly painted columns and mosaic patterned tables set with wicker mats and oil lamps extends down half a dozen levels to accommodate smokers, cocktail bar, function basement built around huge granite boulders, sofa-lined cigar lounge, wine-cellar and daily live musicians. Expect wondrous dishes such as samaki kavu from Kenya, chicken yassa from Nigeria, venison babootie from South Africa, and from Morocco, varieties of fragrant tagines. Highly recommended too is the Mozambican grilled barracuda-topped with tomato and basil drizzled, served on a bed of garlic and herb mash garnished with stuffed grilled pimento on the side.

5 Melrose Square, Melrose Arch, Melrose (off Atholl Oaklands Drive) Tel: (011) 684 1477/8. Fax: (011) 684 1218.
Price: R155. Wine: R105 (premium red).

Anno Domini: Set alongside antique and second-hand bookshops, this restaurant has a relaxed and earthly romantic ambience with an open-air upstairs dining area, handy for smokers or those who like to dine under the stars with their Valentine. Ornate chandeliers, sand-washed walls, garish Expressionist pictures and somewhat clumsy handmade menus make up the decor. Specialities (the chef doesn’t like his offerings to be classified) include the beef fillet salsa verde, a marinated fillet in tamari, grilled and served with lightly sautéed oriental cabbage and salsa verde, and the dessert of warm chocolate cake with a tamarind crème anglaise, which takes about twenty minutes to prepare, is definitely worth the wait. The restaurant is very popular so booking is essential.

Corner of Fourth Avenue and 13th Street, Parkhurst Tel: (011) 447 7634. Fax: (011) 447 1134.
Price: R110. Wine: R85.

Buzz 9: With an owner from the Czech Republic and patrons from the ‘hipper’ parts of Johannesburg, Buzz 9 has become a quirky but reliable landmark in Bohemian Melville. The interior is industrial-style and the menus are like mini-art folders where listing what food is on offer is secondary to making a statement. The main attraction here is the vast cocktail selection – the Beach Buzz house special is highly recommended – vodka, peach schnapps and gin tipple, mixed with grapefruit and orange juice. If eating, something simple like the huge and delicious Nacho platter is a good bet. Diners can eat outside at pavement tables, watching the eclectic street life cruise by.

Corner of Seventh Street and Third Avenue, Melville Tel: (011) 726 5907. Fax: (011) 726 2019.
Price: R95. Cocktails: From R17.

Circle: A relative newcomer to the city’s list of eating places, Circle is owned by the same couple who run The Singing Fig and the service and menu are on a par. The decor is shiny black and starched white, but there is nothing stiff about the jazzy, fresh-faced ambience and the young, opinionated clientele. Located on a row of curiosity shops in the fashionable suburb of Greenside, easily reached from Rosebank or Sandton, Circle’s dishes, such as seared calamari slivers with braised fennel, guineafowl in ginger and mango or crisp herb rolls in brown paper bags, are highly recommended.

41 Greenway Road, Greenside Tel: (011) 646 7240. Fax: (011) 646 3744.
Price: R120. Wine: R60.

The Singing Fig: With secure parking behind and a location close to main through routes, The Singing Fig’s ambience, which lies somewhere in-between Italians-at-home and trendy pop-art, has made it one of Joburg’s ‘Place’s to be seen’. Some of the dishes prepared with an unusual mix of fresh ingredients (no preservatives here) are the chicken liver pâté with onion jam and brandy cream on a baguette as a mouthwatering starter, and crisp free-range duck drizzled with lacquer sauce and grilled vegetables.

44 The Avenue, Norwood Gardens Tel: (011) 728 2434 or 728 2485.
Price: R120. Wine: R50.

Yo! Sushi: Yo! Sushi, part of the international chain, is modern, spacious and Western-Zen inspired (low-cost decor) and claims to be ‘a keen participant in avant-garde international culture’. While the sushi and other similar dishes are certainly fresh and healthy, master sushi chef (with seven years of study in Japan under his belt) adds a ‘funky’ touch to time-honoured tradition. Dishes trundle past on the conveyor-belt making Yo! Sushi ideal for folk who take ten-minute lunch breaks and want to avoid ‘junk’ food.
Shop 449, Village Walk Shopping Complex, corner of Rivonia Road and First Avenue, Morningside, Sandton Tel: (011) 783 6166. Fax: (011) 783 6221.
Price: Dishes range from R17-R55. Sake: R35 (200ml pourer).

Black Steer Grillhouse and Bulldogs Pub: Black Steer is primarily a steakhouse/sports bar and, with its garish (but strangely comforting) Wild West decor (complete with the obligatory ‘Wanted’ poster), it has no pretensions of being anything else. Located in the Rosebank Mall, here is a chance to tackle the awesome pork rib rack and steaks or the succulent calamari surrounded by an eclectic selection of the city’s inhabitants. The service is friendly, competent and attentive. Shop 171, Rosebank Mall, corner of Baker Street and Cradock Avenue, Rosebank Tel: (011) 447 6918. Fax: (011) 447 6920.
Price: R85. Wine: R35 (500ml bottle).

Chon Hing: Any restaurant that can boast that it has been presenting authentic and delicious Chinese fare for 42 years must be doing something right. And just when this part of Johannesburg's supposed ‘zone of decay’ is being upgraded as part of the Newtown cultural precinct, the new Nelson Mandela bridge happens also to lead almost directly over the tracks to Chon Hing. Here hostess Yvonne will sit you down at a gaudy plastic table on rickety schoolroom chairs and regail you with tales of a city which has seen it all, and serve the best prawns chow mein (one of over 100 dishes) this side of Beijing. Charming and timeless.

26 Alexander Street (off Commissioner), Ferreirastown Tel: (011) 834 3206. Fax: (011) 838 7530.
Price: R48 - R95 (4-course set menus). Wine R45.

