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Area Info
Johannesburg, South Africa
Gauteng
Gauteng covers just over 17 000sq km - approximately 1.4% of the total land surface of South Africa. It is the smallest of the nine provinces. Despite its size, Gauteng is home to approximately 8 million people.
The province features a well developed infrastructure, including a comprehensive road system, an international airport, telecommunications network and a sophisticated financial and business support infrastructure. Skills levels of the workforce in the province are also higher than the country's average. The country's stock exchange and central bank are also located in the province.
The province is a shopper's paradise with shopping centres in literally all corners of Gauteng.
The Sandton and Rosebank malls as well as the Randburg Waterfront/Bright Water Commons remain popular shopping destinations - with the best of local and foreign goods, a modern and sophisticated atmosphere as well as secure, ample parking, they make for a pleasant shopping experience.
Johannesburg Northern suburbs
Africa's richest square mile.
Sandton City, the first building to be built in Sandton to replace the commercial function of the CBD. The northern suburbs, located in Regions 2, 3, 4, and 7, include the most wealthy and developed parts of the city. Spreading to the north from the inner city to the border with Midrand, the northern suburbs include both large housing developments and commercial centres. The Johannesburg Northern suburbs benefited greatly from the deterioration of the CBD, as many people and businesses moved. The northern suburbs have developed along the M1 and N1 highways, which serve as their major arterial roads. The N1 Western Bypass connects the northern suburbs with the north-western suburbs.
Towards the northern border of the city, the density of development decreases, leaving large areas of undeveloped land around Midrand. Grand Central Airport is also located in the area, which makes the northern suburbs more accessible to the rest of South Africa. The first suburb to the north of the inner city is Parktown, which is located on a hill overlooking the inner city and Hillbrow. It has many wealthy residents and Edwardian-style mansions. Just to the west of Parktown is Westcliff, which is one of the wealthiest areas in Johannesburg, as it is located on the side of a very tall hill and overlooks the inner city as well as the northern suburbs. Other wealthy residential suburbs, Saxonwold and Houghton continue to the north of Westcliff. Nelson Mandela has a house in Houghton, and it is also the location of the most prestigious secondary schools in Johannesburg. Houghton is also the former electoral district of Helen Suzman, a famous anti-apartheid Member of Parliament.
The suburbs become more commercial to the north of Houghton. Rosebank is the centre of high-end retail and shopping for northern suburb residents. Most retail development has centred on the Zone@Rosebank, one of the most prestigious shopping centres in Gauteng. Many smaller companies who cannot afford to be located in Sandton also are located in Rosebank. The suburbs near Rosebank, including Parkhurst, Parktown North, Craighall Park and Greenside are collectively known as "The Parks". Parkhurst is known for its village atmosphere and pavement cafés and restaurants. Greenside is next to Parkhurst and has developed Parkhurst-style restaurants.
Hyde Park, Sandton, and Morningside are all to the north of Rosebank, all of which are extremely wealthy and well policed. Sandton has become the new business area of Johannesburg, and features many corporate headquarters, as well as Nelson Mandela Square and Wanderers Stadium, the most prestigious cricket ground in South Africa. The skyline of Sandton has grown rapidly and there are many projects under development in the area. Sandton is also the location of the JSE Securities Exchange, Africa's largest stock exchange, which relocated from the CBD in 2000.
Johannesburg North-Western suburbs
The industrial areas along Malibongwe Drive in the south-west form part of the Kya Sand area. Fourways, in the south-east, is the major retail, office and entertainment area.
The first suburb to be grouped in the north-west is Auckland Park. Auckland Park is home to the headquarters of the South African Broadcasting Corporation, which is located in Radiopark, and two campuses of the sprawling University of Johannesburg.
North of Auckland Park lies Melville, which has morphed into a Bohemian enclave of restaurants, cafés, and bookstores based chiefly around 7th Avenue. This occurred mainly following the South African Broadcasting Corporation moving its headquarters to Auckland Park. Melville's main entertainment strip is 7th Road. A national serial drama, 7de Laan, shows the strip in its opening credits, mistakenly referring to the road as 7th Avenue. In Melville, lanes run east to west while roads lie north to south. Melville borders on the north to the Melville Koppies, a small protected reserve. The chief road that cuts though Melville's business area, Beyers Naude Drive. Currently Melville has faced decline as several businesses relocate back into to the newly renovated Newtown area in the city centre.
Johannesburg, South Africa
Johannesburg, or Jozi as it’s more commonly known, is the largest city
in South Africa and is also the wealthiest and, without doubt, the economic
centre of Africa. It’s a vibrant, colourful & happening city and an
emphasis on making money.
Suburbs of Johannesburg
Other than Edenvale, the garden suburb of Bedfordview is one
of the closest suburbs of Johannesburg to the OR Tambo Airport, so for business
people dipping into the city only briefly, Bedfordview is an
ideal location.
Aside from that, this part of Johannesburg, east of the city centre is a quiet
and leafy place to stay for anyone, the upmarket neighbourhood almost park-like
due to the tree-lined streets and lush gardens with prolific bird life. Bedfordview
is only 15 minutes from the Johannesburg vibrant CBC (downtown Johannesburg).
The inner city is not only the historical centre of the city but is part of
an inner city regeneration project that hopes to reinstate this part of Jo’burg
to its former economic and cultural glory. The aim is to transform the inner
city to a place that is clean and green and safe for residents and visitors
alike.
The leafy suburb of Bedfordview is close to a number of shopping malls, including
the epic Eastgate with its myriad shops, entertainment venues and excellent
restaurants; and Bruma Lake flea market, which is a conversion of an old sewerage
catchment area into a lakeside market, mall and commercial parks. It’s
a great place to while away a couple of hours and with at least 600 traders,
there’s a lot to choose from.
You probably have to be a Jo’burger to know about Gillooly’s farm,
set in the heart of Bedfordview. It’s virtually a farm in the middle of
the city and the tranquil atmosphere is very popular amongst locals for picnics
along the lake under the trees. There are some wonderful views over the Kensington
valley and the northern suburbs from here.
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Braamfontein
Lying just outside the Johannesburg CBD, north of the city, Braamfontein
suffered a literal exodus of businesses and institutions as the centre of Johannesburg
moved out to Sandton and the northern suburbs, but it never decayed as some
of the inner city has done. Instead, Braamfontein has became
home to a less formal economy.
Braamfontein became part of Jo’burg as far back as 1886. It has history,
even if it began its life as a farm. Over time it became part of the vibrant
business district that was Jo’burg’s Central Business District.
Today the area has got a new lease on life. The city’s regeneration initiative,
headed by the Johannesburg Development Agency and various property owners, has
painted this part of town with a new brush. Hawkers in the area have been controlled
by legislation and the city has persuaded Sappi, Liberty Life, JD Group and
others who remained in the district, to upgrade their buildings. Braamfontein
is now marketed as the fourth-largest node for office space in the city of Johannesburg.
The colourful suburb of Braamfontein is linked to buzzing Newtown by the Nelson
Mandela Bridge, regarded as a gateway into the city centre. Newtown has been
transformed into a safe and attractive place to work, live and visit and the
original unique character of the Market Theatre and Kippies, the cosy club at
which most of the country’s jazz greats perform, now in a new venue, have
been joined by restaurants and the Newtown Music Centre. Don’t forget
the Oriental Plaza just around the corner from Newtown.
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Craighall Park
Craighall Park is one of Johannesburg’s upmarket northern
suburbs that lie slightly to the west of Sandton, a collection of leafy neighbourhoods
that form a belt on the western side of the city between Parkhurst and the sprawling
malls of Sandton’s Central Business District.
Craighall Park is also one of the oldest suburbs of the city,
and Craighall Park’s large properties and epic gardens that lend the neighbourhood
a sense of green tranquillity despite the proximity to Jan Smuts Avenue are
a throwback to the era when plots, rather than stands, were on offer here. You’re
well placed to get around the city from Craighall Park - it lies conveniently
between Beyers Naude Drive and Jan Smuts Avenue, two of the major arteries in
the northern spheres of Johannesburg that easily get one from A to B, notwithstanding
traffic, and you’re close to the M1.
Hyde Park shopping centre is just around the corner and popular for art movies
on a Tuesday evening amongst locals who throng just under the escalators. It’s
just as busy on a weekend morning when Jo’burgers do breakfast in style.
And both the River Club golf course and the Sandton Sports Club are close by
for those seeking a round of golf.
