MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

Samir Nurkovic in Chiefs squad as Amakhosi arrive in Angola | MyJHB.co.za

Johannesburg in the news:

  1. Samir Nurkovic in Chiefs squad as Amakhosi arrive in Angola: Kaizer Chiefs have arrived in Angola for the second leg of their CAF Champions League 1st round encounter against Primeiro De Agosto. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  2. SA vs SL 2nd Test: Nortje, Elgar put hosts in driver’s seat on Day 1: Anrich Nortje’s six-wicket-haul and Dean Elgar’s unbeaten 92 put South Africa firmly in control against Sri Lanka in the second Test in Johannesburg. Sri Lanka were shot out for 157 in just over 40 … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  3. Three bust with gold bars worth R61m, foreign currency at OR Tambo: Authorities have arrested three suspected smugglers after gold weighing 73.5kg as well as foreign currency were found in their hand luggage at the OR Tambo International Airport. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  4. ANC’s fate in municipal election hangs on how it handles state capture report: How the ANC fares in this year’s municipal elections will largely depend on how it handles the outcome of the state capture’s report and gaining control of “rogue” members within the party. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  5. Three suspects to appear in court after police seized gold bars worth R60-million: Three suspects arrested for dealing in precious metal and contravening the Customs Act will appear in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court, east of Johannesburg, on Monday. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews

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Have you tried: Reach Trust for Solar and Building Management?

Did you know this about Johannesburg? At 269m high, the Hillbrow Tower is the tallest structure in Johannesburg. It used to have a revolving restaurant at the top, before it was closed down in 1981 for safety reasons. It is a prominent feature in the city’s beautiful skyline.

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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.