Downtown Johannesburg: A Walk. Yes, On Purpose.

If my previous post didn’t already convince you to keep a SLIGHTLY open mind about our cities, parks, and public spaces… this might be where I finally lose you.

Still. Try.

Because today I’m going to say something nice about Downtown Johannesburg.

Take a moment. I’ll wait.

Deep breath.

Sip of water.

Text someone you trust.

Everyone okay?

Good.

Let’s proceed recklessly.

This was organised by the Boksburg Hiking Club - which, despite the name, occasionally hikes on things other than mountains - like pavements.

The route wound its way through Newtown and parts of downtown Joburg.

It had been booked months ago and I’d really been looking forward to it - especially because I appear to be in a phase of life best described as “Urbans & Suburbans,” which sounds like a lifestyle brand, but is actually just me choosing chaos with comfortable shoes.

My Unpopular Opinion About South Africa

Let me restate that I think we live in the best country in the world.

Yes, I’m aware this is socially unacceptable.

Complaining about South Africa has become something of a national hobby.

It requires no equipment, very little training, and pairs beautifully with WhatsApp voice notes.

Corruption this.

Infrastructure that.

Load shedding - always a crowd favourite.

To be clear: the complaints are valid.

And before anyone accuses me of toxic positivity - on most ordinary Tuesdays, I can spiral about municipal inefficiency with the best of them.

Except when it comes to this country, and it's people - for reasons I’ve never been able to explain, I’ve always been stubbornly optimistic.

It’s not an opinion that wins many arguments.

I'm usually dismissed along with an eye roll and a swift change of subject..

Answers to Your Guaranteed Questions

Now let me pre-empt a few questions that will no doubt be asked by some.

Yes, we had a guide - we’re adventurous, not reckless.

Wandering around with Google Maps and good intentions didn’t feel like a strong life strategy.

No, we did not go into the roughest areas.

And no, I would not go there on my own.

Right. Now that we’ve cleared the health and safety briefing…

Let’s continue.

The City Itself

We set off from our meeting point at Newtown Junction Mall, with a group that felt exactly right.

There were two beautiful souls that I hadn’t seen since July last year, a few others I’d seen more recently and people who also thought, “Yes, a city walk sounds like a good idea,” which tells you everything you need to know about them.

Almost immediately, I was struck by how clean the streets were.

Not “clean for Joburg.” Just clean.

Beautiful well preserved old buildings - stood like they had stories to tell and were slightly annoyed we hadn’t asked sooner.

Walking through the area felt a bit like wandering through an open-air museum.

Statues, sculptures, historical snippets, art - murals, graffiti that ranged from profound to “someone had a spray can and a dream.” - all layered together like a visual timeline of the country’s rather complicated cultural melting pot.

Large, majestic trees lined the streets, making the whole place feel far less concrete than I had imagined.

And then, as cities do, it shifted.

A few turns later things became rougher, less polished - a bit chaotic.

The sort of places that make people purse their lips knowingly, like they’ve been waiting for this exact moment so they can say, “Ah. There it is.”

But what didn’t change was the people.

Whether the street was pristine or a little worn, the warm and friendly energy stayed the same.

People greeted us as they went about their day.

One group even welcomed us with a cheerful, “Welcome to South Africa,” clearly assuming we were tourists.

Which, in a way, we were.

Just….in our own City.

The Moment the Mood Changes

Something I’ve noticed.

People can walk through pristine streets and say nothing.

But the moment there’s water running down the road or a pothole makes an appearance, the commentary starts.

“Oh Africa…”

“Corruption…”

“Typical…”

And yes. All true.

But also - my suburban street has had water running down a particular street for years.

And potholes? We have some that deserve names.

Does that make it acceptable?

Obviously not.

But it does add a bit of perspective.

For what it’s worth, most traffic lights worked.

Pedestrians mostly obeyed crossings.

(I personally ignored one or two - a photographic emergency - it happens.)

And if you’d like further perspective, spend ten minutes watching videos of places like downtown Los Angeles.

Turns out urban problems are not a uniquely South African phenomenon.

The difference, for me, is the people.

South Africa has a ridiculous concentration of warm, generous, culturally proud humans from every possible background.

Yes, the problems exist. Nobody is denying that.

But they’re not the only thing here.

Why I’ll Keep Saying It

South Africa is messy.

Complex.

Exhausting.

But it’s also vibrant, welcoming, surprising, and full of extraordinary people.

If you give it half a chance, you might notice that some of the places we’ve been told to fear endlessly… are far less one-dimensional than advertised.

So yes.

I will continue being that slightly (possibly extremely) annoying person who insists this is one of the greatest places on earth.

Even when people roll their eyes.

Probably especially then.

Thanks to the Boksburg Hiking Club, the excellent humans who walked, and Joburg itself - for the history, the contradictions, and the audacity to be both chaotic and charming at the same time.