South Africa
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JohannesburgJoburg is the heartbeat of the country. It's the economic and cultural centre of South Africa, where people work hard and play harder.Everyone is on the move, from doing business to hitting the city's nightspots until late. Joburg is a dynamic cosmopolitan city with great places to eat, interesting sites to visit and a good range of places to stay. Read more: http://www.joburg.org.za/content/view/803/162/#ixzz0OhrfqcOT History: Just over 100 years ago, the economic and industrial centre of South Africa today was an endless untouched savannah. This changed when the first gold was found in 1886. The news spread like wildfire and the area experienced an unprecedented gold rush. The government sent two deputies, who founded a little settlement and named it after the first name they both had in common, Johannesburg. Three years later the place was the biggest town in the country. By 1875 almost 100,000 people lived in Johannesburg and the mines employed more than 75,000 workers. Much like its recently declared sister city, New York, Johannesburg has always attracted diverse people and been a place of extremes; it’s been everything from the best to the worst of cities since 1886. Johannesburg is also known as Egoli, which means, Place of Gold. In the past, it became the hotbed for radical economic, social and political transformation. For most Jozi citizens, the first democratic elections in 1994 signalled a feeling of goodwill among all citizens, and a beginning of a new era. Black Africans comprise 73% of Johannesburg's total 3, 2 million population, comparative to a 16% white population, with the balance made up of Indian, Coloured, and Asian cultures. Interestingly, Johannesburg is home to 7% of South Africa's total population. Events:
Places to go: Sterkfontein caves, Krugersdorp A world heritage site. Sterkfontein is one of the world's most productive and important palaeoanthropological sites. It is the place where the very fist adult ape-man was found by Dr Robert Broom in 1936. This ancient cave system has over the years revealed a sequence of deposits with fossils dating from about 3.5 to 1.5 million years ago. Hector Peterson Memorial, Orlando West - Soweto The memorial is located two blocks away from where Hector was shot and fell. It follows the chronology of the build-up to 16 June,starting with the way tensions were building amongst Soweto's school children, with one school after another going out on strike and tells the story of that historic day through eye-witness accounts, photographs, text panels and audio visual footage. Walter Sisulu Square of dedication, Kliptown - Soweto. The historic site where the Congress of the People was held on 26 June 1955, during which the Freedom Charter was adopted, is now a National Heritage Site. Apartheid Museum, Ormonde. This extraordinary museum has already become one of the city's leading tourist attractions and an obligatory stop for visitors and residents alike.The multi-disciplinary team of museologists, filmmakers, designers and historians have ensured that you view the Apartheid regime from every possible angle reliving the important events and struggles. After your journey through the Museum you can stroll down into a grassland with paths that take you down to a small lake to reflect on the experience. Gold Reef City, Ormonde. Gold Reef Road Built around a mineshaft of Crown Mines, it is a recreation of Johannesburg at the turn of the century. Includes fully furnished miners houses and gold mining artefacts. The many shops, staff and the hotel also showcase the style of the era. Go underground into the mineshaft 220m below the surface. Watch a gold bar being "poured". You can enjoy the exilhirating rides in the amusement park . Lion Safari Park, Muldersdrift. Magnificent park only 30km from Joburg, comprising 200 hectares of grassland and forests. Many species of game can be sigted here. See prides of lions in the lion enclosure - and there are usually always cubs. Also a petting zoo for the children. Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve, Kromdraai - Muldersdrift The Rhino Nature Reserve is a privately owned game reserve situated in the "Cradle of Humankind", a declared World Heritage Site. The reserve covers an area of approximately 1000 ha. This renowned reserve is considered a member of the Johannesburg's Big Five Tourist Destinations and has been nationally praised for their continued effort and subsequent success in various breeding programmes such as breeding white rhinos, Bengal tigers and white lions to name but a few. On a typical game drive the visitor should be able to view more than 20 different species of game including white rhino, buffalo, giraffe, hippo and lion. Newtown Cultural Precinct, Newtown. 90 Cnr Market & Harrison Sts A microcosm of South African culture and history which houses a variety of museum displays. The Market Theatre is home to the Rembrandt Gallery showcasing local and international art. The Worker's museum features major photographic exhibitions. On Saturdays the square comes alive with a flea market - a vibrant display of South Africa's rich culture. Transport: Buses- Serving daytime commuters, this is a safe and inexpensive way to get around the city (busses run 7 days a week, daytime). Allow time. Find out if a bus route runs conveniently close to your destination. Busses run up and down main arterial roads travelling between Johannesburg city centre and the suburbs: North-south (Jan Smuts Ave, Oxford Road, Louis Botha Ave, Barry Hertzog Rd) and east-west (Empire road, Ontdekkers Road). It's unwise to rely on a bus at night or for travel suburb-to-suburb in an easterly or westerly direction. Taxi cabs & shuttle services. |
