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Stuff from Johannesburg

Corruption Watch report finds Johannesburg the most corrupt city in South Africa

Johannesburg in the news:

  1. Corruption Watch report finds Johannesburg the most corrupt city in South Africa: The report shows that major cities receive the majority of complaints, with Johannesburg receiving the most. Over 31 per cent of corruption cases … – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  2. Mango to commence Johannesburg Lanseria-Port Elizabeth service in Jul-2019: Mango plans to commence twice daily Johannesburg Lanseria-Port Elizabeth service on 11-Jul-2019, according to the CAPA Route Changes … – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  3. ANC and DA try to gain upper hand in municipal stalemate: The IFP forms part of Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba's executive, but his relationship with the party has been — and remains — icy at best. – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  4. The Weekend Guide: Grace Mokalapa's 'Mysterious Forms – GB698' is one of the works on display at The Invisible Exhibition II, which is showing in Johannesburg until July … – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  5. City Power CEO orders probe into awarding of tender: City Power CEO Lerato Setshedi has ordered an investigation into the awarding of a tender after the High Court in Johannesburg declared it invalid … – Google Alert – Johannesburg

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Have you tried: Visiting Port Elizabeth?

Did you know this about Johannesburg? The Rand Club of Johannesburg is the oldest private members’ club in Johannesburg, South Africa, and founded in October 1887. The plan for the current, third, clubhouse was put on paper in 1902 and its construction was finished in 1904 on the design by architects Leck & Emley in the Edwardian neo-baroque style.

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The Oriental Plaza: A Phoenix in Fordsburg

If Johannesburg is a city of forced displacements, the Oriental Plaza is its most resilient response. While the Rand Club was built for the elite and Ponte for the “jet-set,” the Oriental Plaza was born from the trauma of the Group Areas Act—a piece of Apartheid legislation designed to geographically separate the races. Yet, in true Johannesburg fashion, what was intended as a tool of containment and financial ruin for the Indian community transformed into one of the most vibrant, independent commercial powerhouses in the country.

The story of the Plaza begins with the destruction of Pageview, affectionately known as Fietas. In the mid-20th century, Fietas was a legendary multicultural hub, centered around the bustling 14th Street. It was the city’s premier destination for textiles, clothing, and spices, where shoppers of all races would rub shoulders in a “jazzy, soulful” atmosphere. However, because Fietas was located so close to the white-only city center, the Apartheid government declared it a “white area” in 1962. The community fought back for decades, but by the 1970s, the bulldozers arrived. Homes were leveled, and the thriving traders of 14th Street were forcibly relocated to a purpose-built, modernist complex a kilometer away in Fordsburg: the Oriental Plaza.

The government’s intent was cynical: by moving the traders into a controlled environment with high state-mandated rents and strict rules on what could be sold, they hoped to break the back of Indian commercial dominance. The early years were devastating; many businesses folded, and the “Grand Bazaar” felt like a sterile warehouse compared to the street-level energy of Fietas. However, the traders refused to vanish. They eventually won the right to purchase their own shops, making the Oriental Plaza unique among South African malls because it is owned by the shopkeepers themselves rather than a corporate landlord. This ownership model changed everything. Without the burden of massive monthly mall rentals, the 360+ independent stores can offer prices that national retailers cannot touch, turning the Plaza into a “bargain-hunter’s paradise” that draws millions of visitors a year.