JOHANNESBURG
Area: South Africa


Location:
In the NE of the country, 300 miles inland from the Indian Ocean. 1,100 miles NE of Cape Town; 885 miles NW of Durban. 19 miles W of international airport.

Telephone code from UK:
27 11

Website:
http://www.southafrica.net/tourism/johan.html

Position:
At an altitude of 5,500 feet on the highveld (grassland plateau).

Description:
The city is only here at all because gold was discovered in huge quantities in 1886. Nothing remains of the original gold-rush town (except a Disney-style re-creation) and precious little of the Victorian city built on the great wealth is now to be seen. The hub of South Africa's massive mining and manufacturing industries. The centre is a mass of skyscraper office buildings surrounded by the most run-down inner city sprawl imaginable. Since the demolition of apartheid and the infamous pass laws, poor blacks have flooded into the city and crime is high. Johannesburg is no longer the murder capital of the world as it has been superseded by Durban. But the streets are effectively a no-go area for strangers or tourists and best avoided totally. Because of this even local businesses are relocating to the affluent northern suburbs such as Sandton and Rosebank, 8 and 4 miles away respectively, where small cities are sprouting _ with full security, of course.

Suitability:
In reality tourists only go to (or rather through) Johannesburg because it is the country's major airport hub and gateway to the province of Mpumalanga and its game reserves. Unless visiting friends or relations, or on business in the city, most people tend to avoid it as much as possible. If an overnight is necessary because of flight schedules, some people may prefer to use airport hotels.

Accommodation:
A relatively small selection of hotels from 3 to 5 stars used mainly for overnights between flights or onward connections on tours etc. Only one hotel used by UK tour operators remains in the city centre. The rest have followed the exodus of business premises and commercial offices out to the relatively safer, and definitely more pleasant, affluent northern suburbs like Rosebank and Sandton.

Shopping:
Mainly in modern, glitzy and expensive malls insulated from the weather and patrolled by armed security personnel.

Entertainments:
Little to see in the city other than anonymous skyscrapers and its rather frightening inner-city streets which most hotel staff and tour leaders will tell you to avoid unless escorted, especially at night. The suburbs are affluent and chic but of no scenic interest to the tourist. Best to be content with what is available in one's hotel and wait patiently to move on.

Eating:
Probably best to eat in and avoid the risk of travelling especially after dark.

Public-transport:
Best to use transport organised by your hotel. Car rental if required but it is essential to know your route, not to get lost and not to ask for directions in suspect areas.

Local-excursions:
Gold Reef City _ a re-creation of an old gold-mining town. Diamond mine visits. Soweto tour. City tour (day or night). Zoo (evening). Helicopter sightseeing.