Johannesburg

== Infrastructure ==

=== Transportation ===
Johannesburg is a young and sprawling city, with its public transportation built in its infancy, geared towards private motorists, and lacks a convenient public transportation system. The City though has invested a large percentage of its budget{{When?|date=March 2024}} toward an effective integrated public transportation system. A significant number of the city's residents are dependent on the city's informal minibus taxis.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

==== Roads ====
{{Further information|Johannesburg Freeways}}[[File:Johannesburg,_Gauteng,_South_Africa_(2417711025).jpg|thumb|The [[M1 (Johannesburg)|M1]] is a major freeway in Johannesburg]]
Johannesburg shares a network of [[Metropolitan Routes in Johannesburg|metropolitan routes]] with [[Krugersdorp]] and [[Ekurhuleni]]. The fact that Johannesburg is not near a large navigable body of water has meant that ground transportation has been the most important method of transporting people and goods in and out of the city. One of Africa's most famous "beltways" or ring roads/orbitals is the [[Johannesburg Ring Road]]. The road is composed of three freeways that converge on the city, forming an {{convert|80|km|adj=on}} loop around it: the [[N3 Eastern Bypass (South Africa)|N3 Eastern Bypass]], the [[N1 Western Bypass (South Africa)|N1 Western Bypass]] and the [[N12 Southern Bypass (South Africa)|N12 Southern Bypass]]. The [[N3 road (South Africa)|N3]] was built exclusively with [[Asphalt concrete|asphalt]], while the [[N12 (South Africa)|N12]] and [[N1 road (South Africa)|N1]] sections were made with concrete, hence the nickname given to the N1 Western Bypass, "The Concrete Highway". In spite of being up to 12 lanes wide in some areas, the Johannesburg Ring Road is frequently clogged with traffic. The Gillooly's Interchange (renamed George Bizos Interchange in 2021<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-10-13 |title=Here are the streets affected by Ekurhuleni's new name changes |url=https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/government/2740326/city-of-ekurhuleni-street-name-changes-13-october-2021/ |access-date=2022-01-02 |website=The Citizen |language=en}}</ref>), built on an old farm and the point at which the N3 Eastern Bypass and the [[R24 (Gauteng)|R24 Airport Freeway]] intersect, is the busiest interchange in the Southern Hemisphere.<ref name=sanral>{{cite web |title=Busiest freeways in southern hemisphere |url=http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/busiest-freeways-in-southern-hemisphere-2008-09-26 |publisher=SA National Roads Agency |date=26 September 2008 |access-date=15 July 2013 |archive-date=16 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130616164747/http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/busiest-freeways-in-southern-hemisphere-2008-09-26 |url-status=live }}</ref> It is claimed<ref name=sanral/><ref>{{cite news |last=Staff Reporter |title=18 perish in road accidents |url=http://www.newsday.co.zw/2013/05/10/18-perish-in-road-accidents |access-date=15 July 2013 |newspaper=NewsDay |date=10 May 2013 |archive-date=19 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130719181822/http://www.newsday.co.zw/2013/05/10/18-perish-in-road-accidents/ |url-status=live }}</ref> that the N1 is the busiest road in South Africa.

Johannesburg has a lot of freeways connected to it.<ref name=":1">{{Cite report |url=http://www.transport.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=5qOHvOI4KuY%3d |title=South African Numbered Route Description and Destination Analysis |last=Falkner |first=John |date=May 2012 |publisher=National Department of Transport |pages=13–15 |access-date=12 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606100245/http://www.transport.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=5qOHvOI4KuY%3d |archive-date=6 June 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[N1 road (South Africa)|N1]] connects northwards to [[Pretoria]] and [[Polokwane]] and southwards to [[Bloemfontein]] and [[Cape Town]].<ref name=":1" /> The [[N3 road (South Africa)|N3]] connects south-east to [[Durban]].<ref name=":1" /> The [[N12 road (South Africa)|N12]] connects westwards to [[Potchefstroom]] and [[Kimberley, Northern Cape|Kimberley]] and eastwards to [[Witbank|eMalahleni]].<ref name=":1" /> The [[N14 road (South Africa)|N14]] passes at the north-western corner of the Johannesburg Municipality, connecting [[Pretoria]] with [[Krugersdorp]].<ref name=":1" /> The [[N17 road (South Africa)|N17]] connects eastwards to [[Ermelo, South Africa|Ermelo]] and [[Eswatini]].<ref name=":1" /> The [[R21 (Gauteng)|R21]] connects the [[East Rand]] and [[O. R. Tambo International Airport]] with Pretoria.<ref name=":1" /> The [[R24 (Gauteng)|R24]] connects the [[Johannesburg CBD]] with the airport.<ref name=":1" /> The [[R59 (Free State)|R59]] connects southwards to [[Vereeniging]] and [[Sasolburg]].<ref name=":1" /> The [[M1 (Johannesburg)|M1]] connects the Johannesburg CBD with the northern suburbs and the [[Johannesburg South|southern suburbs]]. The [[M2 road (Johannesburg)|M2]] connects the Johannesburg CBD with the [[Germiston|Germiston CBD]] to the east. The M1 and M2 freeways are congested due to mass urbanisation.

