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
Proteas under pressure after Scott Boland burst on rain-hit opening day in Gqeberha
Rain dictated terms at St George's Park on day one of the second Test, but Australia still found enough time to tighten their grip on the series.
IOL
Bryan Mbeumo strikes but Manchester United held at Leeds as Brighton hit five past Palace
Manchester United’s turbulent week ended in a 1–1 stalemate in Yorkshire, leaving them 13th in the table as Brighton and Bournemouth secured emphatic victories.
The Citizen
Weather warnings: Severe storms, damaging winds and fire for Monday
Partly cloudy, warm to hot weather has been forecast across much of South Africa on Monday, 19 October, with severe thunderstorms and damaging winds expected in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and the eastern Free State. Dangerous fire conditions are also expected in several provinces. Here is what weather to expect on Monday, according to the South African Weather Service. Weather warnings: Monday, 19 October 2026 A yellow level 2 warning has been issued for severe thunderstorms over most of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), except along the south coast and adjacent interior. The storms could result in damage to infrastructure and the flooding of susceptible roads and bridges. Another yellow level 2 warning has been issued for damaging winds over the eastern parts of the Free State, as well as the western and eastern parts of KZN. The winds could lead to navigation problems at sea along the coast and difficulty for high-sided vehicles driving on certain routes until Tuesday morning. Lastly, a yellow level 2 warning was issued for damaging winds and waves along the KwaZulu-Natal coastline. This could result in localised disruption of beachfront activities, small harbours and/or ports until Tuesday morning. Fire warnings Extremely high fire conditions are expected over northern KwaZulu-Natal, the eastern parts of both the Free State and North West, northern parts of Gauteng and the central and south-western parts of Limpopo. Heatwave A heatwave with persistently high temperatures is expected in places over the Mpumalanga Highveld, the southern parts of the Mpumalanga Lowveld and the south-western bushveld of Limpopo. Provincial weather forecast Here’s what to expect in your province on Monday, 19 October 2026: Gauteng: It will be partly cloudy and warm with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers in the extreme south. It will be hot in places in the north. The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “high”. Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure. Mpumalanga: Expect fine and warm to hot weather, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon with isolated showers and thundershowers in the south as well as in the Lowveld, where it will be very hot. It will be windy over the Highveld. Limpopo: It will be fine and hot to very hot, but extremely hot in places in the Lowveld and Limpopo Valley. It will become partly cloudy in the south-west. North West: Expect partly cloudy, windy and warm to hot conditions, with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers in the west. Free State: It will be partly cloudy, windy and cool to warm with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers. Northern Cape: Expect partly cloudy, windy and cool to warm conditions, with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers in the east. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh southerly. Western Cape: It will be cloudy and cold to cool with isolated showers and rain in the morning over the central and eastern interior, but scattered along the eastern parts of the south coast. The expected UVB sunburn index is “very high”. Eastern Cape (western half): It will be cloudy and cool with widespread rain and showers. The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong south-westerly. Eastern Cape (eastern half): Expect cloudy and cool conditions with widespread rain and showers. Thunderstorms are likely over the interior in the morning. The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong south-westerly. KwaZulu-Natal: There will be morning fog patches over the interior; otherwise, it will be cloudy and warm to hot, but very hot in places over the northern parts, with scattered showers and thundershowers. The expected UVB sunburn index is “moderate”.
The Citizen
Proteas stumble early in rain-hit first day of second Test against Australia
Australia’s Scott Boland took two wickets in two balls on a severely rain-shortened first day of the second Test against South Africa at St George’s Park on Sunday. South Africa, sent in to bat, were 20/2 when play was called off after two short periods of play during which only 12.2 overs were bowled. But it was enough for Boland to strike two crucial blows. He dismissed Aiden Markram and David Bedingham – South Africa’s most successful batters in their defeat in the first Test in Durban. Coming on as first change, Boland bowled Markram for 11 with his 10th delivery, a ball which nipped in off the pitch to crash into Markram’s middle stump off an inside edge. Then he produced a ball which seamed away to have Bedingham caught behind first ball. Boland was making only his 20th appearance in Australia’s 50th Test since making a sensational debut when he took 6/7 against England in Melbourne in December 2021. He has had to wait his turn behind Australia’s world-class pace trio of skipper Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. He got his chance on Sunday, replacing off-spinner Nathan Lyon when Australia decided to field an all-seam attack on a green-tinged pitch in heavily overcast conditions. “Scotty Boland has been incredible whenever he’s played Test cricket,” Cummins said after winning the toss. “When there’s anything in the wicket, he gets a lot of seam movement, super accurate, and then even if it does flatten out, he brings control, experience. He’s the whole package.” Weather disruptions Rain started falling 10 minutes after the toss and delayed the start by two hours. Markram hit two boundaries off Starc before play was halted with South Africa on 11 without loss after 5.3 overs. Boland was brought into the attack after the players returned in the afternoon and immediately struck a challenging length. New cap Marques Ackerman was unbeaten on five and captain Temba Bavuma was on four when rain brought what proved to be the final stoppage of the day. Boland for Lyon was the only change from the Australian team that won the first Test by 214 runs. South Africa made three changes, with fast bowler Kagiso Rabada returning after recovering from a hamstring injury. He replaced left-arm spin bowler Keshav Maharaj. Ackerman and fellow batter Matthew Breetzke replaced Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne with Ryan Rickelton taking over from Verreynne as wicketkeeper.
