MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

SAA apologises to passengers for 'inconvenience' during flight to Washington

Johannesburg in the news:

  1. SAA apologises to passengers for 'inconvenience' during flight to Washington: South African Airways (SAA) has apologised to passengers who were travelling from Johannesburg and Accra, Ghana, to Washington DC, in the US, … – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  2. Faf to stay Test captain, change expected in shorter formats: Johannesburg – Faf du Plessis will captain South Africa in their three Test matches in India in October, but Proteas fans can expect to see a new … – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  3. 'Attacks on police tantamount to terrorism': Ntshavheni: JOHANNESBURG – An attack on law enforcement agencies is tantamount to terrorism. That's according to Small Business Development Minister, … – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  4. Win tickets to STOMP live in SA: Get ready to be entertained! STOMP is heading to Cape Town and Johannesburg, bringing the unique combination of percussion, movement and … – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  5. Gold Field flags lower first-half earnings' despite soaring metal output: South Africa's Gold Field Ltd., one of the largest gold mining firms in the world, headquartered in Johannesburg, said on Friday, the 2nd of August … – Google Alert – Johannesburg

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Have you tried: Travelling to South Africa?

Did you know this about Johannesburg? It takes one-minute longer to boil an egg in Johannesburg than it does in the coastal cities of Cape Town and Durban. This is because Joburg is 2000m above sea level, and the air is not as dense.

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Sophiatown: The Lost “Paris of the Transvaal”

Sophiatown’s golden age was the 1940s and 50s. It was a dense, vibrant, and often dangerous neighborhood, characterized by “backyard” rooms, shebeens (illegal speakeasies), and a sophisticated social scene. It was the birthplace of Kwaito’s ancestors and the legendary “Marabi” music—a blend of traditional African rhythms and American ragtime. The streets were home to the most iconic figures of African literature and music: Miriam Makeba found her voice here; Hugh Masekela received his first trumpet from a local priest; and the writers of Drum magazine, like Can Themba and Bloke Modisane, used the neighborhood as their muse. They dressed in Fedora hats and double-breasted suits, channeling the style of Hollywood gangsters and Harlem intellectuals, creating a world that was cosmopolitain, intellectual, and radically multi-racial.

However, the “Bohemia” of Sophiatown was an existential threat to the National Party’s vision of total racial separation. The government viewed it as a “black spot” in a white area. In 1955, the state launched Western Areas Removal Scheme. On the morning of February 9th, 2,000 heavily armed police officers moved in, forcing families into trucks at gunpoint. They were relocated to the newly established matchbox houses of the South Western Townships (Soweto), 20 kilometers away. The resistance was led by figures like Trevor Huddleston, the Anglican priest whose church, St. Joseph’s, still stands today. Despite the slogan “Ons dak nie, ons pola hier” (We are not moving, we are staying here), the bulldozers were relentless.