A stay in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg is incomplete without a trip
to the energetic hub of fashion, coffee shops and numerous shops that is Sandton
City.
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Dunkeld West
The upmarket suburb of Dunkeld West lies just north of Rosebank,
sandwiched between Melrose and Hyde Park in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg,
a lovely part of the city. This is really the heart of older Jo’burg -
streets are wide and treelined, homes in essentially quiet neighbourhoods and
houses are large and gardens tranquil and well established.
Dunkeld West lies just off Jan Smuts Avenue, one of the major arteries of Johannesburg’s traffic that sweeps through the northern suburbs from the city centre, via Rosebank and onwards. It’s on this road that you’ll find the Dunkeld West Centre, famous for Fournos Bakery, particularly on weekends when their celebrated breads, pastries and deli food are high on locals’ agendas, and usually teeming with those out to brunch.
Johannesburg’s zoo is not far from Dunkeld West - just a little further down Jan Smuts Avenue towards the city centre. It’s a great escape from the noise and crowds and provides a beautifully relaxing environment in which to explore a venue that’s now over 100 years old. It’s an especially great escape for kids, includes an awesome reptile enclosure and night safaris where one can see owls, bats and cats.
Rosebank Mall and Hyde Park shopping centre are both easily accessible from
Dunkeld West. Both provide numerous shops, boutiques, movies and restaurants
in a more sedate fashion than the sometimes teeming world of Sandton City.
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Johannesburg Central
Jo’burg’s inner city has had its share of stigma. The 1990s, after
the Group Areas Act was scrapped, brought thousands of people who had been forbidden
to live here, into the city centre, many of them immigrants from war torn African
nations and others from surrounding black townships. Crime levels rose, the
state of many buildings in Johannesburg’s centre deteriorated
and business fled to the northern suburbs and Sandton. Johannesburg’s
centre became a problem.
But government has been quick to revive the city centre. Drastic measures to
reduce crime and a whole urban development effort, including a tax incentive
scheme aimed at encouraging inner city renewal, are reviving the inner city.
The beautiful arc that is the Nelson Mandela bridge, which leads across to the
Market Theatre, touted as the city’s cultural focus, was just the beginning.
The draft inner city charter is incredibly ambitious and in its scope it commits
to some 77 deadlines that will turn Jo’burg central into a safe, flourishing
and liveable city. Included in these plans are 5000 short-term accommodation
units and 50 000 affordable flats. Plans for more visible policing as well as
the refurbishing of streets and the planting of trees to make the streets of
Johannesburg walkable are also planned.
Johannesburg’s inner city is dynamic and things change by the minute.
Whilst it may have been ‘off limits’ for the past decade, Newtown’s
regeneration and private redevelopment of historical office buildings in the
city’s financial district have combined to make elements of the city attractive.
And there are other attractions like the planetarium and the Johannesburg Fort,
a tour of the old prison fort where famous activists were held prisoner.
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Kensington
The historic suburb of Kensington lies almost due east of Braamfontein
and the city centre of Johannesburg, its most recent past as a trendy locale
for the more creative residents of Johannesburg - a collection of artists, teachers
and academics - a trend that also influenced neighbouring suburbs of Observatory,
Yeoville and Melville.
Whilst today, Yeoville is no longer high on the average tourist’s agenda
and is definitely no longer the buzzing, arty milieu of the 80s and early 90s,
Kensington has remained, in essence, a more sedate and timeless part of the
city. The houses here are lovely and old, many of them restored, and Kensington’s
Golf Course is an acclaimed institution in Johannesburg, its history dating
back to 1909. Kensington is only some 10 minutes from the inner city of Johannesburg,
undergoing something of a regeneration that has restored Newtown to its former
glory and is fast establishing part of the city as a cleaner and greener area,
easier to visit than in the most recent past where the streets had degenerated
and many buildings deteriorated.
Eastgate is just around the corner from Kensington and provides ample shopping
opportunities, entertainment and restaurants and coffee shops, whilst Bruma
Lake flea market - a conversion of an old sewerage catchment area into a lakeside
mall and market - is also a great place to while away the time. A visit to Gillooly’s
farm in Bedfordview is a lovely weekend outing, and the farm in the middle of
the city is a lovely locale for morning picnics along the lake under the trees
- a popular spot for locals.
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Melville
The trendy suburb of Melville is situated just west of Johannesburg
and is well known for its trendy coffee shops and lively nightlife. Melville
is the cultural hub of Johannesburg. Its trendy coffeehouses and upscale shops
dot this vibrant neighborhood.
Melville is the perfect location for all sorts of exciting
and unique restaurants all offering foods for different tastes. In fact, some
of the most popular restaurants and bars in South Africa are situated right
in Melville. One of the most popular restaurants/cocktail bars is Buzz 9. It
has been awarded as one of the best and boasts an industrial-style interior
with a vast cocktail selection. Hip locals sit in sofas or chairs inside or
take tables by the pavement and watch street life go by. Their forte is of course
the Beach Buzz house special which is a must to taste!
Melville boasts a rather peculiar but pleasant exception. Situated
just a short distance from Park City, this suburb’s neighbourly atmosphere
is mainly due to its chaotic mix of residential and commercial properties, which
sometimes mingle to a point where one may just find oneself mistakenly settling
down in a gorgeous private home wondering where the waitress has got to.
The main streets, particularly bohemian Seventh Street (which was the setting
and title of a local TV drama), are well worth wandering along! Here you will
find yourself exploring the second-hand bookshops, antique dealers and body-piercing
salons, or sitting in one of the superb pavement cafés watching people
pass by.
Many of Melville’s nicest homes, some of which date back
to the 19th century, have been converted into charming B&Bs and guest houses,
which are increasingly popular especially among foreign travelers - see Melville
Guest Houses. Melville also boasts an exquisite reserve known as The Melville
Koppies Nature Reserve situated just north of the suburb. This spectacular nature
reserve protects an extensive area of typical highveld vegetation and includes
archaeological remains of both Stone and Iron Age settlements, including iron
furnaces.
Situated close are 2 universities namely the University of Johannesburg and
University of the Witwatersrand). Melville, therefore, is a meeting point and
general hangout for many students. There are trendy restaurants, clubs, pubs
and theatre. Melville is definitely a lively, trendy and unique suburb. It promises
all an entertaining and unforgettable evening out!
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Midrand
Midrand is a located in the Johannesburg metropolis in Gauteng, South
Africa. The name Halfway House is suitable as it is half way between
The Rand (Witwatersrand) and Pretoria. Midrand is in Region 2 of Johannesburg's
administrative region plan and completely built around the N1. It is identified
as one of the 8 tourism nodes in the Johannesburg area and home to large-scale
industries such as textiles and motor vehicles.
Midrand is relatively modern and has experienced a great deal of growth in the
last decade. Many businesses have relocated to Midrand due to its proximity
to excellent highway links and its location in the economic centre of Gauteng
Province. Midrand's large development has meant there is little break between
the outskirts of Johannesburg and those of Pretoria. Therefore, the Gauteng
Provincial Government envisages that, if current growth trends remains, much
of the province will be city by 2015. Midrand is, therefore, an accurate reflection
of current economic expansion of Gauteng. Home to large-scale industries such
as textiles and motor vehicles, it is a superbly located business venue.
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Norwood
A garden suburb of Johannesburg, Norwood is both diverse and
appealing. Its pretty streets are lined with trees and Norwood
is easily one of the more popular dining spots in the city, renowned for its
celebrated restaurants and ethnic mix of cuisine. Norwood is pretty unique.
The people who live here are a colourful mix of cultures - Jewish, Muslim, West
African and South Africans live side-by-side - and the suburb has a distinctive
cosmopolitan atmosphere.
People are not scared to stroll the streets. Despite Norwood’s position
just up the road from the vibrant ‘hood’ that Orange Grove has become,
it is very far from in decline, possibly because of the influence of its other
neighbour - Houghton, one of the wealthiest suburbs in the country, which lies
to the west of Norwood. Norwood also has an active community policing programme,
which may account for the distinctly secure feeling of the quaint suburb. Norwood
has the ambience of a quiet village, its homes dating back to the 1920s and
1930s and its bohemian, laidback nature is reflected in the collection of small
high street boutiques, coffee bars and cafés.
You’re not short of things to do when staying here. Rosebank is a mere
10 minutes away, and Sandton City and its myriad shops, little more than 15.
You’re ideally placed to get into the city centre or to timeously reach
Sandton’s CBD.
