r/johannesburg • u/sadunfair • 3d ago
My visit to Joburg
This post may come off to locals as a bit odd but I wanted to just share a note about the 10 nights and days I stayed in Joburg recently and how I came away feeling like it is one of the coolest cities I have been to. No, honestly.
I did spend a few days in CT and it is really amazing. The scenery there is so stunning, yes. It is truly one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. So going there first then coming to Joburg would seem like a colossal let down. And it was at first. I came with my sister and we went to the Eastgate Mall to get food because we were staying in the airbnb in Ponte. I had hoped to go on the N3 to the M2 but GPS rerouted us along Albertina Sisulu which was eye opening. When we got to Bertrams Rd. there were no lights... and I was a bit leery, I guess and my sister was like, "it's fine, it looks like Philadelphia" (we are from the US). And at the intersection, everyone was... taking turns, being courteous, not honking or road raging like I am used to.
The drive through Berea to Ponte was like... again somewhere in the US, maybe Baltimore or Philadelphia. The buildings have seen better days but there are satellite dishes and people living their lives. You'd be hard pressed to spot major differences between ungentrified Harlem and Hillbrow in some places.
The flat is amazing (on the 54th floor) and the views are spectacular. We did some tourist stuff from Ponte, a tour of Hillbrow, a bike tour of Soweto, a walk through The Wilds, etc. A day trip to Pilanesberg. Overall, I was not expecting Joburg to feel so familiar and look like Southern California as much as it does. Also, I was ready for machine gun toting guys to jump us at any moment when I arrived but was kind of surprised at how Joburg, even Hillbrow, is dead quiet late at night.
We went to Vic Falls and I came back alone (my sister went home), stayed one night in the CBD and then went to Namibia. After that I had planned to go to Athens but decided to come back to Joburg instead to relax and take a break from being on the go (back at the Ponte). The ride at night from the airport through the CBD in an uber was actually more scary than driving through Hillbrow/Berea. The uber driver had this look of terror and dread the whole time so that did not help. When I came back, I was able to meet up with a couple friends of friends and really just see Joburg. I drove around a lot and saw some interesting places. Yes, I was watching out for car hijackers and double checking the door after I locked it but that is unfortunately because I am used to doing that where I live now.
I was truly surprised at how many people I met who are quite terrified of Hillbrow/Ponte/Berea even though they have never been. I was actually more nervous driving in areas with really high walls because it is very difficult to see around the corners. Luckily I never lost power or water. The roads in Joburg would put the roads in many North American cities to shame and that is not hyperbolic. I did not go through Alexandra but we did drive into and then bike around Soweto which was not at all intimidating. But driving through areas like Orange Grove, the CBD, Braamfontein, Sophiatown, Rosettenville, Germiston, etc. (plus lots of Pretoria too). I was blown away at how much more "normal" everything seemed than I was expecting.
The biggest differences I really noticed were:
- Security everywhere: I guess that you just get used to having your license scanned every place you go and having security people even in garages.
- Warning of crime: Everyone is always talking about crime constantly. Yes, I know this is a major issue but I did not see any crimes nor did I feel unsafe at any point. Again, coming from high crime areas in the US, I was not naive and did my best not to put myself into dangerous situations but overall, it was a lot more like the US than I expected.
- Politeness: People are actually very nice and polite when you are in a store or retail establishment which is not the case here at all. When they found out I was a tourist, they wanted to know what I thought about South Africa and were even more polite.
- Traffic lights out: I was amazed that cars and even the minivan taxis are all pretty chill (here there would be lots of honking, jumping the queue, road raging) when they are in these intersections and how well it works.
- Random poverty: Although I have become used to tent cities here in the US but it was still shocking to see giant areas of shacks along the road
- Buildings sitting empty in the CBD: There are many iconic buildings in the CBD that have sat empty since the late 90's that should be redeveloped into housing or some use. As many of these are owned by the government, it is even more disheartening to see them rot away and not be put to use.
- Random police checks on the motorways: I was not expecting this to be as frequent or common but I want to say that almost every time I went out on the motorways, there was some line of police stopping everyone or spot checking people.
- Bright flashing billboards at night on the motorway: Especially on the M1, the bright flashing billboards that directly face drivers on the motorway seem like a safety hazard. Especially in stretches with poor lighting.
