Gold Reef City, Ormonde
(Tel: 011-248 6800)
Open 09h00 – 17h00 (closed on Mondays)
Situated on what was for many years the world’s richest gold mine, the venue comprises a set of reconstructed buildings from the gold rush era. One shaft of the old mine is kept open, allowing visitors experience a fascinating underground tour. The park also has a funfair, restaurants and activities for children.
Constitution Hill, Braamfontein and the Nelson Mandela Bridge
(Tel: 011-274 9300)
Open 09h00 to 16h00 daily (except for Christmas and Good Friday)
Site of an historic prison and now home to the South African Constitutional Court, Constitution Hill will upon completion house complex of restaurants, hotels and a precinct for cultural events.
The Nelson Mandela Bridge: Opened in 2003, the 284 m long bridge linking the Newtown Cultural Precinct with the Constitution Hill development, this state-of-the-art cable-stayed bridge was named after Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s most revered bridge builder and the man who led the county to democratic reconciliation. In addition to acquiring instant iconic status and redefining the Joburg skyline, the bridge also forms the heart of a R300-million inner city renewal project.
Soweto
The name given to the largest and most famous segregated African city in South Africa, situated to the south-west of the Joburg CBD. No visit to Gauteng is complete without trip to Soweto, home still to veteran anti-apartheid activists and scene of the 1976 student uprising. There are plenty of sites to visit including the homes of Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Walter Sisulu Square (formerly Freedom Square), the Hector Pietersen Memorial & Museum and the Regina Mundi Catholic Church, to mention but a few.
MuseumAfrika, Newtown in Johannesburg CBD
(Tel: 011-833 5624)
(Open 09h00 – 17h00, closed on Mondays)
Once the city’s fruit and vegetable market, this magnificent Victorian building now houses important early Africana heritage collections including displays on the Treason Trial (1956-60, Ghandi’s almost 20 years spent in South Africa and a recreation of some of South Africa’s most magnificent San rock art.)
Johannesburg Art Gallery, Joubert Park, CBD
(Tel 011-725 3130).
(Open 10h00 – 17h00, closed on Mondays)
It is best to use a guide to access this gallery.
Housed in a grand colonial building (designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens), Johannesburg’s principal art collection is acknowledged as the most representative collection in sub-Saharan Africa (excluding Islamic art) and includes major pieces from many genres – from 19th Century traditional African objects, anti-apartheid art and works by several European masters including Picasso and Rodin.
SA Museum of Military History, Saxonwold
(Tel: 011-646 5513) Open 09h00-16h30 daily.
An internationally renowned collection of military equipment, machinery and memorabilia (dating from World War I) displayed in an immaculate park adjoining the Johannesburg Zoo.
Other places of interest in the Johannesburg vicinity include:
The Cradle of Humankind, Magaliesberg
(Tel: 011-957 0106)
Proclaimed a World Heritage Site in 1999 by the United Nations, this valley is home to the richest source of Australopithecus fossil remains tracing the evolution of human beings to Africa. Although short tours are available on site, for enthusiasts, it is best experienced under the expert guidance of a paleoanthropologist.
Lesedi Cultural Village, Magaliesberg
(Tel: 012-205 1394)
This purpose-built cultural village provides visitors with a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in African art, culture, dancing and music. Enjoy performances twice daily or stay overnight, seven days a week.
