A hipster day in Jozi

   Today I went to the iconic city of Johannesburg for the first time or Jozi or Joburg as locals call it.  A mere 40 minute train ride on Africa’s first 21st century train system called the “Gautrain” takes you from Pretoria to the city center of Johannesburg.  After emerging from the train station we found ourselves in the center of Sub-Saharan Africa’s largest city, a massive urban sprawl of towering new age skyscrapers along side intense poverty.

 

The Gautrain.  It only goes back and forth from Pretoria, the airport, and Johannesburg and is often not on time or running since people are constantly stealing the electrical conductors for scrape. 

Walking briskly down the streets, my three female companions and I felt out of place as the only well dressed Caucasians walking rather than driving.  However it is hard not to first notice the smell of human urine and feces down most streets.  Hairdressers, hair extension and cell phone shops line the street level in between massive abandoned buildings all with signs “for let”.

Notorious for it’s crime, it’s hard not to think of the number of murders that occur in this city as well as the accounts of friends who have been mugged in recent days. Friends who go to one of the universities in downtown Joburg have claimed to carry dummy phones and wallets in an attempt to fool criminals.

However 5 blocks from the train station a magnificent transformation occurred, as the filth-ridden streets suddenly opened to an area of boutiques, pubs, penthouses, and general prosperity.  We were going to the Kitchener’s Carvery Bar, a 100+ year old hotel and pub that was hosting a performance by South African singers and musicians Victor Wolf and Andre van Rensburg.

 

Kitchener's Carvery Bar, named after a British military hero from the Boer Wars.

Sitting in a large smoking room, of 19^th century English décor where English explorers, hunters, and entrepreneurs once puffed away at pipes with gin in hand, we lounged to acoustic folk Afrikaans and English music.  In this room the old Africa met the new, young and old folk, black and white sat side by side, white women danced with the small black children playing with their plastic swords.  While outside a free concert was starting in the streets, skateboarders and break dancers were showing off their talent, and the local farmers market was full of fresh food and unique cooking. 

I was told by some of the Johannesburg natives that 10 years ago we would have been shot or stabbed if we were standing where we were.  30 years ago we would have been arrested for just hanging out with people of another color, let alone enjoying each other’s company.  However as we stood there in the middle of a giant street party, a diverse crowd of black, white, brown, yellow, and others joined in around us.  

Andre Van Rensburg avant-garde composer, producer and instrumentalist

Victor Wolf, formerly huge Afrikaan singer Riku Lätti 

Johannesburg is known as a more "English" and liberal city, whereas Pretoria is very "Afrikaans" and much more conservative.  Despite the crime and the horrible poverty, even in the middle of the city, Johannesburg has a unique culture going for it, that can only be described as Williamsburg Brooklyn in NYC. It could be all the hipsters, but the diversity and mix of culture and music was so unique and amazing to be in the middle of. 

A truly unique experience and in many ways reminded me of being in parts of New York, which made me feel at home. 

A sign in a bar from the night before in Pretoria East....seems self explanatory