Just_Rodney - This is my View of My City

 A BIT OF AN INTRODUCTION

When I was born, in 1950, we were still a part of the British Commonwealth, we broke away and re-asserted ourselves as a Republic in 1961, 31st of May.

A Bit About My South Africa

 

This was a confusing time for me as it was my earliest exposure to politics. The run up to the declaration of us as a republic, was that a referendum was held by the government to establish the will of the people. This meant every enfranchised person (Whites only) male and female over the age 18 could have their opinion on the issue.

 

The street lamps, robots (traffic light's we were not and still not, that technologically involved) and even trees, were festooned with placards, calling for our opinion.

• English placards The Question Republic Yes or No with a bold cross for No

Afrikaans placards Die Vraag Republik Ja of Nee with a bold cross for Ja

To my random count in the area that we lived in at that time, namely, Hillbrow, there were more placards proclaiming no, however the end result was that we became a Republic.

 

Political lesson number 1 - is that the visible majority is not always the actual majority.

 

Later as I grew older, the various political parties all had there pet rallying calls and political flags to wave. All implying dire warnings against voting for any other political party, other than the their party.

These were quite amusing in retrospect, however at the same time , I found them to be a insult. As I w as a white male, educated in an English school, a confirmed member of the Anglican Church, a Boy Scout, with sworn allegiance to God, Queen and Country, found that these slogans, as well as the political ideologies that they stood for, and what they had perpetrated, not only confusing but also an insult to any right thinking man.

There was however a single lone party that had the right ideals and standards!

 

The Zoo Lake, one of the many parks,an oasis in the Northern Suburbs

 

(The still calm in the early morning)

 

Johannesburg Home of the South African Stock Exchange

So by this virtue, it is unofficially recognized as the business capital of Southern Africa.

General Interest Data Sheet

Current General Personal Safety Statement - Travel Advisory

 

 

Shopping Malls - a nation of mall rats in the making

We have a vast number of shopping malls, these are in every suburb and then even several within a few blocks of each other. They all have a basic similarity to each other though, they all contain outlets of the major retailers, all competing for a share of the walking past trade.

There are a few independent stores that do also trade within the malls, however there are relatively few of these.

 

Flea Markets

Johannesburg boasts several flea markets, which afford the overseas visitors and opportunity to see and buy traditional African arts, bead works and sculptors of all sorts.

Smoking in Buildings

South Africa conforms to international standards as regards smoking, and unless there is a demarcated public area within a building you do not smoke inside, hence the vast numbers of restaurants having an outside area to accommodate smoking.

This applies to hotels as well, so you need to reserve your smoking rooms, if they are available.

No! This is not an every day view one of our city parks, or some ones back garden, it is however one of those several reserves that do have lion enclosures, we have several within close proximity to Johannesburg.

Where you are able to see these and other wild animals from the security of your vehicle. Do not leave the safety of your car.

 

 

Do Not Disturb!

 

South African Television and Other SABC Services

 

Our television service was only broadcast for the first time, wait for it 30 years ago. Yes 30 old, we are a little behind the times, as far as a lot things go.

Today we have three public broadcasting channels, one station that is independent of SABC as well as a cable service that boasts ever growing number of channels.

 

How ever there are still areas in and  around South Africa that are not totally covered by our Public Television Broadcasts, these are being addressed and hopefully with the onset of the conversion to digital broadcasts more areas will receive all of the broadcast.

 

Radio Services

We did however have radio and listened to the first moon landing, the broadcasts on and about JFK's assassination.

So we were actually aware of what was going on in the outside world.

 

As children we would have to remain silent at 7pm every day, so that our parents could listen to the main news of the day. Then we could listen to our favourite radio programs, depending on which day of the week it was. However we had a long running action dram directly after the news broadcast, "No Place To Hide" even our parents were hooked on this program.

During the day there were many soapies, the longest running of these was every housewife and "maids" (Domestic servant) favourite "From Crystal With Love".

The SABC broadcasted to the nation The following information extracted from the SABC site. http://vcmstatic.sabc.co.za/VCMStaticProdStage/CORPORATE/SABC%0Corporate/Document/This_is_the_SABC_text.doc 

Visit there and learn more about the history as well as up to date information about our public broadcaster.