Golden Peacock: Fordsburg, and Johannesburg’s Oriental Plaza, is usually associated not with dining but with bargain shopping and the city’s finest tailors. However, it is the ideal place to go for a really authentic Indian curry in a comfortable (not halal) restaurant where anybody can sit down and share a glorious meal. No trendy decor but there are quaint teardrop chandeliers, a symbol from a time gone by. There is succulent oriental mutton or vegetable biryani, peri-peri prawns, green bean curry, dhal and roti. All meals are served with yoghurt, poppadoms and pickles, and breakfast (served from 0900) is grilled chops, eggs, sausages, toast, tea or coffee for R30.

Shop 28, Oriental Plaza (East entrance), Pine Street, Fordsburg Tel: (011) 836 4986. Fax: (011) 492 1205.
Price: R80. Wine: R70.

Pescador: This cosy, intimate place in a quiet suburb is ideal for a relaxed evening undistracted by rowdy revellers. Authentic Portuguese seafood prepared according to traditional recipes (bacalhau – Portuguese dried salted cod in five variations) has given Pescador its enviable reputation. The grilled langoustines and the crab curry are great and they arrive in servings of challenging size, so the not-so-hungry could perhaps share a portion. Service is unobtrusive and professional and there is a pub and deck for light meals, coffees and sundowners.

21 Fort Street, Illovo, Sandton Tel: (011) 786 2746 or 440 4732.
Price: R120. Wine: R50.

The Radium Beer Hall: The Radium is the oldest surviving bar and grill in Johannesburg, with a genuinely historic ambience that is just as enticing as the good food on the menu and as authentic as the foot-tapping live jazz that makes the embossed tin ceiling vibrate in sympathy. One of the oldest pubs in Johannesburg, once frequented by celebrated local author Herman Charles Bosman, now by loyal but loud regulars, it is a no-nonsense pub/restaurant with enough authentic character to make it a tourist attraction. This is the closest to experiencing what Joburg was like during the ‘gold-rush’ era – the walls are covered in memorabilia, from photos of pre-war soccer teams and jazzmen who have played there, to vintage posters and press clippings that record The Radium’s history, beginning in 1934. Delicious prego rolls, excellent ribs, 1kg of prawns for R150 and a wide selection of local and imported beers. The Radium is a great live music venue, with the accent on jazz. Owner Mannie has been known to evict obnoxious guests with his baseball bat.

282 Louis Botha Avenue, Orange Grove Tel: (011) 728 3866. Fax: (011) 483 2345.
Price: R105. Wine: R70.

The Butcher Shop and Grill: Another on the list of renowned dining venues that lean over Nelson Mandela Square (formerly Sandton Square), diners should book well in advance to get an evening table here. Granted, the ‘Barnyard’ decor may be a little ‘standard steakhouse’ and ‘childish’ (ironic as no one under 14 is allowed in), but for some of the best steaks (pork, ostrich, lamb, beef and game) in town, this is definitely the spot. For starters, the snails, done in garlic, lemon and other ingredients unique to The Butcher Shop, are great, and to end up, there is a straightforward but delicious ice cream in rich chocolate sauce. The menu also offers poultry, schnitzels, and sausage or seafood platter. The waitrons have been known to intimidate guests into choosing one of the truly world-class wines before letting the implications of the price tag set in.

Shop 30, Nelson Mandela Square (formerly Sandton Square), Sandown, Sandton Tel: (011) 784 8676/7. Fax: (011) 784 8674.
Price: R150. Wine: R350 (bottle of premium red wine).

Carvers: Tucked inside the peaceful suburb of Darrenwood overlooking a small lake and nature reserve, Carvers takes up the bottom floor of a beautiful mansion built in the Cape-Dutch style. The surrounding gardens feature large trees while the interior walls are hung with paintings by the father of owner Francois van Halter, who is clearly a fan of Van Gogh. The atmosphere is one of calm confidence and the renowned theme buffets and other specials, such as the authentically traditional Belgian mussel-pot, are sure to impress. Guests should definitely take advantage of the beer list that tops the 50 mark and include an impressive choice of Belgian beers. Carvers also boasts comprehensive function and conference facilities and remains a truly professional and yet unpretentious establishment. Highly recommended.

51 Mountain View Avenue, Darrenwood Tel: (011) 678 5417/8. Fax: (011) 478 0133.
Price: R105. Wine: R85.

Moyo Newtown: Like its famous sister establishment at the Melrose Arch, the decor and ambience of Moyo at the Market Theatre Newtown is a fusion of the signature Moyo style, with its African materials and mosaic work, incorporating the deeply embedded 'protest' history of the theatre and surrounding area. Listen to live music under a 7m (21 foot) high ceiling, or drink a local laager beer at the raised pub with a startling view of the city CBD. There are three set menus or select from or peruse the ‘a-la-carte’ from which I chose and enjoyed the grilled barracuda with tomato and basil served on a bed of garlic and herb mashed potato.

Market Theatre Complex, 121 Bree Street, NewtownTel: (011) 838 1715.
Price: From R95. Wine R80.

Pappas on the Square: From the murals on the walls to the breaking of plates (R3 each), apart from its location overlooking a fairly successful attempt at an Italian piazza (Nelson Mandela Square), everything about Pappas is loudly and proudly Greek. The chef once cooked for Christine Onassis and he produces kleftiko (lamb shank) and a mezze platter delicious enough to prove it. Here it is acceptable to shout across the tables for a fresh bottle – something like eating in a Greek home. Guests should hang around long enough for the Greek dancing and (Egyptian really) belly dancer. There is an impressive wine list and big functions are readily catered for.

Nelson Mandela Square (Level 1), corner of Fifth and Alice Streets, Sandton Tel: (011) 884 9991. Fax: (011) 884 6700.
Price: R125. Wine: R85 (bottle of mid-range red).

