Stories

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A traveller's - Rated
'Johanesburg to Jozi' will be a timely revelation to anyone who stillshares the popular belief that South Africa's first city is no more thanan ultra-violent, crime-ridden urban sprawl divided by race and wealth. Inreality the city has much more to offer and I was relieved finally to seethat portrayed in print.
This collection of anecdotes and observations by contemporary journalistscaptures the Jo'burg scene familiar to those of us who have lived throughits transformation since aparthied. There is no attempt here to deny theacute crime or the social and communal divisions that aflict life in TheBig Yam. But these snapshots also capture something of the city'sextraordinary, unpredictable vitality, which the outside world rarelyhears of.
The 'eye-witness' account of a paranoid two-headed hound that survivesexclusively on curry still makes me laugh and though it may stretch yourcredulity (!) it also illustrates that in Jo'burg truth really often isstranger than fiction.
Living in Europe now I am frequently disappointed by just howmisunderstood my home city is, though not suprised given that all oneusually sees reported are its record murder, carjacking and rapestatistics. Anyone who wants to go beyond the scare stories, learn aboutthe other Jo'burg and be entertained won't be disappointed.