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Stuff from Johannesburg

Golf Club victim’s condition remains unchanged | MyJHB.co.za

Johannesburg in the news:

  1. Golf Club victim’s condition remains unchanged: Zander Kotze, who remains in a coma, is being transferred to a rehabilitation unit in Johannesburg for further treatment. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  2. Michael Boxall becoming Minnesota United record holder and culture creator: When Michael Boxall walked off the field in Houston after a 90-minute shift last Saturday, the Loons center back had no idea he just made Minnesota United history with his 85th MLS appearance for the … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  3. House to Rent in Maboneng: Well maintained Studio apartment in Maboneng Located in the cultural hub Maboneng, Johannesburg, the apartment offers open kitchenette, bedroom opens up onto a balcony and 1bath. The apartment block … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  4. Joburg mom wins son’s right to death benefit: For two years an unemployed Johannesburg mother struggled to raise R2,000 for a DNA test to prove her son’s paternity so the child could qualify for his father’s death benefit. Then she discovered … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  5. Joburg school criticised over handling of girl’s ‘shoving’ charge: The Gauteng education department has told Rand Park High in Johannesburg to re-admit a girl who stopped going to school out of fear after allegedly being “shoved” by her former boyfriend on the school … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews

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Did you know this about Johannesburg? It has the world’s largest hospital: The Chris Hani-Baragwanath Hospital has the ability to serve up to 3.5 million people in Johannesburg.

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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.