Rodizio Bedfordview: This Brazilian restaurant is an excellent choice for lovers of spicy food. Those feeling in the mood for beef must try the house speciality, ‘Rodizio’, which begins when a plate of rice, big bowls of spinach in white sauce and chips and vegetables arrive. Guests are then presented with a wooden ‘robot’ (local term for traffic light) with which they can signal for a variety of roasted meat as often as they wish. The piri-piri prawns (guests should ask for ‘real’ piri-piri) and fresh oysters are excellent too. Large groups of regulars usually patronise the evening live act, sometimes accompanied by bands and Latin-American dancers. The service does match the laid-back but fairly festive ambience. For a different drink, the Guarana, which tastes like apples, or the Caparinha, a sweet Brazilian cocktail, are both recommended.
Shop 35, Village View Shopping Centre, corner of Kloof and Van Buuren Roads, Bedfordview Tel: (011) 455 1093. Fax: (011) 455 1093.
Price: R135. Wine: R65.

Sightseeing

Sightseeing Overview:
Unlike other South African cities (such as Cape Town, with its world-famous Table Mountain, and Durban, with its dramatic beachfront parade of towering hotels) Johannesburg has no obvious single feature to distinguish it from many other drab and sprawling inland cities.
The 30-minute drive from the really quite impressive and efficiently managed Johannesburg International Airport serves as a good introduction to this city.
From here, a six-lane highway (the R24 and N12) carves a path first through a high-tech industrial and commercial district, then through leafy, upper-income suburbia, passing between Eastgate Shopping Centre (arguably Africa’s largest) and Bruma Lake Market World (self-proclaimed ‘Africa’s Biggest’), before entering Hillbrow, a gangster and vagrant-riddled high-rise flatland, home to 42 different nationalities from Africa alone.
This introduction might initially suggest that Johannesburg is an intimidating and risky place. However, it belies the fact that areas and sites (such as shaking Soweto, grandiose Gold Reef City Theme Park and Casino, mellow Melville Village, tranquil Johannesburg Zoological Gardens and Military History Museum, and the unusual Newtown Cultural Precinct, among others) reveal a side to the city’s multi-faceted character that is tourist-friendly, fascinating and relatively safe.

Tourist Information:
Tourist Information Gauteng Tourism Authority (previously Tourism Johannesburg) Rosebank Mall, Upper Level, corner Baker and Cradock Streets Tel/fax: (011) 327 7000. Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700. There are also tourist information kiosks in the main concourse at Park Station, and at Johannesburg International Airport (tel: (011) 327 2000), which are open 0900-1800. Passes There are no tourist passes currently available in Johannesburg.

Key Attractions

Lesedi Cultural Experience
Lesedi is a Sotho word that means ‘light’ – the nickname for the founder of the Basotho nation (Lesotho), King Moshoeshoe.
The two-and-a-half-hour experience includes displays of authentic indigenous dancing, recreated Zulu, Ndebele, Sotho, Xhosa and Pedi villages, a restaurant serving local (the famous ‘nyama Choma) and international cuisine, a fully equipped conference centre and en-suite guest cottages. Broederstroom, on the R512 Tel: (012) 205 1394 or (0800) 119 000, toll free. Fax: (012) 205 1433.
Transport: By car, along the M1 north and then west (towards Roodepoort) onto the N1 at the Woodmead interchange. At the Lanseria off-ramp, along the R512 north (Hans Strydom Drive), 50km (31 miles) along the scenic R512 – Lesedi is clearly marked on the left-hand side of the road.
Opening hours: Daily (1130) and evening (1630) shows, or by arrangement. Admission: R380.

Soweto
For decades, in the forefront of a struggle against the tyrannical regime that sanctioned white supremacy, Soweto’s two million residents made their home famous as a living symbol of victory over oppression. Nelson Mandela, one of the icons of the late 20th century, lived in Soweto (an acronym for South-Western Townships) before he was sentenced to life imprisonment (he served 27 years) for treason, by the former apartheid government.
Just to get a feel for the environment that created this great man is reason enough to visit Soweto.

Further Distractions

Sophiatown ('Kofifi') Despite the tyranny of apartheid legislation (such as the Group Areas Act that, in 1948, banished black people to townships and homelands), some parts of Johannesburg remained gloriously mixed-race until the early 1960s.
One such suburb was Sophiatown, which was bulldozed by the authorities and cynically renamed Triomf (Afrikaans for 'triumph'). Sophiatown, which recently received its name back, not only produced such singing legends as Dorothy Masuka, Sophie Mcina and Abigail Kubeka but also inspired a world-famous musical (called Sophiatown) and is still remembered 40 years after its destruction with great passion.

The Toby Road home of Dr Alfred Bitini Xuma (who died in 1962), President General of the ANC in the 1940s, is now a National Monument.
Christ the King, 47 Ray Street, the tiny, beloved church of late anti-apartheid stalwart Archbishop Trevor Huddleston, and St Joseph’s Home for Children, corner of Gerty and Hermans Streets, a National Monument, are both notable Sophiatown buildings.
Sophiatown Transport:
Metro bus 66 to Sophiatown or 63 to Newlands.

Brightwater Commons (formerly the Randburg Waterfront) Johannesburg is a long way (550km/344 miles) from the nearest beaches (Durban) and this cluster of shops, bars, restaurants, cinemas and amusements encircling a man-made lake has been completely rebuilt and re-opened as Brightwater Commons is a forced attempt at echoing the highly popular (and authentic) Cape Town Waterfront in Johannesburg’s rival city. This is perhaps the only after-dark venue in Johannesburg where one can dine and stroll under the stars in a secure and pleasant park tastefully surrounded by nightclubs, movie-theatres and restaurants.
Republic Road, Ferndale, Randburg Tel: (011) 789 5052 or (080) 000 1312.
Transport: Metro bus 80, 81, 82 or 83 to Randburg. Opening hours: Daily 24 hours. Admission: Free; some clubs have entrance charges ranging from R20 to R60.

