Johannesburg: First encounter with the City of Gold

Firstly, three fascinating facts about Johannesburg for your next Trivia Pursuit Competition:

• Johannesburg is the largest city in the world not located on a coast, river, or lake, a legacy of its history.
• It sits at an elevation of 1,740 metres (5,700 feet) on the Highveld plateau
• The city is one of the greenest in the world, with an estimated eight million trees.

I flew to Johannesburg expecting not to like it, but there is something about its youthfulness, energy, hustling, humour and beauty that got to me. I rate all the cities I have visited or lived in, and Johannesburg ranked 52nd among my 306 cities.¹ I feel similarly about a diverse mix of cities, including Liverpool and Newcastle upon Tyne, Portland (Maine) and Santa Fe in the USA, Tangier in Morocco, and Yala in Thailand.

Birth of the city

To make sense of today’s Johannesburg, you need to know how abruptly it began. Gold was discovered here in 1886 by George Harrison, an Australian prospector working on a house for a widow on Langlaagte farm in the old Transvaal Republic. Within months, around 3,000 fortune‑seekers had arrived. The new settlement was named Johannesburg, after two government surveyors, and within a decade its population had exploded to 100,000, drawing people from Australia, California, Cornwall, Wales and across Europe. By 1928, just 42 years after that first find, Johannesburg had become the largest city in South Africa.

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Since 1886, an estimated 40,000 tonnes (44,000 short tons) of gold have been mined from the Witwatersrand reef—more than 2 billion ounces, representing roughly 40–50% of all the gold ever mined on Earth. That extraordinary concentration of wealth is why people still talk about Johannesburg as a place to make your fortune.

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The gold rush also triggered a political showdown. The Transvaal government regarded the foreign miners as a threat to Afrikaner power and independence. Britain pointed to their grievances, along with its own determination to control the goldfields, to justify the Second Boer War (1899–1902). The war ended in British victory, the Transvaal was absorbed as a British colony, and Johannesburg shifted from Boer mining camp to British‑run city. After World War I, rapid industrialisation turned it into one of South Africa’s major industrial and financial centres.

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Segregation and apartheid

From the early 20th century, racial segregation hardened, culminating in the formal apartheid system introduced in 1948. Laws such as the Group Areas Act carved the city into racially defined zones. Black communities were forced out of inner‑city neighbourhoods like Sophiatown and sent to townships such as Soweto (South Western Townships), far from jobs and services, while white residents were concentrated in well‑resourced suburbs. The result was a city built as parallel worlds, with vastly different daily realities separated by distance and infrastructure.

Johannesburg Today: What’s Where

The metro area has a population of approximately 6.4 million people (2025), with the city proper at 4.8 million. It is not a cohesive city but a patchwork of separate towns, townships, and settlements sprawling across more than 1,700 square kilometres. Understanding the layout helps you navigate this complex metropolis.

The Central Business District (CBD)

Laid out in 1886 with narrow streets in a rectangular grid, it has been largely abandoned, with almost all businesses having moved their offices to a group of wealthy (predominantly white) suburbs north of the centre. I found travelling through the CBD bizarre. There are almost no hotels left downtown.  The Landdrost, SA’s first luxury hotel, is now a cheap housing complex. The 1972 Westin Carlton Hotel, which hosted celebrities including Henry Kissinger, François Mitterrand, Hillary Clinton, Margaret Thatcher, Whitney Houston and Mick Jagger, closed after staff murdered the hotel’s assistant banquet manager and sits empty.

Many tall skyscrapers are completely boarded up and sit silent. Other buildings have been commandeered by squatters, complete with illegal electricity connections. Others are being used for different purposes. The magnificent Johannesburg Stock Exchange vacated its 1979 building, one of the city’s first atria, designed by architect Monty Sack. It has been repurposed for office space.
The CBD is not safe for casual wandering, and most tourists avoid it entirely, though Constitution Hill on its edge remains accessible. The council, community groups and several businesses are working to improve it, and several sections are much improved.

Northern Suburbs

Sandton is known as “Africa’s richest square mile” and functions as Johannesburg’s de facto business centre, with gleaming office towers, shopping malls, and expensive hotels. The Johannesburg Stock Exchange is located there. Rosebank offers more boutique shopping and a Sunday craft market.
Melville, a bohemian suburb with quirky shops and bars popular with a younger, more artistic crowd, is nearby, as is Linden. This area is known for its Greek immigrants and their restaurants and cafes. Randburg, a residential and commercial area, is further northwest.

