Touring Gauteng
GAUTENG – PLACE OF GOLD!!
Gauteng is situated in the north-eastern part of the country, and is landlocked, bordered by Limpopo in the north, Mpumalanga in the east, Free State in the south, and North West in the west. The province mainly comprises the three urban areas:
Pretoria, Johannesburg/Soweto AND Vereeniging-Vanderbijlpark industrial complex.
Gauteng was created by the ANC in 1994 after the country’s first all-race elections, uniting six regions, including part of the old Transvaal province, into what might be the smallest South African province, but serves as the gateway into Africa. Johannesburg and Pretoria are the two major cities in Gauteng. There is more to Gauteng than the art of business and money-making. Whilst Gauteng’s history lies embedded in the discovery of gold, today Gauteng not only has one of the best infrastructures, but its population of over 9 million people form part of a vibrant mix of energy and diversity that make it one of the wealthiest provinces in Africa.
Gauteng’s main attraction is big business, but there is so much more … museums, galleries, historical battlefields. Gauteng is also an entertainment playground offering world-class restaurants, shebeens, shopping malls and music venues.
The province is characterized by rolling hills, fold mountains and flat, savannahs with sporadic scrub brush. Acacia trees are the original flora, but foreign species of trees include Jacaranda trees with their purple flowers in October and Eucalyptus trees in woody clusters. There are a few streams (named “rivers”), but the Vaal River to the south and the impressive Magaliesberg mountains to the north form natural boundaries.
JOHANNESBURG
Johannesburg is an African city of note. It is characterised by contradiction and an apparent seamless combination of irreconcilable differences. The largest city in South Africa, Johannesburg is also the wealthiest and, without doubt, the economic powerhouse of Africa. It’s a booming, happening city and the emphasis is on making money - whether in business or on the streets - and has been since its beginnings when the world’s richest gold fields were discovered in Johannesburg during the 1880s.
To the first-time visitor Johannesburg, or Jozi as it’s more commonly known, can be a little daunting, more so because of the misrepresentation by the media of Johannesburg as something of a war zone. There is crime; you do need to keep your wits about you, but once bitten by the vibe of Jozi, you’re going to want to come back again.
JOHANNESBURG REGIONS
SOWETO
The name Soweto is an acronym, made up, in apartheid days, from the first letters of the words “south western township”. Soweto is inhabited by over two million people, with homes ranging from extravagant mansions to makeshift shacks. Soweto is a city of enterprise and cultural interaction. It is a popular tourist destination with sites such as Kliptown (where the Freedom Charter was drawn up), the home of former President Nelson Mandela, the Hector Petersen Memorial site, restaurants and shopping malls.
SANDTON
Sandton is a prosperous business, commercial and residential district, known as “the richest square mile” in Africa; making is the financial hub of South Africa. Most major financial institutions have set up headquarters in Sandton and it is also the home to many big names in Information Technology. Home of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and Dimension Data Campus, many important local and international events are regularly held at the well known Sandton Convention Centre.
RANDBURG
Randburg has over 32 suburbs, most of them residential. It is an upmarket area filled with many family friendly entertainment facilities and park like areas. The residents in Randburg tend to be more affluent than most Johannesburg dwellers. Here one will witness large lavish homes and an abundance of boutiques. In fact, Randburg is well known for its plethora of shopping centres and entertainment areas, including the Brightwater Commons, Cresta Centre, NorthGate, Sanlam Shopping Centre and various others.
MIDRAND
Midrand is relatively modern and has experienced a great deal of growth in the last decade. Many businesses have relocated there due to its proximity to excellent highway links and its location in the economic centre of Gauteng Province. Midrand’s large development has meant there is little break between the outskirts of Johannesburg and those of Pretoria. Therefore, the Gauteng Provincial Government envisages that, if current growth trends remains, much of the province will be city by 2015. Midrand is, therefore, an accurate reflection of current economic expansion of Gauteng. Home to large-scale industries such as textiles and motor vehicles, it is a superbly located business venue.
EAST RAND
The East Rand extends from Germiston in the west to Springs in the east and includes the towns of Alberton, Boksburg, Benoni, Kempton Park, Edenvale, and Bedfordview. As part of the restructuring of municipalities in South Africa the local governments of the East Rand have merged into a single municipality, called the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality. Despite having a separate municipal government, like the West Rand, the East Rand is included in the Greater Johannesburg metropolitan area.
WEST RAND
The West Rand grew out of the discovery of gold in the area, although a greater part of this area remains rural and largely unspoilt, encompassing some of Gauteng’s most beautiful scenery and enviable weather. Two mountain ranges, the Magaliesberg and the Witwatersberg, grace the western fringes of the region, which, when combined with the Skeerpoort and Crocodile River valleys, makes for beautiful and interesting hikes, rock climbs and days out in nature.
