MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

2021 Easter weekend travel: Our top three spots for families

Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa in the news:

  1. 2021 Easter weekend travel: Our top three spots for families: Here’s our handy guide for families detailing where to stay, and what to do within three local destinations over the 2021 Easter weekend. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  2. Police chairperson disappointed by further shooting of students: The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Ms Tina Joemat-Pettersson, is dismayed by reports of a further shooting and wounding of a student yesterday in Johannesburg. “This happened … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  3. Your Morning Briefing: Students have vowed to continue their protests as Tuesday marks day two of the shutdown at some tertiary education institutions. IPID: Eyewitnesses and ballistic analysis led to police arrest Accounts … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  4. Berlin theater manager quits after harassment claims: The manager of a prominent Berlin theater has stepped down in the wake of accusations by women of bullying and sexual harassment. Klaus Doerr announced his resignation from the … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  5. South African rand flat, retail sales data in focus: South Africa’s rand was flat early on Wednesday ahead of retail sales data due later in the day, which will give clues about the health of Africa’s most industrialised economy. JOHANNESBURG, March 17 … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews

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Have you tried: Whale and Dolphin Watching in Algoa Bay?

Did you know this about Johannesburg? The Johannesburg Zoo based in Parktown, is over 100 years old, and houses the only two polar bears in Africa – Geebee (who came from Canada) and Wang (who came from Japan).

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Ponte City: Transformation

As the “white flight” of the 1980s and 90s drained the inner city of capital, Ponte City underwent a dramatic and terrifying transformation. By the late 1990s, the building had become a “vertical slum” and a symbol of urban decay. It was famously “hijacked” by gangs; the retail levels were stripped, and the building became a fortress for drug dealing and human trafficking. The most haunting image from this era was the central core. Originally designed to be a light-filled courtyard, it became a literal trash heap. Residents on the upper floors would throw their refuse into the center of the building rather than taking it down. At its worst point, the trash in the core reached five stories high—a mountain of rotting debris, discarded furniture, and even, legend has it, the remains of those who had fallen or jumped.

During this period, the reputation of Ponte was so toxic that there was a serious proposal in 1998 to turn the entire skyscraper into a vertical prison. The plan was eventually scrapped, but the building remained a “no-go zone” for nearly a decade. The turnaround began in the mid-2000s when developers New Metro Property Group and later Dlala Nje began a massive, painstaking refurbishment. They cleared out the tons of trash from the core, restored the lifts (which had often been out of order, forcing residents to climb 50 flights of stairs), and implemented strict security protocols.