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Jozi Maboneng, “the city of lights” is the African dream spoken about in rural townships around South Africa. Here you can make your fortune, here you can discover your own gold. For property developer Jonathan Liebmann, the gold came in the form of old warehouse buildings in the eastern sector of Johannesburg’s city centre. His first project has been the development of Arts on Main, which currently stands as the centre of the Maboneng Precinct, although Liebmann has since gone on to develop more of this somewhat neglected part of town. In order to welcome more investment the area needed a name. Thus the Maboneng Precinct introduced itself to the world. More exciting projects and development are on their way including boutique hotels, apartment living, learning centres, and lots more. All of which will be detailed right here.

Any major city in the world has both its old town and its new town. Best demonstrated in Europe however, this concept seems to be universal. The old town in a European city is usually filled with small cobbled roads, traditional taverns and restaurants, and mainly used as a tourist spot. Only the businessmen visiting that city spend their time in the fancy glass skyscrapers that look like any other city in the world.

In the new South Africa, Johannesburg saw the burgeoning district of Sandton exist as the new town of Johannesburg. Today, the streets of Sandton look like anywhere in the world, with five star hotels, fancy buildings for law firms, and all sorts of suave (and mostly over-priced) restaurants and cocktail bars. The old town, namely Johannesburg city, is still important and with every new development, the city center is climbing back onto its feet. But one must take into account its dormancy for the last decade, and the consequences of that. As a source of information on Johannesburg, please note that we are still very proud of Sandton and all that it has become. Its important that developments like that exist.

At first I had my doubts on Sandton Square’s renaming to Nelson Mandela Square. This was most probably largely to do with the fact that the fellow is still alive. And I can’t help but feel vaguely disappointed at the statue erected in his honour. But then again, I’m reminded of how the people of France detested the Eiffel Tower when it first went up.

Needless to say, the statue is growing on me, and I’m beginning to see its importance in the grand scheme of things. So if you get anything out of this particular piece, know that Sandton is an extremely competent city in itself and filled with all sorts of first world wonder and facilities. At Jobusy we’ve just chosen to focus a little more on the centre of the city as a way of trying to help, and explore its rejuvenation.

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Let’s get a couple of things cleared up before we go even a step further. Soweto is NOT a township. It might have started out as one, but the place is almost a fully fledged city of its own. Since the investment of Maponya Mall, the face of the area changed forever. Now you have a mall that in many respects rivals Sandton City. You have park areas that once donned a couple of miserable swings, now rocking large outdoor screens and basketball courts.

The place boasts great tourist missioning with both Mandela’s House, The Hector Pieterson Museum, and restaurant Nambitas all within walking distance of each other. One of the main roads you’ll walk on this path is the notorious Vilakazi Street, known as the only road thats housed two Nobel prize winners. Namely Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Once you’ve done the history, you’ve got the most ridiculous, but in the same breath ridiculously cool thing to do is, Power Swing between the Orlando Cooling Towers.

To me, Westdene is synonymous with idea of ‘vintage’. I cant explain entirely why I feel this way, but I’ll give it a crack.

Melville, for as long as I can remember, was always this more older, more arty type, that roamed the coffee shops and second hand book stores. Those days have shifted to a more student centred hub, where cocktails pore into the night, and house music bumps away. None of this is for the worse. Its just undoubtably a shift.

Now Westdene was always Melville’s funny cousin. Westdene boarders Melville to the west, and is still the proud owner of the connotations ‘antique’ and ‘vintage’. As a neighbourhood it boasts a nice dam with which residents enjoy, as well as hangouts like Back2Basix.

Having walked the streets of New York City, it was quickly realised that Newtown is so similar to Williamsburg in Brooklyn its ridiculous. For anyone who has no idea what im talking about, better put; Newtown is the hipster central of Johannesburg city. Filling up with concept bars and clubs, classy restaurants, and open air festivals, Newtown houses the city’s main public square. Mary Fitzgerald Square is surrounded by great spots like Sophiatown, Kospotong,  Market Theatre, Mueum Africa, and other great stores like Ritual Stores. Just behind the square is the iconic live music venue Bassline and the community dance facility Dance Factory. Other spots worth a mention are bars like The Woods. The Loaded Alley has been the venue of choice for open air block party style festivals.

Often referred to as Gotham City, Johannesburg’s city centre has seen and done it all. You can read about the days of city trams, and then modern urban myths like motorcycle graveyards. The city itself has seen people swarm in and out of it for the last hundred years. The Jobusy project is one that looks to understand what this city centre can mean for all citizens of the city. With new ground being broken with Rea Vaya, the navigation of the city and flow of traffic has severely improved. With surveillance cameras positioned almost throughout the entire city centre, you can be rest assured the crime rate dropped significantly. With major Private Public Partnerships like Ghandi Square, the city has undergone some plastic surgery and put on her pretty dress. And The Gautain has made sure the once dodgy Park Station catches up with the city’s other world class facilities.