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Observatory
The pretty suburb of Observatory situated on a hill for obvious
reasons, is home to the observatory site that stands on a 35-hectare site, declared
the city’s first meteorological observatory site in 1903.
The stone building is small and attractive and, because it lies on a ridge,
offers some of the most splendid views over Bellevue and Sandton. On a clear
day, you can see all the way to the Voortrekker Monument, just south of Pretoria.
It’s probably one of the best reasons for staying in the leafy suburb
of Observatory - the views - which extend over the eastern side of the city
and Bez Valley, and the feeling of being remote from the hum drum of city living.
Pretty and large homes sit on broad streets in a part of Johannesburg that has
remained surprisingly quiet and sedate, despite its proximity to the melting
pot of Yeoville, a little further south of Observatory.
Observatory is just up the road from the Bruma flea market, Kensington and Eastgate
shopping mall. The Observatory Golf Course might be one of the lesser known
courses in Johannesburg, but it’s as good as many of its more famous neighbours.
Newtown is about 20 minutes from Observatory - the hub of the city centre’s
regeneration project and the site of the Market Theatre - whilst a visit to
Gillooly’s farm in Bedfordview over a weekend is a lovely way to spend
a morning or afternoon.
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Orchards
The rather small, well established suburb of Orchards lies
virtually around the corner from trendy Norwood, its tree-lined streets and
large, timeless homes, many of which have either been renovated or subdivided
into apartments, places one in the heart of the northern suburbs of Johannesburg,
close to neighbouring Oaklands, and only a 10 minute leisurely drive along the
back roads to Sandton.
Melrose Arch, just up the road, is constantly expanding and provides a rather
unique mix of work, play and home space with a number of restaurants set on
the square, reminiscent of the street culture so evident in Europe. Melrose
Arch is a combination of apartments, lofts and penthouses above shops and office
space, touted as the height of fashionable living in the city. The humming high
street of Norwood with its boutiques, cafés, restaurants and coffee bars
is probably one of Johannesburg’s best kept secrets. Comparable with other
popular ‘street culture’ suburbs, such as Melville and Parktown,
Norwood has a distinctly bohemian flavour, and there is a colourful mix of cultures
that create a distinctively cosmopolitan atmosphere sadly lacking in some of
the city’s other northern suburbs.
Melrose Bird Sanctuary, not far from Orchards, is one of Johannesburg’s
many green spaces where over 120 different species of wild birds skim through
the indigenous trees and reed beds that surround the pretty lake in the sanctuary.
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Parkhurst
The lovely village of Parkhurst, once a rather dull lower-middle
class neighbourhood with little more than its inviting trees and beautiful homes
to attract visitors, has now reinvented itself and Fourth Avenue in particular
has transformed itself into a vibey, trendy hub of activity where coffee shops,
antique stores, décor boutiques and restaurants spill out onto the side
walk, leaving little pavement on which to circumnavigate the crowds that make
this their evening and lunch time haunt.
Now people seek to stay in Parkhurst because it is a lifestyle
move. Neighbours know and greet one another, local shops and restaurants provide
for much of ones’ needs and the price of homes has made Parkhurst a much
sought after area in which to live in Johannesburg. Closely linked to Rosebank
and Jan Smuts Avenue, and an easy distance from green spaces like Emmarentia
Dam and the Botanical Gardens, Parkhurst is an ideal location.
Placed in the heart of the northern suburbs the way it is, one is able to get
around the city and the northern suburbs relatively quickly, or at least your
access is good, dependent on traffic. Rosebank’s malls, the popular Rooftop
market and the African craft market are all close by, and Emmarentia Dam with
its wide spaces and beautiful trees is a popular weekend and dog-walking venue
for Jo’burgers. You’re also within easy reach of other popular villages
in Johannesburg, like Greenside and Melville.
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Parktown
Parktown lies between Westcliff and Saxonwold,
one of the oldest neighbourhoods of Johannesburg filled with rather imposing
homes that vie with those in London in terms of grandiosity.
Developed by some of the most successful entrepreneurs of their time these
showy mansions, some with fancy turrets and towers, became known as “Parktown
baronial” and the architects displayed a definite leaning to the eclectic,
the original owners of their homes intent on parties, croquet on the lawns and
lavish parties. That was, until Herbert Baker added his unique craftsmanship
to the suburb, including his own home, The Stonehouse, up on the ridge. Today,
Parktown remains one of Johannesburg’s elite suburbs, its Victorian homes,
and a number of designs by Sir Herbert Baker, an enormous draw card to the area.
What’s more, residents and visitors need no longer drive past and merely
gawp; they can instead visit some of these beautiful homes. The Parktown and
Westcliff Heritage Trust have weekly tours of old Johannesburg, one of them
in Victorian Parktown, which includes the oldest house in Johannesburg, built
in 1896 called The View, in Ridge Road.
You’re ideally situated when staying in Parktown to reach the city centre
and the northern suburbs of Johannesburg, including Sandton.
The Johannesburg Zoo, and Zoo Lake, are close by, as are the charming villages
of Parkview and Melville, both of which have
restaurants, art galleries and little boutique-style shops that claim immediate
and lengthy scrutiny.
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Parkview
Parkview is part of the greater Rosebank area
and just down the road from the commercial centre of Rosebank and its shopping
mall. Zoo Lake borders on Parkview and is a favourite ambling
site of Johannesburgers. It takes about an hour to stroll around the lake, which,
on the first weekend of every month, you can combine with ‘Artists under
the Sun’ - an art market and tea at the popular restaurant at Zoo Lake.
The timeless old suburb of Parkview is one of the few remaining areas in Johannesburg
where South Africans can still stroll, cycle and jog along its tree-lined avenues.
Parkview borders on Saxonwold and Forest Town, both of which
were developed as forest plantations. Add to this the fact that over a million
blue and red gum, oak, pine and wattle trees were planted around Zoo Lake and
the Zoo, and you can understand why Parkview is such a breathtakingly pretty
suburb. The beautiful old plane trees that line Dundalk Avenue are part of this
original plantation.
Many of the old homes in Parkview have been overhauled and renovated, creating
more contemporary living space whilst managing to keep the existing character
of the pretty old homes here. And the charming little Parkview village complete
with delightful shops, delis, restaurants and a village library on the suburb’s
highstreet, where one constantly jostles for a parking space, only add to the
character of a suburb that is over 100 years old.
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Parkwood
Nestled between Rosebank and Saxonwold in
the leafy northern suburbs of Johannesburg, Parkwood is one
of the older more established suburbs of the bustling metropolitan, reminiscent
of Houghton with its sizeable double-storey homes and large
properties.
You’re wonderfully placed when staying in Parkwood, as
it’s virtually in the midst of what makes Jo’burg hum - it lies
conveniently between the two major roads of Jan Smuts Avenue and Oxford Road
meaning easy access to just about anywhere in the north of Johannesburg, yet
the suburb manages to remain remarkably peaceful and undisturbed. Rosebank
is moments away, home to the weekly Sunday Rooftop Market and a profusion of
shops, boutiques, cinemas and restaurants. Parkwood is also conveniently close
to both Sandton and Hyde Park with their mix
of upmarket shops and quirky boutiques; and the inviting villages of Greenside,
Norwood and Parkhurst, with their pavement culture and high
streets that offer a number of antique shops, trendy cafés and popular
restaurants, make for great evening and lunch time entertainment.
Zoo Lake, which borders on the pretty suburb of Parkview, is a popular green
space, particularly for dog walkers over weekends and the combination of a stroll
with the monthly Artists under the Sun art market is a good way to spend part
of the weekend. If you’ve children, and even if you haven’t, then
a trip to the Zoo, a sprawling 54 hectare park in central Parktown, with an
abundance of trees and beautiful walks, is a must.
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Saxonwold
This part of Johannesburg that lies around the zoo and includes Parkview,
Westcliff and Houghton is of the most beautiful
in the city. It’s also one of the oldest parts of Johannesburg, and Saxonwold
in particular invites one to drive along its broad, winding roads lined with
large, old trees.
Saxonwold is a sedate dignified neighbourhood, round the corner from the Johannesburg
zoo. Saxonwold is convenient to say the least. You have easy
access from the suburb to the M1 and to Jan Smuts Avenue, one of the major arteries
from the city through the northern suburbs. The CBD of Johannesburg is minutes’
drive from Saxonwold, particularly Braamfontein and the cultural arc, which
includes the Constitutional Court, the Civic theatre, the famous Mandela Bridge
that takes one into Newtown and the Market theatre and Museum Africa, make a
stay in Saxonwold worthwhile.
