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football: 2010 FIFA World Cup |
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Football World CupJohannesburg:Overview:
Trivia: With around 6 million trees, Johannesburg is most likely the world's largest man-made urban forest. The city is certainly one of the greenest in the world, considering that the natural landscape is savannah. Johannesburg is also the largest city in the world not on a coastline or major river. The weather is generally regarded as excellent, temperatures reach the mid-30s Celsius in summer with little to no wind and occasional spectacular afternoon thunderstorms.
Hotels:Johannesburg is full of accommodation to suit any type of budget, from the ultimate in luxury & expense, to backpacker lodges. For those on a budget and without a hire car Emmarentia probably offers the best place to stay. 5 Star Options:
Transport:Getting There:
Located in Kempton Park, about 20km east of downtown Johannesburg this airport serves at the major sub-Saharan hub. More than 40 airlines have regular flights to and from here. Everything you would expect from a large international airport is catered for; plenty of restaurants, shops and ATMs. This airport has been renamed twice in the last couple of years; you may find that people and publications still refer to it by it's previous names of Johannesburg International Airport or Jan Smuts. The airport is constantly expanding and you will probably find construction work in progress, the current big project is an additional International Terminal. The airport is located at the intersection of the R21 and R24 freeways. From Johannesburg, follow the R24 east and take exit 46, from Tshwane, follow the R21 south and take exit 46. Development for 2010:
The Central Terminal Building (cost: R2 billion) will boost capacity at the landside of the terminal in 3 levels, also allowing direct access from international and domestic terminals. Additional luggage carousels will be added to accommodate the Airbus A380. Arrivals will be accommodated on level 1, with departures expanded on level 3, level 2 will accommodate further retail and commercial activities. The Gautrain Rapid Rail Link station will be housed above the terminal. The new International Pier development (cost: R535 million) will increase international arrivals and departures capacity in a double storey structure with nine additional airside contact stands, four of which are Airbus A380 compatible. Air bridges are already in place and the existing duty-free mall will be extended into this area. Additional lounges and passenger holding areas will be constructed on the upper level. The new international pier and the upgraded central terminal are both expected to be ready by 2009. A second terminal between the two runways has also been mooted, which is proposed for completion by 2012. It will contain its own domestic and international check-in facilities, contact stands, shops and lounges and is projected to cost R8 billion to complete. Growth at the airport is expected to reach 24 million passengers per annum by 2015. The airport is likely to see the arrival of the new Airbus A380 in its first years of service, as Airbus has already listed the airport as one of the few destinations worldwide capable of handling the aircraft, and also because many international airlines operate long-haul routes to Johannesburg. For example, there are five daily flights from London, British Airways making use of Boeing 747-400s, South African Airways using the A340, and Virgin Atlantic using a mix of the two aircraft types. Terminals:There are six terminals at the airport, but these can be broken down into three major areas: the international terminals; the domestic terminals; and the transit terminals. The transit terminal housed disused parts of the old domestic terminals. It has been mostly demolished in order to build a new Central Terminal, which will provide an indoor link between domestic and international terminals, as well as a central passenger check-in area and more gates. It is currently under construction for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Terminals A1 and A2 handle international passengers while the other two terminals handle domestic passengers. Due to the airport's design, Destination and arrivals terminals are considered separate terminals. The Central Terminal that is under construction will be named Terminal A3 and it will be used for international and domestic passengers.
