Is Johannesburg Safe for Travel in 2022?
Johannesburg is informally known as Jozi, Joburg, or “The City of Gold”, is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 50 largest urban areas in the world. It is the provincial capital and largest city of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa.
Warnings & Dangers in Johannesburg
OVERALL RISK : HIGH
Johannesburg is one of the most unsafe cities to travel to. Here it would help if you always kept an eye on your belongings and your surroundings. It is better not to walk alone at night.
TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK : MEDIUM
Public transport is not safe, and tourists can use a taxi or personal transport to get around. Use only licensed taxi services and make sure the driver turns on the taximeter.
PICKPOCKETS RISK : MEDIUM
Pickpocketing is common in Johannesburg, especially in outlying areas and on public transport. Do not carry a lot of cash and expensive things with you. Keep your documents in the hotel safe.
NATURAL DISASTERS RISK : LOW
The city is practically not exposed to any risks of natural disasters. There is only a chance of flooding, so check the weather conditions before your trip here.
MUGGING RISK : HIGH
There is a risk of armed attacks or kidnapping in Johannesburg, and the common goal of robbers is to get your money and valuables. Therefore, if you are attacked, give the robbers what they ask of you to save your life.
TERRORISM RISK : MEDIUM
There is a small risk of terrorist attacks in the city. Tourists should study the political situation in the region before visiting and also avoid demonstrations and street fights.
SCAMS RISK : MEDIUM
Frequent scams in Johannesburg are when scammers impersonate police officers and demand fines for any violations. Check the documents of such scammers; it usually scares them off.
WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK : MEDIUM
Women traveling alone are better off avoiding this city or traveling in company. This alone may not be safe.
How Safe Is Johannesburg for Tourists?
Johannesburg is not the safest city to travel to.
The crime index here is at a high level.
The main problems are related to violent crime, robbery, drug trafficking, and corruption.
Despite the high crime rate, tourists rarely become victims.
As with many cities with a crime problem, some places are quite safe, while others can be quite dangerous, and in some places, crime can be day or night dependent.
There is a lot of armed police in the city, and the crime situation has been improving lately.
In this city, it is important to remember everything about safety, and tourists should always stay alert when in unfamiliar terrain.
On the street (this does not apply to malls and other safe places), the best general advice is to try your best to look like a local and avoid displaying wealth in any form.
Don’t shine with a lot of expensive items and cash.
It is better to leave valuables and documents in the hotel safe.
Do not walk around the city at night and use a taxi to return to your hotel.
Remember to be safe every time and watch your surroundings.
Do I Need a Visa to Visit Johannesburg?
Visitors to South Africa must obtain a visa from one of the South African diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa-exempt countries, in which case they get what is called a “Port of Entry Visa.” Visitors who require a visa must apply in person and provide biometric data.
Which Currency Is Used in Johannesburg?
The rand is the official currency of South Africa. It is subdivided into 100 cents.
How’s the Weather like in Johannesburg?
In Johannesburg, the summers are long, warm, and partly cloudy, and the winters are short, cold, dry, and clear. The best times to visit Johannesburg are from March to May and September to November.
What Do I Need to Know about Airports in Johannesburg?
O. R. Tambo International Airport is an international airport situated in Kempton Park, Gauteng, South Africa. It serves as the primary airport for domestic and international travel to/from South Africa and is Africa’s busiest airport, with a capacity to handle up to 28 million passengers annually.
Should I Get Travel Insurance for My Travels?
A travel insurance policy is a must when visiting a foreign country or city. Make sure you got it before starting your journey; the customs officer may ask for it.
What Are Some Things to Do in Johannesburg?
Johannesburg, South Africa’s biggest city and capital of Gauteng province, began as a 19th-century gold-mining settlement. Its sprawling Soweto township was once home to Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. Mandela’s former residence is now the Mandela House museum. Other Soweto museums that recount the struggle to end segregation include the somber Apartheid Museum and Constitution Hill, a former prison complex.
Is the Water in Johannesburg Safe to Drink?
Tap water is drinkable and good for use.
Is Uber Safe in Johannesburg?
There is an Uber taxi in the city; you can call a taxi from your smartphone application. The fare will depend on the time of day, and the distance traveled.
Is Johannesburg Safe for Travel in 2022?
