#designbetterdesignforward

[designbetterdesignforward]

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[designbetterdesignforward]

If anyone in South Africa had advice for me before I arrived in Johannesburg, it started with, “You should probably rent a car” and ended with “Did I tell you to rent a car?!”.

Yet, when I arrived I was persuaded to attempt to experience Jo’burg without zipping past sights and smells in the safety and seclusion of a car. An American expat and fellow Wellesley alumn said, “You don’t need a car! There’s the Rea Vaya bus, Tuk Tuks, private taxis, and public taxis and all you need for those is the hand signals—-and if you use the hand signals you will earn some serious street cred.” I’m sure I don’t have to explain that I was sold at the opportunity to earn some real Jozi street cred.

Caitlin showed me what I would need to get to my guest house in Melville and showed me what I would need to go all the way to one of the city’s main transport hubs, the Bree Taxi Rank.

The next day I spent the equivalent of $15 to get to the Apartheid Museum but decided to try my luck at a public taxi to get back because it would only cost me the equivalent of $.80. I love a deal and I had no trouble getting a taxi—-in fact I did not even have my index fully extended before a white, eleven person van was pulling to the side of the road to let me in. Everyone inside I’m sure was surprised to see me, obviously a foreigner, hailing their city’s unofficial form of public transportation. I even gave them all a little comedic relief when I tried to get into the van on the wrong side. Yes, when the steering wheel moves to the right side of the car, the sliding passenger door moves to the left side of the car. An incredibly helpful young man studying “IT” promised to help me switch taxis at Bree so that I could continue on to Melville. But Bree was something like a brick shell of a building with people and vendors everywhere. Honking and chicken feet frying galore. There was no way without his help I would have known where to go or even how to get inside of the building. The taxis were located in the basement and had no system of parking or directionality from my first glance but we did what I was told,we asked who was going towards Auckland Park or Melville. Twenty minutes later I was walking on the Jacaranda lined streets that I have been calling home for a week.

But—and there’s always a but—there aren’t always public taxis around. I definitely wouldn’t ride one at night. And if you don’t know what the area you’re traveling to looks like, the bus driver is not going to tell you…err I take that back, he might in Zulu.

"Most South African white city characters drive a lot" -Ena Jensen

The following day I opted for foot travel to the Johannesburg Botanical Garden at Emmarentia Dam (absolutely beautiful, btw—and it never makes it on the Jo’burg to do lists for some reason) and half of the time I didn’t have a sidewalk and the entire time I was the only caucasian I saw on foot. That’s two hours of walking through upper middle-class/upper-class neighborhoods whose residents are 100% white and not a single one was spotted walking. I realized that this trend is not specific to the northern suburbs of Johannesburg, as every time I tell a South African I have plans to walk somewhere they tell me to call a cab.

The simple fact is that Johannesburg stinks to get around.

I’d even go as far to agree with locals who have said, “If you’re trying to go more than one place in a day, you need a car.” But this is not new to this town, everyone knows it’s a nightmare to get around, so they band together. They help each other out. People carpool all the time. There’s a DD every time people go out for drinks, and no one ever asks for gas money. It’s just what has to be done. And it’s pretty rad.

I’m proud to say I made it around Jo’burg for six days without a car. But today I gave up the good fight. And I am heading to Avis tomorrow morning because, put simply, I’ve got you know what to do.

Also, It should be noted that Tuk Tuk drivers have responded to my ride requests with “ehhh I don’t start working until 3pm” (Are you for real!?) And that renting a car costs about $25 a day.

Here’s a public taxi or kombi in Soweto and also Li and myself showing you how to get around!

[designbetterdesignforward]

And so it Begins...

Design Better | Design Forward is a study of architects, designers, planners, students and non-profit organizations practicing public interest design in South Africa and Zambia. While I am here I plan to find a method to assess how these initiatives can, when successful, provide long-term civic and infrastructural development, engage communities, and challenge the notions of traditional architectural practice.

Come along to learn about not just the architecture of South Africa but the people, culture, and sights that make this country one in a million.