Be a tourist in your own town
Last Sunday I finally got round to doing the Ponte Challenge. Our hosts, Dlala Nje, an NGO based in the building. Through their tours within the city, they are able to provide a Community Centre where children and teens can learn in a safe space. The Ponte Challenge is a “race” up all the stairs to the top of the building. Included are refreshments and a breakfast on the 54 floor. With views of Johannesburg that I guarantee, you have never seen.
Anyone who lives in Jozi knows the iconic landmark situated in Berea Johannesburg. The tallest residential building in Africa; 54 stories high. Its unique feature, that it is cylindrical, built round an empty core.
The history of this building is provocative. Initially the height of glitz and glamour, it eventually deteriorated into slums and squalor. Now literally on the rise again, the rubbish and suicide pit that filled the core to 14 floors high, was cleaned out and the building is now home to 1000s of residents
Not only is it an iconic landmark, featured in many a movie, but the colourful history is a literal depiction of South African history from the Apartheid era till now. The parallels are hard to miss.
For those of us living in the ‘burbs, who don’t venture anywhere near town, the thought of driving into the ganglands, is worrying.
I must say though, that I felt 100% safe. On the drive in, as the sun was rising, town was asleep and quiet. Bar the litter and trash, which is the biggest eyesore (and sadly not an issue isolated to Johannesburg alone) one could almost picture the old buildings in their heyday.
Parking in Ponte was safe and secure. No issue, no fuss. Driving down into the basement 4 floors below, glimpsing old cars that appear to have been abandoned for many a year, the underground was eerily quiet.
Finding the stairs to the first floor- shopping centre section was interesting. External fire escape stairs in a cage, made me really feel my fear of heights.
I forgot how cold town was. The tall buildings seem to make wind tunnels and on a winter’s morning, the wind was whipping past us as we waited for the challenge to start.
We were welcomed by D’lala Nje- a great bunch of guys doing great work. I am always inspired by people who are trying to make a difference.
Their community centre is home to 60 registered small children and many more teenagers.
Over 100 people had signed up for the challenge on the day we were there. It has taken this long, since the Covid pandemic, for the wheels to start turning again and for things to pick up.
These tours are their main means of fund raising. It hit home to me again, the destruction and lives affected not just by the pandemic itself, but by the effects of lockdown.
2023 and we still trying to rebuild – I digress.
Back to our challenge.
Firemen coming for training, people coming to better their times of 4 years ago, and plenty of people just wanting to experience something new.
Firemen coming for training
To know our city better .To go where others haven’t gone – quite literally. For some, to get out their comfort zones, others to test their fitness.
The allure, of the iconic Ponte Tower, beckoning each person for a different reason.
Tying our history back to that of the building; a merging on this little challenge of all of us different folk that make up our South African rainbow nation.
I was surprized whilst making our way up the stairs, how quiet the building was. I expected to see many more people.
The building itself is splendid. Quite an architectural feat. It is somewhat eerie. The sheer height and open bar- less windows are slightly terrifying and the history is fascinating.
I got a feeling of nostalgia – especially present within the bowels of the building.
Breakfast in the Boardroom had a distinctly African Flair, and I did already mention the world class view.
Back down the stairs (I say taking the lift would be cheating) and time for home
The drive back out gave a very different impression to that of the drive in.
