Economist.com Cities Guide: Johannesburg Briefing - May 2006

News this month

The man who might have been president

The trial of Jacob Zuma, the former deputy president charged with raping a 31-year-old woman in his Johannesburg house in November, ignited more passions in April. Mr Zuma, who once led the South African AIDS Council, angered AIDS activists by testifying that he had unprotected sex with his accuser, despite knowing she was HIV positive. Making matters worse, he said he took a shower to diminish the risk of infection. Organisations working to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS must now emphasise that showering is not an effective prevention method. An estimated one in five South African adults is infected with the virus.

For all Mr Zuma’s bad press, he is not without supporters, some of whom contend that the trial is part of a conspiracy to keep him from becoming South Africa’s next president. Mr Zuma’s defence team has questioned the credibility of his accuser, whom they maintain seduced him and allegedly made several false rape accusations in the past. Closing arguments are scheduled for April 26th and 28th, and the judge is expected to deliver a verdict in early May. But even an acquittal would not mean the end of Mr Zuma’s troubles—he faces another trial, for corruption, in July.

South Africa’s Enron

Recent discoveries about Brett Kebble, a businessman shot dead in Johannesburg last September, have rattled South Africa’s financial and political leaders. Investigators have found that Kebble managed to defraud three companies he presided over of more than 2 billion rand ($337m) in assets, the largest known fraud in South Africa’s history. Unbeknownst to the boards and shareholders of these companies, he siphoned shares and cash from Randgold & Exploration and Western Areas, two mining firms, and JCI, an investment outfit. Kebble also organised sham transactions supposedly for black economic empowerment, and owed the government millions of rand in taxes. South African authorities are considering whether to bring charges against the companies’ auditors, as well as a number of individuals who benefited from Kebble’s loot.

The scandal has reached South Africa’s political world, as several high-ranking officials from the Youth League of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) are said to have directly profited from some of Kebble’s fraudulent transactions, while others allegedly received loans from Kebble. The ANC’s leaders maintain that they were unaware that Kebble made contributions to their members. Meanwhile the identity of his murderer remains a mystery.

On track?

A recent study has raised new questions about the Gautrain, a controversial, government-approved, 80km rapid-rail project that will link Pretoria to Johannesburg. More than half of the car drivers interviewed for the survey said that they did not expect to use the new train, which is meant to alleviate traffic between the two cities. Most drivers, almost all of whom drive alone, explained that they needed their car not only for the commute, but also during the day, and are worried about transport to and from the Gautrain stations. They are also concerned about security, despite a commitment from the Bombela consortium, which is building the link, to safety measures such as a closed ticketing system, proper lighting and security guards in all stations.

In contrast to drivers, minibus-taxi users strongly backed the project, with 81% saying they expect to use the Gautrain. This lopsided support confirms the concern expressed by leaders of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), who have contended that the Gautrain will not lure drivers from the road. Members of COSATU have argued that the 20 billion rand spent on the Gautrain should instead be spent improving the commuter rail system linking townships to city centres. They also claim that ticket fares, priced for wealthier motorists, are likely to exceed the reach of those now using public transport. Buses, they argue, would be a cheaper way to relieve congestion. COSATU has called for a strike to protest against the project.

Welcome to Soweto, tourism hotspot

April brought good news for Soweto, Johannesburg’s largest township. Marthinus van Schalkwyk, the minister for environment and tourism, said his department would invest 185m rand in the Tourism Enterprise Programme over the next three years. The initiative targets small businesses, which should help Soweto develop its burgeoning tourism sector. The township, once a hotspot of the anti-apartheid struggle and today home to almost 1m people, is reported to be South Africa’s third most popular tourist destination after Cape Town and the Kruger National Park. It attracts an estimated 250,000 local and international tourists a year, who typically stay for a day, spend little money, and visit the Hector Pieterson Memorial and Nelson Mandela’s house. Tourism in Soweto generates 143m rand a year; officials say that figure could be much higher.

The Tourism Enterprise Programme is only part of a larger initiative to boost Soweto’s tourism industry. The city of Johannesburg has poured money into the township, contributing more than 485m rand for infrastructure and a new Soweto Tourism Information Centre in February. The Johannesburg Property Company, a local developer, is spending 1 billion rand on Orlando Ekhaya, a retail, residential and office complex on the eastern side of Soweto. A new four-star hotel, the Freedom Square Hotel, is scheduled to open in October, which locals hope will convince visitors to stay longer. Still, many potential tourists still view Soweto as dangerous. Locals have begun patrolling the streets to help people feel safer.

Barking up the wrong tree?

Johannesburg approved controversial pet laws this month, which limit the number of animals residents can keep according to the size of their property. In the new rules, which do not come in effect until 2010, people living in flats will be allowed only two pets, while house dwellers can have four. (Pet owners who begin the year exceeding this quota will be allowed to keep them until the pets die, but will not be able to replace them.) Dogs will also have to be kept on leads in most public places. Residents who fail to follow the new rules after a warning will face fines or even prison.

The city, however, ignored calls from animal activists to ban fireworks (they claim it creates stress in pets), and turned down requests for the compulsory sterilisation of pets not used for breeding. City officials argued that they lack the power and money to enforce such a policy.

Catch if you can

May 2006

Figuring Faith: Images of Belief in Africa

April 21st–May 27th 2006

This multimedia exhibition explores the rituals and practices of religion in modern African life. Curators have collected a range of religious art and sacred objects, from traditional sculpture and paintings to more modern works of photography, ceramics, embroideries, beadwork and film. Some of the artwork has been specially commissioned for this exhibition.

Standard Bank Gallery, at the corner of Simmonds and Frederick Sts. Tel: +27 (0) 11 631-1889. Open: Mon-Fri 8am-4.30pm; Sat 9am-2pm. For more information, visit the gallery’s website.

More from the Johannesburg cultural calendar