You’re close to the shopping centres of Rosebank, Hyde
Park and Killarney, and the trendy villages of Parkhurst,
Greenside and Melville are within easy reach. With their distinctive pavement
culture, popular restaurants and cafés and celebrated nightlife, they’re
an obvious choice for evening and lunch time entertainment. There is a pretty
mix of antique shops and boutiques along the high streets too.
The Johannesburg Zoo, a sprawling 54 hectare park filled with trees and green
spaces in central Parktown, is an added attraction. The beautiful
walks and impressive collection of animals that include lions, tigers, gorillas,
bat-eared foxes and polar bears, day and night safaris and a behind-the-scenes
tour, make the zoo a popular choice, even without children.
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Soweto
South of Johannesburg is Soweto, a city developed as a township
for black people under the apartheid system. Most of the struggle against apartheid
was fought in and from Soweto. The name Soweto is an acronym, made up - in apartheid
days - from the first letters of the words “south western township”.
Soweto is inhabited by over two million people, with homes ranging from extravagant
mansions to makeshift shacks. Soweto is a city of enterprise
and cultural interaction. It is a popular tourist destination with sites such
as Kliptown (where the Freedom Charter was drawn up), the home of former President
Nelson Mandela, the Hector Petersen Memorial site, restaurants and shopping
malls. It boasts one of the largest hospitals on the continent and the only
African-owned private clinic.
Soweto is a sprawling township, or more accurately, a cluster of townships on
the south-western flank of Johannesburg. Soweto was created in the 1930s, with
Orlando the first township established. In the 1950s, more black people were
relocated there from 'black spots' in the inner city - black neighbourhoods
which the apartheid government had reserved for whites.
Soweto's growth was phenomenal - but unplanned. Despite government attempts
to stop the influx of black workers to the cities, waves of migrant workers
moved from the countryside and neighbouring countries to look for employment
in the city of gold. With a population of over 2 million, the township is the
biggest black urban settlement in Africa with a rich political history. Soweto
was the centre of political campaigns aimed at the overthrow of the apartheid
state. The 1976 student uprising, also known as the Soweto uprising, started
in Soweto and spread to the rest of the country. Many of the sights on the heritage
route therefore have political significance.
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Westcliff
Westcliff lies almost cheek-by-jowl with Parkview
and Houghton and benefits from lying close to major arterial
roads. You might be in one of the country’s most notoriously busy cities,
but in Westcliff things slow to a more sedate pace.
The Killarney Mall, mall of Rosebank and the lovely village
of Parkhurst, with its pavement coffee shops and restaurants
and distinct element of street life, are all close enough to reach quickly and
provide hours of entertainment. You’re also moments from the Zoo. Westcliff
is one of Johannesburg’s most gracious older suburbs. It sits on a bend
on the M1, a mere 10 minutes from Johannesburg’s vibrant city centre.
Westcliff is home to a smattering of highly prized historic Sir Herbert Baker
homes on large properties with established gardens and its broad streets are
lined with aged, large and lovely trees.
The colourful suburb of Braamfontein, linked to Newtown by
the now famous Nelson Mandela Bridge, is easily accessed. It is regarded as
a gateway to the city centre revival that includes the Market Theatre, now transformed
into a safe and attractive part of the city. The Oriental Plaza, just around
the corner from Newtown en route to the University of Johannesburg, is worth
a visit too. It teems with colour and the smell of incense. Get ready to barter
your way to the price that you deem worthy of paying for your purchase.
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Sandton
Despite Johannesburg’s city centre doing its utmost to change perceptions
about its capacity to function as the heart of the city, Sandton continues to
reign as the most important financial and business district in South
Africa, and arguably sub-Saharan Africa. It has been such since 1990
when the mass exodus to the northern suburb first began, and Sandton became
known not only as a materialistic centre, but as a refuge of the ‘white
flight’ from Johannesburg’s CBD.
It is hard to believe that this sophisticated district, home to the top investment
banks, financial consultants, the Johannesburg stock exchange, and one of the
biggest convention centres on the continent, was but mere sandy horse trails
where the ‘mink and manure set’ lived on wealthy, large estates
50 years ago - small wonder it is known as one of the most opulent areas in
Johannesburg.
Suburbs of Sandton
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Atholl
Atholl is an upmarket suburb in Johannesburg, located in the
trendy and elite Sandton, home to lavish hotels, art galleries
as well as world class restaurants and business centres. Atholl
was the name of a former district in the Scottish Highlands, which is now part
of the Perth and Kinross council area. Atholl was named after that area as many
other places in South Africa are.
Atholl Square is Sandton’s splendidly convenient neighbourhood centre.
It is situated on Katherine Street, and is popular with shoppers, visitors and
food lovers wanting to shop, socialise and dine in a relaxed, open-air piazza
setting. Whether it is shopping, feasting or relaxing in superb spas, there
is something here for everyone. You will be spoilt for choice with excellent
eateries, including Johannesburg’s latest restaurants, a deli and gorgeous
coffee shops along the tree lined streets.
With an hour and a half of free parking, a visit to Atholl Square's stunning
centre is a refreshingly quick and easy way to do food and grocery shopping
and allows shoppers to spend more time in their Mecca. The residential areas
in Atholl are one of a kind and rather gorgeous. Atholl is a rich and elite
area. Everything offered here is only of finest quality and business centres
flaunt their prosperity. Visit and explore the tall, lavish buildings, the beautifully
tree lined streets and the many different entertainment and shopping facilities.
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Bryanston
Bryanston is an upper class residential suburb of Johannesburg.
In 1969, it was established as a suburb of Sandton, but after
municipal boundaries were revised following the end of Apartheid, it was merged
with Johannesburg to form part of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality.
Bryanston is home to a number of spectacular entertainment facilities, shopping
malls as well as a few world class restaurants.
The Bryanston Shopping Centre caters for the affluent community of Bryanston
and its surrounding areas. The centre boasts 55 stores catering from beauty,
fashion, food, services and more. The tenant mix at Bryanston appeals to the
wealthy residents in the area. There is a diversity of superb coffee shops and
top restaurants from which you can choose from.
Set in the heart of Sandton's residential belt is the Bryanston Country Club.
This country club is an established sporting and social facility, founded in
1948. Enclosed in a secure haven of majestic old trees, lush green lawns, peace
and tranquility, the club today boasts in excess of 2 000 members who show a
common appreciation for the club and its environment. As one of South Africa's
finest golf clubs, the Bryanston Golf Course is graced with undulating grounds
and a wide variety of vibrant South African birdlife.
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Buccleuch
Buccleuch is the undiscovered jewel of Sandton,
located midway between the N1, the N3 (from Durban and Johannesburg International
Airport). Buccleuch has its own off ramp to the highway, and
at the Buccleuch interchange the M1, N1 and N3 highways meet making for quick
and easy access to the Sandton Central Business District. (Ideal for business
tourists to Sandton).
Buccleuch is an old and well established suburb with leafy green tree-lined
streets, that has grown in recent years due to new development. Buccleuch is
located alongside the Jukskei River, bordered in the East by the Modderfontein
River. Between the two rivers is the older part of Buccleuch. The newer parts
of Buccleuch have been developed with security in mind and are mostly secure
townhouse complexes.
Buccleuch boasts its own shopping mall and alongside the Old Pretoria Road is
the Buccleuch Driving Range. The suburb is within easy driving distance of Johannesburg’s
International Airport making it an ideal tourist stop-over suburb.
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Chartwell
Chartwell in Fourways is located in Sandton,
on the slopes of the Chartwell Hills, horse country, just North of Fourways.
It is a delightful farm area with spectacular views and yet Chartwell is only
minutes from Fourways, 20 minutes from Sandton City, 35 minutes
from Johannesburg International and 10 minutes from Lanseria
International airports.
Properties in Chartwell are generally large, sprawling estates and yet Chartwell
is just a few minutes from Fourways Mall and Montecasino. For the nature lover
these estates feature indigenous gardens with dams and a wonderful variety of
birdlife, as well as magnificent sunsets over the Magaliesberg
Mountains.
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Craighall
Lying in the heart of the northern suburbs of Johannesburg, within easy reach
of Hyde Park, Sandton and trendy Rosebank,
Craighall is one of a string of leafy suburbs that form an
affluent stretch on the western side of the city along the southern side of
Jan Smuts Avenue, between Parkhurst and the sprawling malls
of Sandton.
