As a newcomer to Joburg, everything is exciting … and somewhat scary. So what a pleasure it was to find an escape that represents the best of Johannesburg – right in the hub of the city.
Having relocated from the Mother City just a few months ago, one can empathise with the tremendous adjustments I’ve had to make. For one, the chilled Cape Town CBD allowed me to happily walk to work; it took me 20 minutes to get from my place to work. Now I spend about an hour and a half in traffic ... one-way.
Why does one choose to live in such conditions – where BMW-driving bullies feel they are more entitled to be in a rush than you; or where taxi drivers simply create their own lane just to get to point B faster?
I found my answer during a recent South African Tourism and Gauteng Tourism Authority three-day roadshow.
According to freelance journalist, author and tour guide around old and new Chinatown Ufrieda Ho: “Johannesburg attracts those who want to make it big.”
While walking the streets of old and new Chinatown, Ho told of how people from all walks of life have come to live in Johannesburg, making it their home. Chinese immigrants from Guangdong province in south China settled in South Africa from the late 1800s. “Now we have a city with two Chinas,” she said.
Old Chinatown is situated at the western end of Commissioner Street, in downtown Johannesburg; and new Chinatown can be found in Cyrildene, east of Johannesburg, along Derrick Avenue.
We also saw some stunning street art – Joburg is lucky to have hundreds of sculptures and pieces of street art scattered around the inner city, which are well preserved by locals.
Take for example the 3m-tall steel pigeon sculptures situated at the intersection of Main and Main Reef roads in Ferreirasdorp, just a block from Joburg’s original Chinatown in Commissioner Street.
The sculptures are rarely found without pigeons posing on their metal rods, or locals feeding the pigeons.
After experiencing some of the delicacies of the two Chinatowns, we headed to the Maboneng Precinct, on the east side of the Johannesburg CBD, the ultimate go-to place for the quirky, the arty and the innovative.
It was incredible to discover how a concrete jungle such as the Johannesburg inner city brings to life ideas from big dreamers.
Take, for example, the Main Change building, home to entrepreneurs and innovators from all walks of life. Here you will find the Blackanese sushi bar, run by entrepreneur Vusi Kunene, the Eco Urban café on the rooftop, and other places of creative business.
Arts on Main, also in the Maboneng Precinct, is a favourite of mine, a place where cool kids roam the streets (just like Cape Town) and young people create business while having fun.
Bheki Dube, one of these young entrepreneurs, is founder and managing director of Curiocity Backpackers and Mainstreetwalks.
As he took us around Maboneng, he shared how being born and bred in Jozi has shaped and developed his business model.
“I grew up here and I have developed a passion for the city, which has translated into business ventures such as Mainstreetwalks and Curiocity Backpackers. Walking around and mixing with locals is the best way of discovering Johannesburg,” he shared.
Kunene and Dube represent just some of the many inspiring stories I heard on the roadshow.
I see now that Joburg is a place where dreams can become reality; a few road bullies – or any other mishaps – won’t keep this girl down.
