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 History of the Relationship
Current Initiatives
Past Activities
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Johannesburg, commonly called Jo’burg, is the largest city in South Africa. It serves as the economic capital of sub-Saharan Africa despite its land-locked position in the middle of South Africa. With the discovery of gold in the 1880s, Johannesburg began to accumulate wealth and was strengthened by the subsequent rush of prospectors. Land value quickly increased, and tensions rose between the Afrikaaners, who controlled the region during the nineteenth century, and the English. The Anglo-Boer War of 1899 to 1902 forced the Dutch to cede the property to Britain, who declared South Africa a Union in 1910.
In the 20th century, the city struggled with racial conflict and the apartheid system. Non-whites were forcibly removed to outlying parts of the city and whites controlled all aspects of wealthy society and government. High crime plagued the ghettos and spread throughout the city, deterring tourists from exploring the riches of the city’s vibrant past. Today, apartheid is gone and Johannesburg is becoming a lively and exciting tourist destination.
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Artist perfects his painting for the 1st Johannesburg Biennale in 1995. The Johannesburg Biennale consisted of six exhibitions in six different venues around Johannesburg and Cape Town. Participating artists came from 63 countries, 20 of them from Africa.
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Gandhi Square, named for the Indian Freedom Fighter who spent time in South Africa working as a lawyer.
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The Randburg Waterfront in Johannesburg was modeled after the Victoria and Albert Waterfront in Cape Town, following that waterfront's tremendous popularity as a site for recreation and entertainment. The artifical lake is surrounded by restaurants, cinemas, fountains, playgounds and shops.
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Johannesburg is said to have 6 million trees, more than any other city in the world.
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