 

The Fifties

A commercial service, Springbok Radio, broadcasting in English and Afrikaans, was introduced on 1 May 1950. The SABC introduced its own national news service on 17 July 1950, which supplied the English Service, the Afrikaans Service and Springbok Radio with daily news bulletins. In 1953, a rediffusion service for relaying the African language broadcasts was introduced in metropolitan areas and townships in South Africa. 3

The Sixties

The 1960s saw the introduction of full-scale programme services in African languages; regional services for the then Transvaal, Cape Province and Natal; and an external radio service broadcasting on shortwave.

These were milestones:

§         A comprehensive FM network was started in 1961 to relay services country wide, to make them more accessible to listeners

§         Radio Zulu, Radio Xhosa and Radio Sesotho established on 1 June 1960

§         Radio Lebowa and Radio Setswana established on 1 June 1962

§         Radio Highveld established on 1 September 1964

§         Radio Tsonga and Radio Venda established on 1 February 1965

§         Radio Good Hope established on 1 July 1965

§         An external service, Radio RSA (now known as Channel Africa), established on 1 May 1966

§         Radio Port Natal (now known as East Coast Radio), established on 1 May 1967.

The Seventies

The SABC took over the former LM Radio and launched it as Radio 5 on 13 October 1975... and South Africa was launched into the TV age with the introduction of the country's first television service on a single channel. Test transmissions began on 5 May 1975, and the official service was launched on 5 January 1976.

The Eighties

While the early 80s saw the establishment of more radio programme services (one specially for Indian listeners), the end of 1985 marked the discontinuation of the pioneer English and Afrikaans services, and of Springbok Radio. At the beginning of 1986 they were replaced by two new national radio services that carried commercials, one service in English and one in Afrikaans. 1986 also saw the introduction of community radio services, which developed, and expanded, from regional radio.

Milestones:

§         Radio Swazi established on 1 April 1982

§         Radio Lotus, aimed at Indian listeners, established on 8 January 1983

§         Radio Ndebele established on 1 April 1983

§         The English Service, the Afrikaans Service and Springbok Radio discontinued at midnight on 31 December 1985 and replaced on 1 January 1986 by Radio South Africa (now SAfm), Radio Suid-Afrika (now RadioSonderGrense), Radio 2000 and additional regional stations, Radio Jacaranda, Radio Oranje and Radio Algoa.

§         On the television front, a second service, TV2/3, was launched on 1 January 1982, initially sharing a channel.

§         On 1 January 1983, TV2/3 was split into two separate services, and on 30 March 1985 the SABC introduced a fourth service, TV4. In the latter part of the eighties, simulcasts on radio and television were introduced. 5

 

Today there is still vast numbers of South Africans that still rely on the radio broadcasts for there information and entertainment.

 

Overseas Performers and Artists

 

In the past, we only saw artists like, Francious Hardy, Cliff Richard, Percy Sledge and many others long after they dropped off the top twenties, or so it was seen by us over here.

This did not seem to be the case with Ballet, Opera and other classical musicians and conductors, as the performing arts council spent vast sums of money to keep us culturally alive.

 

PC and other digital technology

 

This too, until only recently, since about 1992, was way behind the rest of the Northern Hemisphere's. In the early 21st Century we were fortunate and would have the equipment as well as the latest software at the same time as the rest of the world, allowing for time differences of course.

 

Internet and Surfing and Using the Web.

 

Broadband is only about three years old, and not all service providers can give all of the country access, for example I have a choice of only one wireless broadband provider that is able to provide me with a service. 

There is still a majority of SA users that still only use dial-up and have call-more service packages so that they can surf and interact in cyberspace, else it then becomes costly.

 

Internet Cafes

 

Once again, if in South Africa, to the local Mall, there you will always find a couple of internet Cafes.

 

Back Packing and rough guide to South Africa

 

When you land at OR Tambo International there is a list of local Backpacking lodges and accommodation in youth hostels, as well listings for cheap car rentals.

What To Do In and around Johannesburg

 

• Casinos

If you enjoy that form of amusement, in and around the greater Johannesburg area we have quite a few.

1. Gold Reef City in the Southern part.
2. Emperors Palace on the near east - close to the airport
3. Monte Casino in the Northwest close to the Sandton Area
4. Carnival City which is quite a bit further east than Emperors Palace

All of these Casino Resorts have Hotel Accommodation and an assortment of Restaurants within the complex, film as well as live theatres and revenue bars.

 

• Theatres

Always changing the live theatre scene is hive of activity with numerous, small intimate theatres within Newtown, city centre.

The Civic Theatre, Always a big draw currently doing production of Queen, Beatles, River Dance as well as many other tributes and of course ballet and opera extravaganzas.

