MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

Tuna corruption scandal puts Mozambique on trial

Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa in the news:

  1. Tuna corruption scandal puts Mozambique on trial: The biggest corruption trial in Mozambique’s history is under way at a maximum security prison, at the same time as the credibility of the country’s judicial system is on trial in neighbouring South … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  2. Mozambique’s tuna corruption scandal puts justice on trial: The biggest corruption trial in Mozambique’s history is under way at a maximum security prison, at the same time as the credibility of the country’s judicial system is on trial in neighbouring South … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  3. The state of SA’s commercial property sector: Commercial Property Broker Survey Respondents continue to perceive easing in levels of financial pressure, with the rate of improvement slowing. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  4. Cheap Flights from Johannesburg Grand Central to Vipingo Airstrip (GCJ – VPG): Are there any travel restrictions from Johannesburg Grand Central to Vipingo Airstrip right now? Vipingo Airstrip currently has moderate travel restrictions in place. You can travel there, but you may … – “Johannesburg” – BingNews
  5. Pests, chainsaw massacres shrink Joburg’s green canopy: Johannesburg is losing up to 50 trees a day, sparking concerns that the city may lose its status as having one of the largest hand-planted urban forests in the world. – “Johannesburg” – BingNews

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Have you tried: Visiting Port Elizabeth?

Did you know this about Johannesburg? While Johannesburg has a reputation as one of the most dangerous cities in the world, it takes an average of only 60 seconds for police to respond to a crime scene in the central business district (CBD). There is a CCTV system that covers every street corner and scanning vehicle licence plates.

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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.