MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

City of Johannesburg to blame for Alex demolitions

Johannesburg in the news:

  1. City of Johannesburg to blame for Alex demolitions: Gauteng Human Settlements MEC Lebogang Maile said the City of Johannesburg should be held responsible for the evictions and demolitions in … – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  2. Judge frees pupil wrongly held after failing drug test: A 16-year-old Johannesburg schoolboy should never have been jailed after testing positive for cannabis during a school drug test, a court has found. – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  3. Gauteng Health Dept awaits report into alleged abuse of woman at hospital: JOHANNESBURG – The Gauteng Health Department is expected to receive a preliminary report on Friday morning into the circumstances … – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  4. Budding artists to live their musical dreams as Lift as You Rise comes to a close: … Priscilla (Botswana), The Real Barry Lane (Nigeria), Thato Jessica (Johannesburg), Jay Hood(Pretoria), and Flow Jones Jnr (Johannesburg). – Google Alert – Johannesburg

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Have you tried: Visiting Port Elizabeth?

Did you know this about Johannesburg? OR Tambo International Airport is the busiest airport in Africa: It’s estimated that more than 28 million people pass through this airport’s terminals every single year. OR Tambo International has also been around for more than 60 years – it was opened in 1952.

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The Maboneng Precinct: Architecture

Maboneng is architecturally distinct because it rejects the “demolish and rebuild” philosophy. Instead, it embraces adaptive reuse. The Bioscope, South Africa’s only independent cinema, operates out of an old industrial space; The Living Room is a lush rooftop oasis that offers panoramic views of the skyline from atop a concrete shell; and the Museum of African Design (MOAD) was housed in a massive 1970s warehouse. This aesthetic—exposed brick, industrial steel, and vibrant street art—has become the visual shorthand for “cool” Johannesburg. The murals here are particularly significant; they aren’t just decoration but are often massive social commentaries by local and international street artists like Faith47 and ROA, turning the very walls of the city into a public gallery.

However, Maboneng is also at the center of a complex debate regarding gentrification and social integration. Critics argue that while the precinct is a “bubble” of safety and creativity, it often stands in stark contrast to the surrounding poverty of the inner city. The challenge for Maboneng has always been how to be an engine for economic growth without alienating the residents who lived there during the “dark” years. In response, many initiatives within the precinct focus on local entrepreneurship, such as the Market on Main, which provides a platform for local food vendors and designers every Sunday.