Johannesburg Revival: South Africans bring hope to one of the world’s most dangerous cities

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

Built in 1975, it is about 200m (656 feet) tall, and is a long-established feature of the city’s skyline, once the tallest residential building in Africa.

But like the city, it had its ups and downs. In the 1980s it was carried over to a gang of criminals, whose hollow cores were filled with garbage up to 50m deep.

“The building was hijacked. There were no utility, so most people actually threw trash inside the building until they reached the 14th floor,” he said, “Delight Sitele, which hosts a tour of the building. said.

He added:

“If you ask someone what’s going to happen in that round building, someone will say something funny or scary about it,” and in an organization called Dlala Nje that means “just play” in Zulu Sifiso Zikhali, who works with him, said.

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

Johannesburg was considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world.

However, the building turned itself around 15 years ago in the wake of the FIFA World Cup in South Africa, and people have returned.

After Covid, people have returned and the building is now three-quarters full.

We will not escape the problems faced by Johannesburg and South Africa.

Despite signs of improvements in the latest statistics, crime remains a major issue.