- Everyone's reaction when I told them I was staying in Ponte/Berea (not really Hillbrow but synonymous with it). The building itself is secure and you have to go through security turnstiles to get in. The security guards seemed a bit bemused but were also leery of why I would be going out after dark. There were tons of kids and families in the building. The flat is amazing and the views were to die for. It was definitely one of the coolest places I have ever stayed.
So yes, I loved CT a lot. But it is like the icing on the cake. It is easy to love and be amazed by. Joburg was rougher and more wild west and I really liked the vibe overall. It was just more like a NYC vibe in an LA setting. CT was like San Francisco in vibe and weather.
I really loved Joburg and I hope to return soon. Honestly one of my fav cities and I have been to many. I know it is a hard city at times and that I am seeing things from a different lens, but I do love the place.
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u/fostermonster555 3d ago
I’m glad you had a good time, but damn! I would need American-level confidence to go to the areas you went.
I’ve heard quite a few Americans who come here for work say Joburg is more like LA. I guess I’ll have to go to LA to understand what they mean. I always thought LA looked more like Cape Town
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u/sadunfair 3d ago
Cape Town looks like San Francisco if anything. They have similar weather too. LA is not what you see on tv, it’s gritty and the Hollywood Hills look like Observatory Ridge. There are big differences but it’s definitely got a similar look for sure.
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u/Tiny_Interest_3645 3d ago
I am coming from LA next month so will see and be aware of the surroundings, not renting a car so uber will have to do it or is there a local app you guys use?
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u/Sorry-Grocery-8999 3d ago
"And at the intersection, everyone was... taking turns, being courteous, not honking or road raging like I am used to."
Those are 4 way stops. Everyone else does it different to us, and i'm convinced that we actually do it better.
"It was just more like a NYC vibe in an LA setting.
This is the best description of Jozi i have ever heard! We should have it on a billboard at OR Thambo.
I hope everyone reads your bit on Ponte. Its a hidden jem!
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u/sadunfair 3d ago
In the US when power is out… and have lived in an area with a hurricanes, so it’s not like this is a big surprise when a hurricane hits and the power goes out, but everyone loses their sanity and does whatever they want. Yes, everyone is supposed to treat it like a four-way stop, but no, nobody follows those rules. You’ll have some cars just driving straight through the intersection at full speed as though it’s just normal and other cars waiting and not knowing what to do and then a lot of people honking and screaming. Maybe we just haven’t had enough practice?
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u/Sorry-Grocery-8999 3d ago
Thats very interesting. In Europe they use the Priority to the Right. I inaccurately assumed that everyone else but us used the same system.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priority_to_the_right
..but let me ask you something, now that you're back home, do people look at you funny when you call traffic lights robots?
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u/Careless-Cat3327 3d ago
Someone who has spent 10 days in our city can see the glaring (pun intended) problem re billboards at night but the parasites who "run" the city can't.
"Bright flashing billboards at night on the motorway: Especially on the M1, the bright flashing billboards that directly face drivers on the motorway seem like a safety hazard. Especially in stretches with poor lighting. "
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u/Sorry-Grocery-8999 3d ago
Ah... thats why people by sunglasses at the robots :)
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u/Careless-Cat3327 3d ago
Blue light glasses from Takealot are actually so useful for night driving. Especially against the bright led headlights
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u/theautisticbaldgreek 3d ago
And there's a literal bylaw about it and they still get away with it
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u/Intelligent_Side4919 3d ago
I saw in the news there’s a Billboard Mafia now that go around erecting billboards and selling the advertising to unsuspecting clients.
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u/Bossman2270 3d ago
We live and breathe this city. Yeah it has its flaws but I wouldn't change it for anything in the world. For me, Joburg will always be a representation of the real South Africa. CPT is nice, but it's a bit too touristy for my taste... Also the people are really unfriendly
Btw, Resident Evil was shot in Ponte. So it's got some lore to it
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u/Reasonable-Side-2921 3d ago
I lived at Pont city for 10 years and never got robbed there. But it’s true that a high number of criminals live around Berea. What people don’t understand is that criminals are not really in the habit of robbing their neighbours. Maybe they are scared they may easily be identified, maybe there is a robber “bro code” - I don’t know but they usually go and rob other neighbourhoods
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u/sadunfair 3d ago
Well on the tour they guide said people yell vimba! And everyone will grab the perpetrator. Not sure how true it is but honestly that’s why I felt less safe driving in Sandton bc I felt there were no ppl around and the criminals know there’s money there.