Johannesburg also has a lot of non-freeway routes that connect to other towns and cities. The [[R24 (South Africa)|R24]] connects the Johannesburg city centre with [[Roodepoort]], [[Krugersdorp]] and [[Rustenburg]] to the west.<ref name=":1" /> The [[R25 (South Africa)|R25]] connects Johannesburg's northern suburbs with [[Modderfontein (East Rand)|Modderfontein]] and [[Kempton Park, South Africa|Kempton Park]] to the north-east.<ref name=":1" /> The [[R29 (South Africa)|R29]] connects the city centre with [[Germiston]], [[Boksburg]] and [[Benoni, South Africa|Benoni]] to the east.<ref name=":1" /> The [[R41 (South Africa)|R41]] connects the city centre with Roodepoort and [[Randfontein]] to the west.<ref name=":1" /> The [[R55 (South Africa)|R55]] connects [[Sandton]] with [[Pretoria West]] to the north.<ref name=":1" /> The [[R82 (South Africa)|R82]] connects [[Johannesburg South]] with [[Vereeniging]] to the south.<ref name=":1" /> The [[R101 (South Africa)|R101]] connects Sandton with [[Midrand]], [[Centurion, South Africa|Centurion]] and Pretoria to the north.<ref name=":1" /> The [[R511 (South Africa)|R511]] connects Sandton with [[Diepsloot]] and [[Hartbeespoort]] to the north.<ref name=":1" /> The [[R512 (South Africa)|R512]] connects [[Randburg]] with [[Lanseria International Airport]] and Hartbeespoort to the north.<ref name=":1" />

==== Bus and taxi transit ====
[[Image:Rea Vaya stop in CBD.JPG|thumb|[[Rea Vaya]] bus stop in [[Johannesburg CBD]] in Commissioner Street at Ntemi Piliso Street]]
Johannesburg is served by a bus fleet operated by MetroBus, a corporate unit of the City of Johannesburg.<ref>{{cite web |title=Metrobus |url=http://www.mbus.co.za/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050211061241/http://www.mbus.co.za/ |archive-date=11 Feb 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=About Us |url=https://mbus.joburg.org.za/about-us |website=City of Johannesburg |publisher=Metrobus |access-date=19 September 2023}}</ref> It has a fleet consisting of approximately 550 single and double-decker buses, plying 84 different routes in the city. This total includes 200 modern buses (150 double-deckers and 50 single-deckers), made by [[Volvo]], [[Scania AB]] and Marcopolo/Brasa in 2002. Metrobus' fleet carries approximately 20 million passengers per annum. In addition, there are a number of private bus operators, though most focus on the inter-city routes, or on bus charters for touring groups. The city's main bus terminus is situated in [[Gandhi Square]], where passengers can also obtain information regarding the Metrobus service from the walk-in customer information desk.

In 2010, in order to create an efficient public transport system the [[Rea Vaya]] bus rapid system was developed/built. The buses run on their own dedicated bus lanes on the main trunk and complementary routes. The buses also have large feeder routes that run on ordinary roads. The Rea Vaya works on a smartcard payment system, on entering the station or bus the passenger taps his/her smartcard onto the validator/scanner and taps out at the next station with the calculated amount. The routes cover both the southern and northern suburbs with the main trunk route running from Soweto to Sandton and Rosebank, and the feeder and complementary routes covering most of Johannesburg, with the notable exceptions of Midrand and Centurion. A subsequent expansion (phase 1-C;1-D) will cover these areas. In 2017, the [[Rea Vaya]] bus rapid transit was recorded to be making huge losses recovering only about 40 per cent of the operating costs and relying heavily on government subsidies.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.fin24.com/Economy/bus-rapid-transit-bleeding-cash-20170226-2 |title=Bus Rapid Transit bleeding cash |work=Fin24 |access-date=2 July 2019 |archive-date=2 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190702073721/https://www.fin24.com/Economy/bus-rapid-transit-bleeding-cash-20170226-2 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Johannesburg has two kinds of taxis, [[taxicab|metered taxis]] and [[Minibus taxi#Minibus taxi|minibus taxis]]. Unlike many cities, metered taxis are not allowed to drive around the city looking for passengers and instead must be called and ordered to a destination. The Gauteng Provincial Government has launched a new metered taxi programme in an attempt to increase the use of metered taxis in the city.{{Citation needed|date=January 2009}}

