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Johannesburg is the place to feel the pulse of South Africa.
A city of astonishing contrasts, a huge metropolis where opulent wealth and desperate poverty live side by side, Johannesburg is the intriguing, dynamic heart of this turbulent country. If you want to see the real South Africa - and try to understand it - Jo'burg has to be on your itinerary.
Jo'burg, Jozi, eGoli or 'the city of gold' (never Johannesburg) is by far the largest city in South Africa. It's brash, fast-growing and often ugly, but it has got wealth, energy and a beautiful climate. If you take reasonable precautions and listen to the locals, you can enjoy it in safety.
There are enough horror stories emanating from Johannesburg to make caution essential, especially at night. Use common sense, be aware of your surroundings and do not advertise your wealth or tourist status. Be sure to heed any local advice regarding safety.
If you're driving, make sure your doors are locked, and when you're waiting at traffic lights leave enough room in front of you to drive away if necessary. Running a red light is not illegal if you're in reasonable fear of assault.
Despite its size, it's not difficult to find your way around Johannesburg. The two major communication towers on the ridges to the north of the city centre make good landmarks. Downtown is laid out in a straightforward grid, which also simplifies orientation. Redevelopment of the Newtown cultural precinct, at the western edge of the city, is at the core of an effort to clean up downtown, but the city centre is still not an attractive place to base yourself. After the shops close it becomes a virtual ghost town and, unless you're in a car, it's extremely unsafe.
Most travellers stay in the leafy, exclusive and predominately white northern suburbs that are cocooned within an arc formed by the N1 and N3 freeways. While safe, they're also isolated, manicured and Merc'ed. Homogeneous shopping malls form the centre of most social life, although there are a few pockets that offer greater cultural diversity. The inner-suburban restaurant enclaves of Melville and Norwood make a refreshing change.
The black townships that ring the city are a stark contrast to the northern suburbs. Conditions within them range from reasonable to appalling. Accessibility and convenience were never factors in the planning process, so they are a considerable distance from the city centre and the white suburbs. The main township is Soweto, which you can visit via a hop-on, hop-off tour bus that takes you around both rich and poor suburbs.