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u/poppit_89 2d ago
He’s correct, Vimba is used as a signal to corner the suspected criminal(s).
You could’ve shouted vimba in Sandton too, a lot of people would’ve understood what you meant.
Glad you enjoyed your stay, the comparisons you’ve made have provided some thoughtful insight.
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u/Fair-Engineering2673 3d ago
Johannesburg is South Africa embodied. Dare I say,even with her massive flaws she wears her heart on her sleeve. Majority of people who will tell you horror stories about Joburg,90% of the time have never been. Same people who will tell you that townships like Soweto are just dirty shacks everywhere but as you probably noticed on your bike ride that's not the case. Glad you enjoyed our city. Definitely do come back and I dare you to try spend one night partying in the townships. It'll change your life.
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u/Crazy-Present4764 2d ago
I've spent time in Joburg, Cape Town and Durban. I completely agree with you about it being SA embodied. I really miss it. Cape Town may be the place with better public infrastructure and government but Joburg has the best people and the same amount of places end events to go to if not more.
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u/KingHintsa 3d ago
You've touched on something that irks me. A person will wake up go to work during the week, maybe jog or play a sport on weeknights. have a beer with friends on Friday, spend the whole weekend out with friends seeing the city and then on Monday they are online talking about how they cant leave their house because they are in fear for their lives. Obviously crime is a problem but like you said, you would think there are machete gangs killing people for the fun of it.
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u/Stranger_2000 3d ago
Thank you for being open minded to our beautiful city. She breaks your heart but it’s real and we’re all in in together.
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u/sadunfair 3d ago
I really feel it made my heart swell seeing people going through struggles and being much kinder on every level than people are here in the US.
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u/Stranger_2000 3d ago
It seems like the US has a way more individualistic culture than we do (it’s seeping in here as well). A lot of our culture is focused on unity and community.
Overall, our situation can be tough, but I think generally we care about each other.
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u/newoldschool 3d ago
my cousin been in Baltimore for 30 yrs and said Johannesburg is like home 100% but less gun shots
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u/mncechris 3d ago
Wow.. Thanks for sharing. Jozi is really a special place. Now that you mention the security everywhere, it's quite true... I guess one gets used to it. But it hasn't always been like that.
As a South African who has stayed in CT and Jozi, I also find it easier to make commercial success in Joburg. People more keen to wheel and deal :-)
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u/Electronic_Card_7304 3d ago
I've been complaining about those dn billboards since they started popping up
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u/singerontheside 3d ago
The huge, flashing billboards are horrendous! They completely blind a person at night! Ugh. Joburg traffic scares the hell out of me..... but then, I am from good old "Slaapstad", after all. Glad you enjoyed your stay.
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u/The_Bag_82 3d ago
I find this so interesting, I'm from jozi, and the traffic in cape Town kills me, it's ridiculous, muizemburg to Kalk bay, 1 hour, plumstead to mountain view 2 hours... it's crazy.
Also yes, I get on the highway by Alandale in the evening going north, the billboard there flashes white and it's like I'm in the millennium falcon going into hyperdrive.
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u/singerontheside 2d ago
Got to have some retinal damage from those damned things! Yikes! I think familiarity of my town, and the fact I don't have to drive in peak traffic, is how I survive driving.
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u/North-Possibility-36 3d ago
Glad you enjoyed your stay. Hope you return to SA for more memories. What did you think of the food here?
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u/sadunfair 3d ago
Food was amazing and fresh! ❤️
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u/North-Possibility-36 3d ago
Awesome. Dont you think we have good take out here compared to the US too?
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3d ago
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u/sadunfair 3d ago
I get that I was in a tourist bubble and didn’t see all the things that go on and go down in Joburg. I think one important thing I forgot to mention is that I felt like I had to be on high alert the whole time and so I was never gazing at my phone or staring off into space. I was always watching what was going on around me and I felt so much more involved with what was going on around me. Like I didn’t even have my phone out in sight at all so if the playlist sucked oh well, wait until I’m parked.
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u/JennItalia269 3d ago
It got its problems but I love it.
I lived there as a kid when my dad’s job transferred us around the time of the 1994 election. I didn’t appreciate it then as a teen but been back and love visiting.