Art Galleries
Johannesburg has a surprising number of excellent galleries, ranging from the corporate to the private and the off-beat to the mainstream. Three are recommended for their commitment to African and South African works.
The Johannesburg Art Gallery houses traditional African art, contemporary South African landscapes and the particularly interesting William Kentridge collection.
The Goodman Gallery encourages contemporary South African artists, with works by William Kentridge, Kendell Geers, Penny Siopis, Willie Bester and Sue Williamson, among others.
The Kim Sacks Gallery displays traditional South African artefacts and contemporary South African crafts.

Tours of the City

Walking Tours
Parktown and Westcliff Heritage Trust (tel: (011) 482 3349 offers fairly easy walking tours that are around three hours and cost around R150. These can be guided or self-guided (pamphlets are available from ‘Northwards’, 21 Rockridge Road, Parktown, daily 0900-1300).
The ‘Mansions & Minor Masterpieces’ walk explores the stately Sir Herbert Baker-designed ‘mining-magnate’ homes of Parktown and the artworks that decorate them.
‘From Cliff to Forest’ starts at Westcliff (another historic suburb) and ends in Forest Town, where the Zoo and Military History Museum are located.
‘Northcliff and Melville: Pre-History to Present’ covers the ancient Stone Age sites on Melville Koppies, the heights of Northcliff, the Louw Geldenhuys farmhouse, Emmarentia Dam and the Botanical Gardens.
Departure points vary depending on the tour chosen.

Walktours (tel: (011) 444 1639) organises longer guided walks, which take four to eight hours and cost R70-400 per person.
Routes include ‘Sophisticated Sandton,’ exploring Africa’s richest shopping, business and residential areas, ‘Natural Johannesburg,’ which follows the Braamfontein Spruit (stream) and Sand Spruit trails, ‘Historic Johannesburg,’ covering the Central Business District, first suburbs and Alexander Township, and ‘Johannesburg by Night,’ which includes nocturnal Zoo animals, restaurants and clubs in Sandton, Rosebank or Melville.
Departure points vary depending on the tour chosen.

Bus Tours
The Parktown and Westcliff Heritage Trust (see above) puts on irregular guided bus tours, such as ‘Winsome, Wiley and Wonderful’ and ‘Magnates and Miners’, each 90 minutes long, according to a quarterly schedule advertised on their website.
Departure is from ‘Northwards’, 21 Rockridge Road, Parktown.
Springbok Atlas Safaris (tel: (011) 396 1053; fax: (011) 396 1069) organises full- or half-day tours (pick-up from hotels) to Central Johannesburg, Gold Reef City and Soweto. Prices for bus tours range from R65 to R150 per person.

Other Tours
Joburg’s Gay History Tour (tel: (011) 717 4239). The queer Joburg tour takes in sites of past and present significance to the struggle for gay rights in South Africa.
Heliadventures Helicopter Tours and Safaris (Tel/fax: (012) 344 5435; ) offers helicopter flips over Johannesburg and surrounding interesting sites, as well as game viewing for the more adventurous. Historical Flights (tel: (011) 978 5625 or 5685) runs slow and low champagne flights over Johannesburg, in older historic aircraft – such as the SAA Junkers JU52. The two-hour balloon tour costs R375 per person.
Bill Harrop’s Original Balloon Safaris (tel: (011) 705 3201-03) offers sunrise tours over the majestic Magaliesberg Mountains in a huge colourful hot-air balloon. The flight (R1200 per person) lasts for about an hour and is followed by a superb freshly prepared hot breakfast with champagne, upon landing. Balloon excursions depart from the Balloon Safaris Country Base in the Magalies River Valley, near Hartebeespoort Dam, 65km (40 miles) north of the city.

Excursions

For a Half Day
Witwatersrand National Botanical Gardens: ‘Best-kept secret’ may be one of those tired clichés but it certainly applies to this spot, within a one-hour drive from anywhere in Johannesburg.
Against the backdrop of the magnificent Witpoortjie waterfall, this garden covers almost 300 hectares (750 acres) and consists of both landscaped and natural veld (open savannah) areas.
The natural vegetation is a mosaic of grassland and savannah, consisting of 600 naturally occurring plant species. There is also the chance for visitors to see a breeding pair of majestic Black Eagles nesting on the cliffs. A restaurant (Café Clivia) is situated at the heart of the gardens, in the shade of two magnificent white stinkwood trees. The gardens (tel: (011) 958 1750; fax: (011) 958 1752) are located on Malcolm Road, Poortview, Roodepoort, and are best accessed by minibus-taxi from Noord Street to Brits, or Rustenberg via the R47.
Visitors should ask to be dropped off at Doreen Road.
The gardens are open daily 0800-1800 and cost R10.
Johannesburg Lion Park: This is a 200-hectare (500-acre) lion reserve and breeding research station, featuring more than 60 lions (including a pair of the famous white lions on loan from Johannesburg Zoo). Other animals include black wildebeest, gemsbok, impala, blesbok, zebra and ostrich. The Lion Park (tel: (011) 460 1814) is located off the R55, between the R512 and Cedar Avenue, Nietgedacht. Most Johannesburg travel agents offer guided tours. It is open daily 0800-1630 and costs R75 per car for independent visits.

