The image of South Africa's Gold City has long been tarnished by the high incidence of crime. But efforts are being made to return to the rule of law, says Jonathan Hart Contrary to popular local perception, Johannesburg has yet to move lock, stock and barrel to Southwest London. Unlikely though this may seem to anyone visiting the nicknamed New Jozi, where legions of disaffected, clipped-accent expats rub shoulders in cramped terraces while swilling Castle beer and chewing biltong as if they were still living on the High Veldt. A common refrain in that overcrowded, over-priced corner of exile is that most can't wait to return to their beloved Gold City, with its spacious houses, affordable pleasures and sporty lifestyles. Just as soon as the troubled post-apartheid transition has run its course and it's safe. True, the economic and financial hub of South Africa has found it hard to bring violent crime under control since the scrapping of the Group Areas Act brought social integration, yet arguably as much of an uncontrolled free-for-all as easy harmony. True also is that little credence is being given by the more critical city fathers and exiles alike to hiring Rudy Giuliani as a crime consultant. There are few real parallels between sprawling Johannesburg's chiefly have/have not suburban relocation problems and those allegedly solved single-handedly by the former mayor of a far more compact and decidedly less disparate New York. Certainly, the murder, mugging and hijacking reports – commonly reduced to news-in-brief columns due to their frequency – show little sign of abating in the local dailies throughout the wider province of Gauteng. Nonetheless, according to resident lawyer Andy Miller, some progress is being made in tackling crime and presenting Jo’burg as a less troubled and more harmonious host to the opening and closing games of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, when the eyes of the world will once again focus on the city. Miller says the blighted city centre, long ago abandoned by corporations, commerce and international hotel companies in favour of more salubrious northern suburbs like Sandton, Rosebank and Midrand, is undergoing a determined renaissance as a camera-on-every-corner safe haven for headquarters. Admittedly, not for the first time but supported now by equal taxation and a stabilised local economy, it has been revived from the brink of a national embarrassment tied to disorder and international distrust. And it is buttressed, as always, by the blue chip gold and diamond trades, supplemented by heavy manufacturing industry and financial services. At the same time, equally determined efforts are being made to build a functional public transport system across a vast northern area still beholden to an outdated workers by minibus and everyone else by private car syndrome. Chief among plans in time for the World Cup are rapid rail links between Jo'burg and Pretoria to relieve the congested NI motorway, as well as between Sandton City and newly named OR Tambo International Airport, a journey that currently requires a lengthy drive. Positive news for the denizens of New Jozi. Currency: Rand (ZAR) (€1=ZAR9.53/ZAR1=€0.10)
Tipping: as most restaurants do not add a service charge, it is customary to leave a 10%-15% tip; small change for parking and petrol station attendants
Time: GMT + 2
Electricity: 220/230 volts (three round-pin plugs)
Public holidays 2007: August 9; September 24; December 16, 25, 26 2008: January 1; March 21, 24; April 27; May 1; June 16
Climate: mild, neither humid nor too hot for comfort; about six weeks of chill in mid-winter (from July to August); summer, offering warm African sunshine followed by balmy nights, runs from October to March; most rainfall is during the summer, often short, heavy downpours accompanied by thunder
Airport: OR Tambo International Airport (formerly Johannesburg International) 22km (14 miles) from the city centre; choice of bus, shuttles and metred taxis, prepaid at kiosks marked Itram in the arrival area; journey time is around 30 minutes
Hotels: African Pride Melrose Arch, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, InterContinental (3), Mercure, The Michaelangelo, Park Hyatt, Saxon Boutique, Ten Bompas
Business hours: 08.00-17.00 Monday to Friday (Government offices usually operate from 07.30 to 16.00)
International dialling code: 00 27
In emergency: 10111 (police and fire); 10177 (ambulance); 112 from mobile phones (also from fixed phones soon) business do’s and don’ts
Do make appointments in advance
Do be on time, as the South Africans tend to be very punctual
Do be streetwise, as crime is a problem. Sensible precautions are advisable
Don’t be surprised if business contacts are anxious to get away early on a Friday afternoon
Don’t schedule meetings from mid-December to mid-January or at least two weeks surrounding Easter, as these are prime vacation times
Don’t forget this was a divided society less than a generation ago – politics are best avoided
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