General Information
Johannesburg is the most populous city in South Africa. The City of Johannesburg itself has a population of 5,538,596, while the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality has a population of 6,599,190, making it one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, and seat of the country's highest court, the Constitutional Court. Situated on the mineral-rich Witwatersrand hills, the city has long been at the epicentre of the international mineral and gold trade. The richest city in Africa by GDP and private wealth, Johannesburg functions as the economic capital of South Africa and is home to the continent's largest stock exchange, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
- Population: 5,900,000+ (Metro Area)
- Area: 1,645 km²
- Currency: South African Rand (ZAR)
- Coordinates: Latitude: -26.204444885254, Longitude: 28.045555114746
- Timezone: Timezone info not available
- Current Local Time: ailab
Sandton
Business towers, upscale malls, Nelson Mandela Square, and city nightlife.
Johannesburg CBD
Downtown streets, Commissioner Street, Gandhi Square, and real urban life.
Soweto
Township streets, Maponya Mall, Protea North, and cultural walking tours.
Rosebank & Melrose Arch
Shopping areas, nightlife, and modern mixed-use districts.
Johannesburg Latest News
IOL
Ben Youssef emerges as Durban City permanent option amid Dladla uncertainty
Golden Arrows have turned their attention to Pitso Dladla after talks with former TS Galaxy coach Adnan Beganovic fell through, while Durban City consider Khalil Ben Youssef as successor.
IOL
PLAYER RATINGS | Rampant Springboks leave Barbarians in their wake in try-fest in Gqeberha
The Springboks kicked off their season in style with an emphatic 12-try victory over the Barbarians in Gqeberha. Despite a couple of yellow cards and a few areas to tidy up, the world champions produced a dominant display.
The Citizen
Nonn Botha returns to Kaya 959 as the station refreshes its line-up
Nonn Botha is returning to Kaya 959 as the station enters a new programming chapter with a refreshed line-up. The line-up also introduces new presenters Sweetness Motsepe, who joins from YFM, and Dee Nkomo, from Capricorn FM. Botha will form part of the station’s weekend programming. The announcement follows Kaya 959‘s confirmation that DJ Fresh will join the station as the new host of Kaya Breakfast alongside Thato Mataboge from 1 July. Programme manager Maekanya Morotoba said the DJ Fresh announcement marked the beginning of a broader programming shift. “It was also the start of a bigger story. We are excited to welcome Sweetness Motsepe from YFM and Dee Nkomo from Capricorn FM, and to welcome Nonn Botha back to the Kaya 959 family,” Morotoba said. “We are now showing listeners the full picture. This is a schedule with pace, personality and purpose.” Kaya 959 new line-up The weekday schedule begins with Let It Be from 05:00 to 06:00, hosted by Xola Dlwati. Kaya Breakfast with DJ Fresh and Thato Mataboge airs from 06:00 to 09:00. Tbose presents The Best T in the City from 09:00 to 12:00, followed by Andy Maqondwana with Feel Good from 12:00 to 15:00. Drive 959 runs from 15:00 to 18:00 with Glen Lewis, Skhumba Hlophe and Kgomotso Matsunyane. Evening programming includes Kaya Biz with Gugulethu Mfuphi, Point of View with Phemelo Motene, and The Upper Room with Mablerh. Weekend shows include The Vibe with Dee Nkomo, Saturday Select with Sweetness Motsepe, and Soulful Sunday with Nonn Botha, alongside other music and talk programming. Morotoba said the changes represent a broader repositioning of the station. “Kaya 959 has always been about more than filling time slots. It is about companionship, culture, music, conversation and connection. “Our listeners are switched on, expressive and ambitious. They want radio that understands their world. This line-up gives them energy in the morning, ease during the day, personality on the drive home, substance in the evening and beautiful music experiences over the weekend.”
The Citizen
Kolisi proud of new Boks, SA A for thrilling day of rugby in Gqeberha
New players in the Springbok line-up, and the whole SA A team, did South Africa proud in a thrilling day of rugby at Nelson Mandela Stadium on Saturday, said Bok captain Siya Kolisi. A young SA A side whitewashed Zimbabwe 40-0 in their friendly before the Springboks overcame a tight middle period to score four unanswered tries in the final quarter of their game against the Barbarians, winning the 17-try thriller 80-31. ‘Happy with the win’ “The game could have gone much better but we are happy with the win,” Kolisi said afterwards. “Our kicking game is going well and we won the scraps. Then we started not making tackles the first time and letting them get off-loads away. That got them into the game. “I know they have only been together for a week but that’s how they are coached: to get the ball away. Then they got the upper hand a bit in the first half.” The Springbok captain said he was happy for Riley Norton, Paul de Villiers, Carlu Sadie, Vusi Moyo and JJ Kotze, who represented the team for the first time, while the way the SA A team played was “very special”. “The most important thing is the squad depth and the competition amongst each other, to make sure that we can keep going forward and if someone falls the next guy comes in.” Van der Merwe lauds Springbok cohesion Bok wing Edwill van der Merwe earned man of the match for a hat-trick, though he would have scored a fourth try if it wasn’t disallowed for an earlier high tackle. “Every opportunity I get I want to grab with both hands,” Van der Merwe said. He added that he was proud of how the team stuck to their structures, not allowing the game to become loose for long periods. “There will always be things for us to work on but hopefully [the coaches] are happy with tonight.” Barbarians captain TJ Perenara said they were in the game for a while, fighting from 35-7 down to 40-26, where the score remained for much of the game until the Bok bench helped the hosts extend their lead. “We played some Barbarians rugby that we are really proud of,” Perenara said. “We couldn’t keep it up at the back end of the second half, unfortunately. “It’s the quality of the South African team. They are very good in the set-piece, scrum and maul, and they showed why they are currently number one in the world.”