Properties here are rambling and gardens established and beautifully cultivated.
There is little to remind you of the density of city life - this is one of the
older suburbs of a city, built when space was anything but an issue. There are
many advantages to staying in this part of Johannesburg. Craighall lies between
Beyers Naude Drive and Jan Smuts, two of the major arteries of the northern
suburbs that easily transfer you to various attractions. Yet despite this, one
is little affected by the hurly-burly these roads represent, and the suburb
gives itself over entirely to a sense of tranquillity, in no small way attributable
to the lush green cover of a myriad trees. Easy access to the M1 is an added
bonus.
Only a few blocks away from Craighall is the upmarket Hyde Park Corner shopping
mall, recently voted the ‘most loved’ of Johannesburg’s best
known malls, and both the River Club Golf Club and the Sandton Sports Club are
within easy reach. No trip to Johannesburg would be complete without a foray
in the glitzy shopping malls of Sandton, the hub of fashion, coffee shops and
a typical Jo’burg energy that is the signature of this cosmopolitan retail
and business locale.
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Douglasdale
Douglasdale is a modern middle-upper class residential suburb
of Johannesburg, South Africa. Douglasdale
is located between the suburbs of Fourways and Bryanston, just
north of the upmarket Sandton. The six lane N1 freeway forms its southern boundary
with access at William Nicol off ramp. Douglasdale is built
upon Douglasdale Farm. This superb and large farm was started by Thomas Douglas
and his wife Janet Alexander who both immigrated to South Africa from Scotland
in 1890. They bought the farm on the Klein Jukskei River in Johannesburg and
named it the Douglasdale farm. The farmhouse is one of the oldest homes in Sandton
and was built in 1905. In 1930 the family started producing milk as a hobby
and in 1940 they began to retail their milk producing over 240 bottles of milk
a day, by hand. In the 1950's, Douglasdale milk was delivered by horse and cart
and later by delivery men on bicycles.
Today the dairy produces 1.5% of the total countries daily milk production.
Douglasdale Dairy services the greater Gauteng region and includes distribution
as far a field as the North West Province and . Douglasdale Dairy run interactive
educational tours of their dairy facility which vary in focus depending on the
age of the visitors, and are tailored to audiences ranging from university students
and adults wanting an in depth understanding of the detailed workings of every
step of the dairy production processes. Contact Pat on Telephone 011 549-0423
to book a tour.
Boasting rich cultural and historical heritage, Douglasdale has become a large
and idyllic farm area. The community has developed the area into a safe and
spectacular environment where visitors can enjoy horse riding, hiking and bird
watching. Although the area is mainly residential, Douglasdale is not one to
be missed. Visitors can enjoy tours among the farms and taste the delicious
range of diary products they offer. Feast at their restaurant and coffee shops
and take in the splendid scenery around you. Douglasdale is ideal for family
outings where one can bring along their picnic baskets and enjoy a superb family
outing.
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Duxberry
The peaceful, leafy suburb of Duxberry borders on Morningside
- residents often use the two suburb names interchangeably - in the heart of
the northern suburbs of Johannesburg that lie to the north west of the city,
a string of upmarket areas with large properties and gardens lovingly nurtured.
Duxberry is one of a number of boomed suburbs, typical of Johannesburg,
and the secure neighbourhood enjoys 24 hour motorised patrol and has found favour
with those who work in the buzzing business district of Sandton. The suburb
allows easy access to the major roads of Rivonia and Beyers
Naude Drive, both key tributaries of the city that, despite the constant hustle
and bustle and notoriously discourteous Gauteng-style driving,
is one of the advantages to staying in Duxberry because of the ease with which
you can get around. In spite of this, the suburb remains relatively unaffected
by the distant clamour and is fairly unfamiliar to residents and visitors alike.
This trouble-free anonymity is part of what makes staying here such a pleasure.
The Morningside Shopping Centre is close by and allows one to quickly stock
up sans the madding crowds so typical of Sandton City, which is only slightly
further-a-field – although a visit to Sandton City is virtually mandatory
so as to experience this vast hub of fashionistas, coffee shop dilettantes and
the heart of Johannesburg’s retail and business.
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Fourways
Fourways is situated in Sandton, Johannesburg,
a fast developing commercial and residential hub. Fourways
is a continuous hustle and bustle of activity. There is always something going
on and Fourways boasts a large number of attractions as well as activities for
all different preferences. Some of the main attractions in Fourways are The
Fourways Mall, Montecasino and the Fourways Crossing.
Situated in the heart of one of Johannesburg's most prestigious suburbs, The
Fourways Mall has accommodated, entertained and delivered for over a decade
continuing to welcome guests from both near and far. This spectacular mall is
the first of the large malls in the area and any shoppers delight. It offers
a unique and exciting shopping experience to the community and tourists in one.
In addition, with extended trading hours and over 170 excellent stores, shoppers
can enjoy a fabulous shopping experience. Free parking and 24 hour security
allow customers to shop, browse, enjoy a refreshing cup of coffee or dine in
a relaxed and tranquil environment at any one of the numerous restaurants and
coffee shops.
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Gallo Manor
The upmarket northern suburb of Gallo Manor has managed to
retain an almost park like atmosphere, attributable in part to the lush lawns,
established gardens and tree-lined streets, but also because much of the suburb
is cordoned off as a high security area, so there is little traffic using this
quiet suburb of Johannesburg as a thoroughfare. It helps that
Gallo Manor is bounded by Wendywood, another
green suburb, and the Johannesburg Country Club.
It’s no surprise then to learn that homes in Gallo Manor
are consistently in demand, whatever the market vagaries. Who wouldn’t
want to live in a garden suburb within easy reach of Sandton and with excellent
access to major arterial roads? Gallo Manor has been touted as contemporary
crossover city / country living and has managed this largely because there are
few townhouse and cluster developments and many of the homes here are on sprawling
properties.
Fourways, Kyalami, Midrand
and the airport are all close enough to reach easily, and there are a number
of restaurants and shops nearby. Ten minutes away from Monte Casino and the
rather big Fourways Mall, there is plenty to choose from over a weekend or in
your leisure time.
From Gallo Manor you also have easy access to get out of the city and away from
it all, particularly if you head out towards the Magaliesberg
and Cradle of Humankind, a World Heritage site where at least
seven of thirteen fossil sites have yielded hominid remains making it one of
the world’s richest concentrations of fossil hominid-bearing sites. You
can view the remains of Mrs Ples at the Sterkfontein caves or visit the Wonder
Cave where the enormous chamber is believed to be 2.2 million years old.
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Houghton
Houghton is an extremely wealthy suburb of Johannesburg,
South Africa. In fact, one of the most famous current residents of Houghton
is Nelson Mandela, who owns a home there.
Besides Nelson Mandela’s home, upper Houghton contains
many buildings and houses of historical value to Johannesburg. Taking a trip
visiting these sites is intriguing and not to be missed. One of these buildings
includes the King Edwards VII School for Boys which is located just off of the
Munro Drive. This exquisite school boasts a long cultural and historical heritage
and is over 100 years old! Another favourite tourist spot is Munro Drive, which
offers spectacular views over the northern suburbs of Johannesburg. The sunsets
here are truly radiant and at night one can witness the effulgence of lights.
The suburb of Houghton is currently experiencing rapid redevelopment and growth.
This redevelopment is sanctioned by the City of Johannesburg's Regional Spatial
Development Framework. The City sees many positive aspects to the redevelopment
as well as continuous growth.
Houghton boasts plenty of lavish upper class homes and a few tall residential
buildings. It is a quiet suburb where people enjoy their idyllic surroundings.
Houghton is home to a spectacular golf course boasting large, undulating and
green hills as well as lush foliage. The amenities here are superb. One can
snack at the bar, enjoy a gastronomic meal at their restaurant or enjoy a challenging
round of golf.
Other exciting activities include horse riding, hiking and bird watching and
there are a few excellent coffee shops as well as world class restaurants. Being
predominantly a residential suburb, Houghton boasts just a few activities and
amenities. Yet, this adds to the idyllic nature of the suburb and an ideal area
to just sit back and relax.
