MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

Prime: 3rd Year Birthday Event

From what started out in April 2023 at Hallmark House to where things are, we can’t wait to see what the next 5 to 10 years has in store for our us and our plans with you.

We’re keeping details hush hush for now but do make sure to get your tickets now via the link in bio.

As always, know to expect a mixed genre event featuring a hip hop and R&B foundation.

Follow @primetime_za_ on ig for more updates 🙂

Please note:

Any persons who enter the venue, or attends this event – agrees in doing so at their own risk.

We, the organizers and the establishment, will not be held liable for any loss, damage, injury or death. By purchasing this ticket you’re agreeing to accept both the risk and responsibility of keeping yourself and your belongings safe.

MyZA Events

Click HERE to post your Rugby News for FREE. | Click HERE to Advertise your Johannesburg Event for FREE.

Category: Tag: , ,

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.