Johannesburg

Johannesburg or Jo’burg to the locals, in the biggest metropolis in South Africa. The city is the commercial centre and economic drive of the Republic of South Africa. The “city of gold” is still Johannesburg’s backbone industry, with only a few of the mines active in the city, but the former mining industry have left a impact on the appearance of the landscape and industrial architecture.

Johannesburg hosts all the main banking and investment institution headquarters, only a few South African companies are not present in Johannesburg. The Stock Exchange was founded in 1887 and is the centre of South African capital Markets.

Gold Mines

Thanks to Witwatersrand South Africa is one of the world leaders in gold mining. Johannesburg also know as ‘Egoli’ which means city of gold.

Gold Reef City

Visitors to the Gold Reef City are see a combination of shows, pleasure resort and living theatre. Houses and streets have now been built on the former mine grounds and reflect the image of the original gold rush times. The majority of the people working there are dressed in costumes of the era.

Soweto

Home to roughly 2 million people Soweto is approx 15km from the centre of Johannesburg. Originally it hosted only temporary living for the mine workers, before being declared a ghetto by the infamous “Urban Areas Act” in 1923. Despite the government running housing programs to build hundreds of thousands home, illegal squatter camps kept on spreading.