JOHANNESBURG ATTRACTIONS
The Apartheid Museum
The Apartheid Museum, the first of its kind and illustrates the rise and fall of apartheid - The racially prejudiced system that blighted much of its progress and the triumph of reason which crowned half a century of struggle. Their liberation in 1994 with the election of Nelson Mandela, the prisoner who became president, is a climax in the saga of a nation’s resistance, courage and fortitude.
Nelson Mandela Bridge
The largest cable-stayed bridge in South Africa (284 metre long). At night the bridge is a magical beacon that lights the sky, its imposing span dominating the horizon in amongst the city skyscrapers and viewed from the M1 highway by countless South Africans and visitors alike.
Gold Reef City
Gold Reef City is a huge and very popular entertainment complex made up of a theme park and casino facilities. At Gold Reef City you will find experiences that you would not find anywhere else - it’s a combination of fun, fantasy, historical fact all in a safe environment. Gold Reef Cities appeal is broad. International travellers savour the offering of traditional African music, dance and history found throughout the complex. The carefully-documented history of Apartheid, chillingly yet beautifully depicted in the Museum, is a must-see on a South African visit. And nowhere else will the tourist find such a comprehensive and colourful depiction of mining life at the turn of the nineteenth century.
The Cradle of Humankind
The Cradle of Humankind Site comprises a strip of a dozen dolomitic limestone caves containing the fossilised remains of ancient forms of animals, plants and most importantly, hominids. The dolomite, in which the caves formed, started out as coral reefs growing in a worm shallow sea about 2.3 billion years ago.
Johannesburg Botanic Garden
Set on the western shores of the picturesque Emmarentia Dam, Johannesburg Botanic Garden is one of the city’s parks - a green space in the middle of Jo’burgs northern suburbs about 6 kilometres from the city centre - with over 30 000 trees, a large rose garden, the site of over 4 500 varieties, and a space through which tourists can stroll, relax and experience the peace and tranquillity the garden offers.
New Town
Newtown is home to the renowned Market Theatre, which played such an important role in South African theatre during the apartheid era, committed as it was to non-racial theatre right from 1974, where a run-down Edwardian market hall was converted into a cultural arena that provided a platform for some of the country’s best actors and playwrights. Today the complex is home to three theatres and two art galleries, and on Saturday mornings a flea market continues at the theatre
PRETORIA/TSHWANE
Pretoria literally comes alive with blossoms and leaves no one in doubt as to the origin of its nickname - Jacaranda city. Pretoria functions as one of three capitals of South Africa with a population that exceeds a million people, the bulk of whom are government officials. The city centre is laid out in typical city fashion on a grid with wide roads, making getting around fairly simple. Pretoria’s potential name change to Tshwane.
PRETORIA REGIONS
Arcadia
Arcadia is a suburb in Pretoria, South Africa known for its historical buildings, embassies and hotels. The Union Buildings as well as the President’s residence are also situated here. Interestingly, Andries Francois du Toit was the original owner of the land on which the Union Buildings were built. In addition, he was Pretoria’s first magistrate and was responsible for the layout of the city. During this period he sold his land, called Arcadia, to Stephanus Jacobus Meintjies after whom the hill in Arcadia is named. Pretoria has the second largest number of embassies in the world, after Washington, D.C., most of which are located in or near Arcadia. The main road is Park Street on which the US Embassy compound can be found. Other attractions situated on Park Street are the spectacular Pretoria Art Museum in its Mid-Century Modernist building.
Brummeria
Aside from the obviously interesting work that the CSIR carries out, it doesn’t necessitate a visit; however, there are a fair number of attractions in and around Brummeria that make staying here more than worthwhile. The Pretoria Botanical Gardens provide a relaxed environment perfect for tourist wanting to spend a relaxing walk in a garden.
Hatfield
The lovely, sedate neighbourhood of Hatfield has become known as the embassy suburb because of the inclination of embassies to move into the large homes that grace the area, which does in turn give one an indication of their size. Hatfield lies in the heart of Pretoria, just outside the city centre between Arcadia and Lynnwood. It is close to the University, to Loftus Versfeld stadium, set to undergo a multi-million rand facelift to prepare it for the 2010 World Cup. Hatfield has its own burgeoning business area, and the Hatfield Plaza with its shops and entertainment, as well as a number of restaurants.
PRETORIA ATTRACTIONS
UNION BUILDINGS
Designed by Sir Herbert Baker and completed in 1913. Considered by many to be the architect’s greatest achievement & South Africa’s architectural masterpiece. This was the setting for President Nelson Mandela’s historic inauguration in 1994.
VOORTREKKER MONUMENT
The huge monolith that is the Voortrekker monument stands as a major landmark on a low hill, just outside Tshwane (as Pretoria is now called). Depending on who you are, the monument that has some of the finest sculpture work in the country is either a reminder of apartheid or an important memorial for Afrikanerdom, but either way, it is worth a visit. The Voortrekker monument was built in honour of the great Voortrekkers or pioneers, who left the Cape during the period 1835 to 1854 to cut through the interior of the country in what became known as the Great Trek.
