Having travelled a fair bit, I never expected to find a place as full of life as Gauteng. The people, the energy, the style: it all fits into about 18 000 square kilometres, the smallest province in South Africa. Here are nine reasons I love it.
1. Culture
People have come to Gauteng from every corner of South Africa, the continent and the world, and you can feel it everywhere: in the languages you hear on a taxi, the food on the street and the music spilling out of a bar. Spend a weekend afternoon in Braamfontein, Maboneng or Soweto and you will see how many cultures share this place.
2. Nightlife
If you like a night out, Gauteng delivers. Sandton and Rosebank are packed with bars and lounges, Pretoria’s student and suburban spots keep Tshwane busy, and Soweto’s nightlife has grown up around Vilakazi Street and beyond. There is always somewhere to go, any night of the week.
3. Markets
The best way to taste Gauteng is at its markets. Spend a lazy weekend morning at the Neighbourgoods Market on Juta Street in Braamfontein, browse art and crafts at the Rosebank Sunday Market, or catch the Locrate Market in Soweto, a lifestyle market of food, drink, music and local design in the heart of the country’s best-known township.
4. Live music and big events
Gauteng is the entertainment capital of the continent. South Africa’s music and television industries are centred here, and the biggest local and international acts play the province’s stadiums and arenas, from FNB Stadium to Ellis Park. Whatever your taste, from amapiano to jazz, there is a gig most weekends.
5. Weather
I firmly believe we have some of the best year-round weather in the country. Crisp, sunny winter days are perfect for hiking or birding, and long summer evenings are made for picnics in the park or sundowners on a rooftop overlooking Joburg or Pretoria.
6. Shopping
From Sandton City and Menlyn to Maponya Mall in Soweto and Eastgate on the East Rand, the malls cover everything. For something more personal, browse the independent shops in Rosebank, Parkhurst and Greenside, where you will find local designers alongside vintage finds.
7. Getting around
A dense network of highways connects every part of the province, and the Gautrain links OR Tambo International Airport, Sandton, Rosebank, Johannesburg and Pretoria quickly and comfortably. It makes it easy to have breakfast in Joburg and lunch in Pretoria.
8. Nature on the doorstep
For such a busy, business-minded place, Gauteng has a surprising amount of wild space. Dinokeng Game Reserve is the province’s only Big Five reserve and an easy drive from Pretoria. The Cradle of Humankind, about an hour from Johannesburg, takes you back millions of years, and parks and botanical gardens are scattered across every city.
9. History you can walk through
Since gold was found here in 1886, Gauteng has been at the centre of events that shaped South Africa. Visit the Voortrekker Monument, Church Square, Freedom Park, Gold Reef City, the Apartheid Museum or Constitution Hill, and you will never see your surroundings the same way again.
New to the province? Start with our guide to things to do on your first visit, or our list of the best free things to do in Gauteng.
