A decade ago, the idea of exploring downtown Johannesburg (Jo’burg) seemed as appealing as stumbling into a minefield. However, the transformation that has taken place is truly remarkable. Public art, renovated buildings, and commercial innovation have breathed vibrant life back into the heart of the city of gold.
Jonathan Liebmann stares out from the wrap-around balcony of his penthouse apartment and points out the many buildings owned by his property development company Propertuity. “Arts on the Main was our first project in 2009,” he says of the 1911 bonded warehouse transformed into a hub for various creative businesses, including the studios of internationally renowned artist William Kentridge.
His gaze falls upon the 10-storey mural of a young Nelson Mandela shadow boxing on the side of Access City, another of Propertuity’s projects. “It was completed just four days after he died,” says the 34-year-old entrepreneur proudly of the commission from artist Freddy Sam (aka Ricky Lee Gordon).
This monumental street art is a key component of Liebmann’s vision for creating Maboneng, Jo’burg’s trendiest inner-city neighborhood. Consequently, sipping drinks with Liebmann at his latest project, Hallmark House, reveals much about the area’s evolution. Liebmann collaborated with British-Ghanaian architect Sir David Adjaye to transform a former car park into stylish apartments, including a boutique hotel with loft-style rooms featuring local fabric designs, as well as a fashionable restaurant, bar, and live jazz venue called Marabi. The rooftop spa and bar offer stunning views of the city skyline.
Creating the ‘Place of Light’
Meaning ‘place of light’ in the Sotho language, Maboneng is a suburb that barely existed when I first visited South Africa’s commercial capital in 2000. At that time, maps of downtown Johannesburg were more warnings than guides, with the inner city seen as a no-go zone due to crime concerns. Seventeen years later, aware of the positive changes, I felt confident enough to make Maboneng my base for exploring the city.
Little more than a handful of blocks clustered around Fox Street, Maboneng is nonetheless brimming with interest and vitality. Turn one corner, and you’ll find an alley adorned with metal sculptures or a giant mural of Jan Van Riebeeck; explore redeveloped buildings to discover rooftop bars like the Living Room, or art house cinema The Bioscope, and Yswara, a sophisticated purveyor of luxurious African-themed tea blends.
It is essential to note that some parts of downtown Johannesburg can still be sketchy and should be approached with caution. A recommended way to safely explore the area is to join one of the walking tours offered by Mainstreetwalks, located within Curiocity Backpackers, a budget-friendly accommodation option. Both businesses, along with the 12 Decades Art Hotel, are run by the savvy Bheki Dube. He encourages visitors to check out Jo’burg’s largest artist colony at August House, which occasionally hosts open days for visitors to explore the studios of over 50 creatives. Dube also suggests experiencing the Yeoville Dinner Club, a unique dining experience showcasing pan-African cuisine, attracting a diverse crowd back into the inner city.
Exploring Inner Johannesburg
A few days later, I meet up with Sanza Sandile, the charismatic master of ceremonies at the Yeoville Dinner Club. His charmingly decorated unit overlooking Rockey Street, Yeoville’s vibrant main artery, is almost filled by a long wooden table where up to 20 guests enjoy a meal of delicious and predominantly vegan dishes from across Africa. “I learned to cook as a young African man scavenging around the city,” Sandile shares with a broad smile before launching into an engaging monologue about his dynamic life and experiences that reflect the spirit of the city he loves so deeply.
Another Johannesburg enthusiast is Gerald Garner, a consultant who played a key role in establishing the weekend food and craft market at 1Fox Precinct, a cluster of former industrial warehouses situated on downtown Jo’burg’s western edge. “All the different strands of South African culture converge in this city,” Garner shares at Hangout Jozi, a cafe and bar he has recently opened at One Eloff (Jozi is another popular name for Johannesburg). Originally built in 1953 as a car storage facility, One Eloff has been revitalized into a combination of offices, apartments, and social spaces, highlighting a Maboneng-style revival in the southern inner city.
From Hangout Jozi, Garner also operates a successful walking tour company called JoburgPlaces. One of his favorite areas to explore with visitors is Little Ethiopia along Jeppe Street, where you can discover dazzlingly colorful African prints and delightful Ethiopian cuisine. He also introduced me to a new hostel, Urban Backpackers, which is ideally located in the heart of downtown.
Ponte City & Yeoville
Looming large over the inner city is the 54-storey Ponte City. “It’s a microcosm of South African society as well as a beacon of hope,” states Mike Luptak, who has called the iconic residential tower home since 2012. Luptak, a former accountant, co-founded the social enterprise Dlala Nje, which offers tours around Africa’s first cylindrical skyscraper, among other community projects.
Completed in 1975, Ponte City was initially designed for luxurious high-rise living, with even plans for an artificial ski slope for residents! However, by the late 1980s, as white South Africans abandoned the inner city, the building became overrun by squatters. With basic utilities disconnected and no police presence, Ponte quickly deteriorated into a crime-ridden, vertical urban slum, home to around 10,000 people.
Two decades later, the revitalization of Ponte City mirrors the transformation of Johannesburg itself. The squatters have vacated, and the building’s owners, Kempston, have renovated the structure, which is now generally safe and home to an ethnically diverse community of working- and middle-class South Africans.
Youths from the community serve as tour guides for Dlala Nje (meaning ‘just play’ in isiZulu), leading tours not only around Ponte City but also through Hillbrow and neighboring Yeoville, where a popular food-themed tour is conducted. In December 2017, Dlala Nje opened 5101, a bar and event space located on the 51st floor. With plans for a climbing wall on the exterior of the 173-meter building and discussions about drone food delivery to the bar, it’s evident that even the sky is not the limit for Dlala Nje when it comes to reshaping perceptions of downtown Johannesburg.