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 Hurlingham
Hurlingham lies between Sandhurst and Parkmore
that form the bottom ends of a triangle with the Sandton CBD. That Craighall
is a neighbour is one indication of Hurlinghams upmarket kudos,
whilst a drive through the leafy suburb, which is littered with exclusive modern
townhouse complexes and fine views like those from Hilltop Street over Sandton,
is another. Property here is more than sought after, it's the property of choice
for Johannesburg’s elite and serves as a shopping mecca for international
visitors and the city’s influential and trendy.
Lying in the heart of Sandton, Hurlingham sits basking in its association with
what has become one of Johannesburg’s most familiar and upmarket areas
- Sandton is not only the city’s most illustrious corporate address but
it is also a vibey hive of activity, its shopping malls and sidewalk cafés,
excellent restaurants and general joie de vivre a fine place to soak up the
Jo’burg atmosphere.
Nelson Mandela Square is a popular meeting place and the heart of Sandton’s
shopping complexes. It’s lined with sidewalk cafés, restaurants
and a theatre and lunch time sees the city’s financial and corporate district
turn out in suits for lengthy lunches interjected by intense and unsolicited
cell phone banter. Life here is not all about the fast pace of the city however.
Aside from the obvious shopping experience, there are also walking tours in
Sandton that cover its history in eight languages and take in some 29 landmarks;
there is a bird sanctuary for time out and various art galleries.
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 Hyde
Park
One of Johannesburg’s most sought after addresses, Hyde Park
is fairly reminiscent of its London namesake in one respect - the houses here
have been built on a grand scale in a similar fashion to those that grace the
surrounds of Hyde Park; they’re exclusive and certainly
bring to mind the grandeur that is London. But that is where the similarity
ends.
The suburb of Hyde Park lies wedged between Beyers Naude Drive and Rivonia
Drive, north of Bompas Road in Dunkeld, its houses fortified by elevated walls
and state-of-the-art security. The suburb of Hyde Park is heavily endowed with
trees, but nothing on a par with the 4000 that line London’s Hyde Park.
There may not be a lake either but what makes Hyde Park so attractive isn’t
the undeniable beauty of the suburb; Hyde Park lies right in the midst of the
northern suburbs - Sandton, Rosebank, Melrose Arch and of course
Hyde Park Shopping Centre are all effortlessly reached from here, and it is
this ease of access, and the size of the properties, that make it so sought
after.
Despite its centrality, Hyde Park is sedate and tranquil, its winding streets
largely devoid of heavy traffic, even if there are a few busy thoroughfares.
Hyde Park Shopping Centre is home to some of the most prestigious speciality
stores and a bevy of boutiques, whilst Sunday brunch at one of a selection of
delis and restaurants is a way of life, not only for those who live in the suburb.
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Illovo
Illovo is a prestigious suburb of Sandton in Johannesburg,
South Africa. It borders Hyde Park, Sandhurst and Craighall Park.
Illovo is home to the famous Wanderers Stadium
which is home to the Highveld Strikers, (Johannesburg's cricket team) as well
as The Wanderers Golf Course. The Test, One Day and First class
cricket matches are all played at The Wanderers Stadium. This beautiful stadium
has a seating capacity of over 34 000, and was built in 1956 to replace the
Old Wanderers Stadium. It was completely overhauled following South Africa's
readmission to international cricket in 1991. It is nicknamed 'The Bullring'
due to its design and intimidating atmosphere.
Lying alongside the famous Wanderers Cricket Stadium, is the scenic Wanderers
Golf Course. This spectacular 18 hole course is centrally located and plays
6 274m long, with a par of 72. These undulating grounds has hosted many top
events thereby providing ample proof of its outstanding condition. The beautiful
scenery and lush foliage is what makes this exquisite golf course one of the
best in the country!
Illovo is also home to some of the finest and beautifully designed restaurants.
It is a rather upmarket area where residents enjoy trendy malls, entertainment
facilities as well as restaurants. Illovo is home to a large amount of sporting
enthusiasts. When visiting Illovo you will find yourself being torn between
watching Ernie Els burn up the golf course and walking across to the cricket
stadium to see the cricketers in full cry.
The residential areas and accommodation here is superb all situated in spectacular
surroundings. After a days sporting adventure, one can dine in any one of their
superb restaurants offering world class meals.
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Kelvin
The leafy upmarket suburb of Kelvin lies a relatively short
distance from the Buccleuch Interchange, where no less than
three major highways connect, to the East of M1 highway, making access to anywhere
around the city fairly easy if there are no snags in the traffic. The pretty
boomed suburb that has only two points of access also has 24 hour security and
is increasingly popular with residents of Johannesburg wanting easy access to
Sandton, the business and entertainment centre of the bustling
city.
One of the main advantages of staying in Kelvin is the ease
of access to the M1, the major tributary in and out of Johannesburg, and north
to Midrand and Pretoria. Kelvin is also one
of the suburbs best situated to straightforwardly reach the airport. Its proximity
to Sandton is a bonus and one of the reasons the suburb has only one small shopping
centre of its own.
In the heart of Kelvin lies a tranquil green area run by the city as a park
and sports club that lends the suburb, together with pretty gardens, a peaceful
atmosphere and makes a stroll around the neighbourhood of Kelvin most enjoyable.
There is no shortage of places to visit and things to do when staying so centrally.
Rosebank rooftop flea market on a Saturday morning is a must
for delectable cheese and an amazing selection of arts and crafts, the Nelson
Mandela square in Sandton is a collection of restaurants, their tables artfully
laid out on the square conducive to languid lunches and long coffee breaks,
whilst the myriad shops of Sandton City deserve a visit.
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Mandela Square
Situated in the heart of Sandton in Johannesburg, South Africa,
the Nelson Mandela Square is surrounded by world-class hotels
and restaurants. The popular Sandton City Shopping Centre is adjacent to Mandela
Square.
The Square made headlines when, commemorating South Africa’s first decade
of democracy, a specially donated six metre bronze statue of Nelson
Mandela had been unveiled, and the square aptly renamed Nelson Mandela
Square at Sandton City. The statue was sculpted by Kobus Hattingh and Jacob
Maponyane and weighs over 2.5 tons measuring 2.3 metres from elbow to elbow.
The shoulders of the statue are 1.7 metres in width and the shoes are 1 metre
in length.
The intention of this statue is not only to honour the former president’s
vision of a free and just South Africa, but also to create a focal point where
local and foreign tourists can reflect over the events that led to the creation
of the Rainbow Nation. Here, you will always see tourists desperately trying
to get a photo of themselves standing next to this tall statue.
An already fashionable area with its sidewalk cafes, fine dining and some 93
exclusive shops, Nelson Mandela Square has become one of the most popular venues
in South Africa. Its prime location in the heart of Sandton
allows easy access to the financial district, the Sandton Convention Centre,
superlative hotels and Sandton City’s 295 spectacular shops. The Square
was designed to bring to life an Italian styled piazza under the African sky.
For a shopping delight, a gastronomic experience at any one of the world class
restaurants or just a historical learning experience, a trip to Nelson Mandela
Square is an absolute must! Whatever your reason for visiting Johannesburg,
experience Nelson Mandela Square.
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Melrose
From originally being just a small residential and mainly commercial area, Melrose
has expanded into an up-market suburb with an expanding commercial sector. The
streets are lined with many international branded motor car dealerships. Until
the early 2000s, Melrose had many fine traditional houses,
which are rapidly giving way to cluster house complexes.
The streets here are tree lined and beautiful allowing for superb coffee shops
to set up tables under the trees. World class restaurants and coffee shops fill
the air with enticing aromas. Take a stroll down these beautiful streets and
witness the lush foliage, petite shops and architecture. Spend the day at the
Melrose Wild Bird Sanctuary. Here one will witness a symphony of birdsong and
vibrant colours. There are more than 120 wild bird species in the reedbeds and
indigenous trees around the shimmering lake. Bring your picnic basket and enjoy
a fun family outing with friends and family in spectacular surrounds.
Although small and relatively unharmed by the hustle and bustle of surrounding
urban suburbs, Melrose continues to experience development, and yet, its idyllic
nature attracts many.
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Melrose Arch
Melrose Arch is a vibrant and exclusive precinct alive with
energy, social interaction and African internationalism. Melrose Arch
is truly unique. Aesthetically appealing penthouses, cozy apartments and spacious
lofts in Melrose Arch are the ideal homes. Here, one can live, work, workout,
eat-out, relax, socialize and shop all without leaving the secure setting of
Melrose Arch.
