Johannesburg is everything you think it is but also so much more. It is a city of riches and struggles, people on the run and knowing who your neighbours are. It is filled with South Africans, Africans from so far as the Ivory Coast and Ghana and of course people from ‘overseas’ that fell in love with the city’s energy.
I thought I’d share 20 cool facts about my city:
- Eish, this Joburg! This is a phrase I have heard a million times. It could be thrown in to express that you share in the misery of being stuck in traffic or that you were a victim of crime. It can be applied to just about anything that can go wrong in the city.
- Johannesburg is known as the City of Gold, eGoli, Jozi or Joburg. If you see references of 011 or 010 it is the landline area code for the city.
- It is not the only Johannesburg in the world. When some of the gold miners that worked the gold fields here made their way to California in the US they named their new town Johannesburg too. Our US counterpart is of course not nearly as big as my beloved Joburg.
- The Hillbrow Tower has been the tallest structure and tower in Africa for 45 years. It stretches 269m into the sky. Before I was born you could visit a floor 197m up… my mom told me about it.
- The Carlton Centre is the tallest office building in Africa. You can take a ride up to the viewing floor for a great view of the city. Back in the eighties this was also a destination for school groups from towns far-far-away. I was scared breathless my first time that high in the sky.
- Johannesburg is one of the youngest big cities in the world. The first tent-town iteration sprung up in 1886 during the gold rush. The official date is 4 October 1886!
- Johannesburg is also Africa’s second biggest city. Egypt’s Cairo is the biggest… but then again, they have a couple of centuries on us!
- An estimated 4.5 million people call the city home. I’ve been here since 1999. You will be able to find a person from almost every African country in the city.
- Don’t fret if you feel a little dizzy while visiting, the city lies 1753m above sea level. It takes a little longer to boil an egg here than in Durbs or Cape Town.
- On the upside, Johannesburg has a fairly mild climate with lots of sunshine. Summer months stretch from September-ish to late March. Our seasons are better than Cape Town’s but Durbs always takes the cake with warmer weather.
- Vilakazi street in Soweto is where two of South Africa’s Nobel Peace Prize Winners used to live. Locals will proudly point out former South African president Nelson Mandela and former Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s houses.
- The city also boasts one of the largest man-made forests in the world. There are between 5 to 10 million trees depending on who tells the story.
- The Johannesburg Zoo was founded in 1904 and is sprawled over 55 hectares. Just imagine the exercise you’ll get by visiting!
- OR Tambo International Airport, the busiest airport in Africa, was opened in 1952. It was first known as Jan Smuts Airport, then as Johannesburg International Airport in 1994 and since 2006 as OR Tambo. It’s a good thing we have such a big airport as we’ve hosted the finals for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, 2003 Cricket World Cup and 1995 IRB Rugby World Cup.
- First National Bank Stadium or simply FNB Stadium is the largest sports stadium in Africa with a capacity of almost 100,000 spectators. It has hosted everything from sporting events to international musical acts. It is an must-snap spot.
- Sandton is known as the richest square mile in Africa . The richest gold field in the world was discovered right here many moons ago. Now it is the most important business and financial district in South Africa – with the worst possible traffic. (I worked here for 6 years, just ask me.)
- The bronze statue of Mandela in Sandton’s Nelson Mandela Square weighs 2.5 tonnes! The statue stands 6 metres high and measures 2.3 metres from elbow to elbow. The statue depicts Mandela wearing his Madiba shirt while dancing in what was referred to at the unveiling as the “Madiba jive”. This statue was unveiled on 31 March 2004. It was the first-ever public statue of Mandela.
- Mponeng Gold Mine is the deepest mine in the world (currently). It takes an hour to get down the 4km deep shaft. It is located towards Westonaria – the western area of Johannesburg.
- Johannesburg is the world’s largest city that isn’t located near a coastline or navigable river. However, it has the world’s largest dry port that was developed in 1977 already.
- Johannesburg’s traffic is hectic, but not as bad as Cape Town’s. Joburgers are generally more aggressive in their driving style but only because they have places to go and people to see.
Next time you think that there is nothing to see in or near Joburg, think again.
We have Orlando Towers and of course Vilakazi Street, Maropeng, Constitution Hill, the Apartheid Museum, Liliesleaf, Gold Reef City, Museum Africa, South African Museum of Military History, Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, the Nelson Mandela Bridge, James Hall Museum of Transport, Wits Origins Centre Museum, Lindfield Victorian House Museum, Wits Johannesburg Planetarium, more than 1 Mandela statue and even one of Gandhi…
If you want to kick it old style you can still catch a steam train. You can get to any part of the country via train from Johannesburg – just not by steam train.
This one is the kicker, we also have our own winery! Gerakaris Family wines ferment and bottle grapes from the Cape Winelands in the heart of Jozi.
Eish, this Jozi is a strangely wonderful place to live.
