Know Your Neighbour – Barney Girnun
Getting to know Barney Girnun – a Sandton resident since the early 1980s.
Sandton resident Barney Girnun has had the privilege and honour of witnessing the modernisation of the area first-hand.
Girnun has lived in Sandton for 43 years.
“I have been living in Sandton since 1981, which is a long time ago,” Girnun said. “I didn’t school in Sandton but I lived in Morningside. I now live in Strathaven, just off Grayston Drive.”
Girnun recounted what Sandton was like in the 80s and 90s, describing the landscape as ‘very quiet’.
“Back in the day, it was still building up as an area,” said Girnun. “It used to be farmland before that, but it started building back then. It wasn’t like what it is today. It has built up unbelievably.”
Sandton has evolved a great deal since the time Girnun moved into the area. There is now a daily bustle with a great deal of human and vehicle traffic.
“But I love living here, I love the people of Sandton, I love the landmarks that we’ve got. And that Sandton skyline looks so special when you’re driving past Sandton on the highway and you look to your right.”
For fun, Girnun enjoys the amenities at Nelson Mandela Square.
“There’s so much to do. I love the restaurants there and the vibe. My son loves the statues of Nelson Mandela, he loves Madiba. So I always take him.”
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