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Visitor's Information for Johannesburg

Johannesburg is South Africa’s largest city. Johannesburg has a population of 3.2 million people (South African 2001 census), half of which live in Soweto and adjacent suburbs. The majority of the population is formed by South Africa’s black residents who mostly live in Soweto), while whites represent 500,000 residents (although the number is likely to be higher). There are also around 300,000 Coloured and Asian residents. Unlike other South African cities, no language group dominates, although English is the established lingua franca.

The city is the economic hub of South Africa, and increasingly for the rest of Africa. Although estimates vary, about 10% of sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP is generated in Johannesburg. Yet the cities wealth is unequally distributed among its inhabitants causing the city to have, wihtin its own boarders, living conditions varying from first world standards to third world conditions. The contrast between rich and poor has led to one of the highest crime rates in the world. The ‘haves’ tend to live in houses with a high level of security by western standards, whilst the ‘have nots’ live in shacks or cheap housing. Don’t avoid avoid Johannesburg because of its crime however, since it is perfectly possible to have a safe and enjoyable stay if precautions are taken. Many South Africans elect to live here over other, safer parts of the country.

There are many things that are unique to Johannesburg. It features a distinct street entrepreneurship, and motorists are able to buy almost anything from vendors selling goods at traffic lights. This includes food, umbrellas, soccer balls, cellular phone accessories and many other goods. Barber shops consisting of nothing but a chair and an enthusiastic barber can be found on the sides of roads, although they tend to specialize in African rather than Caucasoid hair. Mine dumps can also been seen throughout the city and are a reminder of the city’s legacy of gold mining. These dumps are fast disappearing as new gold extraction techniques have made it profitable for mining companies to reprocess these dumps. With around 6 million trees, Johannesburg is most likely the world’s largest man-made urban forest. The city is certainly one of the greenest in the world, considering that the natural landscape is savannah. The weather is generally regarded as excellent; temperatures reach the mid-30s Celsius in the summer months (December, January and February) with little to no wind and with occasional, spectacular afternoon thunderstorms. Temperatures in winter can drop into single digits but snow is extremely rare.

There are plenty of airlines offering flights to Johannesburg from major UK airports including London Heathrow, Birmingham, Manchester, Aberdeen, Belfast, Glasgow, Cardiff, New Castle, London Gatwick.

• O.R Tambo International Airport, tel,(+27) 11 921-6911, is Johannesburg main airport. It is the busiest airport in Africa as it is the connecting hub for flights to South Africa. For this reason there are many flights to Johannesburg from major cities all over the world, especially London, as well as numerous local flights, on a daily basis. If you arrive in the early morning when most flights from Europe arrive, be prepared for very long waits at Immigration. The airport is located east of Johannesburg, 24 kilometers from the city center. It’s a quick drive by hotel shuttle, hired car or taxi to your destination. Try to avoid the many banks and money changers in the airport concourse. They display the exchange rates but nowhere do they indicate the excessive “commissions” that can reduce what you actually get by 10% or more. Buy some Rand before you leave home.
• Lanseria Airport, is Johannesburg’s other airport that caters for passengers on commercial airlines. It is privately owned unlike O.R. Tambo which is run by the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA). Situated north west of Johannesburg, it is closer to the Sandton, Pretoria, Westrand and Midrand regions, but fewer airlines fly to this airport and it is mostly used for regional, corporate and diplomatic passage. There are however regular flights from Lanseria to Cape Town.

By car

A high number of highways from everywhere in South Africa go to Johannesburg, like the N1 from Cape Town and Bloemfontein or the N3 from Durban making it an easy to reach destination. Highways are:

• N1 from Cape Town and Harare in Zimbabwe
• N3 from Durban
• N4 from Nelspruit and the Kruger National Park, as well as Botswana
• N12 from Kimberley and Potchefstroom
• N14 from Upington and Namibia

Traffic can be particularly bad during peak hours (M-F 7.30AM-9AM and 4PM-6.30PM) so plan your journey accordingly. Due to the increasing number of cars sold, traffic in Johannesburg has progressively got worse. If traveling in the city Monday through Friday, make sure you take into consideration the possibility of traffic jams delaying your journey. As the city is large and spread out, getting around may require covering large distances e.g. from Midrand to Soweto is in excess of 45 km.