The South African
Proteas vs Australia: Rain the big winner on Day 1 at St George’s Park
Australia’s Scott Boland took two wickets in two balls on a severely rain-shortened first day of the second Test against South Africa at St George’s Park on Sunday. South Africa, sent in to bat, were 20 for two when play was called off after two short periods of play during which only 12.2 overs were bowled. READ | Cricket club refuses murder-accused Tristan Perez membership Crucial blows But it was enough for Boland to strike two crucial blows. He dismissed Aiden Markram and David Bedingham – South Africa’s most successful batsmen in their defeat in the first Test in Durban. Coming on as first change, Boland bowled Markram for 11 with his tenth delivery, a ball which nipped in off the pitch to crash into Markram’s middle stump off an inside edge. Then he produced a ball which seamed away to have Bedingham caught behind first ball. Boland was making only his 20th appearance in Australia’s 50th Test since making a sensational debut when he took six for seven against England in Melbourne in December 2021. He has had to wait his turn behind Australia’s world-class pace trio of skipper Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. All-seam attack Boland got his chance on Sunday, replacing off-spinner Nathan Lyon when Australia decided to field an all-seam attack on a green-tinged pitch in heavily overcast conditions. “Scotty Boland has been incredible whenever he’s played Test cricket,” Cummins said after winning the toss. “When there’s anything in the wicket, he gets a lot of seam movement, super accurate, and then even if it does flatten out, he brings control, experience. He’s the whole package.” Rain started falling 10 minutes after the toss and delayed the start by two hours. Markram hit two boundaries off Starc before play was halted with South Africa on 11 for no wicket after 5.3 overs. Boland was brought into the attack after the players returned in the afternoon and immediately struck a challenging length. Three changes for Proteas New cap Marques Ackerman was unbeaten on five and captain Temba Bavuma was on four when rain brought what proved to be the final stoppage of the day. Boland for Lyon was the only change from the Australian team that won the first Test by 214 runs. South Africa made three changes, with fast bowler Kagiso Rabada returning after recovering from a hamstring injury. He replaced left-arm spin bowler Keshav Maharaj. Ackerman and fellow batsman Matthew Breetzke replaced Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne with Ryan Rickelton taking over from Verreynne as wicketkeeper. By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse
The South African
The small municipality that grew its tax base by 4 800 people in one year
The Drakenstein Municipality has had incredible success. The municipality is the third richest in the Western Cape after the City of Cape Town and Stellenbosch. Unlike other Western Cape municipalities, Drakenstein’s economy is supported by a large group of middle-income taxpayers. What’s Driving Taxpayers to this Municipality? Between 2023 and 2024, Drakenstein added 4 862 taxpayers to its population, according to tax statistics from the South African Revenue Service (SARS). Stellenbosch, the Western Cape’s richest municipality, added 3 195 taxpayers. Cape Town, the second-richest municipality, added 63 611. During that year, the taxable income in Drakenstein rose by R1.6 billion. This means the average income among its newest residents is R341 834. Drakenstein is also the only one of the top 3 wealthiest Western Cape municipalities to have a decrease in the average taxable income. The average taxable income declined by R325 in the latest data. The municipality has successfully won over the middle class. Many of Drakenstein’s newer residents are drawn to the area for its affordable property market, excellent service delivery, and good public schools. The average home price in Wellington was R1.7 million in 2025. In Cape Town, the average price was R2.1 million and in Stellenbosch, R2.2 million. Middle Class Utopia Drakenstein Municipality is well-run. According to recent reports, the municipality has achieved 99.1% Capital Expenditure. It also implemented a rates cap after legal consultation and collaboration with the National Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA). Now, rates on a 3-bedroom home in Paarl are R500. A home in Cape Town has rates of R1 014, and in Stellenbosch R750. The area also has the fewest poverty-stricken residents of the Western Cape’s richest municipalities. Only 18 707 residents in the municipality receive a Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant. In Stellenbosch, 31 020 residents receive the grant, and 310 794 get it in the City of Cape Town. The limited reliance on government assistance is reflected in the municipality’s improved crime statistics. Stellenbosch has a 9.9% crime rate, while Wellington has a 5.71% crime rate and Paarl a 5.96% rate.
TechCentral
South Africa’s ATM network faces its biggest overhaul in decades
The Reserve Bank wants all of South Africa's ATMs white-labelled, with free transactions below a threshold, starting with a pilot in January.
TechCentral
The R77 000 iPhone has arrived in South Africa
Apple's first foldable iPhone carries a steeper local premium than its new HomeView, HomePod mini 2 and Apple TV 4K.