The minibus "taxis" are the ''de facto'' standard and essential form of transport for the majority of the population. Since the 1980s, the minibus taxi industry has been severely affected by [[Taxi wars in South Africa|turf wars]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://yoinsta.com/tag/knysna |title=Posts filled under #knysna |last=YoInsta |website=yoinsta.com |access-date=28 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171228112329/https://yoinsta.com/tag/knysna |archive-date=28 December 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Greef |first=Kimon de |date=2018-07-22 |title=In South Africa's 'Mafia-Like' Taxi Industry, 11 Die in Latest Attack |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/22/world/africa/south-africa-taxi-attack.html |access-date=2022-03-09 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=13 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230513083505/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/22/world/africa/south-africa-taxi-attack.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Airports ====
[[Image:Ekurhuleni_Aerotropolis.jpg|thumb|[[O. R. Tambo International Airport]]]]
Johannesburg is served principally by [[O. R. Tambo International Airport]] (formerly Johannesburg International Airport and before that Jan Smuts Airport) for both domestic and international flights. [[Lanseria Airport]], located to the north-west of the city and closer to the business hub of [[Sandton]], is used for commercial flights to [[Cape Town]], [[Durban]], [[Port Elizabeth]], Botswana, and [[Sun City, North West|Sun City]]. Other airports include [[Rand Airport]] and [[Grand Central Airport]]. Rand Airport, located in [[Germiston, Gauteng|Germiston]], is a small airfield used mostly for private aircraft and the home of [[South African Airways]]' first Boeing 747–200 ZS-SAN and also 747SP ZS-SPC and now serves as an aviation museum. Grand Central is located in Midrand and also caters to small, private aircraft.

==== Rail ====
[[Image:South Africa-Metrorail-001.jpg|thumb|[[Metrorail Gauteng]] at [[Braamfontein]], Johannesburg]]
The [[Metrorail Gauteng]] [[commuter rail]] system connects central Johannesburg to [[Soweto]], [[Pretoria]], and most of the satellite towns along the [[Witwatersrand]]. The railways transport huge numbers of commuters every day. However, the Metrorail infrastructure was built in Johannesburg's infancy and covers only the older areas in the city's south. The northern areas, including the business districts of [[Sandton, Gauteng|Sandton]], [[Midrand, Gauteng|Midrand]], [[Randburg, Gauteng|Randburg]], and [[Rosebank, Gauteng|Rosebank]], are served by the rapid [[railway|rail]] link [[Gautrain]].

[[File:Gautrain..., O R Tambo Intl Airport South Africa.jpg|thumb|[[Gautrain]] station at OR Tambo Airport]]
A part of the Gauteng Provincial Government's Blue IQ Project, [[Gautrain]] has made provision for a rapid [[railway|rail]] link, running north to south, between Johannesburg and Pretoria, and west to east between Sandton and the [[OR Tambo International Airport]]. Construction of the Gautrain Rapid Rail started in October 2006 and was completed in June 2012. It consists of a number of underground stations, as well as above-ground stations. Stations on the north–south line include Johannesburg's [[Johannesburg Park Station|Park Station]] (underground), [[Rosebank (Gautrain station)|Rosebank]] (underground), [[Sandton (Gautrain station)|Sandton]] (underground), [[Marlboro (Gautrain station)|Marlboro]] (above-ground and raised), [[Midrand (Gautrain station)|Midrand]], [[Pretoria railway station|Pretoria]] Station and [[Hatfield (Gautrain station)|Hatfield]]. There is also a line from the O.R. Tambo International Airport (above-ground and raised) travelling to Sandton via [[Rhodesfield (Gautrain station)|Rhodesfield]] (raised) and Marlboro. A 200-kilometre expansion is underway and will consist of 3 new lines and 18 new stations, and is expected to cost R18 billion and one-lines (Soweto Mamalodi) could take 4 years to build, most of the new stations will be in Johannesburg.

The east–west line from the airport to Sandton opened in June 2010 in time for the [[2010 FIFA World Cup]], while the north–south line opened on 2 August 2011, except for Park Station, which opened in 2012.