By train

• Park Station is Johannesburg’s central station and is in the city center between Rissik (west), Wolmarans (north), Wanderers (east) and De Villiers (south) streets - it occupies several blocks. Whilst the station itself is quite safe, the areas around it may not be ; be careful and try to organise onward transport prior to arrival. All long-distance Spoornet trains are quite safe, as are most MetroRail trains,
• Spoornet is a freight train company but they do have a branch that offers a passenger service called: Shosholoza Meyl. There are 8 primary routes that link South Africa’s cities with smaller towns along each route. There are regular inter-city trains to destinations all over the country, including Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Kimberley, Port Elizabeth, East London, Pietermaritzburg, Nelspruit and Polokwane. Passengers can chose to travel in the tourist class where there is an option of either a coupe that can accommodate two people or a compartment that can seat four people. If traveling over night these compartments become bedrooms. Another option is the economy class which of course is cheaper, with chairs that can recline but not, alas, turn into beds. There is dinning car on the trains where you can buy food. If you are traveling in a coupe or compartment then there is a trolley service available saving you form ever having to leave your compartment
• MetroRail operates frequent commuter trains to many suburbs and outlying towns. As Metrorail operates services in several separate cities, for operational purposes it is subdivided into five regions. The Witwatersrand region is the region that covers the greater Johannesburg Metropolitan area. Trains run from Johannesburg and Germiston outwards to Springs, Pretoria, Soweto and Krugersdorp.

By bus

Long-distance buses arrive at Park Station. All major bus companies provide a service to and from Johannesburg. A few of these include:

• Greyhound the well know bus service offering services to destinations all over south africa.
• Translux, their route network extends to many South African destinations and major cities in Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
• Magic Bus, Focuses on short distance transportation i.e scheduled airport shuttling.
• S.A Roadlink, Has cohttp://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Johannesburg&action=edit&section=8aches traveling to and from major major city centers in South Africa.
• The Baz Bus, Offers a Hop on Hop off service aimed at backpackers. There are two routes between Johannesburg and Durban; one via the Drakensberg and one via Swaziland. From Durban, the service then continues along South Africa’s coast to Cape Town.

Soweto is an increasingly popular destination for travellers from around the world. The Apartheid museum is a worth while stop for any traveller wanting to learn more about the South Africa’s previous regime. The Market Theatre precinct, Museum of Africa and Newtown (New Town) are particularly vibrant sectors of the city centre. By day, a walk around Newtown (preferably in a small group) will give you a taste for the wide range of traditions and cultures the city plays host to.

• Top of Africa, Carlton Centre, 150 Commissioner St (Take the elevator from the second floor to the fiftieth). 8AM to 7PM daily. Get a panoramic view of the city from the top of Africa’s tallest building Rand 7.50.
• Johannesburg Planetarium, Yale Road, Entrance 10, University of the Witwatersrand, Milner Park, planet@planetarium.co.za. See their website for upcoming shows. From Rand 16 to Rand 25, depending on show.

Museums and Galleries

• Johannesburg Art Gallery, Corner of Klein and King George streets, Joubert Park. The biggest gallery on the African continent with a good collection of local and international work on display. And its free.
• Mandela Family Museum in Orlando West, Soweto (Mandela’s first house).
• The Apartheid Museum. A very moving and informative trip through South Africa’s turbulent past and present. It takes at least a half day to go through and includes video, pictures and many artifacts that you can easily spend a day looking through. It is located alongside Gold Reef City and is simply a must see.
• Chérie De Villiers Gallery, Lower Level, Rosebank Mall, Rosebank. Art by South African artists.
• Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, Electric Workshop building, cnr Miriam Makeba and President street, Newtown. 9AM to 5PM Mon to Fri and 9AM to 4:30PM weekends and public holidays. Adults: R20, children: R10.
• Standard Bank Gallery, Corner Simmonds and Frederick Streets, Johannesburg. Open 8AM to 4:30PM Monday to Friday and 9AM to 1PM on Saturdays. Entrance is free.
• South African National Museum of Military History, Erlswold Way, Saxonwold (Next to the Johannesburg Zoo). Open daily 9AM to 4:30PM. A good collection of military hardware, including one of very few ME 262 jet fighters from WW2 still in existence. There is also a South African built G6 self propelled, 155mm howitzer on show. A snack shop as well as a shop selling genuine and reproduced vintage military equipment is located within the museum. R20 entrance fee.
• James Hall museum of Transport, Pioneers’ Park, Rosettenville Road, La Rochelle. Open Tue to Sun 9AM to 5PM. Largest museum dedicated to transport in South Africa. Free entrance.
• Origins Centre - The South African Museum of Rock Art: A Museum in Africa for the people of the world. An excellent multimedia display of the rock art and the origins of humankind. Good curio shop, book shop and coffee shop. Yale Road, University of the Witwatersrand, Braamfontein. 9AM to 4:30PM. Students R35. Adults R65

