Johannesburg is the major international gateway into South Africa
so you are quite likely to spend, at the very least, a few hours in this
rather misunderstood and misrepresented city. It's a vibrant and dynamic
place with a throbbing pulse and an awesome sense of rhythm.
Photo:
Everyone is on the move - doing business, making money,
jogging, going to gym, cycling, partying till late, eating out, and attending
shows, movies and exhibitions. If you're a city person, you will love
Johannesburg.
The older part of the city is developing an interesting character - in
parts somewhat neglected and a bit scary, and in parts humming with a
new kind of vibrancy.
It is the de facto capital of Africa - in the centre of Johannesburg,
you will find people from all over the continent, and in some pretty unusual
and out-of-the way venues, you can sample their cuisine and jive to their
music - not for the faint of heart, though.
Also in the city centre is the Civic Theatre, and the Newtown Cultural
Project, with Museum Africa. But the head offices of major corporations,
and the majority of businesses, have moved out to the northern suburbs
and to Midrand - the burgeoning industrial, commercial, semi-agricultural
and residential area halfway between Johannesburg and Pretoria.
Photo:
The northern suburbs radiate a sense of opulence and prosperity.
The many shopping malls carry a vast range of high quality consumer goods,
including many luxuries, and the hundreds of restaurants and coffee shops
offer a wide range of fashionable cuisines.
There really is a lot to do in Johannesburg. You could go on an escorted
tour of Soweto, which is not the voyeuristic horror it sounds like. It's
actually a mind-expanding experience as you see not only how other people
live, but also how this resilient community contributed to South Africa's
liberation struggle.
A visit to Gold Reef City is a fun day out with amusement rides and a
reconstructed mining village, but it is a lot more authentic than most
theme parks. The trip down a gold mine is a real eye-opener, but that's
nothing compared to the paradigm shift many people may experience in visiting
the Apartheid Museum, also at Gold Reef City.
The Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg is to
undergo a major upgrade for the 2010 tournament, with a new design
inspired by traditional African pottery and a revamped capacity
for 104000 football fans. The stadium will hold the final and opening
matches, five first-round matches, one second-round match and one
quarter-final. (Image: South Africa 2010 Local Organising
Committee)
Ellis Park in Johannesburg, Gauteng, is to undergo
minor upgrades for 2010, and has a capacity of 60000. It will host
five first-round matches, one second-round and one quarter-final.
(Image: South Africa 2010 Local Organising Committee)