Yes… crime is high, the infrastructure is falling apart because the city is so badly run, and it’s sprawling like all holy hell….
…but there’s a ton to see, the restaurant scene is top tier, the people are amazingly friendly and the city has one of the best climates on earth.
I’ll be back in October. Can’t wait.
CT’s scenery is stunning but that’s where it ends for me. People weren’t nearly as friendly and it was noticeably more expensive.
I grew up in California and I’m in Philadelphia now. Comparing it to Philly a decent way to characterize it but there are differences but I won’t split hairs. Maybe that’s why I love living here in Philly (though I hate the weather with a dying passion) and why I love Joburg.
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u/Tiny_Interest_3645 3d ago
Going next month and this has been helpful and like an honest review, other posts make it seem like it is massacre on every corner
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u/Party_Landscape5825 3d ago
This was a good read. Thanks for the rating. I did the opposite and went to the US to visit my sister. Staying in Seattle and then Oakland in CA close to San Francisco.
I was surprised by the amount of potholes and unhoused as you call it there. Also the very clear drug problems.
It's a bit different to here as you say with the random collections of poverty striken areas.
Overall I loved the US. And spent most of the time telling all the people I met about Johannesburg.
I found the people in the US fairly polite as well. Especially at the establishments. However I think alot were caught off guard as I made random conversation with them. Obviously they knew I wasn't from there.
Strange getting asked for ID whenever I wanted to buy a beer. Had to carry my passport around. Then they still ask me for my Social security card.
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u/Dry_Mixture_4471 3d ago
Wow ! I moved from Pretoria to Joburg in 2007 .
I am still scared of Joburg especially the CBD . I do not go there and almost never go out at night.
It is refreshing to read about Joburg CBD through other people's eyes.
It's great that you have experienced Joburg, especially CBD differently !
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u/Fun_Ability2864 2d ago
Great, thorough post. You make me wanna visit Baltimore, Philly and Harlem. I've never been to a western country before (I was born in a country that has many of my fellow people overstay their visas, so I've never had a US, Schengen or UK visa).
I grew up in Hillbrow and regularly visit the areas you described. I last went inside Ponte in the 90s when family friends of ours were staying there. I did not expect an American tourist to stay there! Most book the fancy hotels in Sandton, Rosebank, and never see our hoods. That's primarily because there is not much touristy stuff there. There's this walk around that a guy does, but it's controlled and he knows the locals.
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u/sadunfair 2d ago
Yeah I did that tour of Hillbrow and Ponte and they do a great job. I don't think most of the people there were expecting my sister and I to be staying in Ponte either but they were always nice and would say good morning or even howzit :)
Baltimore and Philadelphia kind of suffer from being too close to much more well known cities (DC and NYC) so they are really overlooked but have distinct and local charm. I like both and think they are fun places.
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u/NoLengthiness5029 2d ago
I've lived in Joburg for 40 years and I love this city, though I do feel like you need to get away every now and then to retain your sanity.
Ponte is a hidden gem. It was super sketchy in the early 2000's but since the change of ownership and redevelopment its completely turned around.
Also the CBD isn't that bad if you're not stupid about it, I often have to pick people up from Park Station in the early hours of the morning and for sure, there are some parts of town that are hella sketch at 3am but most of it is just empty.
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u/sadunfair 2d ago
This was from the airport to the Parktonian and Uber directed the drive down Albertina Sisulu to Betrams (the exact way I came in to Ponte during daylight hours) then down Wolmerans which was a bit dicey at night. I asked him why he didn't just take the M2 to the M1 and he said that he didn't want me to get an alert from Uber and be scared. I think his driving in panic mode made it more scary than it would have been to be honest.
I drove through the same area (but on Smit) in daylight which was pretty much uneventful.
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u/Jimmysp437 2d ago
This was a great read; thanks for the kind words!
Hate to be that guy, but i am sure you noticed that there is no genocide here. Please tell some of your friends lol
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u/sadunfair 2d ago
My friends are not the ones that I would have to explain that to. Some of my extended family however...
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u/Huge_Maximum_3258 2d ago
Yeah joburg is great and the energy is amazing but it does take a toll on your spirit. I’ve been living here for just over 3 years now and last year this city brought me to my knees vibrationally. Not for the sensitive soul at all.
