Johannesburg

Select another city ------------------ Atlanta Chicago Houston Los Angeles Mexico City New York San Francisco Washington ------------------ Sao Paolo Santiago Buenos Aires ------------------ Amsterdam Berlin Brussels Frankfurt London Madrid Milan Moscow Paris Rome Stockholm ------------------ Bangalore Beijing Dubai Hong Kong Istanbul Shanghai Seoul Singapore Taipei Tel Aviv Tokyo ------------------ Cairo Johannesburg ------------------ Sydney

Some guidebooks suggest getting out of this city as soon as possible. Fly right on to beautiful Cape Town, they say, or into one of South Africa’s posh private game parks. But if you want to be at the front edge of South Africa’s rapidly emerging markets, Johannesburg is where you need to stay.

True to its gold mining–boomtown roots, Johannesburg is the city where African deals and fortunes are made. It is the financial center of Africa, hosting the regional headquarters of dozens of international banks and home to the JSE Limited, the largest exchange on the continent. The region’s gold and diamond trade is still based here (Johannesburg is known as “eGoli,” or City of Gold), and more than ten percent of Africa’s GDP is centered in and around the vicinity. It is also the main transport hub for southern Africa, so global do-gooders and film stars working in the region tend to spend a few days in Johannesburg (“Joburg” or “Jozi” to locals).

Thirteen years after the end of apartheid, economic and racial inequality is still a huge problem in South Africa. But in Johannesburg, there is more social mixing than ever before. In business, even old “Randlord” companies such as De Beers have adopted policies according to the country’s Black Economic Empowerment program, which gives economic advantages to black-owned businesses and compels other companies to take on black partners. That means there is a new, racially mixed elite in town.

Where to Sleep
Although some of the region’s largest banks still have their headquarters downtown, all the higher-end hotels—and many international businesses—have moved out of the city center. (Even the stock exchange is now in Sandton, the suburban-style business district north of downtown.) Corporate travelers, therefore, tend to stay in one of Joburg’s northern residential neighborhoods or in the mall-like commercial hubs such as Sandton and Rosebank.

The granddaddy of Johannesburg hotels is The Westcliff, a 120-room complex built on a hill in one of the city’s leafy, old-money neighborhoods. Complete with saluting guards in pith helmets and a bar with faded photographs of cricket teams past, this is the place for colonial-style elegance. But when Morgan Freeman and Oprah Winfrey are in town, they prefer the clean lines of the exclusive 26-suite Saxon Boutique Hotel and Spa. Bill Clinton, who also stays here, is said to enjoy the elegant buffet, and Nelson Mandela finished his memoirs at the hotel after he left prison. Today, a visitor can stay in the Nelson Mandela Platinum Suite, with its massive lounge, dining room, and bedroom.

In Rosebank, the modern Johannesburg Park Hyatt has a well-run business center and free wireless Internet. The Melrose Arch Hotel—conveniently located for Sandton or downtown—is another favorite with corporate clients. There are a number of well-appointed guest houses throughout the city¬ as well—check out the Saffron Guest House in Melville and 10 2nd Ave Houghton Estate in the ritzy Houghton neighborhood.
 
Where to Eat
Johannesburg is packed with restaurants that incorporate uniquely African elements (where else can you eat kudu or warthog?) into the highest-quality international fare. And for travelers accustomed to dining out in New York or Paris, the prices here, while not dirt cheap, will definitely seem low.

A number of local hotels have esteemed restaurants—Sides, at the Ten Bompas Hotel, for instance, regularly receives top marks; you might spot old-money types such as the Oppenheimers in the Saxon hotel’s elegant dining room. But if you’re ready to stretch your legs a bit, head to one of the city’s vibey neighborhood strips—7th Avenue in artsy Melville (try Pomegranate, for intimate dining with fantastic South African wine); 4th Avenue in Parkhurst (George’s on 4th); or Gleneagles Road in Greenside (Addictions and Café Flo).

South Africans tend not to entertain business clients on the weekends. But during the week, Moyo, in Melrose Arch, is a top corporate dining spot—a favorite of Mvelaphanda Group founder Tokyo Sexwale and many other anti-apartheid fighters–turned-millionaires. Ask for a seat outside, but don’t hesitate to walk through the massive interior for a stop at the cigar or wine bar. Decide ahead of time whether you’ll allow one of the feather-adorned waitresses to paint your face with African designs. This lush, Afro-hip restaurant is a hit with out-of-town celebrities: Avril Lavigne and Annie Lennox dine here, and Will Smith once brought children from his former high school for a pan-African meal.
 
Where to See and Be Seen
Businessman Vusi Sithole’s five-star Auberge Michel has become an “it” spot for South Africa’s new moneyed set—that group of businessmen and -women connected to the ruling African National Congress. Cyril Ramaphosa, the former trade union leader now businessman, has dined here, as has Wendy Luhabe, chair of Industrial Development Corp., Vodacom, and Alliance Capital. Be sure to dress smart for this Sandton eatery.

For academics, media types, and artists, Melville—just down the street from the South African Broadcasting Corporation and the University of Johannesburg—is the neighborhood to frequent. On 7th Avenue, the Melville Grill has become a sort of intellectual town hall, as proprietor Samson Mulugeta adds regular, well-attended discussion panels and film screenings to his steaks and Ethiopian buffet.
 
Where to Close a Deal
Cecil John Rhodes helped found Johannesburg’s Rand Club in the late 1800s; since then, the gentleman’s club has been the city’s exclusive spot to wine, dine, and deal. For years, “exclusive” meant no women, blacks, or Jews allowed. Today, while white men are still the dominant group, there is a growing cohort of young, female, and black members joining the Oppenheimers in the old-school ambience. A fire gutted the Rand Club in 2005; during renovations, members decided to exchange the large, central portrait of Queen Elizabeth for a painting of Nelson Mandela.

Local Codes
Jozi residents are obsessed with crime. Most people who can afford it live behind walls and electric fences, and it’s not uncommon for cocktail party chitchat to include stories of the most recent robbery. Visitors should take security seriously—be careful around ATMs, don’t wear flashy jewelry, no strolls after dark. That said, it would be a shame to hunker down in your hotel room, shotgun in hand. Joburg has a lot to offer—just use your big-city smarts.
 
Airport Intelligence
The recently renamed O. R. Tambo International Airport (after the anti-apartheid activist Oliver Tambo) is modern and efficient. It also has surprisingly good souvenirs. If you didn’t have time to shop for gifts in town, simply stop by Indaba in the international terminal—this store has a wide collection of top-brand South African jewelry, housewares, and ceramics.
 
The Three-Hour Tour
If you have an afternoon to spare, go to the powerful Apartheid Museum or take a guided tour through Soweto—the southwestern townships of Johannesburg that were the heart of the anti-apartheid struggle. Drive by Nelson Mandela’s old home (not far from Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s), and visit the Hector Pieterson Museum, a multimedia memorial to the Soweto student uprising of 1976. Your hotel will be able to arrange a township tour; get a guide who will take you out of the van and into the markets or neighborhoods.