MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

Johannesburg residents to pay more for water, electricity from July

Johannesburg in the news:

  1. Johannesburg residents to pay more for water, electricity from July: Residents of Johannesburg will be hit hard in their pockets when the new tariff increases are announced, which will be effective from 1 July. Finance … – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  2. Ekurhuleni announces R11.4bln jump in budget: JOHANNESBURG – The City of Ekurhuleni has tabled a budget of R48.9 billion for the 2019/2020 financial year. This is a R11.4 billion jump from … – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  3. State demands conviction of 3 more 'Krugersdorp killers': The State has urged the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg to convict three more of the so-called "Krugersdorp Killers" for a number of murders … – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  4. Meet The Top Developers, Architects & Solution Providers In Johannesburg: The 6th Edition of The Real Estate Development Summit – Sub – Saharan is all set to take place at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, … – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  5. Smith to lead Lions from 8th man: JOHANNESBURG – Kwagga Smith will lead the Emirates Lions at Jonsson Kings Park against the Cell C Sharks on Saturday as Malcolm Marx sits … – Google Alert – Johannesburg

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Have you tried: Travelling to South Africa?

Did you know this about Johannesburg? There is also a Johannesburg in California, although it only has a population of 176 people (2000 census). It was named by miners who had worked in the gold mines of Johannesburg, South Africa.

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Ponte City: Transformation

As the “white flight” of the 1980s and 90s drained the inner city of capital, Ponte City underwent a dramatic and terrifying transformation. By the late 1990s, the building had become a “vertical slum” and a symbol of urban decay. It was famously “hijacked” by gangs; the retail levels were stripped, and the building became a fortress for drug dealing and human trafficking. The most haunting image from this era was the central core. Originally designed to be a light-filled courtyard, it became a literal trash heap. Residents on the upper floors would throw their refuse into the center of the building rather than taking it down. At its worst point, the trash in the core reached five stories high—a mountain of rotting debris, discarded furniture, and even, legend has it, the remains of those who had fallen or jumped.

During this period, the reputation of Ponte was so toxic that there was a serious proposal in 1998 to turn the entire skyscraper into a vertical prison. The plan was eventually scrapped, but the building remained a “no-go zone” for nearly a decade. The turnaround began in the mid-2000s when developers New Metro Property Group and later Dlala Nje began a massive, painstaking refurbishment. They cleared out the tons of trash from the core, restored the lifts (which had often been out of order, forcing residents to climb 50 flights of stairs), and implemented strict security protocols.