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u/jamiekyo 2d ago
This was such a refreshing read. Thank you for posting this. There are so many hidden gems in Joburg, if you do ever come back, I hope you get the chance to meet cool Joburgers that can take you to all the cool spots in and around the city.
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u/giveusalol 2d ago
I moved to Joburg 20 years ago now, and as a transplant to the city, I am always disappointed by how little of this city is seen by residents with the time and means to do so. I agree, the Ponte Penthouses are dope! A friend had one a few years ago and we’d go visit. There are a couple of intersections there known for smash and grabs but they’re most common during weekday traffic. The view from Ponte is AMAZING. Next time you come I hope you get to experience watching one of our thunderstorms roll in from the top of the tower, it’s magic, especially when the lightning is purple.
The city is so vibey and diverse. The other two large cities lack the African and other immigrant diaspora that you find in Joburg. This means we never run out of cool new music to hear and food to try. I spent a lot of time between the Maboneng Precinct, Melville, Newtown and Braamfontein back when the bar crowds were my age, and the pandemic hadn’t decimated the local music and theatre scene, but there are many other great spots in the city, and music and theatre have returned too.
There’s a multi day art festival culminating just this weekend, with hop on-hop off shuttles run between art studios and host venues across the city. It’s going to be great. I just wish more people here would partake of what’s on offer, and make it more sustainable for those who organise this stuff!
I hope you make your way back soon, and to see even more of the city. If you stay longer, skip Cape Town entirely. Allow me to advocate for my home province instead: KwaZulu-Natal. It’s so beautiful I could cry.
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u/LiamNeesonsIsMyShiit 3d ago
Joburg is where you experience the proper South Africa. Anyone can survive here if they have the will to hustle. There's struggle visible everywhere, and the government hates us, but we move. Glad you enjoyed your time here!
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u/Dapper_Environment_4 3d ago
I need 24 hours to process this post. Thanks for the unique perspective. My initial thought is that you were lucky to not fall victim of crime but maybe I need to reassess my perspectives.
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u/The_Bag_82 3d ago
Awesome commentary here. I once drove through Baltimore, I was more alert and on edge for that drive than I have ever been in joburg, proper scary.
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u/Much_Mission_8094 3d ago
Thanks for sharing this. Jo'burg has a very special place in my heart. I'm glad you shared your experience of Ponte too - I did a tour there last year with a couple of friends and while we were a bit nervous driving in (and out), once we were inside, it was absolutely incredible to see the community they've built. We only had some drinks at the bar on the top floor, but that was a whole vibe and we loved it.
I've also done a few walking tours of the CBD, and sure, you do need to keep your wits about you, but it's a beautiful (if slightly smelly) place with a lot of history and hope.
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u/InterestingTurnip949 3d ago
Thank you, my sentiments exactly. I haven't yet been to Hillbrow but I watched a video of a guy walking around.. It did have a pre-gentified Harlem look/feel. As for me, it does feel like NY/CA and ATL all mixed up. Black like ATL, busy like the NYC boro's and landscapes like LA.. I agreed that the high walls freaked me out...I was stuck in Sandton during COVID and not being able to see saddened me I wish the people here in SA didn't put-down this city. And even the informal settlements are probably more stable than living in tents under a freeway viaduct or sleeping in RVs in the Walmart parking lot.
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u/chemicalclarity 3d ago
I'm very pleased you enjoyed it, and yeah, most of the fear mongering is mongered by people who have never been to the places they're scared of. I lived in the CBD for a few years, and it's not entirely safe. But you can have safe enjoyable experiences in it.
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u/Mecklenjr 2d ago
After 10 years as an American in Cape Town with 15 years of extended multiple medical visits to jnb from Mozambique - I honestly prefer Joburg mainly for the people. They don't take themselves as seriously as Capetonians. They're Fun, genuine and very entertaining folks!
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u/nabbus06 2d ago
What an awesome write up.
I'm about to go on an AirBnB expedition in johburg this week for the next 3 weeks and Ponte has now been included on my list. DM if you have any good suggestions for Ponte to check out.
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u/Faerie42 3d ago
I’m so pleased you enjoyed our city! I will note that personally I’d be wary staying at Ponte but you do make a valid point that it resembles some US cities. We’re a friendly lot in general, and it’s always nice to hear the feedback. Do come again, we love to have you.