JOHANNESBURG – Gateway to Africa

JOHANNESBURG is where the money is. And the action. It's the most powerful commercial centre on the African continent.

Johannesburg generates 16% of South Africa's GDP and employs 12% of the national workforce. It has a financial, municipal, roads and telecommunications infrastructure that matches leading first world cities, yet the cost of living is far lower. The World Economic Forum rates the banking sector the sixth most sophisticated in the world.

Johannesburg hosts every form of commercial activity from financial services to heavy industries and mining. There's hardly a major international company doing serious business in sub-Saharan Africa that has not looked to Johannesburg as the gateway to the continent.

Place of Gold…

Johannesburg is the capital of South Africa's smallest - and richest - province, called Gauteng, a Sesotho name meaning "Place of Gold". Gauteng is predominantly urban, consisting chiefly of industrial and mining satellite towns surrounding the twin cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria. Pretoria, South Africa's administrative capital (the legislative capital is Cape Town) is itself merging into Johannesburg's outer suburbs.

Joburg?

Johannesburg or Joburg? Johannesburg is a bit of a mouthful, which is why South Africans invariably call the city "Joburg". The shorter name is creeping towards respectability: the municipality recently decided to use "Joburg" on all marketing and official stationery.

Johannesburg is South Africa's most cosmopolitan city, home to diverse population groups and to languages from throughout Africa. South Africa itself has 11 languages, all of them spoken in Johannesburg. But tourists will find that English is the predominant language of government, business and the media, and can be understood by most people. Road signs are mainly in English.

South Africans speak British as opposed to American English, but the local variety has been influenced by African languages and some colloquialisms will require translation.

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Not too hot to handle

JOHANNESBURG has a delightfully mild climate, neither humid nor too hot for comfort. There are about six weeks of chill in mid-winter (July-August) which always take Joburgers by surprise because they can't remember it being that cold last year, and they've forgotten where they put the heaters. Summer, offering warm African sunshine followed by balmy nights, runs from October to March.

  Art is in Joburg

FOR the art-loving tourist, the city hosts numerous art galleries and dealers showing a wide range of contemporary and traditional South African paintings, sculptures and art objects. If you're interested in theatre, you'll find that stage productions in Johannesburg are alive and kicking. Catch a homegrown play, comedy or musical and find out what makes South Africans tick. See

What's on

Visit the numerous museums that are dotted around the city and absorb something of the diverse cultural and historical influences that have contributed to making Johannesburg what it is today. Among these are the newly built Museum of Apartheid and downtown Johannesburg's Museum Afrika, which incorporates the Bensusan Museum of Photography.

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Joburg rocks!

Party animals agree that when it comes to nightlife, Joburg rocks. The city buzzes with an exciting range of dance clubs and a live music scene that's renowned the world over. South African jazz is particularly popular and there are many sophisticated venues where you can get down and experience the rhythm and soul of Africa.

Oh so cosmopolitan darling

Johannesburg's numerous restaurants reflect the cosmopolitan nature of the city. South African specialties like crocodile, zebra and eland can be found on various menus, but if your taste buds are more inclined towards Moroccan, Thai or Indian cuisine (or, for that matter, McDonald's), you'll find there are plenty of options.

Shop till you drop

Most tourists want to take home mementoes of their travels, and the city's many flea markets are a treasure trove of suitable trophies. Pick up beautiful wooden carvings, African masks, wire toys and baskets, beadwork, colourful fabrics and other indigenous crafts. Then there's the ubiquitous Nelson Mandela memorabilia - a fitting reminder of a visit to the rainbow nation.

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Luxury to backpackers – Joburg has it all

At the end of a busy day sightseeing and shopping, the city offers many superb hotels and guesthouses where you can relax and revitalise yourself before enjoying another day in Africa's most vibrant city.

Popular tourism sites in Jozi

Here is a list of key attractions in and around the city:
• Apartheid Museum at Gold Reef City
• Bernberg Museum of Fashion
• Bruma Flea Market
• Gold Reef City theme park
• Hector Petersen Memorial Monument
• James Hall Transport Museum
• Johannesburg Planetarium
• Johannesburg Zoo
• Lion Park
• Mandela House Museum
• Montecasino
• MuseumAfrica
• Rosebank Rooftop Flea Market
• SA National Museum of Military History
• South African Breweries Museum
• Sterkfontein Caves (west of Joburg)
• The Johannesburg Art Gallery
• The Lipizzaner Horses
• Ubuntu Kraal
• Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens
• Zoo Lake

Information courtesy of City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)

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