The History of Johannesburg

Were it not for George Harrison, a young Australian prospector working on a farm in Barbeton, Johannesburg would probably not be the bustling cosmopolitan city it is today. Not near any major port or ocean, Johannesburg in the Gauteng Province was a viable farming area for a few immigrant farmers and a handful of indigent Bantu-speaking people.

In the late 1800s, George Harrison kicked a rock one early Monday morning, and noticing the strange colour, immediately recognized it as gold. He sold it to a man called Frank Marsden, who in turn sold it for five times the amount he paid, to Alfred Heppel. The excitement soon increased when an even richer gold vein was discovered in the Witwatersrand (Ridge of White Waters), and a gold rush ensued, with prospectors coming in their droves from North America, Australia, and Europe.

The style of hotels and lodges and banks being built were mostly Victorian, with a couple of  “art deco” European style buildings. The control of land soon got out of hand, and tension between the farmers (boers) and the British, escalated into the Second Anglo-Boer War, which saw the English as the victors. Land and mining organization improved when the Union of  South Africa was declared in 1910.

The government then imposed heavy taxes on all non European miners, and forced the black community to perform menial labour tasks only. They then imposed the forced removal from land, and housed all of the non immigrant labourers in the South Western Townships, known today as Soweto.(tours are available from Sandton to Soweto, where mansions and corrugated iron huts stand side by side, with a chance to see history as it unfolded, at one of the memorials built in Soweto). Unhappy railway workers and miners caused major delays at the gold mines, by striking and downing tools, and in 1920, at least 70 000 black mineworkers walked off  in protest against the ever restricting way in which they had to live, but the army was called in, and forced them back to work.

This system which was called “apartheid”, was eventually stopped by President FW deKlerk, and the first non racial elections were held in this country, in 1994. Johannesburg is now divided into four regions, each with a major regional local council, and overseen by the metropolitan council. Although gold was the reason behind the huge growth, Johannesburg is also South Africa’s economic hub, as well as having the biggest airport in South Africa, with almost 80pc of international airlines using Johannesburg as the gateway city into other African, South Africa and the rest of the world. The Chamber of Commerce, as well as several mining companies and almost three quarters of the larger corporate companies have their head offices based in Johannesburg. The city employs 12pc of the country’s workforce. The Johannesburg Stock Exchange- called the Johannesburg Securities Exchange is,   the 16th largest in the world, and the city is also the centre of manufacturing, trade, service and finance.

Although South Africa has 11 official languages, the most prolific languages spoken in the region consists of Afrikaans, Zulu, Xhosa, and English. The city is trying to make it a safer place to visit and to do business in, with inner city crime almost turning downtown Johannesburg into a ghost town, but they do seem to be winning the battle. Conference facilities are available in almost every suburb, with one of the most prestigious ones being in Sandton, which can house up to 3 500 delegates, and hosts exhibitions, conferences, and special events, and also caters for the disabled. Shopping Malls with outside European like cafes, and piazza style courtyards, are thriving, with more locals and visitors alike, being able to explore and enjoy the city of Johannesburg once more.

Things to do in Johannesburg

There are plenty of things to do in Johannesburg, which include:

• The Carlton Centre, which was in the middle of the crime ridden area, has been renovated, and elite business companies have housed their headquarters in the centre. The shopping mall also houses attractive shops, and you can go to the 52nd floor, and have an uninterrupted panoramic view of the city, including the Madiba Bridge, which was completed and unveiled in 2003. The Madiba Bridge links the business district of Braamfontein to the funky upcoming suburb of Newtown, where art galleries, shopping malls, and eateries can be found. The Bus Factory in Newton, offers you the chance to see skilled workers weaving their magic as they make traditional African curios, with an opportunity to buy.  Johannesburg has plenty to offer the businessman, visitor, or family. The city is easily accessible, with well sign-posted roads, and the amount of entertainment or shopping, or eateries, leaves you spoilt for choice.

• The Sandton City Mall, with over 300 shops, is linked to Nelson Mandela Square, with restaurants offering sushi to superb curries, dotted around the edge of this piazza. The Liberty Theatre which runs high quality productions is also on the square, and you will often find free live entertainment, or an art show happening as you sit and relax outside at one of the restaurants. African art, books and antiques can be bought at any major shopping mall, and craft markets abound, selling everything from African curios, cds, to clothing. Rosebank Mall, an upmarket, cosmopolitan shopping mall, offers the discerning shopper everything from African art, international and local brand clothing, to something unusual and special for your home.

• There is also a Sunday Rooftop market, with live African musicians and dancers  making it a fun day while you shop for clothes, and curios from all over Africa. Craft markets are held in almost every open space, with Bruma Lake being the biggest market, offering a huge selection- from food to art.  

• There is also an array of Johannesburg sports that can be arranged from a flight in a combat jet, hang gliding, sky diving, bungee jump, horse ride, ice skate, go river rafting, or even surfing, they  all within easy reach of the city’s centre.

• The Lion Park just outside of the city,  offers the visitor with limited time, a chance to see wildlife in a natural setting, including white lions, hyena, wild dog, leopards, and various breeds of antelope.

• The Johannesburg Zoo has the only two polar bears in Africa, as well as Komodo Dragons. Set in beautifully landscaped gardens, it also has a stunning lake, as well as snakes and reptiles. Botanical gardens with a chance to see the endangered Black Eagle is also within easy reach, as well as a host of museums, offering insight to the apartheid era, to gold, medicine, zoology, money, as well as the newly refurbished MuseauMAfrica, , also in Newtown, which is the major history and cultural museum in Johannesburg. Another interesting museum is the Origins Centre, which is the only museum in the world which traces the history of modern mankind-fascinating exhibitions of rock art, and the evolution of man, as well as an exhibition of genetic testing, which explains the link to our ancestors.

• Art galleries are well worth visiting, often exhibiting international as well as local artists, with some of the art galleries specializing in contemporary works, while others, like the Everard Read  Gallery, seem to specialize in wildlife paintings and sculptures. About an hour away from the city, a World Heritage Site, called the Cradle of Humankind is worthy of a longer visit than just a day, but can be done if time is limited. This is where the most perfectly formed human skull was found, and the majestic Magaliesberg Mountains beckon for exploring, whether by hot air balloon, or any of the other exciting means on offer.

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