MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

Racial tensions as S.African farming town prays for peace | MyJHB.co.za

Johannesburg in the news:

  1. Racial tensions as S.African farming town prays for peace: “We are here to pray for Senekal and to pray for our nation,” said John Mathuhle, 39, a black pastor with the Christian Revival Church in the town some 300 kilometres (180 miles) south of Johannesburg … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  2. New Zealand cricket great John R Reid dies, aged 92: Reid brought up six Test centuries, the highest of which was his knock of 142 against South Africa at Johannesburg, in the Boxing Day Test of 1961. Following his playing days, Reid became a New … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  3. SA Harvest recommits to ending hunger on World Food Day: World Food Day is just around the corner for South Africa. According to a statement released by SA Harvest, it states that on October 16, more than 19 million South Africans will suffer from hunger. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  4. NZ Cricket mourn the loss of historic skipper, John R Reid: Reid brought up six Test centuries, the highest of which was his knock of 142 against South Africa at Johannesburg, in the Boxing Day Test of 1961. Following his playing days, Reid became a New … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  5. One suspect killed in shootout during robbery at Joburg store: A suspect was killed on Wednesday during a shootout after police and private security responded to an armed robbery at a store in Westonaria, Johannesburg. According to police spokesperson Mavela … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews

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Did you know this about Johannesburg? The Albert Hertzog Tower in Brixton Johannesburg was completed in 1962. It is 237-metre-high (778 ft) high concrete radio and (now) television tower. The first transmission took place on 22 December 1961. Presently 18 FM programs and 7 TV stations are broadcast from there. When Albert Hertzog fell into disfavour with the government, it was called the Brixton Tower. At present it is called the Sentech Tower.

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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.