The South African
Seven fun facts about South Africa you need to know!
South Africa is a treasure chest overflowing with gems. From its wildlife and scenery to its people and food, Mzansi can certainly count itself as one of the most unique countries in the world. Whether you reside in the Rainbow Nation or are planning to visit it soon, SA is brimming with fascinating – and fun! – nuances waiting to be discovered and shared. SEVEN FUN FACTS ABOUT SA Ready to learn some fun facts about South Africa? Let’s unpack them right here, starting with: 1. CAPITAL THREE Cape Town is SA’s administrative capital. Image: HandmadePictures/ Canva Why have one capital city? Three cities in South Africa can lay claim to this appellation: Pretoria, Cape Town and Bloemfontein. Pretoria is the administrative-cum-executive capital, Cape Town is the legislative capital and Bloemfontein is the judicial capital. 2. LARGE AND IN CHARGE Guess where the largest, record-breaking animals can be found? You guessed it – good ol’ Mzansi is home to these magnificent creatures. Three animals – the ostrich, elephant and leatherback turtle – are recognised as the world’s largest bird, land mammal and reptile, respectively. Talk about a big win for SA’s wildlife! 3. HEART SONG SA’s national anthem is a linguistic wonder. Image: Yan Krakau/ Canva The stirring, spirited notes of our national anthem are enough to make anyone cry (just ask Teboho Mokoena!). It’s also very inclusive: the anthem consists of four stanzas that are sung in five of SA’s 12 official languages: isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans and English. 4. AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN OLD ENOUGH Our planet is a little over 4.5 billion years old. For three mountain ranges in South Africa, they’re slowly but surely catching up. At 3.5 billion years old, Mpumalanga’s Barberton Mountains, AKA the Makhonjwa Mountains, are the oldest mountain range on Earth. Limpopo’s Waterberg Mountains (2.8 billion years old) and North West’s Magaliesberg Mountains (2.3 billion years old) also rank high among the world’s oldest mountains. 5. RIDE AND WINE SA is famed for its wines. So, it’s no wonder that it’s also home to the world’s longest wine route. Route 62 spans 850 kilometres from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth – along the way, you can stop, sip and savour plenty of vintages at our top vineyards and wine farms. 6. RING THE WEDDING BELLS LOUD AND PROUD Same-sex marriage in South Africa was legalised in 2006. Image: RobertDodge/ Canva The year 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of same-sex marriage becoming legalised in South Africa. In addition to becoming the fifth country in the world to legalise this practice, the Rainbow Nation is the only African country to do so thus far. 7. BLOOMING LOVELY (AND LOCALLY) Earth is home to six floral kingdoms. One of these is the Cape Floristic Region: it’s located on the southern tip of SA and is home to over 9 000 plant species. The Floristic Region also consists of fynbos, a highly diverse shrubland ecosystem found only in the Cape region. Think restios, ericas and, of course, proteas! EXTRAORDINARY SOUTH AFRICA This is just a handful of the fantabulous things that make South Africa tick. Of course, there are still plenty more gems waiting to be unearthed. If you know of any, share them in the comments below!
The South African
‘Why not increase grannies’ money?’: SASSA Old Age Grant debate has South Africans fuming
The call for a higher SASSA Old Age Grant has moved well beyond pension advocacy groups and trade unions. It has landed squarely in the court of public opinion, and the verdict on The South African‘s Facebook page is unanimous. South Africans believe the government has the money. They need the political will to act. Maria Ndayi made the case in the bluntest terms possible, commenting on The South African‘s Facebook page. “Why not? If they can loot millions, why not increase our grannies’ and grandpas’ monies?” she wrote. Her sentiment was shared by hundreds of commenters, each adding their own version of the same argument that pensioners are being neglected while public funds disappear elsewhere. What pensioners say they actually need for the SASSA old age grant Nola Van Loggerenberg argued that the grant must be at least R5 500 to R6 000 per month, explaining that a single room already costs R3 500 to rent before electricity or food are factored in. Also, Millecent Mara Isaacs kept her demand short: “R5 000 for the pensioners.” Furthermore, Andrea Kruger argued that the pension should match the national minimum wage, pointing out that pensioners face the same living costs as working South Africans, often with the added burden of higher medical expenses. Josephine Schmal painted a picture of what R2 400 looks like in practice, hospital visits, grandchildren to feed, rates to pay and a grant that runs dry long before the next payment date. “R2 400 see me now, see me never,” she wrote on Facebook. Anger, proposals and a question for taxpayers Not all commenters directed their frustration at government alone. Charl Swart raised the question of fiscal sustainability, asking simply: “Who will pay for it? Taxpayer?” It is a question that cuts to the heart of South Africa’s social grant dilemma, a country with 18 million grant recipients and a shrinking tax base. Yet for pensioners who built careers, raised families and paid taxes over decades, the answer feels straightforward. Sheena Subhan argued on Facebook that old age and disability grants should be the government’s top priority, ahead of other social relief programmes.
TechCentral
Another windfall for Datatec shareholders
General Atlantic is backing Westcon-Comstor as investor and lender, freeing R7.1-billion for a planned special dividend.
TechCentral
WhatsApp starts charging South Africans – for the extras
Meta Platforms' paid WhatsApp messaging tier adds stickers, themes and custom icons for R28.99/month.