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JOHANNESBURG - SOUTH AFRICA
Johannesburg is the most populous city in South Africa, and the second most
populous in Sub-Saharan Africa behind Lagos. Local residents fondly refer to
the city as "Jo'burg," or "Egoli", which means "place of gold" (forty
percent of the world's gold has been found here). It is the provincial
capital of the most wealthy province in South Africa, Gauteng Province and
is among the newest major cities in the world, and was only founded in the
late 1800's. It is the only major city in the world that was not founded on
a coast or that does not have a river running through it.
Johannesburg is the financial capital of South Africa, hosting Africa's
largest stock exchange, the JSE Securities Exchange. Its also the centre of
the gold and diamond trade in South Africa, due to its location on the
mineral-rich Witwatersrand. Johannesburg has Africa's largest and busiest
international airport, Johannesburg International Airport, which has many
international links to cities around the world via South African Airways.
The population of the city is more than three
million (2001 South African National Census). Johannesburg's land area of
1,644 km2 (1019,2 square miles) is very large when compared to other cities,
hence the population density is very low, at only 1,962/km2.
The metropolitan area population is over six million, based on projections
from the 2001 census, which includes figures for the East and West Rand.
These areas are functionally integrated into the Johannesburg conurbation.
Johannesburg is also the largest urban forest in the world. There are six
million trees across the city: 1.2 million in parks and on pavements, and
4.8 million in private homes.
History
The region surrounding Johannesburg has been inhabited for millions of years.
The discovery of the three and a half million year old Australopithecus
africanus in a cave Northwest of Johannesburg in 1998 is among the oldest
human skeletons ever found.
Much later, around 100,000 BC, South Africa became home to the nomadic San
people. The San continued to live in South Africa until the Khoikhoi and
other Bantu-speaking people migrated into the area around 500 BC. The Bantu
people were Iron Age people who domesticated animals, farmed crops, worked
metal, made pottery, and lived in villages.
Johannesburg is situated in the northeastern quadrant of South Africa, and
is one of the largest cities in the world not built next to a major body of
water. Other such cities in the world are Mexico City and Phoenix. That this
city became what it is today is testament to the gold rush in the region
towards the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth century.
Having initially discovered gold in the nearby Eastern regions of Barberton
and the area now known as Pilgrims Rest in the 1880's, prospectors soon
discovered that even richer pickings were to be had on the Witwatersrand
region.
The town was initially much the same as any small prospecting settlement,
but as word spread, people flocked to the area from all other regions of the
country as well as from North America, the United Kingdom, and Europe. As
the value of control of the land increased, tensions developed between the
Afrikaaners, who controlled the region during the nineteenth century and the
British, culminating in the South African War of 1899 to 1902. The Boers
lost the war and control of this province, known as Transvaal, to the
British.
When the British declared South Africa a Union in 1910, this paved the way
for a more organised mining structure. The South African government
instituted a harsh racial system whereby Blacks and Indians were heavily
taxed, barred from holding skilled jobs and consequently forced to work as
migrant labour on Johannesburg's growing crop of goldmines.
The South African government then instituted a system of forced removals,
moving the black and coloured population into specified areas.
It is this system that created the sprawling shantytown of Soweto (South
West Township), one of the areas where Blacks were forced to live during the
Apartheid era.
Nelson Mandela spent many years living in Soweto and his Soweto home in
Orlando is currently a major tourist attraction.
On the opposite side of the scale, Sophiatown during the early years of the
twentieth century was a vibrant centre in which many races lived alongside
each other in relative calm. However, the National Party government changed
that with its policy of Apartheid in the 1960's, forcibly removing residents
in favour of a "whites only" policy and renaming the area "Triomf" (literally
meaning "Triumph"). The area has since reverted to its original name of "Sophiatown."
Large-scale violence broke out in 1976 when the Soweto Students'
Representative Council organised protests against the use of Afrikaans,
considered to be the language of the oppressors, in black schools. Police
shot into a student march, and 1000 people died in the proceeding 12 months
protesting the Apartheid system.
The regulations of Apartheid were abandoned in February of 1990, and since
the 1994 elections, Johannesburg has, in theory, been free of discriminatory
laws. The black townships have been integrated into the municipal government
system, and to some extent, the suburbs have become multiracial.
As is the case with other parts of the developing and developed world,
problems remain in post-Apartheid Johannesburg. The city is a dichotomy of
wealth and poverty, of opulent First World and derelict Third World.