Getting Around:
By Car:A high number of highways from everywhere in South Africa go to Johannesburg, like the N1 from Cape Town and Bloemfontein or the N3 from Durban making it an easy to reach
Traffic can be particularly bad during peak hours (Monday to Friday 7.30am-9am and 4pm-6.30pm) so plan your journey accordingly. Due to the increasing number of cars sold traffic in Johannesburg has progressively got worse and travel times during the Monday to Friday need to consider this. As the city is spread out and sprawling, getting around may require covering large distances e.g. from Midrand to Soweto is in excess of 45 km. Be aware that ongoing traffic diversions will be in effect in Sandton, Rosebank and other areas over the next few years. This is due to the construction of the Gautrain rapid rail link between Johannesburg, Pretoria and OR Tambo International Airport. Carjacking is a common phenomenon in Johannesburg with one of the highest rates in the world. When you enter your car ensure that your doors are locked and windows are rolled up before starting your journey, night and day. Be particularly careful when going to and from your car as thieves often wait for victims to exit/enter their vehicle. Do not leave any valuables on the seats as it is likely that your window will be smashed and your belongings grabbed. At night, do not stop at red traffic lights if you see people lingering there, as they may be hijackers. Slow down and go through the red traffic lights, if necessary pay the fine. Car Rental:
By far the easiest way to find your bearings in Johannesburg is by finding the two telecommunication towers on the horizon. The Hillbrow tower is located near the city centre while the Brixton tower (also called the Sentech tower) is located out to the west of the city. Since they are both tall towers located on high ground and easily distinguishable from other structures and each other, they make excellent landmarks. Please contact our team on 01903 832888 for quotes and bookings. By Train:Spoornet operates regular inter-city trains to destinations all over the country, including Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Kimberley, Port Elizabeth, East London, Pietermaritzburg, Nelspruit and Polokwane. MetroRail operates frequent commuter trains to many suburbs and outlying towns. Johannesburg's central station (called Park Station) is in the city centre between Rissik (west), Wolmarans (north), Wanderers (east) and De Villiers (south) streets - it occupies several blocks. Whilst the station itself is quite safe, the areas around it may not be; be careful and try to organise onward transport prior to arrival. All long-distance Spoornet trains are quite safe, as are most MetroRail trains. By Taxi:In general all the taxi operators collude with each other and fix prices - so taxis are not cheap (and not metered). Haggling is usual (best to agree a price when you phone). Don't rely on taxi ranks in shopping malls, often there aren't any. Always have a few taxi numbers with you so you don't get stuck somewhere.
Food & Drink:
Melville is another neighbourhood where you can find many good restaurants. It is close to the national broadcaster (SABC) headquarters and many artists live in this community. An especially good restaurant is Mezzaluna, 9a, 7th Street, who serve amazing Mediterranean food. Dishes include springbok carpaccio, ostrich fillet, and Frangelica chocolate mousse. Fordsburg has many Indian restaurants with authentic cuisine as well as conventional franchise stores (Wimpy, Nandos, Fishmonger, Nescafe,etc). Dawaat restaurant is considered to be one of the best restaurants and the priciest by Fordsburg standards - A meal at Dawaat will cost about R100 per person and much lesser at the neighbouring restaurants of which there are over 50 to choose from. Another much frequented restaurant is Bismillahs. A favourite take-away amongst the locals is Akhalwayas Fast Foods on Central Road which specialises in fish and chips and various tasty sandwiches. However they are better known for the quality of their food then the speed of service and its not unheard of to wait for 45 minutes(or more!) for your meal at peak lunch times. Unfortunately they close at 5pm daily. Furthermore none of the restaurants serve alcohol and are all halaal. Fordsburg is in close proximity to the Oriental Plaza and can be combined with your shopping expedition. Fordsburg is one of the few (if any) areas of Johannesburg that has a thriving outdoor street market and pedestrian traffic at night - This is mainly on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights when all the restaurants are filled to capacity with hundreds of night shoppers milling about the flea market.
Sandton City has a food court with most of the fast-food outlets represented. Many restaurants can be found throughout the mall. In Sandton City shopping mall, there are many restaurants including Italian ("Piatto") ,Indian ("The Raj" serves delicious Indian food), Chinese, Japanese restaurants. There is also a Korean restaurant in Johannesburg.
Entertainment & Nightlife:Culture:
Museums & Galleries:
Shopping:There are many craft markets in Johannesburg and surrounding areas. You will also find plenty of beautifully crafted beadwork and wirework being sold on the roadside and at intersections. Though you will be able to bargain with the locals, give a thought to the crafters who are often unemployed & rely on sales to support themselves & their family. Craftsmen and women from all over Africa sell their goods at the Rosebank flea market on Sundays and in a bazaar type shop in the Rosebank mall on week days. Oriental Plaza, Fordsburg. A little bit of the East in Africa were you can find some good bargains. Unlike other malls in South Africa you can bargain with the shopkeepers here. The Oriental Plaza is unique in the world as one of the few malls with over 360 independently owned stores. A block away from the Oriental Plaza is the site where Mahatma Ghandi had the famous pass burning ceremony a 100 years ago. The location, which is outside the nearby Newtown mosque, is appropriately marked with a cauldron and the relevant historical details. Mai Mai, Anderson and Berea St. This is the oldest market in Joburg. Here you'll see plenty of traditional healers selling traditional herbs & remedies. African Arts & Crafts:
Flea Markets:
Shopping Malls:There are many shopping malls throughout Johannesburg, the larger ones being Sandton City, 5th St. Open 9am to 6Ppm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4pm Sunday. It's A large and popular mall in Sandton.
