MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

‘It’s me’ – Mbedu sits down with talk show host Ellen DeGeneres

Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa in the news:

  1. ‘It’s me’ – Mbedu sits down with talk show host Ellen DeGeneres: South African actor Thuso Mbedu on the Ellen Degeneres Show. Picture: Twitter/@ThusoMbedu JOHANNESBURG – South African actor Thuso Mbedu has raised the South African flag higher than ever before. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  2. Abandoned as a Baby in Cardboard Box, Angel Inspires Others with Dream of Becoming Miss South Africa: Natal, has bravely shared her heartbreaking – and heartwarming – real-life story that is inspiring South Africans across the nation. Angel’s life may have sadly begun in a cardboard box… but now she’s … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  3. Children’s rights organisation wants the police to do more to protect youngsters from sexual and physical abuse: The lack of police action in cases involving minors has been lambasted during Child Protection Week commemorations. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  4. Boxing trainer Colin Nathan tests positive for Covid in Russia: Boxing trainer Colin Nathan has tested positive for Covid-19 in Russia and is spending a mandatory 10-day isolation period in hospital. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  5. GP govt under pressure to reopen Charlotte Maxeke Hosp as COVID cases spike: With the province leading the uptick in COVID-19 cases and subsequently driving the third wave of infections nationally, Premier Makhura is seeking to declare Charlotte Maxeke Hospital a local state … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews

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Have you tried: Reach Trust for Solar and Building Management?

Did you know this about Johannesburg? Where Johannesburg got it’s name from: The fledgling town of Johannesburg was laid out on a triangular wedge of “uitvalgrond” (area excluded when the farms were surveyed) named Randjeslaagte, situated between the farms Doornfontein to the east, Braamfontein to the west and Turffontein to the south. The property belonged to the government. The Surveyor-General of the ZAR issued an instruction that the farm be surveyed as a township, consisting of 600 stands measuring fifty feet by fifty feet. The first auction of stands took place on 8 December 1886. The settlement was named after two officials of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR), Christiaan Johannes Joubert and Johannes Rissik, who both worked in land surveying and mapping. The two men combined the name they shared, adding ‘burg’, the archaic Afrikaans word for ‘fortified city’.

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The Socio-Political Crucible of Soweto

You cannot understand Johannesburg without understanding Soweto (an acronym for South Western Townships). Originally established as a “labor dormitory” to house black miners away from the white city center, Soweto grew into a sprawling metropolis of over 1.3 million people and became the epicenter of the struggle against Apartheid.

The township is home to Vilakazi Street, the only street in the world to have been home to two Nobel Peace Prize winners: Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. It was also the site of the 1976 Soweto Uprising, when thousands of students protested against the forced use of Afrikaans in schools. The police response and the subsequent death of 13-year-old Hector Pieterson catalyzed international condemnation of the Apartheid regime. Today, Soweto is a vibrant cultural hub, blending historical landmarks like the Orlando Towers (now used for bungee jumping) with a booming tourism industry and a sophisticated middle class. It represents the city’s resilience—a place born from segregation that transformed into a symbol of liberation and modern South African identity.