MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

Reformed robber and drug dealer co-found prison farm project

Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa in the news:

  1. Reformed robber and drug dealer co-found prison farm project: Two former Johannesburg jail inmates decided last year they would go back to prison — and the correctional services department welcomed them back by giving them a set of keys. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  2. Inside Ace’s dark web: “I hope ‘Gangster State’ illustrates the powerful impact that fact-based, long-form investigative journalism can have in a society hampered by corruption and other abuses.” … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  3. The battle for the soul of the South African Institute of Race Relations: The founder’s descendants are concerned about the institute’s ideological direction as the institute appears to be taking on the concerns and values of the American right wing, from opposing gun … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  4. South Africa produces its first COVID-19 test kit: South Africa has started manufacturing rapid COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction PCR test kits to stop reliance on imports an … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  5. SACP saddened at passing of NUM regional leader: It is reported that NUM PWV Region chairperson, Ndlela Radebe and his wife, Lesiah Mandolo Radebe’s passing was related to Covid-19 related complications. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews

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Have you tried: Whale and Dolphin Watching in Algoa Bay?

Did you know this about Johannesburg? The Ansteys Building at the corner of Jeppe and Joubert Streets was designed by Emley and William and completed in 1937. It is recognised as a prime example of Art Deco Architecture, a style synonymous with modernisation, optimism and Americanisation before World War 2. The departmental store, N. Anstey’s and Company, occupied the first four floors of the building. The tea terrace was on the fourth floor and was a destination of choice for the ladies of the northern suburbs. The building is 20 storeys high and was, when it was completed, the highest building in the southern hemisphere. The remaining storeys were offices and apartments, some of them occupying an entire floor. The building terminates in a mast designed for docking air ships.

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The Cradle of Humankind and Ancient Roots

While the modern city is only about 140 years old, the ground beneath it holds the secrets of humanity’s earliest ancestors. Located just 50 kilometers northwest of the city center is the Cradle of Humankind, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This area contains a complex system of limestone caves, including the famous Sterkfontein Caves, where nearly 40% of all the world’s human ancestor fossils have been discovered.

Significant finds like “Mrs. Ples” (Australopithecus africanus) and the near-complete skeleton of “Little Foot” have provided scientists with crucial evidence about how early hominids walked upright and transitioned into the Homo genus. More recently, in 2013, the discovery of Homo naledi in the Rising Star cave system stunned the scientific community, suggesting that ancient human relatives may have practiced ritualized burial much earlier than previously thought. This proximity to the “birthplace of humanity” gives Johannesburg a unique cultural depth; while it is a city of skyscrapers and high finance, it is also a place where you can stand on the very ground where our species took its first steps.