MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

SABC appeals for calm following reports of job cuts

Johannesburg in the news:

  1. SABC appeals for calm following reports of job cuts: JOHANNESBURG – The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is appealing to the public to allow for the process of funding to be finalised … – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  2. Diepsloot 'shutdown' called off for fear of looting, xenophobia – reports: A planned shutdown of Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg, that was meant to begin on Monday, has been suspended owing to fears of looting and … – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  3. Jacob Zuma to have say on corruption claims at Zondo Inquiry: JOHANNESBURG – His name has been mentioned during incriminating testimony by several witnesses at the state capture commission of inquiry … – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  4. S.Africa's Zuma to take centre stage at graft inquiry: Johannesburg (AFP) – Former South African president Jacob Zuma is due Monday to testify at a judicial inquiry where he faces tough questioning over … – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  5. Security tight ahead of Zuma's appearance at inquiry: Officers from the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) were already manning the Empire and Hillside road intersection by yesterday … – Google Alert – Johannesburg

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

Did you know this about Johannesburg? Sophiatown was originally part of the farm Waterval. In 1897 the speculator Hermann Tobiansky acquired a 237-acre portion of the farm, which was situated about four miles or so west of the centre of Johannesburg. In 1903 he had some of the land surveyed as leasehold township, divided into almost 1700 small stands. The township was named after Tobiansky’s wife, Sophia, and some of the streets were named after his children Toby, Gerty, Bertha and Victoria. Blacks started acquiring land in Sophiatown.

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The World’s Largest Man-Made Urban Forest

One of the most surprising facts about Johannesburg is its status as a “green” city. When the first settlers arrived, the Highveld was a barren, treeless grassland (savannah). To support the mining industry, millions of trees were imported and planted to provide timber for mine underground supports. Fast forward to the present day, and Johannesburg is widely considered the largest man-made urban forest in the world.

There are an estimated 10 million trees within the city limits. This includes 1.2 million trees on sidewalks and in parks, and over 4.8 million in private gardens. This forest is so dense that satellite images of the northern suburbs often resemble a tropical rainforest. The most iconic of these trees is the Jacaranda, which was imported from South America in the early 20th century. Every October and November, the city turns a vibrant shade of purple as thousands of Jacarandas bloom simultaneously. However, this “forest” also highlights the city’s historical inequality; during the Apartheid era, trees were predominantly planted in wealthy white suburbs, leaving townships like Soweto as dusty plains. In the last two decades, “Greening Soweto” initiatives have seen hundreds of thousands of trees planted to bridge this “green divide,” emphasizing the role of urban forestry in social justice and climate cooling.