Johannesburg is informally known as Jozi, Joburg, or “The City of Gold”, is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 50 largest urban areas in the world. It is the provincial capital and largest city of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa.
Warnings & Dangers in Johannesburg
OVERALL RISK : HIGH
Johannesburg is one of the most unsafe cities to travel to. Here it would help if you always kept an eye on your belongings and your surroundings. It is better not to walk alone at night.
TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK : MEDIUM
Public transport is not safe, and tourists can use a taxi or personal transport to get around. Use only licensed taxi services and make sure the driver turns on the taximeter.
PICKPOCKETS RISK : MEDIUM
Pickpocketing is common in Johannesburg, especially in outlying areas and on public transport. Do not carry a lot of cash and expensive things with you. Keep your documents in the hotel safe.
NATURAL DISASTERS RISK : LOW
The city is practically not exposed to any risks of natural disasters. There is only a chance of flooding, so check the weather conditions before your trip here.
MUGGING RISK : HIGH
There is a risk of armed attacks or kidnapping in Johannesburg, and the common goal of robbers is to get your money and valuables. Therefore, if you are attacked, give the robbers what they ask of you to save your life.
TERRORISM RISK : MEDIUM
There is a small risk of terrorist attacks in the city. Tourists should study the political situation in the region before visiting and also avoid demonstrations and street fights.
SCAMS RISK : MEDIUM
Frequent scams in Johannesburg are when scammers impersonate police officers and demand fines for any violations. Check the documents of such scammers; it usually scares them off.
WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK : MEDIUM
Women traveling alone are better off avoiding this city or traveling in company. This alone may not be safe.
How Safe Is Johannesburg for Tourists?
Johannesburg is not the safest city to travel to.
The crime index here is at a high level.
The main problems are related to violent crime, robbery, drug trafficking, and corruption.
Despite the high crime rate, tourists rarely become victims.
As with many cities with a crime problem, some places are quite safe, while others can be quite dangerous, and in some places, crime can be day or night dependent.
There is a lot of armed police in the city, and the crime situation has been improving lately.
In this city, it is important to remember everything about safety, and tourists should always stay alert when in unfamiliar terrain.
On the street (this does not apply to malls and other safe places), the best general advice is to try your best to look like a local and avoid displaying wealth in any form.
Don’t shine with a lot of expensive items and cash.
It is better to leave valuables and documents in the hotel safe.
Do not walk around the city at night and use a taxi to return to your hotel.
Remember to be safe every time and watch your surroundings.
Do I Need a Visa to Visit Johannesburg?
Visitors to South Africa must obtain a visa from one of the South African diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa-exempt countries, in which case they get what is called a “Port of Entry Visa.” Visitors who require a visa must apply in person and provide biometric data.
Which Currency Is Used in Johannesburg?
The rand is the official currency of South Africa. It is subdivided into 100 cents.
How’s the Weather like in Johannesburg?
In Johannesburg, the summers are long, warm, and partly cloudy, and the winters are short, cold, dry, and clear. The best times to visit Johannesburg are from March to May and September to November.
What Do I Need to Know about Airports in Johannesburg?
O. R. Tambo International Airport is an international airport situated in Kempton Park, Gauteng, South Africa. It serves as the primary airport for domestic and international travel to/from South Africa and is Africa’s busiest airport, with a capacity to handle up to 28 million passengers annually.
Should I Get Travel Insurance for My Travels?
A travel insurance policy is a must when visiting a foreign country or city. Make sure you got it before starting your journey; the customs officer may ask for it.
What Are Some Things to Do in Johannesburg?
Johannesburg, South Africa’s biggest city and capital of Gauteng province, began as a 19th-century gold-mining settlement. Its sprawling Soweto township was once home to Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. Mandela’s former residence is now the Mandela House museum. Other Soweto museums that recount the struggle to end segregation include the somber Apartheid Museum and Constitution Hill, a former prison complex.
Is the Water in Johannesburg Safe to Drink?
Tap water is drinkable and good for use.
Is Uber Safe in Johannesburg?
There is an Uber taxi in the city; you can call a taxi from your smartphone application. The fare will depend on the time of day, and the distance traveled.
Best things to do in Johannesburg, South Africa
(CNN) — Johannesburg has busily redefined itself over the past decade, breathing new life into old warehouses and derelict buildings, while slowly reclaiming sidewalk spaces for markets, cafes, and art galleries.
