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Stuff from Johannesburg

South African court blocks Zambian plan to sell Vedanta copper mine

Johannesburg in the news:

  1. South African court blocks Zambian plan to sell Vedanta copper mine: JOHANNESBURG/LUSAKA (Reuters) – South Africa's High Court on Tuesday has ordered the Zambian government to halt the sale of Vedanta … – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  2. UPDATE 2-South African court blocks Zambian plan to sell Vedanta copper mine: By Tanisha Heiberg and Helen Reid. JOHANNESBURG/LUSAKA, July 23 (Reuters) – South Africa's High Court on Tuesday has ordered the Zambian … – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  3. S. Africa president lauds socio-economic progress despite challenges: JOHANNESBURG, July 23 (Xinhua) — South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday said the country has made progress in addressing … – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  4. DA calls for Gauteng govt to act on complaints of Lenasia residents: Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba said: “Despite an undertaking from the ANC provincial government that land grabs would not be tolerated, the … – Google Alert – Johannesburg
  5. Here's why businesses in South Africa are selling up their properties right now: Survey respondents from the Greater Johannesburg Region perceived the highest levels of owner-occupier property selling due to financial … – Google Alert – Johannesburg

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Did you know this about Johannesburg? OR Tambo International Airport is the busiest airport in Africa: It’s estimated that more than 28 million people pass through this airport’s terminals every single year. OR Tambo International has also been around for more than 60 years – it was opened in 1952.

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The Oriental Plaza: A Phoenix in Fordsburg

If Johannesburg is a city of forced displacements, the Oriental Plaza is its most resilient response. While the Rand Club was built for the elite and Ponte for the “jet-set,” the Oriental Plaza was born from the trauma of the Group Areas Act—a piece of Apartheid legislation designed to geographically separate the races. Yet, in true Johannesburg fashion, what was intended as a tool of containment and financial ruin for the Indian community transformed into one of the most vibrant, independent commercial powerhouses in the country.

The story of the Plaza begins with the destruction of Pageview, affectionately known as Fietas. In the mid-20th century, Fietas was a legendary multicultural hub, centered around the bustling 14th Street. It was the city’s premier destination for textiles, clothing, and spices, where shoppers of all races would rub shoulders in a “jazzy, soulful” atmosphere. However, because Fietas was located so close to the white-only city center, the Apartheid government declared it a “white area” in 1962. The community fought back for decades, but by the 1970s, the bulldozers arrived. Homes were leveled, and the thriving traders of 14th Street were forcibly relocated to a purpose-built, modernist complex a kilometer away in Fordsburg: the Oriental Plaza.

The government’s intent was cynical: by moving the traders into a controlled environment with high state-mandated rents and strict rules on what could be sold, they hoped to break the back of Indian commercial dominance. The early years were devastating; many businesses folded, and the “Grand Bazaar” felt like a sterile warehouse compared to the street-level energy of Fietas. However, the traders refused to vanish. They eventually won the right to purchase their own shops, making the Oriental Plaza unique among South African malls because it is owned by the shopkeepers themselves rather than a corporate landlord. This ownership model changed everything. Without the burden of massive monthly mall rentals, the 360+ independent stores can offer prices that national retailers cannot touch, turning the Plaza into a “bargain-hunter’s paradise” that draws millions of visitors a year.