In the 1980s when Standard Bank was preparing the foundations for its new headquarters in the Johannesburg city centre, builders uncovered the entrance to a long-forgotten mine stope that dates back to the city's very earliest gold-mining days. During the completion of the building the mine stope was preserved and it is now open daily to visitors. The stope is named for Ignatius Phillip Ferreira, a farmer, soldier and prospector who left his hometown of Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape to join the Gauteng gold rush in 1886. He founded one of the area's very first mining camps in July 1886, and just three months later struck gold.
Constitution Hill represents South Africa’s dark past and its bright post-apartheid future. Johannesburg’s most notorious historic prisons (all of them now museums) sit side by side with the home of the Constitutional Court, a symbol of South Africa’s triumphant democracy. The site is located on the ridge between two city neighbourhoods, Hillbrow and Braamfontein, overlooking central Johannesburg.... Historical background Before Constitutional Hill opened its doors as a museum in 2004, the precinct housed a collection of notorious prisons which included the Old Fort, a high-security prison built in the 1890s to house prisoners of war during the Anglo-Boer Wars (1899-1902), the Number Four prison block, a so-called “Native Prison”, and the Women’s Gaol. During the apartheid era the prison complex became a detention centre for political dissidents, striking mineworkers, those deemed “anti-establishment” and those who simply violated the inhuman pass laws of the time. Many ordinary and famous people were incarcerated here during its years as a prison including former president Nelson Mandela and passive resistance leader Mahatma Gandhi, who were both imprisoned for their pro-democracy activism.
Entrepreneur Jonathan Liebmann bought up dozens of rundown industrial warehouses and factories on the eastern edge of the inner city and set about transforming them. He was inspired by his travels to other cities where he had enjoyed the vibrancy of 24/7 urban life The name Maboneng is a Sotho word meaning “place of light”, and the growing precinct aims to transform an area that was once blighted by urban decay and crime into a safe, happening and inspiring place to live, work and play. Frequently compared with trendy, rejuvenated neighbourhoods such as London’s Shoreditch or New York’s Brooklyn, this pioneering precinct draws the inner-city public, as well as the chic, outgoing and partyloving crowds of the city’s northern suburbs. Best Place to be...(Sunday)
Today, Newtown remains resolutely color-blind with artists of all races gathering here. Strategic regeneration projects in downtown Johannesburg have facilitated the development of Newtown as a tourist attraction, residential zone and cultural area.The bridge, which spans the railway tracks which separate the Newtown and Braamfontein neighbourhoods in the Johannesburg city centre took 18 months to build and was completed in 2003. It is the largest cable-stayed bridge in southern Africa Designed by leading architectural firm Dissing and Weitling, the bridge was specially designed to be lightweight –The construction of the bridge was part of a larger city project to rejuvenate and modernise the inner city and inspire both local and foreign visitors to the city, while also providing an easy, convenient and safe way for residents to travel between the two districts on foot or by car. Some of the trendiest places to visit in Johannesburg can be found in Newtown and Braamfontein.
Apartheid museum the first of its kind, illustrates the rise and fall of apartheid...
A stamp battery, or stamp mill, was a piece of equipment used to crush gold-bearing rock brought from underground.
Diepkloof Extension Upper Class Diepkloof is also characterized by Hostels, which were Built to House large numbers of single male migrant workers.
The largest hospital in Africa and the third-largest hospital in the world.
Cooling towers make for one of the world’s most epic bungee jumps.
Vilakazi Street may be the only street in the world that can claim to have had two Nobel Laureates as residents - the late Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu. The true electricity of this street comes from those who now call it home, each with their own beautiful stories.
8115 Vilakazi Street, Soweto, is a small, face-brick house where the Mandela family lived from 1946 to the 1990s. Today the house is a museum celebrating his life through artwork
Commemorates 12-year-old Hector’s ultimate sacrifice on June 16, the first child to die by a police bullet. He is buried in Avalon Cemetery, where many of apartheid’s victims are buried.
Pass Demonstrations at Mzimhlophe station, Soweto. During the time of the Treason Trial, there were many protests to highlight the injustices of the South African Government. Home to unique Elephant Houses
Coloured township. It is colloquially called "Bulte"(meaning Hills) by its residents and neighbors, as depicted by the Mine Dumps surrounding the Township. The name "Bulte" was coined as a form of endearment by the residen…
It was a humbling and educational experience. Our guide, Lesiba, was absolutely amazing! He's very knowledgeable and proud to show off Jo-Burg to visitors. He went above and beyond what was required of him. My husband and I truly appreciate the time we spent with him and our day long tour.
