Bursting with the energy and pace of a big city but with the friendliness of a much smaller town, Johannesburg attracts expats looking to accomplish a lot and integrate quickly. Johannesburg is a city of opportunities for expatriates from across the globe. It is one of the most well-known cities in South Africa and is the largest by number of residents. It is also a prime location for tourism and culture, with two international airports. Its OR Tambo International airport is the largest in the African continent, and Johannesburg is often seen as a gateway to the rest of South Africa.
Working in Johannesburg means being employed in the commercial centre of South Africa. The city is home to some of the country’s core industries, including mining, finance and telecommunications. There is no better city in South Africa to settle in for expats looking to advance their careers in a work environment that is fast-paced, competitive, aggressive and demanding.
The opportunity for expats to earn a high salary while subscribing to a low cost of living outweighs even the most unsettling downsides to living in Johannesburg. The city centre may not be as beautiful as its counterpart in Cape Town, and it may have a reputation for crime, but there are certainly compelling reasons to move to Joburg.
Expats in Johannesburg who are interested in working in the city have a number of choices, as it is one of South Africa’s hubs of financial, industrial and commercial interests, along with its mineral trading. It also has a number of tourist sites which make it an ideal location for those expats looking to work in South Africa’s tourism industry.
There’s a lot to see and do in Johannesburg, even though the city is better known for work than leisure. Aside from its shopping malls, it has a rich history celebrated through a variety of museums and memorials such as the Apartheid Museum, the Mandela House in Soweto and Museum Africa in Newtown. Nature lovers don’t have to travel far out of the city to get a safari fix, with the famous Lion Park just 45 minutes away. There are natural attractions in the city as well, including the Johannesburg Botanical Gardens, Emmarentia Dam, the Johannesburg Zoo and Zoo Lake.
The cost of accommodation in Johannesburg might seem expensive at first; however, in comparison with housing in Cape Town, expats can get more for their money. While Capetonians may have beautiful natural scenery, many of the houses in Joburg’s suburbs have wonderfully tended gardens, cultivating a sense of natural beauty in even the densest of areas and adding value to real estate in the city for prospective renters and buyers.
Commonly known as Jo’burg or Jozi, this rapidly changing city is the vibrant heart of South Africa. an incredibly friendly, unstuffy city and there’s a lot to see and do here. The city is awash with superb museums, mostly offering deep insight into South Africa’s troubled past such as the Apartheid Museum. Delve in and experience the buzz of a city undergoing an incredible rebirth.
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