For a Whole Day
Cradle of Humankind: This 47,000-hectare (117,500-acre) site, encompassing Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, Kromdraai and the environs, starting 35km (22 miles) northwest of central Johannesburg and extending for another 20km (13 miles), was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in December 1999. Dozens of limestone caverns, particularly the Sterkfontein Caves, have produced findings as remarkable as Mrs Ples (the first complete Australopithecus (southern ‘ape-man’) skull to be discovered) and more recently, Little Foot – a 3.3-million-year-old hominid skeleton.
The heritage area also encompasses a Rhino and Lion Park, a cathedral-esque show-cave, hiking and horse trails, craft centres and the remnants of the Witwatersrand’s first goldmine. The Cradle of Humankind Exhibits (tel: (011) 355 1348; fax: (011) 333 0667) are best reached by car or on a guided tour. Nevertheless, it is possible to get to the area via minibus taxi from the Noord Street rank (visitors should ask for Rustenberg and to be dropped off at Sterkfontein Caves). The caves (tel: (011) 956 6342) are open Tuesday to Sunday 0900-1600 and admission costs R15. The Rhino and Lion Park (tel: (011) 957 0109) is open weekdays 0800-1700 and weekends 0800-1800 and admission costs R28. Kromdraai Conservancy (tel: (011) 957 0241) run the hiking trails at R50 per day per person – these must be arranged in advance.

Shopping

Johannesburg is a shopper’s paradise, with a huge choice of options from upmarket fashion boutiques and big malls to street markets and vendors, curiosity shops and multi merchants (traditional medicine vendors – especially underneath the fly-over highway on the south end of Faraday Street and on downtown Diagonal Street).
To avoid the ‘Mall morbs’, visitors should try Johannesburg’s exciting array of flea markets, ranging from Market World’s ‘bigger is better’ to Organic Village Market’s ‘authenticity is all.’ Market World, 49 Ernest Oppenheimer Avenue, Bruma, is a sprawling, bewildering mass of hundreds of stalls – even the sidewalks approaching the area are covered with wares. It is open every day except Monday, 0800-1800, and carries a charge R1.50 for admission (this goes to charity).
Open daily 0800-1700, the African Craft Market , next to The Mall, 1 Cradock Avenue, Rosebank, is an absolute must for all visitors, not just shoppers, especially as there are often live performances by local bands. It is more expensive and there is less junk on sale than at Market World but it still offers hundreds of stalls. Both places are among the best for African curios.
Michael Mount Organic Village Market, 231 Bryanston Drive, Bryanston, Sandton, is truly a craftsman’s craft-market, where everything on sale is strictly handmade or organically produced. It is famous for tasty home bakes and a delicious range of homemade cheeses. A popular tea garden offers pies, pastries and pots of indigenous rooibos (bush) tea. It is open Thursday and Saturday mornings, as well as for a Moonlight Market (1700-2100) on the last Tuesday of every month.

New, huge shopping malls are still springing up in and around Johannesburg, with Eastgate Mall, Sandton City, The Mall of Rosebank and Fourways Mall probably being the most user-friendly for the newcomer. Sandton City is the place where the rich and famous shop. It offers designer fashion, jewellery, electronic goods and also some excellent (but expensive) curio shops.

Over the past few years, the used book route has moved from Yeoville’s Rockey Street to Melville’s Main Road and Seventh Streets, while the favoured area for antiques remains Norwood, particularly Grant Avenue.
Art Africa, 62 Tyrone Avenue, Parkview, sells a range of African arts and crafts objects, often produced from recycled materials in self-help projects.
The Giraffe Centre, Second Avenue, Melville, has a wide selection of craft shops, Elephant Hide, 162 Corlett Drive, Bramley, is a good place to either shop for bush footwear and African designs or take a break in the garden with tea and a Zulu witch doctor’s fortune telling.
A wonderful place for handicrafts made by local Soweto women, is Cobble Centre, on the corner of 12th and Fourth Streets, Parkhurst.

Mall shopping hours are generally 0900-1700 (0900-1400 Sundays), although the bigger department stores and supermarkets may remain open to 1800. Value added tax (VAT) of 14% is levied on all goods sold (although this is largely ignored in the flea markets) and visitors can reclaim this upon departure, provided they have kept all receipts and filled in the appropriate point of purchase forms, where necessary.

Culture

Until 1994, the policy of apartheid or ‘separate development’ divided the city into so-called ‘White’, ‘Black’, ‘Coloured’ and ‘Indian’ residential areas and the city’s cultural landscape reflected this. In addition, the white community was further segregated along the language line, with the English speakers living in distinct communities, as did the Afrikaans speakers.
Cultural mixing did occur in specific ‘grey’ suburbs, such as the famous Sophiatown, which was bulldozed by the authorities in 1960, for precisely this reason.
The present situation is one whereby cultures are once again discovering each other and this is evident in the eclectic music and theatre scene, especially in the suburbs of Brixton, Troyeville and Melville. Sophiatown has regained her name.
Any thoughts that Johannesburg may suffer from chronic cultural as well as climatic drought can be put to rest by paging through the Tonight supplement to the city’s main daily newspaper, The Star.

As well as the lively theatre scene, Johannesburg’s annual festivals, which cover nearly every artistic field, are an engrossing way to sample different aspects of the city’s cultural life. Johannesburg happenings and events. Tickets to cultural events are available from Computicket (tel: (011) 340 8000; fax: (011) 340 8900) or Ticketweb (tel: (086) 140 0500).

Music: The lusty lyrics and irresistible dance beats of kwaito can be heard blasting out of taxis, clubs, shebeens and street parties throughout Johannesburg. The genre uses local languages and street slang in lyrics that reflect life in South Africa and employs a distinct South African style of dancing and dressing. Places to hear kwaito include Enigma, 187 Oxford Road, Rosebank (tel: (011) 442 9190), Sankayi, Mutual Square, Rosebank (tel: (011) 447 8653), Planet Katzys, Lakeside Mall, Benoni (tel: (011) 427 1964), Monsoon Lagoon, and Caesar’s Palace, Kempton Park (tel: (011) 928 1280).
Also worth checking out are La Frontière, Hillbrow, Insomnia, Randburg, Tandoor, Yeoville, 707i, Orlando West, Soweto.
Maskande is a Zulu/country fusion that is well represented by Philemon Zulu and the Jeremy Franklin Band. Busi Mhlongo and Madala Kunene are also worth seeing.
Gigs are not as common as they are for kwaito performances and visitors should check local press.