 

• Eating out

Every form of cuisine is available from African through to Zanzibar, anything and every thing you like is available. These are mostly located in the local malls, as I have said we now tend to be Mall Rats, again this is only recently, as in a lot of ways we are about 10 years behind the rest of the world.

Our busy Newtown area, Soweto, Sandton, Norwood, Greenside Parkhurst, Rosebanks are all areas are covered with restaurants cafes and coffee bars were you will dine on fantastic food.

• Sport
  

We are a sport mad nation, and with the exception of some of the winter sport activities we are well represented for all afficondos of most sports.

So much so, that the outcome off a soccer, cricket or a Rugby match, takes on the headlines for the days newspaper, even though there has been world shaking events happened on the same day.

Things That Got You Into Trouble 1961 - 1996

 

• Bikini's, Thongs and G-Strings

•  

Banned in public beaches and swimming pools until after the late 1970's. Also they were publicly condemned in the churches (Afrikaans), for the major drought that we experienced during that time.

• Female Bare Breasts - well actually it was the Nipples that were considered offensive, or was it "titillating?.

If you were a Caucasian female, yes even prepubescent, you could not walk around topless or in in way expose your naked assets in any public place. You would have been charged with public indecency, streakers were arrested. If, how ever you were from any of the other race groups, it was fine and dandy to expose you breasts, one of those quirky laws that has existed, and amused us South African citizens for many years, in those early days of South Africa.

In order to protect the morals of the White South African public, there was an official board in place who exercised what we were allowed and not allowed to see.

Included in this whole fixation, even see through blouses worn without a bra was classified as being naked.

 

The Censorship Control Board

 

They would censor all magazines, books and periodicals as well as motion pictures, theatrical productions and even ballets. They would have to go through the censorship board for approval before releasing. The number of times Der Spiegel and other foreign language magazines were banned because of a bit of nudity was ridiculous.

Books, Films, People, Organisations, Songs, Writers, and Priests.

All of these fell under the close scrutiny of the Government and found themselves banned deported and all references to them too fell under the banning orders.

It was quite ludicrous that they were so paranoid about their image that Noddy books were removed from the Library shelves, becouse of his associating with the golliwogs.

Another great myth and mystery was that the periodic droughts that we experienced was due and directly caused by the mini skirts and bikinis that was being worn by the Afrikaans youth. This was corrupting the morals of the folk.

Illegal and Public Gatherings

 

Outright ban on all unauthorised gatherings, this caused havoc in having test emergency evacuations of buildings, as a part of emergency procedures. As we now had a group of people massed together, as we did not want our staff members to be apprehended. So we worked with the Police so that they knew, in writing, a few days before, hand delivered, and then still phoned local station Commander an hour before, the actual test evacuation.

Actual Emergency, real live evacuations, we had to, in any case, notify the Police as part of any procedures.

Sunday Observance Act

No public performance, sports event entertainment was permitted between 00h00 and 24h00 on Sundays and declared religious public holidays.

Private house parties were closed by the Police, if a neighbor complained.

Many people were arrested and fined in Hillbrow coffee bars on Sundays for listening to folk singers, owners fined or closed down.

Cricket Internationals, in those days we only played the true game of cricket, 5 day tests, would have an enforced days rest on the Sunday, and resume stumps on the Monday.

 

Political views

 

Criticism of certain aspects and practices of the then ruling party would result in either being banned, arrested, deported or if they were unsure of an individual they would then be tagged as suspect.

Being suspect is one of those things where, Big Brother is always watching you, your activities, and each and every aspect your life is being closely scrutinized. Your file, permanent record, is never closed, you are constantly stalked, until, who knows when?

The Newspapers had a subtle protest during those years, and once they had created the newspaper for the day, submitted the publication for Censorship. The censors would have the final say on what could and what could not be printed, for whatever's reason, the newspapers would remove those articles and publish the newspaper, with big blank spaces, to indicate to the readers how much is not being allowed for public viewing.

 

Some Statistical Data - As at 2001 Census

 

• The population of Johannesburg is 3,2-million
• There are 1 006 930 households in Johannesburg.

Population

• Black Africans 73 percent,
• Whites at 16 percent,
• Coloureds at 6 percent 
• Asians at 4 percent.

