What to do in the city of gold

Founded because of the discovery of gold in 1869, this City was literally carved from the depths of the earth. Today it is the wealthiest and, without doubt, the economic powerhouse of Africa. Johannesburg is a booming, happening city and the emphasis is on making money, whether in business or on the streets, as it has been since mining started. The inner city has in part been abandoned by an exodus of big business in the 1980s and 90s because of the high crime rate. Until recently the City was avoided by all, mostly because of misrepresentation by the media of Johannesburg as somewhat of a war zone, it is however undergoing a complete regeneration and has a lot to offer the traveller and photographer.

Walking Tour of Downtown Johannesburg

The only one way to be exposed to the vital, edgy energy of this thriving African metropolis of Johannesburg or, as the locals call it; Jo'burg, Joeys or Jozi, is by walking its streets. Rub shoulders with the people, photograph the art, the architecture, the markets and the mesmerising, ever-changing day-to-day existence of this place of migrants and immigrants. Gain insight into the cities past, present and future. Jo'burg with its rainbow of cultures has a lot to offer the traveller and photographer.

Pubs, Bars and Rooftops of Johannesburg

Experience some of Jo'burgs most famous drinking spots - from trendy rooftop bars to underground pubs and historic watering holes. Discover a city that is undergoing a remarkable rebirth, a city that offers much more than you would imagine in terms of trendy bars and entertainment. However, this tour is not a pub crawl, its about storytelling - Johannesburg's history, the cities regeneration along the way and its places and spaces, but you are welcome to have a couple.

Johannesburg Into Art Tour 

In spite of the deterioration of the city centre, art is to be found everywhere. Jo'burg has numerous galleries and studios but the best art is to be found on its sidewalks and buildings. Regeneration is brought about by beautifying  the public spaces and derelict buildings with colour and art. The street art in the city is forever changing with new works being added and the exhibition growing steadily. Some canvases become faded or obscure, others are lost of course, but that makes the Into Art Tour special - you never know what the exhibit is going to be. 

Apartheid Museum & Mandela Exhibition

Racial segregation in South Africa began in colonial times under Dutch and British rule. However, apartheid as an official policy was introduced following the general election of 1948 in which The Nationalist Party came into power. New legislation classified inhabitants into four racial groups ("native", "white", "coloured", and "Asian"), and residential areas were segregated, sometimes by means of forced removals. Non-white political representation was completely abolished in 1970, and starting in that year black people were deprived of their citizenship, legally becoming citizens of one of ten tribally based self-governing homelands called bantustans, four of which became nominally independent states. The government segregated education, medical care, beaches and other public services and provided black people with services inferior to those of white people.

In the 1994 general elections the African National Congress became South Africa's first black government with Nelson Mandela as the president.

Old Fort & Prison on Constitution Hill

Constitutional Hill is home to the Constitutional Court, the protector of all South African basic Rights and Freedom, built around the remaining stairwells of the old prison block for black, coloured and Indian men. It is also the site of Johannesburg’s Old Fort Prison Complex (this was for white men only, Except, Nelson Mandela was the only Black person imprisoned in this section). Number Four prison is where black, coloured and Indian men were held and brutally punished before democracy in 1994. Many of South Africa’s leading political activists’ such as Mahatma Gandhi, Robert Sobukwe, Nelson Mandela, Joe Slovo, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, infamous murderess Daisy de Melker were detained here. A guided tour of Constitutional Hill is a journey through South Africa’s painful past, but also a celebration of its remarkable transition to Democracy.

Digitally Jo'burg

The images below can be purchased directly from AfriFriends. We only take payment in South African Rand ( ZAR ) via direct bank transfer ( EFT ) into our account.

Bassline Johannesburg - Set of 4 @ ZAR 1 400.00