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The foundations of the Rainbow Nation

Democracy, equality, reconciliation, diversity, responsibility, respect and freedom: these words adorn the awe-inspiring pillars of the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg. They are the 7 pillars upon which the new constitution of the Rainbow Nation is based. This constitution put an official end to apartheid in 1996. The museum takes you on a multimedia journey through this poignant period in South African history.

Arts & Culture

Opponents of the regime could expect death

Shocking images

After the Gold Reef City Casino received a gambling licence from the government in 1995, the consortium behind the casino promised to finance a museum in order to give back to society. That museum became the Apartheid Museum, which opened its doors in 2001. It is not a museum of facts alone – the museum wants visitors to personally experience the horrible ways in which the racist government policy was carried out. At least 131 political opponents were killed because it was legal to execute them. The nooses hanging from the ceiling in one of the exhibition rooms commemorate these victims. It is a horrifying sight that is not suitable for small children, but it does bring home the facts.

Ode to Mandela

Nelson Mandela is the unparalleled figurehead of the anti-apartheid movement. His essential role is beautifully rendered in an exhibition at the Apartheid Museum. Pictures, quotes, videos and stories tell visitors how Mandela became the most famous prisoner in the world after being banned to Robben Island. From his cell, he led the negotiations that would once again make South Africa a free country and, after 27 years of imprisonment, make him a free man. Naturally, the period in which he was the first black president to lead the new Rainbow Nation also receives plenty of attention.

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Nightlife

Nature

Arts & Culture

Nightlife

In a city where many of the restaurants and bars are part of large shopping malls, Melville is a pleasant exception. The nightlife in this neighbourhood is centred around its friendly streets, especially 7th Street and Main Road. Here you will find restaurants, bars and clubs, both with DJs and live music. Together they make Melville into an ideal destination for a night out.

Nature

Many visitors to South Africa hope to catch a glimpse of some of the country’s magnificent wildlife. However, those on a short city trip probably won’t have time to visit one of the world-famous wildlife reserves. Fortunately, there are some opportunities within the city limits of Johannesburg as the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve is only 11 kilometres south of the city centre.

Arts & Culture

In 1976, at the height of the Apartheid regime, a remarkable theatre was inaugurated in Johannesburg. The Market Theatre challenged the regime by presenting itself as a place where spectators of all races could watch performances together. Those performances denounced apartheid. The idea was simple but powerful: culture can change society.

Arts & Culture

Soweto, originally an abbreviation for South Western Townships, came into being as a suburb that housed miners and black workers. This city district southwest of Johannesburg grew to symbolise the struggle against apartheid. Nowadays, Soweto is a lively reflection of the new South Africa, where a number of noteworthy monuments serve as reminders of an illustrious past.

Arts & Culture

The oldest ancestors of humankind were found in the early 20th century, 30 kilometres northwest of Johannesburg. These remains were preserved for millions of years thanks to a combination of limestone and other sediments which allowed for the formation and preservation of fossils.

Arts & Culture

The region around Johannesburg used to be very sparsely populated. But all of this changed overnight when gold was discovered at the end of the 19th century, putting Johannesburg firmly on the map. The city was officially founded in 1886. Johannes Meyer and Johannes Rissik, the ‘2 Johanneses’ from the government of the South-African Republic, gave their name to the city that would emerge as the business centre of Africa.

Nightlife

During apartheid, most pubs were off-limits to the black population. Illegal bars popped up in the townships as a result; places where people came together to drink, debate and listen to music. In the new South Africa, these ‘shebeens’ have become popular destinations for a night out. Here you can enjoy a drink in an informal atmosphere in the company of locals.

Nature

West of the enormous Kruger Park are a number of small private reserves that are not separated from the park by a fence. The entire area is referred to as Greater Kruger. The private reserves offer classic safaris in a Land Rover and often have luxurious and romantic accommodations available where visitors can enjoy exclusive dining. Visitors have a greater chance of spotting wild animals and birds here as the guides make sure you won’t miss a thing.

Nature

Kruger National Park is one of the oldest, most famous and largest nature reserves in Africa. The park, referred to locally as the ‘wildtuin’ (wild garden), covers around 20,000 square kilometres. The size of the park and various eco zones within it mean that almost every type of African animal species can be found here. Not only that, but in large numbers: more than 13,000 elephants, 5,000 giraffes, 86,000 impalas and close to 5,000 rhinos roam Kruger Park.

Nightlife

Johannesburg has a varied nightlife with an abundance of restaurants, bars and jazz clubs. But the real parties – until the early morning hours – can be found in the Rosebank and Sandton neighbourhoods, where the cosmopolitan inhabitants of the city enjoy a drink in one of the numerous cocktail lounges or dance until the sun comes up.