City government
During the Apartheid era, Johannesburg was divided into 11 local authorities:
seven white and four black. The white authorities were 90% self-sufficient,
spending Rand 600 (USD 93) per capita while the black authorities were only
10% self-sufficient, spending Rand 100 (USD 15) per capita.
The first post-apartheid city council was created in 1995. The council
adopted the slogan "One City, One Taxpayer" in order to highlight its
primary goal of addressing inequal tax revenue distribution. To this end,
revenue from wealthy, traditionally white areas would help pay for services
needed in poorer, black areas. It is now divided into four regions, each
with a substantially autonomous local regional authority that was to be
overseen by a central metropolitan council. Furthermore, the municipal
boundaries were expanded to include wealthy satellite towns like Sandton and
Randburg, poorer neighbouring townships such as Soweto and Alexandra, and
informal settlements like Orange Farm.
In 1999, Johannesburg appointed a city manager in order to reshape the
city's ailing financal situation. The manager, together with the Municipal
Council, drew up a blueprint called "Igoli 2002." This was a three-year plan
that called upon the government to sell non-core assets, restructure certain
utilities, and required that all others become self-sufficient. The plan
took the city from near insolvency to an operating surplus of Rand 153
million (USD 23.6 million).
The municipal council consists of 217 councillors, headed by a mayor.
Tourism
Johannesburg is generally not known as a tourist destination. However, the
city is a transit point for connecting flights to Cape Town, Durban, and the
Kruger Park. Consequently, most international visitors to South Africa pass
through Johannesburg at least once.
Tourist attractions include the Apartheid Museum, Soweto, Gold Reef City,
the Lion Park on the outskirts of the city, and the beautiful parklike
northern suburbs that are home to many of the city's 6 million planted trees
- which have earned the city the reputation as having the largest man-made
city forest in the world.
Tourists from Africa alone spend $1.5 billion per annum, giving rise to the
city's status as "the Dubai of Africa." One attraction is the city's
plethora of shopping malls.
Geography and climate
Johannesburg is in the southern hemisphere, and thus experiences the
opposite seasons from the northern hemisphere. Thus, when it is summer in
the northern hemisphere, it is winter there and vice-versa. Johannesburg is
located in the eastern plateau area of South Africa, known as the Highveld,
at an elevation of 1753 metres (5751 feet), which enjoys a dry, sunny
climate with the exception of occasional late afternoon downpours from the
months of October to April.
In the winter, the average maximum daytime temperature is around 20°c, while
the average summer daytime temperature is around 25*c. During the winter,
the temperature occasionally drops to below freezing, causing frost. The
annual average rainful is 600 mm to 800 mm, which is mostly concentrated in
the summer months.
Johannesburg's relatively dry climate has not stopped local residents and
the city council from planting an abundance of trees, and the city prides
itself on having the most planted trees of any city, about 6 million, which
has created an artificial rainforest-like atmosphere, especially in the lush
northern suburbs.
Demographics
According to the 2001 National Census of South Africa, the population of
Johannesburg is 3,225,812 people, who live in 1,006,930 formal households,
of which 86% have a flush or chemical toilet, and 91% have refuse removed by
the municpality at least once a week. 86% of households have access to
running water, and 80% use electricity as the main source of energy. 22% of
Johannesburg residents stay in informal dwellings. 65% of households are
headed by one person.
The average monthly income per employed person in 2004 was Rand 6,408.63
(USD 988.83), and the average annual income per household was Rand 86.105
(USD 13,285.80).
64% of Johannesburg residents own their own home. 57% own, or have use of a
motor car. 21% have at least one domestic worker. 11% moved houses in the
last year. 2% flew overseas last year. 10% flew within South Africa last
year. 78% have an electric stove in home. 87% have a refridgerator and
freezer. 5% have a dishwasher. 31% have a vacuum cleaner. 90% have a
television. 74% have a stereo. 18% have a computer. 58% have a telephone.
13.25% have a chequing account, 55% have a savings account. 43% have an ATM
card, 10% have a credit card, 3% have a mortgage.
Black Africans account for 73% of the population, followed by whites at 16%,
coloureds at 6% and Asians at 4%. 42% of the population is under the age of
24. 6% of the population is over 60 years old. 37% of city residents are
unemployed. 91% of the unemployed are black. Women comprise 43% of the
working population. 19% of economically active adults work in wholesale and
retail sectors, 18% in financial, real estate and business services, 17% in
community, social and personal services and 12 percent are in manufacturing.
