A Day in Johannesburg, South Africa

I bought two wire baskets from this nice lady at Freedom Square, Soweto Johannesburg, South Africa

When traveling to South Africa, there’s a very strong likelihood that you’ll fly into Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest international airport.  Johannesburg presents some challenges to visitors, but also a wealth of enriching opportunities to begin your exploration of this magnificent country.

O.R. Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa

Johannesburg is the financial capital of South Africa.  It earned this status, despite being a land-locked city, because of its rich natural resources, most notably diamonds.  Johannesburg also played a key role in the country’s turbulent and notorious apartheid history.  It is here, and the nearby suburb of Soweto, where you’ll find Nelson Mandela’s home, Freedom Square, and the Apartheid Museum.

Just 7 minutes from the airport, Emperor's Palace is a good choice for accommodations in Johannesburg.

On my recent trip to South Africa, we landed at Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport, a beautiful modern airport that is easy to maneuver.  From here, we caught a convenient shuttle to our nearby hotel, the Peermont D’oreale Grande at Emperor’s Palace.  This hotel is not located in Johannesburg proper, but its convenience after a long overnight flight cannot be beat.  It’s just 10 minutes from the airport, and offers a broad range of restaurants and nicely appointed rooms.

The 30-story Carlton Hotel, once South Africa's premier hotel, has been closed since 1998.

After getting a good night’s sleep, we set out for an all-day tour of Johannesburg.  Our guide, Agnes of Felleng Tours, picked our small group up promptly at 9 am, and we set out for one of our most memorable tours.  We drove past the Johannesburg skyline on the M1.  On the right, we saw a number of high rises, including an attractive building boasting a “Carlton Hotel” at the top.  As Agnes explained, the Carlton Hotel has quite the history.  Originally opened at its current location in 1972 as South Africa’s most luxurious hotel, attracting famous guests over the years to include Margaret Thatcher, Whitney Houston, and Mick Jagger among many others, high crime rates and mounting financial loses forced the hotel’s closure in 1997/1998.  It has since served as scenes from several movies and television series and occasionally the sight of conventions and conferences.  The hotel’s fascinating history is set forth in this Wikipedia entry.

The Nelson Mandela House is now a national monument, Soweto Johannesburg, South Africa.

We soon thereafter arrived in Soweto, a name that literally means Southwestern Township.  A tour of Soweto is a must for any visitor to Johannesburg.  Indeed, the country’s history is inextricably intertwined with the events that occurred in Soweto.  These events include the infamous government crackdown of the 1976 protests that resulted in the death of child Hector Pieterson.  This single event, arguably more than any other, began the long unraveling of South Africa’s apartheid policies, launching the start of international sanctions against the apartheid government.  

The Freedom Charter is enshrined in a bronze monument inside this conical structure.  Walter Sisulu Square, Soweto.

In Soweto, you’ll have the opportunity to take the short tour of Nelson Mandela’s home.  The home, now a national monument, served as Mandela’s residence from 1946 to the 1990s.  The current entrance fee is a modest 60 Rand, or roughly $5 at today’s exchange rate.  The tour takes about 30 minutes.  A short walk from the Mandela home is the Soweto residence of Desmond Tutu.  Reverend Tutu still lives here when he is in town, and the home is not open for tours, but it is nice to see.  Also, you’ll want to pay Freedom Square a visit.  Known by its formal name, Walter Sisulu Square after an anti-apartheid activist, the square marks the site where the Freedom Charter was devised in 1955.  That charter served as the basis for the present-day South African constitution. It’s principals are enshrined in bronze inside the conical brick tower constructed on the square.  Several vendors set up shop here, and it’s a good place to buy local hand-made souvenirs including jewelry, baskets made of colorful wire, and bead work.

The grounds of the Apartheid Museum.  Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa.

No visit to Soweto would be complete without touring the Apartheid Museum.  Conceptualized by a casino company and opened in 2001, the museum promises an emotional look at 20th Century apartheid South Africa.  The museum presents an emotional journey, complete with film footage, actual police/military equipment, photographs, and comprehensive exhibits, covering more than 4 decades encompassing the rise and fall of apartheid.  The museum is self-guided, with an entrance fee of 85 Rand (roughly $7 at today’s exchange rate).  The museum can be overwhelming.  I recommend allocating at least 2 to 3 hours to visit.

Seven Lands and Seas Travel's Jim Work had a couple of little friends in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa.

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