Here are some cool things you can do while in Johannesburg:
je vois la vie en rose
I couldn’t believe my luck when an invite for brunch arrived from KCC La Vie en Rose at Killarney Country Club…
As I sat down with the grey morning rolling over the lawn behind me, a harvest table caught my eye. The table was standing proud carrying what soon was to land on my plate. Side by side savoury and sweet complimented each other. It was a glorious sight on a rainy Joburg day.
I felt no need for pretentious manners and took a morsel from every dish once the pleasantries and introductions were done.
I wished the conversation would fade even further as I enjoyed bite after bite from the decadent harvest table. It was a melt-in-my-mouth moment and I wanted to savour every morsel of every bite. Staring across the table I smiled, their plates were piled high with treats from the harvest table too.
I wish I could describe every piece on my plate from that day, but I will stick to two. I will leave something for you to look forward to and discover on your own at KCC La Vie en Rose.
Lip-smacking excitement about a brunch
The cinnamon covered cannelloni gently gave a sigh each time my knife cut through its hollow centre. Every bite was just sweet and spicy enough not to overpower. It was a bit of homely decadence elevated – and definitely my favourite of the day.
Lightly toasted almond on a blanket of creamed cheese mixed with berries wrapped in a mini croissant – it was as good as it sounds on paper…
I’m going for “nog ‘n skeppie”!
If saying that I “cleaned” my plate from every last crumb is a testament to how much I enjoyed the meal, then believe me when I say I cleaned it twice!
Secret ingredient
I felt guilty just thinking about cramming all that deliciousness into my mouth in a few minutes while it must’ve taken hours to prepare in the kitchen.
They have secret ingredient hiding in the kitchen of course, an executive chef that is a co-owner of this delightful Johannesburg restaurant, Rony Muller. You can taste that great care and thought went into every dish served.
They have been in their current location for 4 years. This year in September they’ll celebrate 10 years of good food.
The way it should be
As I made my way towards the door, I looked at the patrons engaged in conversation, some with forks hovering between table and mouth, some slowly savouring the bite whilst listening to their companion. They all seemed to enjoy the ambiance KCC La Vie en Rose offers.
I can see myself for brunch with hubby or a high tea with my best friend inside or in the green garden. I could imagine La Vie En Rose by Edith Piaf playing in the background (sung by Michael Buble even) while working my way through the menu. That would be the perfect, thank you.
Get in touch to book your table
#hosted
When you end up in a place because of a childhood fantasy, you just gotta tell the story.
I’m not from here. I also am not from where you think you know I’m from. I’m from way up north when it was still the Transvaal. A place where I jokingly say hell is right underneath because it is so damn hot there.
The first almost 8 years of my life we lived on a farm 60km from Ellisras near Stockpoort border post. I went to the same primary school my dad, all his siblings and my sister went to – right across from the highschool my mother was a teacher at.
Then we moved to a farm just outside of Duiwelskloof and Tzaneen. I matriculated at Ben Vorster and then I moved to my Jozi.
…but wait, I’m skipping the story of why I ended up in Jozi.
My mom is from an area called Rikasrus just outside Randfontein. My grandparents lived in a smallholding in a double story home they built. We would visit every holiday and the whole family always seemed to be there.
They had a lot of kids who in turn had kids and somehow we all fitted around an extra long dining table. 5 children had 10 children between them (at that stage). All hands had to be there to peel peaches on holidays… and I still love peaches. Breakfast around the dining table was always Weetbix and dinner ended with “huisgodsdiens”.
The younger cousins had to go to bed early but we were allowed to sit in the livingroom on the floor. This is where my obsession began…
A big glass window and door gave me the perfect place to sit and stare out over what I thought was the most magical place in the world that never stopped or slept. The lights in the distance twinkled like little fireflies in different colours. I would sit there just wishing I lived in that place.
I thought it was Johannesburg, but it wasn’t. It was Soweto or Krugersdorp. My magical place was even better when I finally arrived.
I barely had a big suitcase full of clothes when I arrived, but I was determined to live in the biggest city. I knew exactly one person, my godmother and then I made 2 friends and then it became home.
I lost touch with all the people I knew way back then, but now I see the beautiful lights of Jozi from my house and they are more beautiful than when I saw them the first time.
The lights brought me here and kept me here. This is home.
Dear Jozi,
We need to talk. It is not you, it really is me. I want more.
You know that I love you. I have loved you the very first moment I saw your beautiful lights in the distance. You know that I left my family and friends behind to live with you.
I think we have just grown apart. I never noticed that you didn’t have a beach or that your streets drove me nuts during peak hours. I just loved soaking up your energy. Now I want more beach, less cars and a slower pace. I don’t know when this changed, I just know that it did.
I don’t know when I will leave you – or even if I will leave you, but I just wanted to let you know that things have changed in my heart and mind.