Theatre: Since 1976 and the days of protest theatre, the Market Theatre Company, 121 Bree Street, Newtown Cultural Precinct (tel: (011) 832 1641), has gained a reputation for putting on productions that are socially relevant. The Civic Theatre Complex, Loveday Street, Braamfontein (tel: (011) 403 3408), comprises the Nelson Mandela Theatre (formerly Civic Main), Tesson, Thabong and Pieter Roos theatres and an art gallery. Shows are mainly local productions, musicals, spectaculars, comedy and pantomime (when in season). Pieter Toerien’s Montecasino Theatre, Shop 65, Montecasino Boulevard, on the corner of William Nicol Drive and Witkoppen Road, Fourways (tel: (011) 511 1988), owned by the great impresario who gave it his name, gives both new and established artistes opportunities for new directions and growth.
Another well known theatre and cabaret figure, Richard Loring, runs The Sound Stage, Old Pretoria Road, Midrand (tel: (011) 315 5084).

Dance: Dance Factory (tel: (011) 833 1347; fax: (011) 833 1263; e-mail: dancefactory@icon.co.za), President Street, Newtown Cultural Precinct, hosts a huge range of international and local performers, often mixing classical and ethnic styles.

Poetry: Poetry Slams (literary boxing matches) are held at the Mixer Café Theatre, on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Seventh Street, Melville. Film: Ster-Kinekor (tel (in South Africa only): 086 030 0222) cinemas are located at dozens of venues throughout Johannesburg and screen mainstream movies. Cinema Nouveau, located at The Mall shopping centre, 50 Bath Avenue, Rosebank (tel: (011) 880 2866), has a reputation for showing art house films.
The year 2000 saw the first ever Soweto Film Festival, which could well become an annual event. Some notable films set in Johannesburg include Mapantsula (1988), which tells of a petty hoodlum caught up in the events of the student riots in Soweto, The Foreigner (1994), which deals with the growing xenophobia aimed mostly at immigrant Africans in Johannesburg, and The Line (1996), which portrays ordinary South Africans caught up in the violent times of a fast changing society.

Cultural events: The Arts Alive festival (tel: (011) 838 6407) occurs annually during September, mainly at venues in Newtown but also in Soweto and Tembisa. Apart from general music concerts and stage productions, such as the popular Jazz on the Lake (at the Zoo lake), community festivals from Soweto and Alexandra are also included. There are various sub-festivals that occur at the same time – including Joy of Jazz and Dance @ Arts Alive. This is regarded as one of South Africa’s top dance festivals and boasts a huge programme.
Zwakala Festival at the Market Theatre Laboratory is an annual festival, into its ninth year, which gives novice theatre groups the opportunity to perform in a professional environment (tel: (011) 832 1642/3). FNB Vita run many festivals, including Dance Umbrella – the major national platform for South African choreography, every February and March, at the Wits Theatre, Jorrisson Street, Braamfontein; the Windybrow Theatre Festival – every March at the Windybrow Centre for the Arts, 161 Nugget Street, Hillbrow; and the Market Theatre Laboratory Community Theatre Festival – where plays, music and dance are showcased by community theatre troupes in May.
The annual World of Music and Dance festival, WOMAD , takes place over a weekend, at Bluegum Creek in Benoni, and includes workshops, weekend camping and a late-night dance event (dates differ every year).

Literary notes: Johannesburg’s tumultuous past (and present) has provided fertile grounds for the growth of a rich literary tradition. An excellent source of books is the African Books Collective.
Nadine Gordimer, who won the 1991 Nobel Prize for Literature, was born close to the city in 1923 and has lived in Parktown, Johannesburg since 1948. In The House Gun (1998), set in Johannesburg, she explores, through a murder trial, the problems of a violence-ridden post-apartheid society.
In his writings about Johannesburg, Herman Charles Bosman (1910-1951) presents the soul of the city as reflecting the soul of Africa.
To understand the background as to why Johannesburg has fascinated so many writers, Gandhi’s Johannesburg: Birthplace of Satyagraha (2000), by Eric Itzkin, and A City Divided: Johannesburg and Soweto (1984), by Nigel Mandy, are both a good initial read.
Although Nelson Mandela was not born in Johannesburg, he did have a law practice here in the 1950s and was arrested in the suburb of Rivonia, before being tried and convicted for treason in 1963. Mandela’s autobiography Long Walk to Freedom (1995) provides a remarkable insight into what Johannesburg in the 1940s and 50s was like for this extraordinary man.
Zakes Mda’s new novel about Sophiatown, Heart of Redness (2001), explores the area during ‘The golden 50s, the flowering of South African culture and the Sophiatown renaissance.’ One of Johannesburg’s most famous theatrical sons is Pieter-Dirk Uys, possibly better known as Evita Bezuidenhout.
Pieter-Dirk Uys started irritating South African politicians and censors with his plays from 1973 onwards. His better known or more notorious works include Adapt or Dye (1981), which parodied the white regime’s preoccupation with skin colour and, more recently, Truth Omissions (1996/1997), a somewhat ascorbic comment on South Africa’s Truth Commission, a post-apartheid platform to facilitate reconciliation and reparation.
One of South Africa’s greatest living poets, Don Mattera, was born in Johannesburg’s Sophiatown in 1935. His grandparents sent him to a private Catholic boarding school, which he hated. Here he acquired little other than skills in English, boxing and codes of masculinity, which he turned to great advantage on his return to Sophiatown, where he became leader of one of the most notorious gangs, the Vultures. Then, slowly, along with the campaign against the apartheid removals (from Sophiatown), began the process of politicisation (membership of the ANC Youth League) and his transformation from gangland boss to political activist.