We had a great time with ur guide. He toon us to Apartheidsmuseum and to Soweto all day. Very friendly man
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ We had an amazing experience on the Johannesburg Historical, Apartheid Museum & Soweto tour with Let’s Go Travel and Leisure! Our morning started with our wonderful guides, **Lesiba and Neo**, picking us up and immediately making us feel welcome. One of our first stops was Nelson Mandela’s former home that was given to him and has since been converted into a hotel. We also saw his second home, where his grandchildren still live today. From there, we visited the **Apartheid Museum**, which was incredibly powerful and filled with so much history. It is definitely a place where you want to take your time, read, reflect, and truly understand more about South Africa’s past. Next, we headed into **Soweto**, where we saw the former homes of **Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu**, who incredibly once lived on the same street. We also visited the Soweto Towers and drove through different areas of Soweto, including a middle-class neighborhood as well as a squatter community. Visiting the squatter community was one of the most humbling parts of the entire experience. The community was extremely welcoming, and seeing this side of Soweto gave us a much deeper perspective on life and how some people live in Johannesburg. We also stopped for lunch at an excellent buffet where we were able to try a variety of **authentic South African dishes**. The food was delicious and a great addition to the tour. What really made our day special were **Lesiba and Neo**. They were knowledgeable, friendly, patient, and made the entire experience both educational and enjoyable. I would **highly recommend this tour** to anyone visiting Johannesburg who wants to learn more about the history, culture, and people of South Africa. And if you can, **request Lesiba and Neo as your guides — they were fantastic!** ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ **5/5 — A must-do Johannesburg experience!**
Great day out with a fantastic guide who was extremely knowledgeable
This personalized tour with our private Guide/Driver, Malcolm was amazing. I highly recommend this tour and driver. Malcolm was professional, knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor! Kudos!
We had a wonderful visit around Johannesburg area
Never having visited South Africa before, my trip was an eye opener in many ways. Loved meeting the people and exchanging views on many topics. Everyone wants peace and understanding to flourish. The guide, Martin, who showed me around was excellent and gave me a great deal of information.
We had a fantastic 5-hour tour of Johannesburg while waiting for our overnight flight. It turned what could have been a long airport wait into one of the highlights of our trip. Our guide was knowledgeable and friendly giving us a real insight into the city’s history, culture and daily life. Stopping at Constitution Hill and various other sites. We felt safe and well looked after throughout, and it was the perfect way to experience the city in a short amount of time. Highly recommend this tour for anyone with a long layover — a memorable and worthwhile experience.
He was very knowledgeable and friendly, would highly recommend
Martin was a fantastic guide, very accommodating and knowledgeable. We thought the apartheid museum was fantastic and was great to see Mandela’s house
Martin was an excellent guide. He was fun and very knowledgeable. He showed us the good, And the not so good and gave us excellent history on both.
We only had a few hours and Bogarni was so obliging, full of knowledge and we covered so many things It was a great experience and highly recommended
The tour with Martin was fantastic, we felt like an old friend was taking us around the most interesting and spectacular places in the city.
Great tour! We got a chance to cover so much in one day. Our guide was so knowledgeable and friendly. It also helped that he knew so many people in the town. It was a tour well worth it. We enjoyed and learned a lot. We had a driver and a guide. The only reason I didn’t give it a 5 star is because the van was a little tight for 6 people. Otherwise great tour and highly recommend!
Martin Is a very nice guide, smart and funny, really prepared too. He showed us many interesting things about South Africa's history that we will carry in our minds forever. Highly recommended!
Lesiba was an amazing tour guide, driver, and host. He provided historical information that helped me fill connected to the sites we visited.
Lesiba took such good care of us, and is very knowledgeable about the history of South Africa. My husband and I had a great time exploring Johannesburg with him as he took us to the Cradle of Humankind, Soweto tour and Apartheid Museum.
Unbelievable tour. A can’t miss for your visit!!! And our guide Martin was the BEST, and while it was a whole day tour it seemed to go by so fast because of just how incredible the experience was.
We had a very short stay between flights and our guide created a fantastic city tour in three hours. We were able to experience multiple stops including a shanty village (our favorite stop), the Mandela House and others. Great coordination with local guides at stops. I recommend having some local currency on hand to tip local guides. Our guide was very insightful, funny and made it a memorable experience. Great communication through the app prior to arrival also. Highly recommend.
Lesiba loves his city, loves to share details, well connected with everyone in Soweto and all locations. I had a-great rush sightseeing tour at Johannesburg, he helped to focus on locations i was interested to see , shared insights all the way through, and drop back on tome to catch the flight back home. Many thanks
Martin is a friendly and a very knowledgeable guide. He explained not only about the sites we visited but he also gave us an overview about the history of the country. Fun to be with.
The guides were professional and knowledgeable. They were sure to communicate prior to the tour ensuring a smooth day. My family learned so much and enjoyed our experince.
Nice tour ! The guide was very clear and welcoming ! We have visited the constitutional hill, Soweto, apartheid museum, have a nice lunch ! Great
What an amazing tour! Lesiba is knowledgeable and personable. He insured we were connected with local guides at each stop which really enhanced our experience. My family really felt they got an authentic experience and my 11 year old son learnt and absorbed so much. Highly recommend.
Our family had an excellent day on a tour of many important sites related to the struggle to end apartheid. Martin is extremely knowledgable about the history and culture of the region. Everyone knew him in each spot we visitied and he greeted each person with kindness and good cheer. High recommended experience.
Our guide, Lesiba, was very flexible and knowledgable regarding Johannesburg neighborhoods and sites. He called a day before to confirm a convenient pickup time and location.
Excellent guide with great energy and many stories to tell you
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