From the criminal center of South Africa to the city of return

The view is spectacular from the top of Ponte Tower, one of the most famous buildings in the South African city of Johannesburg.

Built in 1975, nearly 200 m (656 ft), this is a long feature of the city outline, once the highest residential building in Africa.

But like a city, he had his ups and downs. In the 1980s, it was taken over by criminal gangs and a hollow core filled with trash of up to 50 m deep.

“The building was abducted. There were no utilities, so most people were actually throwing garbage exactly inside the building, until it reached the 14th floor,” said Delight Sithole, who leads a tour of the building.

He added: “There were some dead bodies, illegal firearms, drugs. The smell, I’m sure it was terrible, just like, hell on earth.

“If you had asked anyone what was going on in that round building, someone would have something interesting or scary to say about it,” said Sifiso Zikhali, who collaborated with Mr. Sithole, organized by Dlala her, which means “just play” in Zulu ” .

“People were scared of the neighborhood,” he said.

Johannesburg considered to be one of the most dangerous cities in the world.

But the building turned about 15 years ago after the FIFA World Cup, which hosted in South Africa, and people began to return.

After Coida, people came back and the building is now a full three quarters.

There is no avoidance of problems facing Johannesburg and South Africa.

Despite the signs of improvement of the latest statistics, crime is still the main question.

The mutilated current of the current that had been tormented by the city for years, known as a burden, ended almost a year ago, but now there is a water crisis, leaving many without.

A fire in a building in the central business district (CBD) killed nearly 80 people in the winter of 2023 and raised the issue of a swollen building, used residential and residential blocks that took over the criminal gangs that charge people to live there.

This is an area regenerated by the property called Ithemba, which is Zulu for “hope”. And is a company that sees a business in Johannesburg.

A few days later, on a visit to one of the leading Ithemmbe -based housing development under the name Jewel City, older manager Alan Tait explains the turnaround.

“Demand is only phenomenal and this demand is especially to live in CBD,” he said.

He said that the company currently rents 7,200 real estate and is expected to double this in the next two years.

Called by its origin as a diamond district, like Ponte building, the area fell into directly, only to appear.

“We turned Jewel City about five years ago, just as Covid hit. So the time was a little outside. But as soon as the Coid rose, the buildings were filled quite quickly,” he said.

While close to the edge of development, it highlights a long lane of light under the crossing. They are set up to give light in an area that has been dark for some time, mainly due to the burden of impact on the city.

It was part of the group of a group called Jozimyjosis, which began in 2023. One of his first projects was to illuminate the Nelson Mandela Bridge, the city center, which meant that people considered it once again safe for use.

“So the whole goal of Jozimyzi is to restore hope to the inhabitants of the city,” said Bea Swanepoel, the organization’s executive director, in the yard behind her office in Rosebank, north of the city center.

“And back hope, we need to show some visible improvements and influential projects to see that there is a way out of where we are currently living in the city of the future, where people can be safe and where they can progress and where there are jobs.”

The group also launched the Gateway project, the effort to clean up ten main entrances to the city, and began to fight against everything, from holes, homelessness to education.

Can Johannesburg one day talk about London, Paris or New York?

“Well, that’s the intention,” Mrs. Swanepoel said. “A large part of what is happening in Joburg is because of perception. We have to pass for a long time. I mean, there is no doubt, but it is not impossible. We have to get up there and be a gold standard for cities in Africa.”

The city should host the G20 later this year, which will bring new investments and attention to the City.

Return to the 51st floor of Ponte Tower, Sifiso Zikhali looks out the window.

Does he think that her palla is succeeding in her mission?

“Yes, we are, because one of our biggest challenges was to bring people here. We are now one of the main city attractions. This is our city, and whatever we face, in the end we need to find a solution for it,” he said.