Nightlife

From street bashes (all invited) and gumba-gumba (traditional house parties in Soweto) to jols (any good party) and lang-arm (ballroom dances) in the suburbs, Johannesburg has a lively nightlife, although it is quite divided between white and black venues.
There is a somewhat bewildering selection of shebeens (informal drinking places – usually in someone’s home), taverns (more fancy than a shebeens, possibly with live music), bars (often male and sport dominated), pubs (more genteel and expensive than bars) and nightclubs (venues with cover charges, smart-casual dress codes, late openings and usually with dancing) to choose from.
Every Friday, the Mail & Guardian publishes exhaustive listings of what is on where. The nightlife is focused around distinct districts, with Melville/Brixton being one of the most popular areas. Other northern suburbs (such as Rosebank, Norwood, Rivonia and Orange Grove) are also popular with more affluent party animals, while the Central Business District, Yeoville, Braamfontein and Newtown also get going after dark.
Going out alone in Soweto is not advised, although do go with a local or take a guided tour or ‘Shebeen Crawl’ (see Soweto Tours in the Key Attractions section).
There are no strict licensing hours and many clubs stay open until sunrise and beyond. The legal drinking age in South Africa is 18.
Some of the upmarket hotels have a smart-casual dress code, although in almost all other establishments, anything goes. Admission charges (generally R10-50) are fairly common and a certainty when there is a live band playing.
Raves, a popular Joburg experience, can be expensive at R80-170. Tickets to these and other events can be purchased online

Bars: The trendiest bar in town, where the young yuppies and the financial elite sit side by side and suck wine coolers or sip daiquiris and discuss music and millions, is Kilimanjaro in Melrose Arch (tel: 684 1418). Catz Pajamas, a 24-hour restaurant and pub on Main Road, or The Full Stop, a café on Fourth Avenue, are good places to start the night.
The Ratz Bar, Seventh Street, is another vibrant young bar, and Roxy Rhythm Bar, 20 Main Road, Melville, is a laid-back place for a drink and a game of pool or pinball, although it does get busy later, as local bands play every night.
Donna Diego’s Tobacconist, Seventh Street, is a tobacconist’s shop that is home to a tiny, comfortable but upmarket bar. The bar is a great place to buy the smoke of your choice and savour it while sipping a brandy and listening to classical music.
In Braamfontein, Champions, on the corner of Wolmarans and Rissik Streets, is Johannesburg’s oldest gay bar. The mixed atmosphere is friendly, although the district is not the safest.
Carfax, 39 Pim Street, in Newtown, is the place to go if you are in the mood for performance art with your beer – it also arranges raves. One of the city’s oldest bars is Radium Beer Hall , 282 Louis Botha Avenue, in Orange Grove. It started life as a tea room in 1929, was converted to a beer hall in 1944 and has never looked back.
Alternatively, for real upmarket swank in the suburbs, try Jabulani’s, Park Hyatt Hotel, Oxford Road, Rosebank.

Casinos: The new Montecasino gambling complex is located in the suburb of Fourways. The complex, which is a replica of a fortified Tuscan village, includes restaurants, cinemas, theatres, clubs and shows. It covers and area of five hectares (20 acres) and is a labyrinth underneath a false summer-night sky. The casino offers the full gamut of games and is separated from the shops and restaurants by an artificial stream. The age limit is 18 years and identification may be needed. There is no dress code but shorts and sandals are not encouraged.

Clubs: Melville has its fair share of trendy nightclubs (look into the indescribable Buzz 9, Seventh Street), but Hillbrow and Yeoville still offer the most authentically South African club scene. You will find an eclectic mix of disco, soul, hip hop, mbaqanga and kwaito on offer here, as well as a friendly and up-for-it crowd.
Base, on the corner of Twist and Kotze Streets, Hillbrow, attracts a well-dressed clientele and benefits from a superb chill-out balcony.
Da Flava, Rockey Street, Yeoville, is also for the well dressed, playing a lot of hip hop. The trendy young black crowd go to Piccadilly Café, corner of Rockey and Cavendish Streets, Yeoville.
206 Live, 206 Louis Botha Avenue, Orange Grove, is a good place to go for funk and drum’n’bass.
A thriving rave culture is centred around Ice Productions with its mammoth Ice Festivals. Their Freedom Festival happens at The Electric Workshop, in the Mega Music precinct, Gough Street (between Jeppe and Commissioner Streets), Newtown – an area comprising a revamped old turbine house and various smaller venues. Favoured venues are Reality, 248 Jeppe Street, which has three dance floors and offers a blend of hip hop, house and drum’n’bass, Bump, on the corner of Alexander and Aitken Roads, Midrand, the home of some big parties of note, and Carfax, 39 Pim Street, Newtown, which is a prime venue for launches and parties. Big Brother Productions (clubs website: www.clubzone.co.za) hosts regular H²O parties at Wildwaters, a water theme park in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg. Other unusual venues for raves include the Newtown Music Hall (formerly the Mega Music Warehouse), between Pim, Goch, Bezuidenhout and President Streets, Newtown – the turbine hall of a derelict power station.

