There are quite a number of relatives and friends that have made Johannesburg their home and most of the stories they share portray a life of success and luxury. Joburg, as it is commonly known, exudes class right from the Oliver Tambo airport to the high-rise buildings, the neat sprawling flyovers and top-of-the-range cars; the city has everything you may wish to have in Kampala.
Yet personally, the city’s beauty was secondary to the things I looked forward to. However, any hope of reunions evaporated the moment my would-be hosts learnt of the suburb I was booked to stay in.
“Sandton! What the hell are you doing there? It is too far from me,” Abdu, a former schoolmate, said.
“You are going to choke on bills…that place is damn expensive,” Dennis, a long-lost cousin, said. Only one, a former workmate, was honest enough to confide that Sandton is for the affluent and kyeyo souls have no business there.
So, it became clear I had to adjust the schedule during the four-day stay at Glenalmond hotel, which in spite of its fine scenery, lacked some basics like unlimited Wi-Fi and a bar!
Luckily, I had travelled in good company of some media colleagues, including a veteran who is the self-styled specialist in everything, a sensational character whose carefree actions kept us entertained as well as an introvert, whose best companion was his headphones. Then there was the odd girl on the team, who blended well with everyone.
It is weird how long-distance journeys strip people of their aura because all of a sudden we were just like high school leavers, eager to know one another’s next step in life. There was never a dull moment, especially in the evenings, and we were always eager to find out what makes Sandton, also known as Africa’s wealthiest district, special.
However, things did not always go according to plan. On the first outing, our South African colleague who was scheduled to drive us around drank too much and we could not risk it. The following night, it took us nearly an hour before realizing we were in a gay bar up in Randburg. We disappeared like fugitives.
NELSON MANDELA SQUARE.
All the hanging out aside, our days had more serious business as we participated in the Digital Media Africa conference. It offered mind-blowing projections about the future of the media in the ever-changing digital landscape.
In-between, a visit to the monumental Nelson Mandela square was as awe-inspiring as it was a put-off due to the high prices. With hundreds of attractions including shops, restaurants, cinemas and some bars, the upmarket shopping centre is clearly not for the low-earners; not even the middle-class.
A pair of jeans in the Tommy Hilfiger shop went for ZAR10,000 (Shs 2.7m) and there was a Louis Vuitton tuxedo at ZAR45,000 (Shs 12.1m). Not one to leave without a lasting memory, I parted with ZAR100, roughly Shs 27,000, for a five-minute ride in the virtual 3D simulator.
By David Lumu.
Full story at Observer.
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