Afrika Tikkun & Belron International celebrating 22 years of the Annual Spirit of Belron Challenge!

15 September 2023 by Alan

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Afrika Tikkun & Belron International celebrating 22 years of the Annual Spirit of Belron Challenge!:

SA 1500m Champion, Nkosinathi Sibiya aims to boost his endurance at the Absa RUSH YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K

South Africa’s three time SA Champion in the 1500m, Nkosinathi Sibiya (Sophiatown, Johannesburg), has cast his eye on the fifth…

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The Wilds: A Sanctuary of Stone and Steel

The Wilds was officially opened to the public in 1938, carved out of the rocky “koppies” (hills) of the Witwatersrand. Unlike the manicured lawns of the city’s more traditional parks, The Wilds was designed to showcase South Africa’s botanical heritage. It is a vertical garden of sorts, featuring steep stone paths that wind through forests of yellowwood trees, proteas, and ancient cycads. At its highest point, the reserve offers one of the most spectacular views of the Johannesburg skyline, where the brutalist towers of Hillbrow seem to rise directly out of the prehistoric-looking vegetation.

However, like many of Johannesburg’s public spaces, The Wilds fell into a period of deep neglect during the late 1990s and early 2000s. As crime rates rose and the city’s maintenance budgets shifted, the reserve became overgrown and was perceived as a “no-go zone.” The waterfalls stopped running, the stone paths crumbled, and the once-vibrant greenhouse became a skeletal ruin. For nearly two decades, this incredible piece of real estate sat largely abandoned, used only by a few brave locals and the occasional film crew looking for a “wilderness” setting within city limits.