• Township Tour to Soweto, a tour that will take you around the densely populate but vibrant town of Soweto.
• Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens, (The gardens can be tricky to find as it is not well signposted from the main roads. From the N1 get onto Hendrik Potgieter at exit 80 (Roodepoort/M8 14th Ave). Follow the signs indicating Tarlton (M47) to the north. Pass Clearwater mall, turn left into Handicap Road and right into Malcolm Road where you see the first signpost for the gardens. The gardens will be on your left a couple of hundred meters from here.). One of the last green areas remaining within Johannesburg. Lots of birds, including the endangered Black Eagle. There is a restaurant situated within the grounds as well as picnic and braai areas. R18 per person, discounts for students and pensioners.
• Constitution Hill, the site of the notorious Old Fort prison complex.
• South African Lipizzaners, 1 Dahlia Road, Kyalami (Follow the N1 towards Pretoria, take exit 108 Midrand, R561 Allandale Road towards Kyalami. Kyalami Road and Main Road intersects at the entrance to the Kyalami racetrack, turn right here. At the second traffic light, turn left and follow Main Road, look out for Maple Road to your right. Turn right into Maple Road and right again into Crocus Road). Other than Vienna, this is the only place you will ever got to see performing Lipizzaners recognized by the Spanish Riding School. Booking can also be done via computicket
• Lesedi Cultural Village, (Just past the Lanseria Airport on the R512). Traditional dances and food in authentic Zulu, Sotho, Pedi, Xhosa and Ndebele villages.
• Lion Park, R114 near the corner with Hans Strijdom (R512), Honeydew (From the N1, take exit 90, Randburg/R512 Hans Strydom Dr. and follow this north past Kya Sands. At the 4 way stop with the R114, take a right turn. The Lion Park is two hundred meters down the road on the right.). The entrance ticket gives you a visit with the lion cubs (yes, you get to touch them) and a self drive game viewing through the lion camps and game area (antelope, zebra, giraffe and others live here). The Lion Park can be very busy over weekends and public holidays. If you want some quality time with the lion cubs, it is better to go during the week when it is not so busy. If you are going to drive through the lion enclosures, make sure there are no loose objects on the outside of your vehicle and keep your windows closed. The lions are especially fond of 4×4 spare wheel covers, so remove these before you enter. R80 per person.
• Montecasino Bird Gardens, Open weekdays from 8:30AM to 5PM and weekends from 8:30AM to 6PM (Shows at 11AM and 3PM daily with additional 1PM shows over weekends). Many birds and other small wildlife. Also look out for the 2500 year old tree located near the parrots.
• Visit a gold mine, such as the Old Kromdraai Gold Mine. The Kromdraai Gold Mine was one of the first gold mines on the Witwatersrand (the Johannesburg area today) and is situated in an unspoilt rural setting about 40 minutes drive from Johannesburg International airport and 20 minutes from Johannesburg city.R 1165-00 single ticket.
• Gold Reef City, Northern Parkway, Ormonde. An amusement park with a casino. The visitor can also learn about gold mining and go into a mine here. Unfortunately Gold Reef isn’t a theme-park of international standards so if you are expecting “Disney Land Africa” give it a miss.
• Ferreira’s Mine, Standard Bank Centre, 5 Simmonds Street. Open during normal banking hours 8AM to 4PM. This bank literally sits on gold. An old abandoned gold mine from the late 19th century was rediscovered during construction of the Standard Bank head office in the 1980s. After taking the access tunnels of the mine into account, construction continued over it. Portions of the original mine as well as the new museum associated with it, have been opened to the public. Entrance is free.