Live music: Melville’s The Bassline has moved to the Newtown Music Hall (formerly Mega Music Warehouse) in the Newtown Cultural Precinct and is still one of the most popular jazz and blues venues in Johannesburg, hosting many great local live bands (such as Tananas).
In Melville, Roxy Rhythm Bar (see above) may lean towards students but, despite its brawny rock and basic burger atmosphere, you are still certain of a great local music line-up. Rosebank has the dark, smoky Blues Room , located in the Village Walk complex on Rivonia Road, which is rated as the best jazz and blues venue in town.
In Newtown, Kippies, at the Market Theatre, 121 Bree Street, also hosts very good (and consequently packed) jazz nights.
If you are really into live music, do take a guided tour of Soweto’s shebeens. Julian’s Bistro and Music Theatre, 286 Acacia Road, Blackheath, is open from Wednesdays to Sundays and specialises in blues, jazz blues, blues rock and fusion.

Special Events

Probably the most comprehensive listing of Johannesburg events is on www.jhb.org.za A major events organising and coordinating company is Gearhouse

FNB Vita Dance Umbrella, Feb/Mar, a festival of contemporary choreography and dance, Wits Theatre, University of the Witwatersrand, Braamfontein and The Dance Factory, Newtown
South African Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, Mar-Apr, Cinema Neuveau, Rosebank
Rand Easter Show, Easter, South Africa’s largest consumer exhibition, with 30 exhibition themes ranging from furniture to sport to homeware to hobbies, attracts 500,000 people each year. Music concerts, stage acts, over 800 exhibition stalls, and stomach-churning amusement park rides. Corner of Rand Show and Nasrec roads, Nasrec.
Five FM Easter Rock Festival, Easter, a strong line-up of South African bands, Randshow, Nasrec Showgrounds
Joy of Jazz, end of Aug, part of the Jo’burg International Festival, Johannesburg Market Theatre Precinct
The Star Getaway Show, Sep, an annual national showcase for all outdoor-product suppliers, as well as travel and tourism-related marketers and operators, the Dome @ Northgate, Corner Olievenhout Avenue, Randburg
New Dance, Aug, a festival of South African and international contemporary dance at the Wits
Decorex, early Aug, home decor and design exhibition, Gallagher Estate, Midrand.

Sport

Johannesburg’s favourite sports are soccer, road-running, rugby and cricket (in that order).
Early each Sunday morning, road-runners gather in their tens of thousands to take part in road races organised by dozens of athletic clubs, such as the RAC (Rand Athletic Club), Benoni Harriers, Pirates and Varsity Kudus. There is comprehensive online information available for running information, as well as cycling, mountain biking, adventure racing, canoeing and triathlon.

In general, South Africans are soccer mad and the Johannesburg clubs play either in the PSL (Professional Soccer League) or the MTN Supersport Leagues.
In the PSL, top Johannesburg teams and fierce rivals are the Amakhozi or Kaizer Chiefs , The Birds or Morocco Swallows, and Buccaneers/Bucs or Orlando Pirates , which are based at the city’s Johannesburg, Rand and FNB stadiums respectively. The Wits University team, Clever Boys, is right up there with the best of them and, with a player membership of over 1,500, is one of the world’s largest clubs. The city’s best, under the MTN banner, are Katlehong City and Alexander United, who play at the Alexander and Reiger Park stadiums.
Home to the Gauteng Lions, the formidable Johannesburg rugby team, Ellis Park, South Park Street (tel: (011) 402 8644/8) is arguably the world’s most famous rugby stadium, while the famed cricket team, Highveld Strikers are based at Johannesburg’s renowned Wanderers Stadium, Corlett Drive, Illovo (tel: (011) 788 1008). This provincial team takes part in the prestigious Supersport and Standard Bank Cup series. There are a vast number of excellent websites, all trying to keep up with the South African’s insatiable appetite for sport.
Most tickets for major sporting events are available through Ticketweb or Computicket.

Golf: There are dozens of good golf-courses in and around Johannesburg, including Bryanston Country Club, Bryanston Drive, Bryanston (tel: (011) 706 1391), Houghton Golf Club, Second Avenue, Houghton (tel: (011) 728 7337), Randpark Golf Club, Setperk Street, Windsor Park (tel: (011) 476 1691), and Royal Johannesburg Golf Club (tel: (011) 640 3021). Visitor’s green fees range from R130 to R200. Visiting golfers must carry proof of membership of any bona fide golf club. Caddies and carts are available for hire at all courses at approximately R70 and R130 respectively.

Gyms: With the recent demise of the extensive Health and Racquet Club chain, which had over a dozen branches in Johannesburg, Richard Branson’s Virgin Active has stepped in to refurbish the gyms (tel: (0860) 200 911). There are branches at Bedfordview (tel: (011) 455 1870); Bruma Lake (tel: (011) 616 6373); Bryan Park (tel: (011) 463 6610); Cresta Centre (tel: (011) 476 2223); Fourways Mall (tel: (011) 465 9590); Morningside (tel: (011) 883 1951); Northgate (tel: (011) 794 2402); Old Eds (Houghton East) (tel: (011) 483 1298); Randburg (tel: (011) 792 8860); Sandton (tel: (011) 883 4633); and Vodaworld (Midrand) (tel: (011) 318 3355).

Horseracing: There are three racecourses in and around Johannesburg – Turffontein in Johannesburg, Newmarket in Alberton and Gosforth Park in Germiston. South Africa has world-class breeders and trainers who have developed the sport to the highest international standards. Newmarket Turf Club, Alberton (tel: (011) 907 9753), is one of the most famous horseracing courses in South Africa. Night racing is a new innovation. Details of meetings are published in the press.

Swimming: There are sparkling, well-maintained public pools in the suburbs of Brixton (tel: (011) 837 2440), Ellis Park (tel: (011) 402 5565), Linden (tel: (011) 888 3750), Parkview (tel: (011) 646 8754) and Roosevelt Park (tel: (011) 782 2474).

Tennis: Public courts are available at the municipal Marks Park complex, located on Judith Road, Emmarentia (tel: (011) 486 1963), and at various recreation centres, such as Paterson Park, in Norwood (tel: (011) 728 7250). Many of the golf clubs listed above have their own tennis courts.