Johannesburg Travel Guide
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1,402km (869 miles) NE of Cape Town, 58km (36 miles) S ofo Pretoria
The bushveld plains that remained unchanged for millions of years were irrevocably transformed when a prospector named George Harrison stumbled onto the richest gold reef in the world in 1886. Within 3 years, a nondescript part of the bleak highveld plains had grown into the third-biggest city in South Africa, and soon Johannesburg, or "eGoli" as it came to be known, would become the largest city south of Cairo. The speed at which it grew was due in part to the power and greed of men like Cecil Rhodes -- whose diamond mines in Kimberley provided the capital to exploit the rich gold-bearing reefs of the Witwatersrand -- and to the availability of cheap labor. Along with other "randlords," as the most powerful consortium of mining magnates were known, Rhodes founded the Chamber of Mines in 1889, which created policies regarding recruitment, wages, and working conditions. In 1893 it institutionalized the "colour bar," which ensured that black men could aspire to no more than manual labor.
By 1895, the ever-expanding mining settlement far outnumbered the original Boer settlers, who had fled here from what they felt to be the oppressive policies of the British in the Cape. Disgruntled by this secondary "invasion," Botha, president of the then South African Republic (ZAR), denied these uitlanders (foreigners) the vote, and refused to develop an infrastructure to support mining activities. Four years later, the ZAR and Britain went to war, and in 1902 Britain annexed the republic. The British Empire relinquished its hold in 1910 when the Union of South Africa was proclaimed, but for the millions of black migrant laborers who toiled below the earth, working conditions remained relentlessly harsh. By 1946 more than 400,000 black people were residing in and around Jo'burg; in August that year, 70,000 African Mineworkers Union members went on strike over living and working conditions -- to no avail, despite the death of 12 men and injuries to over a thousand.
During the 1950s Johannesburg's uniquely black urban culture was given a name. "Kwela" had its own jazzy sounds, heard in the shebeens (drinking houses) of Sophiatown, and a slick, sophisticated style, as evidenced in the pages of Drum magazine. But this was also the decade of forced removals, when thousands were dumped into the new suburbs of Soweto, and consequently a growth phase for the African National Congress (ANC), which in 1955 proclaimed its Freedom Charter -- the basis of the current constitution -- in what is now known as Freedom Square.
But it would be another two decades before the black majority revolted. On June 16, 1976, police opened fire on a peaceful student demonstration in Soweto and sparked a nationwide riot -- South Africa's black youth had declared war on apartheid. Student activism escalated during the 1980s and came to a head during the early 1990s, when political parties jostled for power after Nelson Mandela's release from prison. Some townships were reduced to utter chaos, with a mysterious "third force" (later proven to be state-funded) pouring fuel on the flames. Political peace finally came with the 1994 elections, and Jo'burgers returned to their primary pursuit: making money.
For many, however, this remains an elusive goal. South Africa has the most productive mines in the world, but the size of its gold-mining force has fallen by half since 1990. Industries like manufacturing, banking, IT, and media service sectors have shown more consistent growth since the fall of apartheid, but not at a rate that can absorb the sprawling city's burgeoning population. Unemployment has spawned crime that in turn has bred a culture of fear, and walled neighborhoods, burglar bars, security guards, and guard dogs are common sights, particularly in the northern suburbs. But Jo'burg's 113-year history is nothing if not unpredictable. Initiatives like iGoli 2002, the general upswing in development, and the emergence of a sophisticated, wealthy black middle class, has resulted in a sexy new-found confidence, and the city continues to attract entrepreneurs from all over the continent. Jozi, as she is affectionately known, remains the original cultural melting pot, and for every person living in fear, there are a dozen more enjoying the most racially integrated city in Africa, finding it more diverse, vibrant, and exhilarating than ever.
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