Ten Reasons I Love Johannesburg – Part 1

I was recently assigned to a beautiful country near the seashore, with clean white beaches that can be walked for miles and miles.

The people were welcoming, the food and shopping was great. And as I walked along the beach, I thought how lucky I was to be able to travel to this beautiful country. However, I wouldn’t trade it for a big, sprawling, somewhat psychotic Johannesburg.

I’ll start with the main reason why I don’t like it sometimes JohanNesburg:

Contrary to what the government claims, the high crime rate in South Africa, and in Johannesburg in particular, is not an urban legend. It happens to all of us, and not just “other people,” and it affects many aspects of our lives.

The morning while I was planning this article, one of my colleagues came to work angry, saying that the landlady was shot during a kidnapping (carjacking). They took her to the nearest medical center, where she was under care at the time of this writing. My colleague was so furious he almost cried: “I hate this city!” she said.

And we could all feel empathy, because in one way or another, we have been there. Two years ago, in December of this year, while on vacation, I received a call from a friend saying that my house had been burglarized. The thieves not only took my electronic coins: PC (with my works in progress), printer, televisions, VCR and DVD player, a digital camera, etc., which would be easy to fence.

They also took artwork off my walls, our entire DVD and video collection, including my daughter’s kids’ shows, my fancy pots, plates, and knives, even the lawnmower and hair dryer.

The only reason they left the beds and capes is because I have the oversized types, and maybe they were too heavy to carry or something.

By now, you’re probably wondering why I love a city that sometimes treats its residents so badly. The reasons why I love Johannesburg is that:

1. People are generally friendly – Despite being a very large city with an estimated population of eight million, Johannesburg is a friendly place. Most people will chat about nothing in particular in no time.

I have lost count of the number of conversations I have had with strangers while waiting for the traffic light to turn green, in the elevator or in line at the grocery store. I know of a couple of cases where a taxi driver has taken a stranded tourist home, giving him a place to sleep so that he can arrange a new flight and go home.

2. The weather is beautiful – The climate of Johannesburg is stable. In summer, it is usually hot, with torrential rains in the afternoon to cool off. While Johannesburg has been known to rain during the day, the rain generally makes good sense to arrive in the afternoon / evening after we are all home and wrapped up.

3. I never get tired of looking at the buildings– I wouldn’t call many of the buildings in Johannesburg beautiful. In fact, some of them are downright ugly. But I never get tired of seeing how old downtown buildings hold their own even when faced with tough times, or start to shine when renovated. I love the stately mansions in Houghton, where former President Nelson Mandela is supposed to have a home.

I like the new residential and commercial developments scattered throughout the city, as they indicate economic development and a growing influx of residents.

I even like Midrand and Fourways, two northern regions where only crazy people drive to and from rush hour. Actually, that’s not true: the roads to these two areas are packed with traffic, regardless of the time of day. But that’s where the business action is, so sooner or later, most Johannesburg entrepreneurs have to girdle themselves and join the queue.

4. I love it JohanNesburgThe amplitude – Somehow Johannesburg managed to grow and expand without having to compromise too much space.

Roads aren’t always narrow, and yes, developers are also building tiny 52-square-meter townhouses that sell at exorbitant prices. I’ve even been asked “where is the lower middle class supposed to live in this city?” But if you’re willing to peek under the dirt outside of some of the old buildings and old-fashioned areas, you’ll still find a decent place to live.

To be continue …