Inner City Creative Neighbourhoods

Maboneng (“Place of Light” in Sotho) is a revitalised district in the eastern inner city with art galleries, street art, cafes, and weekend markets. It’s a gentrification success story, though it remains an island of relative safety in a challenging area. Best visited during the day or as part of an organised tour.

Newtown is the heart of Johannesburg’s cultural landscape, located just west of the CBD. Home to the Market Theatre (famous for staging non-racial theatre during apartheid), Museum Africa, Workers Museum, Sci-Bono science centre, and Turbine Hall. Features weekend flea markets, art galleries, jazz clubs, and Mary Fitzgerald Square for events and festivals. This precinct comes alive during events but can feel empty at other times. There is a security presence, but the area is known for pickpocketing and muggings, particularly around entertainment venues. Three guys threatened my Uber driver as he came in to pick me up. He laughed it off and said it’s all too common.

Braamfontein is a student neighbourhood north of the CBD, home to the University of the Witwatersrand. Trendy cafes, bookshops, and views of the Nelson Mandela Bridge. It has a youthful, intellectual energy and is walkable during the day.

Ethnic and Historic Neighbourhoods

Mayfair, west of the CBD, is a historically Indian and Muslim neighbourhood that has evolved into a diverse immigrant hub. Cape Malay cuisine, Somali coffee shops, Ethiopian restaurants, and Pakistani grocers create a vibrant, multicultural atmosphere. The area offers authentic experiences and is largely safe, but requires some caution.

The Townships

To the southwest sprawls Soweto (Southwest Townships), the iconic apartheid-era township where one million people live, and it remains predominantly Black. It’s a vast area with its own geography, from the relatively middle-class Diepkloof to the densely packed informal settlements.

East of the wealthy suburbs lies Alexandra (known as “Alex”), just 4km from Sandton’s wealth. This creates one of the world’s starkest examples of urban inequality, with shacks visible from luxury apartments. Diepsloot, in northern Johannesburg, was established in 1994 and is one of the most densely populated townships, with over 350,000 people.

The Rainbow Nation in a City

Johannesburg embodies South Africa’s “Rainbow Nation” diversity, with at least a dozen languages in daily use. Zulu is the most widely spoken language, followed by English, Sesotho, and Afrikaans, alongside Xhosa, Tswana, and other southern African languages. The city hosts substantial Portuguese, Greek, Italian, and Lebanese communities, as well as recent arrivals from across Africa.

I was impressed by how many Uber drivers spoke 5, 6, or 7 languages fluently—English, Afrikaans, multiple African languages, often French or German too. One Xhosa driver boasted he could speak every African language and proceeded to demonstrate in speech and song for our entire drive.

Johannesburg To Dos

1. Soweto Tour and Hector Pieterson Museum. I wasn’t sure whether to visit or not. I am pleased I did. Most visitors come on organised tours. Do not attempt to visit independently. We visited as part of the hop-on-hop-off bus tour. All the guides were excellent. The tour took us to Vilakazi Street (home of Mandela and Tutu) for a lovely local coffee and lunch, the Regina Mundi Church and the Hector Pieterson Museum, which commemorates the 1976 student uprising, with moving displays of photographs, oral histories, and artifacts.

2. Apartheid Museum.  When you get your ticket, you are assigned a colour and must enter through the door that matches it, immediately confronting the arbitrary classifications that underpinned apartheid. This theme follows you through the museum as you grapple with a system that was designed to separate, control and dehumanise a majority of the population while giving freedom and opportunity to a minority, simply based on colour. You need at least two hours here to do it justice, three is ideal, and it is also included as a stop on Johannesburg’s hop‑on hop‑off sightseeing bus route.

3. The Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory in Houghton, Johannesburg, is the home of the Nelson Mandela Foundation and a small but powerful museum space dedicated to his life and legacy. It focuses on preserving archives, documents, photos and artifacts from Mandela’s life, and on using that memory work to support dialogue around justice, equality and reconciliation. Entry is free, but visits usually need to be arranged or booked in advance. It’s included in the Hop on Hop Off bus

Workers Museum, a short walk away, focuses on migrant labourers and their harsh living and working conditions, preserving original compound dormitories and even a “punishment room”, so you see the system up close rather than in theory.