In addition, Melrose Arch is the ultimate commercial address encircling the
head offices of some of South Africa’s leading companies and emerging
businesses. Known as "Offices on The Piazza”, it boasts a triple A Grade,
sub-divisible office space, consisting of nine separate highly individualized
office buildings, located at the northern end of the current Melrose Arch development.
Melrose Arch is an environment where both your personal and professional needs
can be met in a consolidated, harmonious environment. It is alive with energy
and social interaction. There is always something going on here. Open spaces,
secure public squares and sidewalk café seating in a pedestrian friendly
environment all mean taking advantage of the beautiful South African climate
in a secure and social setting.
Here, one can relax in Melrose Square, which is surrounded by restaurants with
open-air sidewalk seating exuding a distinctly European flavor with an African
zing. Take a leisurely stroll down the beautiful tree-lined streets of Melrose
Arch and enjoy the blue skies and the high-street buzz in this safe haven. Melrose
Arch boasts some of the finest accommodation including the truly hip and exquisite
Melrose Arch Hotel.
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Melrose North
Melrose North, regarded as a suburb of Sandton,
lies perfectly sandwiched between Rosebank and Sandton City,
with easy access to the M1, the Corlett Drive onramp and within walking distance
of Melrose Arch and the Wanderers Club, famous for its cricket stadium. You’re
well placed if this is your chosen suburb. Melrose North is
upmarket old-style Johannesburg. Homes here are sizeable and gardens leafy and
cultivated, everything touched with a modern brush, the neighbourhood safe and
contemporary.
Melrose Arch, just up the road, makes staying here something of an experience,
if you don’t want to venture far. Intended as a harmonious amalgamation
of work, play and home space, the rather monolithic structure is a combination
of shops, restaurants, and office and play space. The trendy square is surrounded
by restaurants with open-air sidewalk seating - an African take on the distinctly
popular European eating style. The various apartments, lofts and penthouses
above the square are touted as the height of fashionable living, whilst the
offices are best viewed in a flyby on the M1 en route to central Johannesburg.
The garden suburb of Johannesburg, Norwood, just down the road,
has a distinctly bohemian flavour with numerous small high street boutiques,
cafés and coffee bars, set along tree-lined streets that invite relaxation.
Distinctly different is a trip to Sandton City, more or less in the opposite
direction from Norwood, where glitz and glamour turn shopping into an art form.
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Morningside
Virtually just down the road from Sandton City, the upmarket suburb of Morningside
in Sandton lies along both sides of Rivonia Road in the heart
of the northern stretches of Johannesburg, yet manages to remain
peaceful, quiet and relatively unruffled by the surge of Johannesburg’s
nightmarish traffic.
The affluent suburb of Morningside is a muddle of rambling
post-war homes and secure townhouse complexes. The leafy quiet is favoured particularly
by those working in Johannesburg’s financial district - the bustling commercial
capital of Sandton - dominated by high rise buildings, glass and chrome finishes,
world class hotels, the Sandton Convention Centre and Sandton City’s almost
300 shops, where the art of acquiring possessions is a major pastime amongst
some of South Africa’s trendy shoppers.
But Morningside is not all about high living. The Outspan Bird Sanctuary is
based in the suburb on the banks of the Outspan Spruit. Home to a number of
local species of birds, the sanctuary offers almost two hectares of peace and
solitude to bird and nature lovers alike.
The Village Walk shopping centre, in Maude Street, offers a quieter alternative
to Sandton City, and the coffee bars and restaurants a more sedate way to pass
an afternoon. Morningside’s shopping Centre too provides a calmer environment
in which to shop and have a meal, away from the sometimes frenetic quality of
Sandton.
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Parkmore
One more of a series of suburbs in Johannesburg with the word ‘park’
interjected in the name, Parkmore, neighbour to Sandown and
Benmore, regards itself as a village. The pretty suburb does indeed boast the
open spaces of George Lea Park, the Field and Study Park, but it also lies bounded
by Graystone Drive to the west, Sandton Drive to the south
and the Braamfontein Spruit and William Nicol to the east, making access in
and around Sandton and the city extremely good.
Sedate Parkmore is dominated by homes built in the late 1960s
and 1970s, something of an ‘ugly sister’ when described in Sandton
terms, but no less appealing for its position in the northern leafy spheres
of Johannesburg. The major reason for living and staying here is that Parkmore
is but a stone’s throw from Sandton’s CBD. Homes might be modest,
but they’re by no means small and gardens are large, leafy and established.
That the River Club Golf course lies on the northern boundary of Parkmore is
rather appealing to members and residents. The exclusive 18-hole members-only
club is one of the city’s better golf courses, even if it doesn’t
allow visitors. Nelson Mandela Square, in the heart of Sandton, is close by
- a fashionable and busy area with sidewalk cafés and over 90 shops that
put paid to any attempts to remain within budget, the square dominated by the
statue of Nelson Mandela and the hustle and bustle of Johannesburg’s elite.
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Parktown North
Just north of Rosebank in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg,
Parktown North, which takes its name rather obviously from
its position north of the suburb of Parktown, is one of the
oldest residential areas in the city with a rather interesting history.
Parktown North originally served as the residential area for the poorer relatives
of the Randlords (the guys who controlled both the diamond and gold mining industries
in those days), who erected their oversized manor homes on Parktown Ridge during
the gold rush that hit Gauteng during the 1890s. Today these
‘poorer’ homes are much sought after colonial-style houses and Parktown
North, which has its own very active residents’ association, has an enviable
village atmosphere even though it lies close to Jan Smuts Avenue - one of the
busiest arteries in Johannesburg that makes getting around the city that much
easier.
There is plenty to do when staying in Parktown North, the heart of the northern
suburbs of Johannesburg. Rosebank is the home of numerous business
and shopping centres and is the site of both the popular Rooftop Craft Market
(a must-visit for the cheese, if for nothing else) and the African Market. There
are numerous restaurants to choose from in Parktown North, and the trendy villages
of Parkhurst, Greenside, Melville and Norwood
with their attractive high street culture, antique shops, enticing eateries
and coffee shops are all just a few minutes away.
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Rivonia
Rivonia is a suburb of Johannesburg in the Sandton
area. Rivonia is one of the most affluent residential and business
suburbs of Johannesburg, and regarded as the hub of start up IT companies.
It was in Rivonia at the location of Liliesleaf Farm where
the accused in the 1964 Rivonia Trial were arrested. The Rivonia Trial was an
infamous trial which took place in South Africa between 1963
and 1964, in which 10 leaders of the African National Congress were tried for
221 acts of sabotage designed to "ferment violent revolution". Liliesleaf Farm
had been used as a hideout for the African National Congress. Among others,
Nelson Mandela had moved onto the farm in October 1961 and evaded security police
while masquerading as a gardener and cook.
The main road in the area, known as The Boulevard, is the location of the Rivonia
Square shopping complex as well as many other shops and restaurants. This beautiful
Square boasts a chain of shops, nightclubs and restaurants along the thoroughfare
and includes the former Cloisters Shopping Centre. This square is always a buzz
of entertainment and energy.
Rivonia is also home to the famous Browns Restaurant. Formerly a rambling old
farmhouse, Browns is a Johannesburg landmark. This spectacular restaurant boasts
one of the finest wine cellars in the country as well as offering total tranquility
in its private gardens. The large, though intimate, dining area spills out onto
an airy patio that is opened up or closed in depending on the weather. In addition,
Browns is possibly the first South African restaurant to introduce a French
Cheese room boasting over 30 varieties of international cheeses. This restaurant
is not to be missed and will definitely add a unique dimension to your dining
experience.
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Rosebank
Situated in Johannesburg, South Africa, Rosebank is a vibrant
multi-cultural district, business node and tourist attraction. Rosebank
is one of a kind in that it has effectively combined a successful commercial
node within a pleasant working, shopping and entertainment environment. Due
to its compact size, visitors, residents and workers are able to walk the area,
enjoying the outdoors atmosphere, en route to their destination.
Although Rosebank is home to many head offices, the district also provides an
abundance of entertainment to its residents and visitors at a variety of superb
shopping malls, pavement cafes, world class restaurants, markets, luxurious
hotels, cinemas, art galleries as well as night clubs. The Zone@Rosebank has
become one of the more prestigious shopping areas of the city. It is a rather
large shopping mall and one of the most exclusive shopping centres in the city.
It boasts many high-end stores and a large movie theatre. Whether it’s
enjoying a cup of coffee under an acacia tree, a visit to one of the country’s
finest art galleries, watching an art house movie, shopping at top designer
boutiques or taking a leisurely stroll around the neighbourhood, Rosebank has
something to offer everyone. It is always alive with entertainment and fun.