You will also find many smaller shopping malls close to residential areas. Usually with one or two of the larger retail stores, a number of smaller chain stores, fast food and possibly a restaurant or coffee shop. Nightlife:Good pubs and clubs are available in the Melville student district, Newtown cultural precinct. Posh and upmarket clubbing happens in the Rivonia and Sandton area. Rivonia also contains Liliesleaf Farm, where Mandela and top ANC leaders once plotted to overthrow the apartheid government.
Tourist Tips:
The city also has several art museums, such as the Johannesburg Art allery, which featured South African and European landscape and figurative paintings. The Museum Africa covers the history of the city of Johannesburg, as well as housing a large collection of rock art. The Market Theatre complex attained notoriety in the 1970s and 1980s by staging anti-apartheid plays, and has now become a centre for modern South African playwriting. There is also a large industry around visiting former townships, such as Soweto and Alexandra. Most visitors to Soweto go to see the Mandela Museum, which is located in the former home of Nelson Mandela. Some suggested sightseeing:
Further Afield:
History:The region surrounding Johannesburg was originally inhabited by San tribes. By the 1200s, groups of Bantu-speaking peoples started moving southwards from central Africa and encroached on the indigenous San population.
Moreover, from the early 1960s until his retirement, Professor Revil Mason, of the University of the Witwatersrand, explored and documented many Late Iron Age archeological sites throughout the Johannesburg area, dating from between the 1100s and 1700s, and many of these sites contained the ruins of Sotho-Tswana mines and iron smelting furnaces, suggesting that the area was being exploited for its mineral wealth before the arrival of Europeans or the discovery of gold. The most prominent site within Johannesburg is Melville Koppies, which contains an iron smelting furnace. Many Sotho-Tswana towns and villages in the areas around Johannesburg were destroyed and their people driven away during the wars emanating from Zululand during the late 1700s and early 1800s (the mfecane or difaqane wars), and as a result, an offshoot of the Zulu kingdom, the Matabele, set up a kingdom to the northwest of Johannesburg around modern day Hartebeestpoort and Rustenburg, and historians believe that the Matebele kingdom dominated the Johannesburg area.
Gold was initially discovered some 400 km to the east of present-day Johannesburg, in Barberton. Gold prospectors soon discovered that there were even richer gold reefs in the Witwatersrand. Gold was discovered at Langlaagte, Johannesburg in 1886. Johannesburg was a dusty settlement some 90 km from the Transvaal Republic capital which was Pretoria. The town was much the same as any small prospecting settlement, but, as word spread, people flocked to the area from all other regions of the country, as well as from North America, the United Kingdom and Europe.
Fighting took place at the Gatsrand Pass (near Zakariyya Park) on 27 May, north of Vanwyksrust -today's Nancefield, Eldorado Park and Naturena - the next day, culminating in a mass infantry attack on what is now the waterworks ridge in Chiawelo and Senaoane on 29th May. Controversy surrounds the origin of the name, as there were any number of people with the name "Johannes" who were involved in the early history of the city. The principal clerk attached to the office of the surveyor-general, Johannes Rissik, Christiaan Johannes Joubert, member of the Volksraad and the Republic's chief of mining, Paul Kruger, President of the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek (Transvaal). Rissik and Joubert were members of a delegation sent to England to attain mining rights for the area. Joubert had a park in the city named after him and Rissik street is today a main street where the (now dilapidated) Post Office and City Hall are located. Currently the Johannesburg Metropolitan Council is implementing a large scale Inner City Revival project, leading to some business moving back to the inner city.
Stadium:Soccer City:Overview:
A football-specific stadium, the FNB Stadium currently seats 78,000 people in plastic bucket seats. The stadium has the third largest capacity in Africa. Most of the largest football events in South Africa are played at the FNB and the venue is better suited to these events than nearby Ellis Park, where the final for the Rugby World Cup in 1995 was held. Soweto and the National Exhibition Centre in Nasrec are nearby. 2010:The stadium will hold the opening match, four more first-round matches, one second-round match one quarter-final and the final.
The R1.5 billion tender to upgrade the stadium was won by Grinaker-LTA. Soccer City is scheduled for completion in 2009.
