Braamfontein, located just north of the Johannesburg CBD, had a real exodus of businesses and institutions as the city’s centre shifted to Sandton and the northern suburbs, but it never fell into disrepair as some of the inner city did. Instead, a less formal economy has emerged in Braamfontein.
Braamfontein was included in Johannesburg in 1886. Even though it started off as a farm, it has a history. It eventually merged with the bustling commercial area known as the Central Business District of Johannesburg. The neighbourhood has a new lease on life today.
This area of town has received a fresh coat of paint thanks to the city’s regeneration project, which is being spearheaded by the Johannesburg Development Agency and other property owners. The city convinced Sappi, Liberty Life, JD Group, and other businesses that remained in the zone to improve their buildings, and hawkers in the area are now regulated by law. In the city of Johannesburg, Braamfontein is presently advertised as the fourth-largest hub for office space.
The Nelson Mandela Bridge, often referred to as a doorway into the city centre, connects the vibrant suburb of Braamfontein to bustling Newtown.
The Market Theatre and Kippies, the cosy club where most of the nation’s jazz greats perform, have retained their original distinctive character while moving to a new location, and they have been joined by restaurants and the Newtown Music Centre. Newtown has been transformed into a safe and appealing place to work, live, and visit. Remember the Oriental Plaza, which is right next to Newtown.
Braamfontein Map
Braamfontein is a central suburb of Johannesburg, in South Africa, the seat of the Constitutional Court of South Africa and some of South Africa’s major corporations such as Liberty Holdings Limited, JD Group, Sappi, Bidvest Bank and Hollard.
History of Braamfontein
The name “Braamfontein” first appeared in 1853, when Gert Bezuidenhout owned property to the northwest of Randjeslaagte. He requested a survey of his land from the Transvaal government that year. F.J. Bezuidenhout purchased the land that Gert owned in 1858.
The early subdivision of Braamfontein, a farm on the Witwatersrand, is a sign of a somewhat dense population. In 1862, two further Bezuidenhouts—Gerhardus Petrus and Cornelis Willem—each acquired a third of the property, and Frans Johannes van Dijk received a third. Different areas were further partitioned between 1862 and 1886. Other notable owners included Frans Eduard, Louwrens Geldenhuys, and Johannes Jacobus Lindeque, who in 1884 purchased the land on which the Country Club would ultimately be built.
As a formal extension of the city of Johannesburg, the first suburb built on the farm Braamfontein in 1888–1889 was unofficially called after the farm. Still referred to as Braamfontein, this region. However, there had previously been an unsuccessful attempt to develop a suburb.
78 persons were killed when a freight train carrying 56 tonnes of dynamite exploded in Braamfontein on February 19, 1896. Large-scale business development in the area was promoted during the apartheid era. Some of the area’s roads were crossed by an electric trolley-bus line up until the middle of the 1980s. The area deteriorated when apartheid was abolished. However, the “Braamfontein Management District,” a joint initiative of the city of Johannesburg and major corporations, started an urban renewal process in this area.
Urban renewal initiatives and the creation of the Braamfontein Management District by the Johannesburg Development Agency and property owners have kept the district from deteriorating as much as the Johannesburg CBD, but there is still much work to be done to bring the area’s economic infrastructure up to developed-country standards, get rid of hazardous and unsanitary buildings owned by the private sector, get rid of violent crime, and lessen petty crime.
The Thomas Rennie-inspired Rennie House skyscraper has been undergoing renovations since February 2018 by the Hollard Group. Thomas Rennie was a South African shipping tycoon.
Things To Do In Braamfontein
City Sightseeing Joburg & Soweto
Red City Tour and Soweto Combo Tour on red double-decker buses through an amazing round route in Johannesburg and environs is a fun and fascinating way to visit both cities. Every day of the week, starting at 9:00 a.m., this thrilling Hop-On, Hop-Off tour gives a brand-new perspective on the vivacious and varied City of Gold. The Roof of Africa at the Carlton Centre, Gandhi Square, the James Hall Transport Museum, the Apartheid Museum and Gold Reef City, the Mining District, the World of Beer, Newtown Precinct, Origins Centre at Wits, Braamfontein, and Constitution Hill are just a few of the 11 unique bus stop locations where locals and visitors of all ages can hop on and hop off.
This wildly popular hop-on, hop-off tour gives tourists the freedom to alight at any of the stops along the way and then board a subsequent bus at their convenience, ensuring regular, secure, and enjoyable transportation. Additionally, buses offer an entertaining kids channel in addition to an educational onboard commentary that explains all the sites and is available in 16 different languages.
Visit Joburg Theatre
The Joburg Theatre is Africa’s top venue for live entertainment, showcasing top-notch theatre from around the world and domestically. The Joburg Theatre is an exciting, busy location from early in the morning until late at night. It has three theatres, a News Café, eight function rooms for private dining or corporate functions, dance studios, and Space (a facility within the theatre complex for the achievement of community development goals).
Theatregoers at Joburg Theatre have many options to choose from, including everything from traditional ballet to comedy, drama and pantomime, small-scale solo performances to large ensemble shows, as well as kid-friendly material. Additionally, it provides room and chances for artists like actors, musicians, writers, directors, designers, and technicians to hone their craft in an environment that is also profitable.
The two dance studios at the Joburg Theatre are always occupied by the South African Ballet Theatre. The studios’ glass exterior allows passersby to observe dancers in rehearsal because they are stacked one on top of the other and face Simmonds Street to the south.