Johannesburg

Joburg is not like Cape Town and it does not want to be. This is the city that built itself on gold and reinvented itself after apartheid. The energy here is rawer, more entrepreneurial, more urgent.

Two decades ago large parts of the inner city were written off. Now Maboneng has murals on every wall and Braamfontein fills up on Saturday mornings like nothing you have seen. The city holds 11 official languages worth of culture and they all show up in the food, the music, and especially the slang.

Amapiano — the South African house subgenre that took over global playlists — was born here in the townships. Locals are fiercely proud of that. There is a shisanyama (barbecue spot) culture that runs deep.

You do not just eat meat off a grill; you stay for hours, drink beers, and talk. Ubuntu, the Nguni philosophical concept loosely translated as "I am because we are," is a real operating principle here, not just a marketing slogan. People look out for each other.

They will also look out for you, if you show up respectfully.

Tipping is expected and genuinely important income for workers. In restaurants, 10–15% is standard. Car guards (the guys in high-vis vests watching your parking spot) get R5–10.

Petrol station attendants get R5–10. Hotel porters get R20–50 per bag.. At a shisanyama, you choose your raw meat from a display, pay, and the braai master cooks it for you.

You eat it there at plastic tables with friends and strangers. Do not rush this experience.. Robot means traffic light.

Asking for directions and someone says 'turn left at the robot' — they mean the traffic light, not a machine.. Greet people before getting to business. Walking up to someone and launching straight into a question without a 'howzit' or 'sawubona' first reads as rude..

Load shedding is real. Have a power bank charged. Check the EskomSePush app — locals use it religiously to track blackout schedules..

Don't flash your phone while walking, even in busy areas. Keep it pocketed when you are not actively using it.. Dress code at clubs and upscale restaurants is taken seriously, especially in Sandton.

Smart casual at minimum. Flip-flops (called 'plakkies') will get you turned away.. Braai (barbecue) is a cultural institution, not just a meal.

If someone invites you to a braai, it is a social event that will last three to five hours. Bring drinks and something to contribute.

Joburg has a high crime rate — that is a real fact, not sensationalist noise. Violent crime and opportunistic theft happen. Numbeo's crime index for Johannesburg sits at around 80/100.

That said, millions of people visit and live here safely every year. The rules are not complicated but they are non-negotiable. Never walk at night, anywhere, full stop.

Use Uber or Bolt for every journey after dark. In the daytime, Sandton, Rosebank, Melrose Arch, and parts of Melville/Parkhurst are fine on foot, but stay alert and keep your phone in your pocket unless you are actively using it. Do not visit Soweto, Maboneng, or the inner city without a reputable local guide or a trusted local contact.

Do not flash expensive cameras, jewellery, or watches. Drive with doors locked and windows up, especially when stopped at a robot (traffic light). Carjacking happens.

For emergencies: police on 10111, ambulance on 10177. Private medical transport is faster and better equipped than government ambulances — most good hotels have emergency contacts for private services. One more thing: download EskomSePush before you arrive.

Load shedding (scheduled power cuts) is a genuine daily reality and knowing the schedule saves real frustration.

The Gautrain is your best friend for airport arrivals. It runs from OR Tambo International to Sandton (R221 one-way) and takes about 15 minutes — far faster than a car in peak traffic. From Sandton, it also stops at Rosebank, which covers most first-timer itineraries.

The station connects to Uber pickup points at the PT (public transport) level underground, which is well-lit and monitored. For everything else, use Uber or Bolt. Both apps work reliably here.

A 5km ride costs R50–150 depending on time and surge. It is affordable by international standards. Always verify the driver's plate and photo match what the app shows before getting in.

Sit in the back seat. Traditional metered taxis exist but are overpriced and unreliable — skip them entirely. Minibus taxis (the white Toyota Hi-Ace vans everywhere) are how most locals move around and are dirt cheap, but the routes are informal and they are not recommended for visitors unfamiliar with the city.

The Rea Vaya BRT bus connects downtown, Braamfontein, and Soweto, and is fine for budget daytime travel. Renting a car is useful if you plan day trips to Kruger or the Cradle of Humankind, but city driving means navigating Joburg's rush hour traffic, which can mean two-plus hours on major routes. If you rent, keep valuables hidden, never leave anything visible in a parked car, and avoid driving in unfamiliar areas at night.