Coca-Cola Park: (formerly known as Ellis Park Stadium)Overview:
The stadium was formerly named after Mr J.D. Ellis who made the area for the stadium available. Following a ZAR 450 million (USD 58 million/£30 million) naming rights deal with the Coca-Cola Company in 2008, the name of the stadium was changed to Coca-Cola Park. League, provincial, and international games have all been played at the stadium, and it has seen such teams as Brazil, Manchester United and Arsenal play. Ellis Park Stadium is the centerpiece of a sporting sector in the south-east of Johannesburg, where it neighbours are Johannesburg Stadium (athletics), Standard Bank Arena (tennis), and an Olympic-class swimming pool. In 1995 rugby fever hit the country with South Africa's hosting of the Rugby World Cup, the biggest event on the rugby calendar. Ellis Park was the venue for the 1995 Rugby World Cup final which was played on 24 June 1995. In this spectacular final, New Zealand and South Africa ran onto the field at 14:45 in front of 62,000 spectators and millions of spectators in front of their TVs. South Africa won this game 15-12 in extra time. 2010:Coca-Cola Park will host five group games, one second round game and one quarter-final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, for which its capacity will be increased by 5,000 seats on the northern side only, to 65,000. Areas like the Presidential suite are already receiving a facelift. There will also be a hospitality room and new changing rooms. The total cost of renovations is R500 million and will be complete in June 2008, 2 years before the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Unlike most other 2010 FIFA World Cup venues, it will likely be able to use its commercial name during the World Cup. FIFA controls all naming rights associated with the World Cup, which means that stadiums generally cannot use commercial names during the competition; however, The Coca-Cola Company is a major FIFA sponsor.
Please call Dave Freeman on 01903 832888, or you can email your request to us.
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The city is the economic hub of South Africa, and increasingly for the rest of Africa. Although estimates vary, about 10 percent of sub-Saharan Africa's GDP is generated in Johannesburg. Yet the city is also one of the most unequal in the world. Its riches are not evenly divided upon its people and the city is an interesting contrast between the First World and Third World.
The Palazzo Montecasino
Radisson SAS Hotel Sandton
Direct flights operate from London with British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and South African Airways into OR Tambo International Airport (JNB).
Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) reports that major new development is taking place at the airport, in preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The development includes the expansion of the international terminal, with the new international pier which will be able to house the new Airbus A380 while also increasing capacity at the same time. A new Central Terminal building, designed by Osmond Lange Architects and Planners, is under construction. An additional multi-storey parkade is being built at a cost of R470 million opposite the Central Terminal Building, plus Terminal A is also being upgraded and the associated roadways realigned to accommodate more International Departures space.
There is a ring road system of freeways, with the city centre located at the centre of the ring. The ring is formed by the N1 on the north and west, the N3 on the east and the N12 on the south. The ring is dissected north/south by the M1 freeway and partially dissected east/west by the M2 freeway. 
destination. Highways are:
Renting a car is best as public transport is limited. If driving it is worth buying a good road map of Johannesburg, the city (including northern suburbs) is very large and not very well signposted. 
The Saxon Hotel has one of the best restaurants in Johannesburg. It is the hotel where Nelson Mandela stayed shortly after being released from prison and where he wrote his book "Long Walk to Freedom". This is where you will have one of the best gourmet meals in the city, but you need to have deep pockets. 
A relaxing meal can be had on Mandela Square. You can eat good hand-made ice cream at the "Bagelos" store at the square. Nelson Mandela Square at Sandton City offers a number of restaurants to choose from:
The Apartheid Museum. A very moving and informative trip through South Africa's turbulent past and present. It takes at least a half day to go through and includes video, pictures and many artifacts that you can easily spend a day looking through. It is located alongside Gold Reef City and is simply a must see.
South African National Museum of Military History, Erlswold Way, Saxonwold (Next to the Johannesburg Zoo). Open daily 9am to 4:30pm. A good collection of military hardware, including one of very few ME 262 jet fighters from WW2 still in existence. There is also a South African build G6 self propelled, 155mm howitzer on show. A snack shop as well as a shop selling genuine and reproduced vintage military equipment is located within the museum. R20 entrance fee.
Johannesburg has not traditionally been known as a tourist destination, as the city is a transit point for connecting flights to Cape Town, Durban, and the Kruger National Park. Consequently, most international visitors to South Africa pass through Johannesburg at least once, which has led to the development of more attractions for tourists. Recent additions have centred around history museums, such as the Apartheid Museum and the Hector Pieterson Museum. Gold Reef City, a large amusement park to the south of the Central Business District, is also a large draw for tourists in the city. The Johannesburg Zoo is also one of the largest in South Africa.
Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens, (The gardens can be tricky to find as it is not well signposted from the main roads. From the N1 get onto Hendrik Potgieter at exit 80 (Roodepoort/M8 14th Ave). Follow the signs indicating Tarlton (M47) to the north. Pass Clearwater mall, turn left into Handicap Road and right into Malcolm Road where you see the first signpost for the gardens. The gardens will be on your left a couple of hundred metres from here. One of the last green areas remaining within Johannesburg. Lots of birds, including the endangered Black Eagle. There is a restaurant situated within the grounds as well as picnic and braai areas. R18 per person.
Lion Park, R114 near the corner with Hans Strijdom (R512), Honeydew (From the N1, take exit 90, Randburg/R512 Hans Strydom Dr. and follow this north past Kya Sands. At the 4 way stop with the R114, take a right turn. The Lion Park is two hundred metres down the road on the right). The entrance ticket entitles you a visit with the lion cubs (yes, you get to touch them) and a self drive game viewing through the lion camps and game area (antelope, zebra, giraffe and others live here). The Lion Park can be very busy over weekend and public holidays. If you want some quality time with the lion cubs, rather go during the week when it is not so busy. If you are going to drive through the lion enclosures, make sure that there are no loose objects on the outside of your vehicle and keep your windows closed. The lions are especially fond of 4x4 spare wheel covers, so remove those before you enter. R80 per person.
Gold Reef City. Northern Parkway, Ormonde (From the M1 South, take exit 5, Johannesburg/M17 Xavier Street and follow Crownwood Rd until intersection with Northern parkway. Turn right into Northern Parkway and follow that road for about 1 km). An amusement park with a casino. The visitor can also learn about gold mining and go into a mine here. Unfortunately Gold Reef isn't a theme-park of international standards so if you are expecting "Disney Land Africa" give it a miss.
Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve. Open 8am to 4:45pm. Located in Kromdraai north of Krugersdorp, this park offers self drive, game drive, horse trails, an observatory, abseiling, swimming pool and braai and picnic areas with restaurant (open daily), conference facilities, team building, functions etc. Wide range of animals including lion, white lion, tiger (Bengal & Siberian), white tiger, wild dog, cheetah, baffalo, white rhino, hippo, zebra, ostrich, etc. Don't forget to visit the animal crèche with baby lion, cheetah & tiger cubs as well as the reptile park with most of the indigenous snakes including black & green mamba. R70.
By the mid 1700s, the broader region was densely settled by various Sotho-Tswana communities (one linguistic branch of Bantu-speakers), whose villages, towns, chiefdoms and kingdoms stretched from what is now Botswana in the west, to present day Lesotho in the south, to the present day Pedi areas of the northern Transvaal. More specifically, the stone-walled ruins of Sotho-Tswana towns and villages are scattered around the parts of the former Transvaal in which Johannesburg is situated. The Sotho-Tswana practiced farming, raised cattle, sheep and goats, and extensively mined and smelted copper, iron and tin. 
The Dutch speaking Voortrekkers arrived in the early 1800s, driving away the Matebele with the help of Sotho-Tswana allies, establishing settlements around Rustenburg and Pretoria in the early 1830s, and claiming sovereignty over what would become Johannesburg as part of the South African Republic or Transvaal Republic. Gold was discovered in the 1880s and triggered the gold rush.
As the value of control of the land increased, tensions developed between the Boer government in Pretoria and the British, culminating in the Jameson Raid that ended in fiasco at Doornkop in January 1896 and the Second Boer War (1899-1902) that saw British forces under Lord Roberts occupy the city on 30 May 1900 after a series of battles to the south of its then-limits.
First National Bank Stadium (FNB Stadium or Soccer City) is a stadium located in Johannesburg. It is located next to the South African Football Association headquarters (SAFA House) where both the FIFA offices and the Local Organising Committee for the 2010 FIFA World Cup is housed. 
The Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg is to undergo a major upgrade for the 2010 tournament, with a new design inspired by traditional African pottery. The upper tier will be extended around the stadium to increase the capacity to 94,700 with an extra 99 Executive suites, an encircling roof will be constructed, new changing room facilities will be developed and new floodlights will be installed. 
Coca-Cola Park, formerly known as Ellis Park Stadium, is a rugby union stadium in the city of Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa. It hosted the Rugby World Cup final in 1995, which was won by the country's national team, the Springboks. The large stadium was the country's most modern when it was upgraded in 1982 to accommodate almost 60,000 people. Today, the stadium hosts both football and rugby, and is also used as a venue for other large events, such as open-air concerts. It has become synonymous with rugby as the only time when rugby was not played at Ellis Park was during 1980 and 1981 when the stadium was under construction during an upgrade. |