MELROSE HOUSE
Melrose House is situated at 275 Jacob Maré Street, Pretoria across from Burger’s Park. Free parking for visitors to Melrose House is available at 280 Scheiding Street, to the south of Melrose House. Melrose House offers visitors guided tours by appointment, a clay tennis court, a reference library and a Tea Garden. Temporary exhibitions, antique fairs, talks, workshops for children and adults, and shows are presented on a regular basis.
SOUTH AFRICAN STATE THEATRE
The huge State Theatre complex in Church Street in Pretoria / Tshwane, with its five theatres and huge public square, opened in 1981 as a non-profit, government funded company famous for lavish productions that saw overseas opera singers and ballet dancers grace the huge main stage alongside a permanent opera ensemble and chorus, ballet company, dance company, drama company, and all the departments necessary to support a working theatre. Today the State Theatre continues to host a variety of blockbuster shows and local talent.
PRETORIA NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS
This is one of the most famous zoos in the world and the largest in South Africa. The most interesting feature of the zoo is the aquarium and reptile park. Visitors can also take a ride in the famous cable cars which provide excellent views of the zoo and city.
AUSTIN ROBERTS BIRD SANCTUARY
The reserve was named after ornithologist-mammal gist, J Austin Roberts, born in Pretoria in 1883, and largely self-taught. The 11.8 hectare sanctuary lies within the Walkerspruit Open Space System in which two streams feed water into wetland basins that attract a large number of water bird species.
TRANSVAAL NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
Founded in 1892, the Transvaal Museum of Natural History was originally buried away in a tiny room next to the clock tower on the top floor of Parliament House, a collection so small, it hardly justified the hiring of any permanent employees. Today the collection at the Transvaal Museum of Natural History is housed in a magnificent sandstone building, its entrance dominated by dinosaur skeletons, filled with cavernous display halls. Exhibits include hominid fossils from the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site and associated fauna.
GAUTENG WEATHER & CLIMATE
Gauteng is said to offer one of the world’s best climates: summer days are warm and wind free and winter days are crisp and clear. Johannesburg and Pretoria differ in temperature by about 2% (Pretoria being the warmer of the two). The seasons are flexible, one running into the next, and summer habitually spills over into spring and autumn. The nights can be chilly particularly in winter. Bring a jacket to wear in the evenings. The rainy season is in summer rather than winter. Rainstorms are often harsh accompanied by much thunder and lightning and occasional hail, but they are brief and followed by warm sunshine.
Other places to see in the Gauteng province:
Magaliesburg
This small village lies at the heart of a beautiful region of mountains, valleys, rivers and indigenous woodland - home to a variety of birds. Magaliesburg lies below the Southern Range of the Magaliesburg Mountains. Magaliesburg is a tranquil haven of tourist attractions. Here you will find country guest houses, hotels, lodges, stores, art and craft studios, working farms, horse and mountain bike trails.
The village comes to life at weekends when townsfolk and visitors spend time in its many fascinating shops and stores. The Magaliesburg area is rich in history and dates from the beginning of man. Tribal conflicts over the centuries and the Anglo-Boer war form the background to a region where you’ll find solace, relax and get closer to your roots.
Activities
- Horse-riding
- Hot air ballooning
- Historic sight-seeing
- Gliding
- Hiking
- Fly Fishing
- Tea gardens and restaurants
- Golf
- Antiques and gift stores
Heidelberg
In 1885 the Witwatersrand gold reef was discovered in the Heidelberg district and the office of the Mining Commissioner was established there.
Heidelberg developed as a typical rural Victorian town. Many buildings dating back to the period between 1890 and 1910 have been preserved.
Activities
AG Visser House
Van der Westhuizen Str. Dr AG Visser renowned early Afrikaans poet, resided and practised as the local doctor in this house.
Concentration Camp Cemetery
View the graves of woman and children of who died during the Second War of Independence.
Diepkloof Farm Museum
20km On the Nigel road you would find the old restored farmhouse built in 1850.
Klipkerk
Its name meaning ’stone church’, the corner of this beautiful sandstone edifice was laid in 1890, 25 years after the finding of congregation.
Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve
The highveld reserve has a wide range of plants, birds and animal species. Clearly marked self-guiding hiking is laid out.
The old Jail
The jail was built in 1888 and first served as a hospital and home for the underprivileged. The building has stood empty since 1963 when a new jail was built. It is now being restored.
PICTURES OF GAUTENG PROVINCE:
 PRETORIA  VOORTREKKER MONUMENT KLIPKERK AT HEIDELBURG |
 JOHANNESBURG  GOLDREEF CITY - JOHANNESBURG  MAGALIESBURG |
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