5. Constitution Hill. Former prison complex, now a museum and home of the Constitutional Court, with engaging exhibitions on South Africa’s journey from oppression to democracy. It is in a part of town where you need to stay alert; we were explicitly advised to be cautious when walking there. Some tourists experienced significant hassling.

6. SAA Museum As a plane nut, I was determined to get into the SAA Museum. Located at Rand Airport in Germiston (25 minutes from O.R. Tambo), this aviation museum is run by enthusiastic volunteers preserving South African Airways’ history. The highlight is two retired Boeing 747s, including “Lebombo,” which famously flew over Ellis Park Stadium during the 1995 Rugby World Cup final. We got to board the 747-200. The small building is crammed with aviation memorabilia: old flight manuals, model aeroplanes, historical photographs, and mannequins dressed as SAA flight attendants from different eras. We had a brilliant day.

7. Johannesburg Art Gallery. My Uber driver cheerfully dropped me off at the museum, in front of 13 security guards, then warned me, with dark humour, not to wander into adjoining Joubert Park, describing it as ‘hazardous – very bad for tourists.’ Once Africa’s most extensive gallery, the gallery is now fenced off and protected from that said park. The incredible collection of over 9,000 artworks, including works by Picasso, Rodin, Monet, Degas, and South African masters like Gerard Sekoto, had been moved to storage or on display elsewhere.

I was more keen to see the beautiful building designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, one of Britain’s most celebrated architects (responsible for much of New Delhi’s imperial architecture), and completed in 1915. The building is in poor condition, with a section of the roof that collapsed in 2017 due to poor maintenance, cracked walls, mould, and misshapen flooring. The cafe, gift shop and ticket office are all abandoned, and the entire top floor is dark and silent. Many galleries were closed, and the open ones were pretty mediocre. A group of volunteers are trying to revive the gallery.

When I tried to leave, that’s when things got challenging. Uber after Uber cancelled on me, with some messaging me to tell me it was too dangerous for them to come into the area. I assured them they would be picked up with security present. Eventually, a large Zulu guy picked me up in a battered Toyota and told me he’d picked me up because he was 400 metres away and was having a quiet day. He said no one wants to come to this part of town.

8. Wits Art Museum, by contrast, had great exhibitions. It focused on South African art, both traditional and contemporary. Free to enter, with tight security at the door.

9. James Hall Museum of Transport is the largest transport museum in South Africa, with vintage cars, trams, buses, and animal-drawn vehicles. Free entry and family-friendly.

10. Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Centre. Thought-provoking museum dedicated to the Holocaust and other genocides, promoting education and tolerance.

11. Johannesburg Botanical Garden. An 81-hectare green space on the western shores of Emmarentia Dam. Features over 30,000 trees, including Californian Redwoods and English oaks, a Rose Garden with over 10,000 roses, a Shakespeare Garden, a Herb Garden, and a succulent collection. Free entry. Popular for picnics, jogging, and watersports on the dam. Open daily from sunrise to sunset.

12. Gold Reef City casino and theme park (popular with kids) on the site of an old gold mine.

I didn’t get to Ponte City. Iconic cylindrical skyscraper with guided tours for the adventurous, or Johannesburg Zoo, large, green, and popular with families.

How to Get to Johannesburg

O.R. Tambo International Airport is the main gateway, with direct flights from major global hubs. The airport is modern and efficient. Airport to city: Uber is reliable. The Gautrain rapid rail connects O.R. Tambo International Airport (23km northeast of the CBD) to the CBD, Sandton, Rosebank, and Pretoria. It’s fast, clean, and safe.

Long-distance buses connect Johannesburg to other South African cities and neighbouring countries. Park Station is the main terminal. There is only one long-distance train left that goes to Port Elizabeth weekly.

Crime and Safety

Based on my experiences visiting 306 cities, I’d rank Johannesburg 15th in terms of danger. It requires significant caution but is manageable with proper precautions. Don’t carry any valuables and try not to use cash. Gauteng province, which Johannesburg is the capital of, leads in armed robberies (55% of all car hijackings nationally) and kidnappings (53% nationally), which was cheery to know.

