Johannesburg

Johannesburg
Johannesburg is undoubtedly the economic and industrial powerhouse of sub-Saharan Africa. Going by many names, it is at various times called Joburg, Egoli, the City of Gold or Jozi. Spreading out across the Highveld, it encompasses a number of different areas and suburbs, all with very different characters. One of the most surprising is that it comes up on satellite photographs as a sub-tropical area as it contains one of the largest man-made forests in the world.

The inner city is in a state of flux it is being rapidly revamped with new theatres, galleries and whole areas given over to cultural renewal. The Newtown Cultural Precinct is home to theatre, jazz, clubs and restaurants as well as museums making it one of the new trendy areas. As a major business center for the region, Johannesburg boasts a number of world-class conference facilities.

The Northern Suburbs which form the de facto business centre, is a monument to opulence while trendy areas like Melville speak eloquently of the creativity and vibrancy of the residents of this dynamic city. The sprawling township of Alexandria situated right next to the upmarket Sandton emphasises quite clearly the many-faceted nature of Johannesburg that is eloquently illustrated by the city-within-a-city of Soweto. With its prominent role in the overthrowing of apartheid, Soweto is an icon itself as the 16th most popular attraction in South Africa.

The heritage routes take travellers through history while seeing the homes of Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and spending some time drinking and eating in a local shebeen.