Joburg CBD: From glory to decay

There was a time, not too long ago, when the Johannesburg CBD was quite spectacular.

The train station was magnificent, adorned with Pierneef originals commissioned specifically for the gigantic hall. It also boasted a wonderful collection of vintage trains, as well as model trains.

I remember spending many hours there as a young boy. It was also tradition to eat a pie, chips and gravy in the elevated restaurant. And going to watch movies at the Cinerama.

That was movie heaven – with close on 1 000 seats and the biggest screen imaginable, the Cinerama held its own when compared to the best in the world.

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My uncle, who worked as a forex trader, also introduced me to the restaurant in the Carlton hotel. Walking-distance from his office, he often treated me to lunch in the five-star establishment. Avocado ritz, followed by a steak and pepper sauce was my favourite.

Across the road from the hotel was the ice-rink. My sister and I were regulars, me because I loved skating, and my sister because she often met her boyfriend there – the one our parents did not approve of. But that’s a story for another day.

Last week, I spent half a day in the CBD because I had to collect documents from a provincial government department. Sad to say, memory lane in the city of gold is really not worth revisiting.

The city is in a state of total decay. It is filthy, it stinks, and half the roads are closed due to the recent explosion that destroyed Lilian Ngoyi Street, as well as various fires that have broken out in dilapidated or hijacked buildings.

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Only a few traffic lights are functioning, which makes navigating the pothole-ridden streets even more challenging.

The Carlton Hotel stands empty, fenced off with steel palisades to keep vagrants and building hijackers out.

Walking three blocks is like running a gauntlet with rubble, street vendors and beggars the biggest, but not the only obstacles.

I don’t know how the decay can be stopped and reversed, but I would suggest it must start at the ballot box.

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