Where to Stay

Most tourists stay near O.R. Tambo Airport (for convenience) or in Rosebank and Sandton.

Getting Around

The N1 highway runs north-south through the city, while the N3 heads east toward Durban. Traffic congestion is severe during rush hours.
Uber/Bolt is a safe, affordable, and easy-to-use way to get around the city. I had great experiences with drivers except for my art gallery day (see above). Check the driver carefully before getting in. Verify plate, car model and driver before getting in, and never accept rides from people saying “Uber?” in person. Wait for your car inside a mall, museum or hotel lobby or next to security, and walk out only once the driver has arrived. Use trip‑sharing / “Share My Trip”. Sit in the back, keep any valuables out of sight and cancel if anything feels off
Walking: Maboneng and Rosebank are walkable during the day, but plan ahead and ask locals about safety.
Johannesburg has a red hop-on, hop-off sightseeing bus with routes stopping at major attractions.

Weather

Johannesburg enjoys over 3,100 hours of sunshine per year. The high altitude (1,740m) means the sun is intense, even in winter. Temperature rarely exceeds 30°C (86°F) in summer or drops below freezing in winter.
December-February (summer): Warm and sunny but with afternoon thunderstorms, and the wettest month (January) averages 125 mm. Temperatures 15-30°C (59-86°F). Good for outdoor activities.
March-May (autumn): Temperatures drop from 21-29°C (70-84°F) to 15-23°C (59-73°F). Dry weather. Beautiful season with mild days and cooler nights.
June-August (winter): Cold and dry. Temperatures 4-20°C (39-68°F), with nighttime lows around freezing. Days are sunny and clear with 9+ hours of sunshine. Driest months (3-6mm rainfall). Chilly mornings and evenings, but pleasant midday sun.
September-November (spring): Temperatures rise from 10-25°C (50-77°F) to 15-30°C (59-86°F). Dry early spring, then thunderstorms return in November. October has the most sunshine of the year (9.4 hours daily). Great for outdoor exploration.

Coffee

Money

The currency is the South African Rand (R). Approximately R20 = €1, or R15.59 = $1 USD. Visa and Mastercard were accepted everywhere. I didn’t use cash.
Accommodation per night: 4-star hotel $57 USD, 3-star hotel $42 USD average, hostel dorm bed $22 USD.

Tipping Customs

• Restaurants: many establishments automatically add a service charge, so check your bill before adding a tip of 10 to 15%
• Petrol stations: R5-R10 for attendants (South Africa has full-service stations—no self-service)
• Hotel porters: R10 per bag
• Tour guides: R50-R100 for half-day tours, R100-R200 for full-day tours
• Uber/Bolt drivers: Not expected but appreciated; round up or add 10% for exceptional service
• Car guards (informal parking attendants in red/orange vests): R5-R10 when you leave; they’re everywhere and watch your car

SIM Cards

• Main providers: Vodacom (best coverage), MTN, Cell C, and Telkom Mobile
• Where to buy: O.R. Tambo Airport arrivals hall (convenient but slightly pricier), or any mall, supermarket, or provider store
• RICA registration required: You must register with your passport; the vendor will do this for you in around ten minutes

Final Thoughts

Johannesburg is not an easy city. It’s young, still figuring itself out, marked by inequality that’s visible everywhere you look. The Art Gallery experience, with its collapsed roof and cancelled Ubers, reminded me that this city doesn’t let you forget its challenges. The crime statistics are sobering. The spatial segregation still persisting three decades after democracy was very jarring for me.

But there’s something about Johannesburg’s energy that got to me. The multilingual Uber drivers speaking seven languages. The volunteers who are trying to save the Art Gallery. The enthusiasts preserving aviation history. The student cafes in Braamfontein. The sheer determination of a city still chasing dreams of fortune, just like those first 3,000 gold seekers in 1886.

Johannesburg rewards those willing to look beyond the headlines and see a city in motion – hustling, creative, complex, and very much alive. Many tourists only use Johannesburg as a stop prior to Kruger National Park. I suggest that when you come, you grapple with its realities. I plan to discover “more gold” next visit.

Next week: Cape Town.