Living in Johannesburg

Includes the central CBD of Johannesburg, Parktown, Rosebank, Northcliff, Yeoville, Bellevue, Troyeville, Jeppestown and Hillbrow, and is located on a mountainous divide that runs from east to west. The most conspicuous geographic feature is Observatory Ridge, which is named for the large observatory located on it. The inner city is an extremely diverse region, with areas ranging from severely degraded residential areas such as Bertrams, to the somewhat stable commercial area of Braamfontein to the Upper class areas of Rosebank.

Whilst we do not suggest looking for accommodation in the central areas of Johannesburg nothing should stop you from looking in the areas of Parktown, Rosebank, and Northcliff if you are able to afford it. Rental rates can vary from low to very expensive, the trend factor from low to high and availability of clubs & pubs are generally poor.

The eastern suburbs are some of the oldest areas of Johannesburg, with large communities of Jewish and other European descent. The Eastern suburbs are served by several well-developed and up-market entertainment and shopping areas such as the Eastgate shopping centre and the Greenstone shopping centre and includes the areas of Bruma and Wynberg. Rental rates are very high, the trend factor desirable and availability of clubs & pubs are generally is average.

Soweto and the south-eastern suburbs border the city’s mining belt in the north. The area is mostly composed of old “matchbox” houses, or four-room houses built by the government, that were built to provide cheap accommodation for black workers during the apartheid era in South Africa.

Soweto is an abbreviation, standing for “South Western Townships”. Street after street in this area is lined with matchboxes; however, there are a few smaller areas where prosperous Sowetans have built houses that are more similar in stature with those in more affluent suburbs. Rental rates can are low, the trend factor poor and availability of clubs & pubs are generally average.

The northern suburbs of Johannesburg include some of the wealthiest and most developed parts of the city. Spreading to the north from the inner city to the border with Midrand, the northern suburbs include both large housing developments and commercial centres. The residential areas in the northern suburbs are mainly formal, with no significant areas of informal housing. It includes areas such as Sandton, Woodmead, Rosebank, Houghton, Sunnighill and Four Ways all very sought after areas to live in.

Sandton has become the new business area of Johannesburg, and features many corporate headquarters, as well as Nelson Mandela Square and Wanderers Stadium, the most prestigious cricket ground in South Africa. The skyline of Sandton has grown rapidly and there are many projects under development in the area. The quality of life deteriorates on the outer fringes of the northern suburbs. One of the poorest townships, Alexandra, is located in this border area, to the east of Sandton. Rental rates are very expensive, the trend factor high and availability of clubs & pubs are generally vibrant.

The north west of Johannesburg consists of areas including Roodepoort, Diepsloot, North Gate and Constantia Kloof, it is an area consisting predominantly of low-rise buildings although there are few skyscrapers in sight most visibly the Radiopark Centre with the Sentech Tower in the background. Towards the extreme north-west of the city, there are well-developed farms, as well as smaller formal and informal residential areas interspersed with large manufacturing and industrial nodes.

North of Auckland Park lies Melville, which is predominantly known for its Bohemian lifestyle of restaurants, cafés, and bookstores based chiefly around 7th Avenue, Melville’s main entertainment strip. 7th Road is interestingly enough also a national serial drama, 7de Laan. Rental rates are average as is the trend factor and not much happening in clubs & pubs.

About 40 kilometres south of the inner city are the Southern Suburbs of South Gate, Lenasia, Diepkloof and Orange Farm which are all somewhat isolated from the rest of Johannesburg. It is actually the most isolated, least integrated area of Johannesburg.

The southern suburbs tend to be either solely industrial or solely residential, with most residents in the residential areas being long-term residents in well-established communities. The majority of houses in these formal settlements are included in one of Johannesburg’s lowest income brackets. At the extreme south end of the city, there are extremely large informal settlements, such as Orange Farm, which suffer from widespread poverty and unemployment, which are compounded by their isolation from the rest of the city, which in turn makes it costly to extend much-needed infrastructure from the more integrated suburbs. Rental rates are low, the trend factor poor and availability of clubs & pubs are generally poor.