This resurgence has created unique opportunities for people who travel here. You can go on a bike tour in the morning, have lunch with the hipsters over gourmet burgers, catch a Warhol exhibit and spend the evening listening to storytellers on the roof of a building downtown.
Constitution Hill
The ramparts that surround the hilltop in central Johannesburg once contained a feared prison that held Mohatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela (though not, of course, at the same time). After the end of apartheid, the notorious site was transformed into the highest court in the land.
The old cells became a museum, and the ramparts a walkway overlooking the skyline. Outside the chambers of the Constitutional Court, artwork lines the corridors, interpreting the freedoms enshrined in South Africa’s Bill of Rights.
Lebo’s Soweto Backpackers
Lebo’s — backpacker accommodaton in Orlando West that also offers walking, bicycle and tuk-tuk tours
Lebo’s is so much more than just a hostel. Located in Orlando West, the most-visited neighborhood in Soweto, it’s a charming place to stay and has become a center for exploring the streets of the township.
The backpackers organizes tours by bicycle and by tuk-tuk that take in the tourist highlights, but also in workers’ hostels, churches and community centers that give a sense of the rhythm of life.
Founder Lebo and his family have transformed an open field across the street from their home into a a visitor’s center and restaurant that serves up homestyle cooking, including bunny chows (curry in a bread loaf), potjies (cauldrons of stew) and of course a braai.
Brunch at the Westcliff
This luxury hotel rises over a hillside in a part of town that was built as the residential playground for the city’s gold rush mining barons.
The Westcliff was recently bought by the Four Seasons, which painted over its trademark pink walls in favor of more muted shades of grey. The restaurants — and their menus — have been given a modern facelift, but still serve decadent meals with views over the city’s northern suburbs. On a good day, diners can see the elephants roaming in their pens at the nearby zoo.
Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff, 67 Jan Smuts Avenue, Saxonwold 2132, Johannesburg; +27 (0)11 481 6000
Dinner at the Saxon Hotel
Top South African chef Luke Dale-Roberts has set up a restaurant at the Saxon Hotel, one of the city’s toniest hideaways favored by visiting celebs who like to ensconce themselves in the compounds vast gardens. It’s hard to find a more beautiful spot for a sundowner, followed by an unrivaled tasting menu at Luke Dale-Roberts at the Saxon (guests take a small, private elevator up to the dining room). The wine pairings are as exquisite as the food.
Vilakazi Street
This two-lane road in Soweto connects the residences of two South African luminaries: Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
That makes it the only street in the world that’s been home to two Nobel Peace Prize winners. Mandela’s house, where he returned after his release from prison, is now a small museum holding intimate mementos of his family life. Tutu’s is still a private residence.
Visiting the museum doesn’t take long, but it’s impossible to see Soweto without stopping at its most iconic addresses.
Other homes along the road have been transformed into restaurants, from homestyle buffets to a swanky wine bar.
Hector Pieterson Memorial
A short walk from the upper end of Vilakazi Street, the Hector Pieterson Memorial remembers the most famous victim of the 1976 uprising in Soweto, when a peaceful student protest demanding better education was crushed by apartheid police.
Hector Pieterson was 13 when he was shot dead and the photo of his body being carried away became an iconic image of the student protests.
The memorial explains what life was like in the township during the dark days of the past, in simple but powerful exhibits. Its gift shop also carries an excellent selection of books on South African history.
Apartheid Museum
Yes, the museum is a searing look at the devastation that apartheid wrought on South African society, but it’s also a much broader look at the country’s more distant history as well, delving into the conditions that allowed apartheid to emerge.
From the entrance, visitors are invited to put themselves into experience of violent racial segregation, forcing everyone to choose a race as they enter through separate doors.
A room of limp hangman’s nooses pays homage to victims of the state’s executions. Audio and video records bring to life the memories of that era, a past so recent that some of the people featured are still alive.
Neighbourgoods Market in Braamfontein
Every Saturday in a parking garage in Braamfontein, foodies gather around giant paellas, raw oysters, and lots of craft beers.
The Neighbourgoods Market fills two floors with innovative foods from across the city, drawing in students from nearby universities and urban explorers from farther afield.
The market has helped drive the redevelopment in Braamfontein, a neighborhood with a long history as a bohemian and student enclave.