Only 0,7% work in mining
34% of Johannesburg residents speak Nguni languages at home, 26% speak Sotho
languages, 19% speak English, and 8% speak Afrikaans. 29% of adults have
graduated from high school. 14% have higher education (University or
Technical school). 7% of residents are completely illiterate. 15% have
primary education.
34% use public transportation to commute to work or school. 32% walk to work
or school. 34% use private transportation to travel to work or school.
53% belong to mainstream Christian churches. 24% are athiests. 14% are
members of African Independent Churches. 3% are Muslim. 1% are Jewish. 1%
are Hindu.
Economy
Johannesburg is the economic and financial hub of South Africa, producing
16% of South Africa's gross domestic product, and 40% of Gauteng's economy.
Mining is the main source of the Witwatersrand's economy, but is importance
gradually declining. While gold mining no longer takes place within the city
limits, most mining companies have their headquarters in Johannesburg. The
city has a great variety of manufacturing industries, including steel and
cement plants. Many banking and commercial companies are also located in
there. Johannesburg has Africa's largest stock exchange, the JSE Securities
Exchange. Due to its commercial importance, this city is the site of a
number of government branch offices, as well as consular offices and other
institutions that are usually found only in capital cities. The
Witwatersrand urban complex is a major consumer of water in a dry region.
Its continued economic and population growth has depended on schemes to
divert water from other regions of South Africa and from the highlands of
Lesotho, but additional sources will be needed early in the 21st century.
Johannesburg's largest and most prestigious shopping centre is Sandton City.
Other centres include Eastgate, Westgate, Northgate, Southgate and Cresta.
There are also plans to build a 250 000 m˛ shopping centre, known as the
Zonk'Izizwe Shopping Resort, in Midrand, on the outskirts of the city.
"Zonk'Izizwe" means "All Nations" in Zulu, indicating that the centre will
cater to the city's diverse mix of peoples and races.
Transportation
Johannesburg, much like Los Angeles, is a young and sprawling city geared
towards private motorists, and lacks a convenient public transportation
system.
Mass transit
Johannesburg's metro railway system connects central Johannesburg to Soweto,
Pretoria, and most of the satellite towns along theWitwatersrand. The
railways transport huge numbers of workers every day. However, the railway
infrastructure was built in Johannesburg's infancy and covers only the older
areas in the city's south. In the past half century Johannesburg has grown
largely northwards, and none of the northern areas, including the key
business districts of Sandton, Midrand, Randburg and Rosebank, have any rail
infrastructure.
The Gauteng Provincial Government's Blue IQ Project, however, has made
provision for the creation of a rapid rail link running north-south between
Johannesburg and Pretoria, and east-west between Sandton and Johannesburg
Airport. Slated to be ready in time for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, the rail
system is being designed to alleviate traffic on the N1 freeway between
Johannesburg and Pretoria, which records vehicle loads of up to 160,000 per
day.
Airports
Johannesburg is served by Johannesburg International Airport for both
domestic and international flights.
Taxis
Johannesburg has two kinds of taxis, metered taxis and minibus taxis. Unlike
most cities, metered taxis are not allowed to drive around the city looking
for passengers and instead must be called and ordered to a destination. This
is to decrease traffic and to help prevent crime.
Highways
The fact that Johannesburg is not built near a large navigable body of water
has meant that from the very beginning of the city's history, ground
transporation has been the most important method of transporting people and
goods in and out of the city. One of Africa's most famous "beltways" or ring
roads/orbitals is the Johannesburg Ring Road. The road is comprised of three
freeways that converge on the city, forming an 80-kilometre (50-mile) loop
around it: the N3 Eastern Bypass, which links Johannesburg with Durban; the
N1 Western Bypass, which links Johannesburg with Pretoria and Cape Town; and
the N12 Southern Bypass, which links Johannesburg with Witbank and
Kimberley. The N3 was built exclusively with asphalt, while the N12 and N1
sections were made with concrete, hence the nickname given to the N1 Western
Bypass, "The Concrete Highway." In spite being up to 12 lanes wide in some
areas (6 lanes in either direction), the Johannesburg Ring Road is
frequently clogged with traffic. The Gillooly's Interchange, built on an old
farm and the point at which the N3 Eastern Bypass and the R24 Airport
Freeway intersect, is purported to be the busiest interchange in the
Southern Hemisphere.
Universities in Johannesburg
Johannesburg is home to many of South Africa's largest universities, and is
the centre of higher learning for all of South Africa.
Rand Afrikaans University (due to become the University of Johannesburg on 1
January 2005)
University of the Witwatersrand
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