Maboneng: the coolest hot spot
Downtown entertainment hub receives international nod
WHEN you think of a cool neighbourhood, Maboneng definitely makes it onto the list.
Now, with international travel experts also in agreement, Gauteng Tourism wanted to make sure people understood just why the downtown Jozi hotspot was the place to be.
It has been about two decades since the transformation of Maboneng began. Loosely translated as “place of light”, Maboneng has become a hub of creativity for cool kids and families alike. Restaurants, clothing stores, theatre and music spots make it one of the best places for Joburgers to meet and mingle, on any day of the week.
At a celebration event held at Rooftop BBQ yesterday afternoon, Bheki Dube gave the media a tour around the cultural hub.
Dube is the founder of Curiocity Backpackers and gives tourists regular tours around the precinct. Using the history of Joburg to present a cultural and informative tour, Dube makes sure visitors to the area understand where it all started.
“From its origins, Maboneng has always tried to create this cultural art hub. It has created this place, saying: how do you bring art into the inner city? And then, eventually, how do we bring investments and business, and so forth. What has made it more interesting is how it is connected with a large offering of culinary creativity, but also with people who are able to live, work and play. The safety aspect makes it an accessible space to both local and international travellers wanting to immerse themselves within the city.”
There are 38 culinary spaces available in the precinct.
Dube takes visitors around the most popular and historical streets of Joburg, and the retail components and residential units that are creating a space that will continue to grow.
The human intersection installation by Kim Lieberman are statue-like structures of people who developed the neighbourhood.
The first development was Arts on Main.
“People want to live and work in the city. Seven out of 10 businesses succeed in Maboneng,” Dube pointed out.
The other South African city that made the list was Cape Town’s Kalk Bay. The arts precinct and the Cape Town fishing village were part of 10 other neighbourhoods that made the list for travel fundis, who move around the world finding gems in various countries.
The other hoods highlighted were Santa in Barcelona, Navy Yard in Washington DC, Amsterdam Noord in Amsterdam, Getsemani in Cartagena, Plekhanov in Tbilisi, Casco Viejo in Panama City, District 5 in Saigon, Keramikos in Athens, Seongsu-dong in Seoul and Pilsen in Chicago.