Wits Art Museum
The University of the Witwatersrand, known widely as Wits and pronounced “Vits” in the Afrikaans way, recently remodeled its art museum with floor-to-ceiling windows that open its displays to the street.
The museum holds a significant collection by African artists, but also hosts international exhibitions, including a major show of Andy Warhol screen prints. Entrance is free, and the museum’s cafe serves one of the most affordable and tastiest lunches in town.
Market Theatre
The theater was founded in 1976, at the height of the struggle against apartheid, in what was once a fruit market. Through an unusual snag in apartheid’s web of regulations, it was allowed to employ mixed-race casts, and quickly became known as the “theater of the Struggle.”
Now its stages host revivals of struggle classics, while promoting new work as well. Famous actors still frequent the theater, both on stage and in audiences.
Market also recently finished a painstaking renovation of the Windybrow Theatre, which is based in a Victorian home from the gold rush era that’s now a landmark in the rough neighborhood of Hillbrow.
Carlton Tower viewing deck
The tallest building in Africa, Carlton Tower has a 50th floor viewing deck that shows the sweep of the city, from what’s left of the gold rush mine dumps (most have been re-mined into oblivion) to the high-rises of the CBD and the green hills stretching across the northern suburbs and as far as the FNB Stadium (famed as Soccer City during the 2010 World Cup) on the edge of Soweto.
It was once part of a hotel and shopping complex that was among the city’s most prestigious locations. The shopping center remains a hugely popular, if more middle class, shopping venue that is among the busiest in Johannesburg.
Yeoville Dinner Club
This tiny restaurant has only one table with 18 seats, but it serves the most expansive African menu in the city in a neighborhood that has attracted migrants from across the continent.
Yeoville isn’t part of the artsy, hipster revival that has transformed other parts of Joburg. Its meals takes from what’s fresh in the neighborhood market and pulls from all of the cultures and nations represented on the surrounding streets.
Liliesleaf Farm
In 1963, police raided Liliesleaf Farm in Rivonia on the outskirts of Johannesburg and arrested leaders of the liberation movement.
That led to the Rivonia Trial where Nelson Mandela (who had been arrested earlier), Walter Sisulu, Govan Mbeki, Andrew Mlangeni, Raymond Mhlaba, Ahmed Kathrada, Elias Motsoaledi and Denis Goldberg were sentenced to life in prison.
Rivonia is now fully swept up in the city’s suburban sprawl, but the farm reopened in 2008 as a museum that explains what life was like in the underground liberation movement.
Melville Koppies for hiking
In the middle of the city, the Melville Koppies stretch over 150 hectares with rocky outcropping (those are the koppies) covered with indigenous plants that produce delicate flowers in spring and rugged grasses in winter.
Hikers spend hours along the trails, within view of the city’s skyscrapers. On Sundays, church groups gather for worship in flowing robes with singing and drums that rise over the rocks.
The park also holds an ancient furnace from the Iron Age, making it an unusual natural link from the ancient past to the urban present.
Arts on Main / Maboneng precinct
A decade ago, when a Sunday morning market opened in an old liquor warehouse, it was an urban oasis surrounded by car repair shops, light industrial complexes, and derelict buildings.
But that modest start has grown into a massive urban renewal project that has lured top artists like William Kentridge, an art house cinema, young fashion designers and ambitious new chefs.
The neighborhoods new name, Maboneng, means “place of light.” It’s perhaps more accurately a place of exploring, as one of the few neighborhoods in Johannesburg that’s easily traveled by foot along sidewalks that connect an ever-growing range of shops, restaurants and apartments.
Oriental Plaza
A shopping mall unlike any other in the city, Oriental Plaza hosts hundreds of stores that sell everything from spices to curtains to designer brands. It’s on the edge of Fordsburg, the city’s old Indian neighborhood that now welcomes migrants from across the world.
The Plaza was built in the 1970s in an attempt to compensate Indian shop owners after the apartheid government razed a nearby community in its violent drive for racial separation.
The building stands rather oddly apart from the surrounding neighborhood, but has become a popular destination for people from across Johannesburg looking for fair prices and great Indian food.
Source https://www.africanjacana.com/south-africa/johannesburg/
Source https://www.africanjacana.com/south-africa/johannesburg/
Source https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/johannesburg-things-to-do/index.html