Housing

• 86 percent of households have a flush or chemical toilet on the premises
• 91 percent of households have refused removed by the municipality at least once a week
• 86 percent of households have access to running water
• 80 percent of households use electricity as the main source of energy
• 22 percent of Joburgers stay in informal dwellings

Ages

• Forty two percent of the population is under the age of 24
• Six percent of the population is over 60 years old

Employment Figures

• 37 percent of the city residents are unemployed
• 91 percent of the unemployed are black
• Women comprise 43 percent of the working population
  • 19 percent of economically active adults work in wholesale and retail sectors,
  • 18 percent work in financial, real estate and business services,
  • 17 percent in community, social and personal services and 12 percent are in manufacturing.
  • 0,7 percent work in mining

Languages

• 34 percent of Joburg residents speak Nguni languages at home,
• 26 percent speak Sotho languages,
• 19 percent speak English and
• 8 percent speak Afrikaans

Education

• 29 percent of adults have a matric qualification
• 14 percent have higher education (University or Technikon)
• 7 percent of residents are completely illiterate
• 15 percent have primary education

Transportation

• 34 percent use public transport to commute to work or school
• 32 percent walk to work or school
• 34 percent use private transport to travel to work or school

Religion

• 53 percent belong to mainstream Christian churches
• 24 percent are atheists
• 14 percent are members of African Independent Churches
• 3 percent are Muslim
• 1 percent are Judaism
• 1 percent are Hinduism

   

Age breakdown

• 0 - 4: 265583
• 5 - 9: 234977
• 10 -19: 496049
• 20 - 29: 777590
• 30 - 39: 609 069
• 40 - 49: 409544
• 50-59: 230396
• 60-69: 119324
• 70-79: 58597
• 80+: 24681

 

Economy: Africa's powerhouse

Johannesburg is the largest single metropolitan contributor to national economic product. National average growth in gross domestic product (GDP) has been 1,8% over the last 10 years and Johannesburg has marginally outpaced that growth with an average 2% growth per annum over the last decade.

• The city's contribution to the national economy is almost 16% and to the economy of Gauteng, 40%.
• Per capita gross geographic product (GGP) in Johannesburg is R31 000. This compares to World Bank-designated middle-income countries whose average GGP per capita is R33 000.
• The city's GGP is R86 billion (1995 rands).
• The average annual income per household is R31 048, which is on average 57% higher than that for South Africa as a whole, and 9% higher than the GGP per capita for Gauteng.

The city's economy is dominated by four sectors, three of which are service sectors. The four key sectors are:

• financial and business services;
• retail and wholesale trade;
• community and social services; and
• the manufacturing sector.

(Source: Integrated Development Plan 2003/04)

Infrastructure

 

• There are 9247km of roads in Johannesburg, of which only 1040km is not tarred (Source: Johannesburg Roads Agency)
• Seventy-one percent of the housing in Johannesburg is adequate
• There are 180 000 street lights (Source: Johannesburg Roads Agency)
• There are 1 780 traffic lights (Source: Johannesburg Roads Agency)
• There are 35 cemeteries
• There are 554 buses, which operate on 80 routes and transport about 20 million passengers every year
• There are 100 water towers and reservoirs
• There are 9 500km of water pipes
• There are 9 000km of sewerage pipes
• The city has two active power stations, capable of generating 600mw (megawatts).
• The average travel time for commuters is 72 minutes
• Ninety percent of the city's people have to walk less than 1km to access their modes of transport
• Traffic congestion has increased by 26 percent since 1999

(Source: Integrated Development Plan)

Nature

Forty percent of all the world's human ancestor fossils have been found in areas adjoining the city

• Johannesburg and the city has about 150 heritage sites, also that of those sites half of which are also national monuments
•  
• There are 4 443ha of open veld
• There are 63ha of bird sanctuaries
• There are 87ha of nature trails
• There are 80ha of botanical gardens
• There are 106 dams

Facilities

• There are 394 public sports facilities
• There are 98 public recreation centres
• There are 59 public swimming pools
• There are 126 community health clinics and 10 environmental health clinics

Refuse

• The city collects 1.8 million tons of garbage each year
• Of this, 244 200 is in the form of illegal dumping, and 1 779 tons is litter from the streets
• Thirteen percent of the city's waste is recycled

Sources for these figures include the textbook Johannesburg, an African City in Change (Zebra Press 2001); the Census 2001 report and the City of Johannesburg's Integrated Development Plan 2003/04.

This may very well be boring to a lot of readers of this site, but it would be remiss of me if I had to exclude this information for those visitors who enjoy the statistical side of my city.