Events

• The A1GP Motor GP, is hosted during mid February at the Kyalami racetrack in Midrand. (From the N1 freeway, take the Allendale/Kyalami offramp, turn west and follow Allendale road to the racetrack entrance.)
• Coca-Cola Dome, cnr Olievenhout Avenue and Northumberland Road, North Riding (Next to the Northgate shopping mall). The Coca Cola stadium has numerous events throughout the year from wedding expos, to live motoring theater.

Always-On, provides prepaid WiFi access in a number of locations in and around Johannesburg. Simply connect to the access point and you will be given the opportunity to pay for access by credit card. Pricing starts at around R15 for 10 minutes or R60 for 100MB. Coverage areas include City Lodge. Most of them, The Baron. Bryanston and Woodmead, Mugg&Bean. Just about all of them, Nando’s. Benmore, Chilli Lane, Douglasdale, Rivonia, OR Tambo Airport. Most of the airport is covered as well as the City Lodge and Airport Sun InterContinental, Protea Balalaika Hotel, Wimpy. Midrand, Randburg, Centurion, Aero Centre.

HIV infection rate is high; avoid unprotected Sex at all costs! Municipal water is safe to drink. There is a Travel Clinic at OR Tambo International Airport

• Kloof Road Travel Clinic, 17 Kloof Road, Corner Arterial Road West Bedfordview, Dr DM Smith / Sr C Standford, Tel: +27 (0)11 616 4400, Fax: +27 (0)11 616 3757
• Airport Clinic & Travel Vaccination Centre, Ground Floor, New Domestic Arrivals Terminal, ☎ +27 (0)11 921-6609. GP, dentist, vaccinations and malaria prophylaxis

Hospitals

It is best to avoid public hospitals as standards have declined recently, but private hospitals are of world class standard. The following hospitals cater for 24 hour accident and emergency treatment:

• Sunninghill Hospital, Cnr Witkoppen & Nanyuki Rds, Sunninghill, ☎ +27 (0)11 806-1500.
• Millpark Hospital, 9 Guild Road, Parktown West, ☎ +27 (0)11 480-5600.

Be aware that Johannesburg has very high crime levels day and night. However, like many cities with a crime problem some places are quite safe while others can be quite dangerous, and with some places this may depend on whether it’s day or night.

You should keep security constantly in mind and tourists must remain alert at all times around the CBD. The recent installation of surveillance cameras in the CBD has decreased daytime robbery and theft, so it can generally be visited during the day on business days without incident. However, it is largely deserted at night, during weekends and on holidays so it is best to avoid visiting during those times.

Avoid travelling to areas such as Hillbrow or Berea at any time unless in a large group or with local guides. If travelling to townships make sure you go with an organised tour as crime is generally much higher in township areas, including Soweto. It is also prudent to avoid walking at night in the city centre. If you do travel at night make sure to remain in populated, well lit areas.

Carjacking is a common phenomenon in Johannesburg with one of the highest rates in the world. When you enter your car ensure that your doors are locked and windows are rolled up before starting your journey, night and day. Be particularly careful when going to and from your car as thieves often wait for victims to exit/enter their vehicle. Do not leave any valuables on the seats as it is likely that your window will be smashed and your belongings grabbed. At night, do not stop at red traffic lights if you see people lingering there, as they may be hijackers. Slow down and go through the red traffic lights, if necessary pay the fine.

Public transport use is discouraged as frequent attacks occur on the crowded services. Depending on the area, the city’s Metrobus service can be safe to ride, although it is often late.

Rape and sexual assault levels are exceptionally high and care should be taken due to the high HIV levels in Johannesburg. Females should avoid walking alone at all times and should try if possible to remain in large groups.

General advice is to try your best to look like a local and avoid at all costs displaying any form of wealth, including ear rings as these have been ripped from unsuspecting tourist ears.

Flights to Johannesburg

flights [at] flightstojohannesburg.co.uk
Telephone: 0208 150 6201
Lines are operated: Monday to Friday 7:30-20:00, Saturday 8:00-19:00, Sunday 9:00-18:00 UK time.
(For quality control and training purposes, your call may be recorded.)

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