The rail system was designed to alleviate traffic on the [[N1 (South Africa)|N1]] freeway between Johannesburg and Pretoria, which records vehicle loads of up to 300,000 per week day.<ref>{{cite web |title=Why Rapid Rail |url=http://www.gautrain.co.za/about/about-gautrain/why-rapid-rail/ |publisher=Gautrain |access-date=24 August 2017 |archive-date=25 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825063354/http://www.gautrain.co.za/about/about-gautrain/why-rapid-rail/ |url-status=live }}</ref> An extensive bus feeder system has also been implemented, which allows access to the main stations from the outer suburbs, but is limited to a five-kilometre radius, which neglects the rest of the suburbs. This is the first new major railway system that has been laid in South Africa since 1977.<ref>{{cite web |title=Railway country. 150 Years of Rail in South Africa |url=http://www.transnetfreightrail-tfr.net/Heritage/150years/150YearsRail.pdf |publisher=Transnet |access-date=24 August 2017 |archive-date=12 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012074755/http://www.transnetfreightrail-tfr.net/Heritage/150years/150YearsRail.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2010, a [[Johannesburg-Durban High Speed Rail|high-speed rail link]] was proposed between Johannesburg and [[Durban]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/ambitious-plans-will-still-need-funding/browse/3.html |access-date=19 September 2010 |title=Railway Gazette: Ambitious plans will still need funding |archive-date=15 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615134927/http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/ambitious-plans-will-still-need-funding/browse/3.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2020 the government announced plans for high-speed rail from Johannesburg to [[Soweto]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=25 October 2020 |title=South Africa's Rail Expansion Plan Links Soweto to Johannesburg |language=en |work=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-25/south-africa-s-rail-expansion-plan-links-soweto-to-johannesburg |access-date=25 October 2020 |archive-date=28 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028213615/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-25/south-africa-s-rail-expansion-plan-links-soweto-to-johannesburg |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Freight ====
City Deep Terminal is the name of Africa's largest [[dry port]] and was officially opened by the South African Railways Services (SARS) in 1977. The container terminal is connected to the Port of Durban, Port of Ngqurha, Port of Cape Town, as well as Southern Africa by road and rail. At least forty percent of container export/imports run on the Natal Corridor (Natcor) which is directly linked by rail to City Deep.

=== Telecommunication ===
Johannesburg has 4 major cellular telecommunications operators: [[Vodacom]], [[MTN Group|MTN]], [[Cell C]], and [[Telkom Mobile]]. Vodacom's global headquarters is located in [[Midrand]]. It was formed in 1994, just after the South African elections of 1994.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.africanwireless.com/vodacom_history.htm |title=Vodacom History |publisher=Africanwireless.com |access-date=2 July 2010 |archive-date=27 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327001945/http://www.africanwireless.com/vodacom_history.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Media ===
[[File:SouthAfricanBroadcastingCorporationHQ.jpg|thumb|[[South African Broadcasting Corporation]] headquarters in Uitsaaisentrum, Johannesburg]]
Johannesburg has a number of regional radio stations such as [[94.7 Highveld Stereo]], [[Radiokansel / Radio Pulpit]], [[Kaya FM]], [[Radio 2000]], [[YFM]], [[Metro FM]], [[5FM]], [[Jacaranda FM]], [[SAfm]], [[Phalaphala FM]], [[Radio 702]] and [[UJFM]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Radio Stations |url=https://www.joburg.org.za/work_/keysectors/Pages/Radio-Stations.aspx |website=www.joburg.org.za |language=en-ZA |access-date=30 April 2020 |archive-date=1 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201142105/https://www.joburg.org.za/work_/keysectors/Pages/Radio-Stations.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>

Johannesburg is also the headquarters of state-owned broadcaster [[South African Broadcasting Corporation]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) |url=https://www.gov.za/about-government/contact-directory/soe/soe/south-african-broadcasting-corporation-sabc |website=gov.za |access-date=16 July 2020 |archive-date=18 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200718000435/https://www.gov.za/about-government/contact-directory/soe/soe/south-african-broadcasting-corporation-sabc |url-status=live }}</ref> and pay-broadcast network Multichoice<ref>{{Cite web |title=MultiChoice Group |url=https://www.multichoice.com/contact-us/ |website=multichoice.com |access-date=16 July 2020 |archive-date=11 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811123220/https://www.multichoice.com/contact-us/ |url-status=live }}</ref> which distributes [[M-Net]] and [[DStv]] a digital satellite service, while [[etv (South Africa)|eTV]] also has a presence in the city. The city has two television towers, the [[Hillbrow Tower]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hillbrow Tower – symbol of Joburg |url=https://www.brandsouthafrica.com/tourism-south-africa/travel/cities/hillbrow-tower-symbol-of-joburg |website=brandsouthafrica.com |access-date=16 July 2020 |archive-date=16 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200716134357/https://www.brandsouthafrica.com/tourism-south-africa/travel/cities/hillbrow-tower-symbol-of-joburg |url-status=dead}}</ref> and the [[Sentech Tower]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The story behind Sentech's iconic tower – TechCentral |url=https://techcentral.co.za/the-story-behind-sentechs-iconic-tower/18447/ |website=techcentral.co.za |date=27 October 2010 |access-date=30 April 2020 |archive-date=26 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180826123608/https://techcentral.co.za/the-story-behind-sentechs-iconic-tower/18447/ |url-status=live }}</ref>