Rosebank boasts spectacular art deco architecture with beautifully designed
facades and buildings. Why not take a tour exploring this exquisite architecture?
Rosebank is conveniently situated just 35 minutes from OR Tambo Airport, and
is close to all the major centres of Johannesburg.
Rosebank is also home to The Rosebank Management District. This precinct is
a vibrant and cosmopolitan location to live, work and play! The node is eminent
by its effective combination of a successful commercial node within a pleasant
working, shopping and entertainment environment.
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Sandhurst
It’s safe to say that Sandhurst is one of Johannesburg’s
most elite suburbs. As one property magazine puts it - “Sandhurst is to
South African residential suburbs what Michelangelo is to South African
hotels”.
Sandhurst is where the cream of society lives, and it isn’t
difficult to imagine, given the size of the homes. Probably one of the main
factors about staying in Sandhurst isn’t just the opulence - assuming
that understated luxury is your thing - but the low-density of the area. Sandhurst
emerged as a suburb of the bustling city over 50 years ago, and homes in Sandhurst
veer towards the stately rather than the nouveau riche. There are also few cluster
developments and the huge grounds on which homes are set means that the suburb
of Sandhurst remains quiet, leafy and sedate, its tree-lined streets devoid
of traffic except during peak hour, despite its proximity to Sandton’s
Central Business District.
Unsurprisingly, all entrances to the suburb are boomed and security is high.
The streets are heavily patrolled and properties are all behind six foot walls
and higher. In fact, Sandhurst is closed to public thoroughfare. The suburb
lies on the north western slope of the city providing quite beautiful views
toward the Magaliesberg and is literally minutes from all that hums in this
part of Johannesburg - Sandton City, Hyde Park shopping, the
Inanda Club, Wanderers Cricket Club, and leading private schools in the area.
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Sandown
One of a number of suburbs in the northern reaches of Johannesburg with ‘san’
prefixed to its name as an indication of its association with Sandton, Sandown
lies virtually between Morningside and the Sandton
CBD, a prime position in Johannesburg.
The neighbourhood of Sandown is dominated by business that has spread from the
inner reaches of Sandton to claim former residences, large sprawling properties
and a number of cluster developments, although these mainly hug the eastern
reaches of the suburb. Homes here lie on large properties, their gardens leafy
and well maintained behind towering retaining walls that are a pre-requisite
to suburban living in Johannesburg.
Sandown is really only a stone’s throw away from Sandton Square, and Sandton
City, the dominating malls of Sandton, and the Sandton Convention Centre. Hard
to believe that this part of Johannesburg was a wide expanse of highveld just
over 20 years ago, given over, in much the same way as the upper reaches of
Midrand (although this too is swiftly being eaten up by development),
to small farms owned mainly by the horsey set.
Sandton’s obvious sophistication, expensive shops and world-class hotels
and restaurants make Sandown a sought-after address and an ideal location when
in the city, particularly if business is high on your agenda.
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Sandton Central
In the heart of Sandton’s business district, is a hub identified as the
vibrant, high energy cluster of global trade and thought. This hub, known as
the Sandton Central Management District, is this commercial centre of South
Africa and is home to three improvement districts, namely the Sandton
City and Convention Centre Improvement District (SCMD), the Sandton Business
Improvement District (SBID), and the Wierda Valley Management District.
The Sandton Central Management District operates within the boundaries of Sandton
Drive, Katherine Street into Wierda Road East and West, up West Street, along
Rivoinia Road and including the Grayston Drive boundary.
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Sandton Square
Situated in the heart of Sandton in Johannesburg, South Africa,
the Nelson Mandela Square is surrounded by world-class hotels
and restaurants. The popular Sandton City Shopping Centre is adjacent to Mandela
Square.
The Square made headlines when, commemorating South Africa’s first decade
of democracy, a specially donated six metre bronze statue of Nelson
Mandela had been unveiled, and the square aptly renamed Nelson Mandela
Square at Sandton City. The statue was sculpted by Kobus Hattingh and Jacob
Maponyane and weighs over 2.5 tons measuring 2.3 metres from elbow to elbow.
The shoulders of the statue are 1.7 metres in width and the shoes are 1 metre
in length.
The intention of this statue is not only to honour the former president’s
vision of a free and just South Africa, but also to create a focal point where
local and foreign tourists can reflect over the events that led to the creation
of the Rainbow Nation. Here, you will always see tourists desperately trying
to get a photo of themselves standing next to this tall statue.
An already fashionable area with its sidewalk cafes, fine dining and some 93
exclusive shops, Nelson Mandela Square has become one of the most popular venues
in South Africa. Its prime location in the heart of Sandton
allows easy access to the financial district, the Sandton Convention Centre,
superlative hotels and Sandton City’s 295 spectacular shops. The Square
was designed to bring to life an Italian styled piazza under the African sky.
For a shopping delight, a gastronomic experience at any one of the world class
restaurants or just a historical learning experience, a trip to Nelson Mandela
Square is an absolute must! Whatever your reason for visiting Johannesburg,
experience Nelson Mandela Square.
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Wendywood
Close to the neighbouring northern suburbs of Morningside and
Gallo Manor, the boomed area of Wendywood is one of the older
upmarket suburbs in Sandton that offers calm, luxurious living close to the
hub of Sandton, with little of the traffic noise, constant buzz and rat-race-living
people have come to associate with Johannesburg.
Wendywood is one of a series of leafy suburbs that form an affluent stretch
in the north of the city, on the western side of the N3. Homes here in Wendywood
are large, sedate and on the whole unpretentious, resting on large, well established
properties that continue to be sought after, whatever the state of the property
market, purely for their accessibility. The M1 passes just to the east of Wendywood,
whilst Grayston Drive with quick access into Sandton, lies south west of the
suburb.
And in Johannesburg, the closer you are to Sandton, the financial centre of
the country known as ‘the richest square mile’ in Africa and home
to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the more ‘central’ you are.
Major financial institutions and other large corporations have their headquarters
in Sandton. Residents here live ‘the good life’. Sandton is one
of the greatest malled areas of the city - Sandton City and the square, as well
as nearby Village Walk are typically where you can find the people of Johannesburg
over weekends, and during the week.
And as an immediate neighbour of the suburb, Wendywood serves as a base for
many of those who work in Sandton, whilst some of the highly polished chrome
and glamour of Sandton’s high rise buildings rubs off on the suburb, lending
it a distinct elegance.
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Woodmead
Woodmead, immediate neighbour to Sunninghill and Gallo Manor,
is essentially a commercial suburb in northern Johannesburg. What makes it particularly
viable is its position at the meeting of a number of highways - the N1, the
N3 and the M1 interchange here - so it isn’t surprising that several big
businesses have set themselves up as access is easy and fast.
But Woodmead hardly suffers the usual commercial zone side-effects. The city
is pretty out this way, en route to Kyalami and Midrand,
and Sunninghill is a buzzing enclave made up predominantly of leafy gated communities
and little strip malls, popular with those working in Sandton,
Fourways and Midrand.
The incredibly popular Pick n Pay 94.7 cycle challenge starts in Woodmead at
the intersection of Woodmead Drive and Van Reenen, the second largest individually
timed cycle race in the world. The streets of the city of Johannesburg belong
to cyclists for a day that has now introduced a new urban loop through the heart
of the city centre of Johannesburg.
Woodmead is also home to the Woodmead golf course, an 18-hole course famous
for its dogleg-right 389 metre par-four 7th hole known as ‘the Gobbler’
after the thicket that appears to claim golf balls. A little further up the
drag, en route to Midrand (an alternative back route along the old Pretoria
Main Road) is Vodacom’s World of Golf, which helps you improve your golf
by practising every shot imaginable.
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Other Suburbs of North Eastern Johannesburg
Other suburbs which traditionally are referred to as North Eastern include Glenhazel
/ Sandringham, Suningdale, Johannesburg CBD and Bruma / Kensington, Kew, Linksfield
/ Orange Grove, Lyndhurst, Craighall Park, Dunkeld / Rosebank, Highlands North
/ Savoy Estate / Waverley, Houghton Estate / Melrose Estate, Melrose North,
Norwood, Orchards / Oaklands, Parkhurst / Parktown North, Parktown / Westcliff,
Parkview, Parkwood, Saxonwold / Killarney / Riviera.
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