Sandton

The Johannesburg Heritage Foundation has been given the generous gift of a delightful 1987 centenary calendar, celebrating the 100 years of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. The Calendar comprises six prints of watercolours by the well-known artist of that era, Philip Bawcombe.

We have taken the decision to photograph the prints and share them with the heritage community but also to sell the Calendar as a fundraiser for the JHF. The price we are asking is R600 for 6 large prints – the size is 52 x 49 cms for each print on high quality paper. They are eminently suitable for framing as a set of 6 and ideal for a company office or a study. You will be supporting a good cause as the JHF will use these funds for its work (e.g. the digitization of heritage records, more blue plaques for Johannesburg, the restoration of stained glass windows in a heritage church, supporting the Johannesburg Zoo 115 celebration etc.). We are always in need of donations to spend on heritage projects. Email - Katherine.Munro@wits.ac.za.

Thank you to Tom Bramwell for his donation and James Findlay for his ongoing support.

Philip Bawcombe watercolour prints are very collectable. He was best known for his delightful books Bawcombe’s Johannesburg  (1973) and Bawcombe’s Kimberley (1976). The text in both books was by Ted Scannell. H.F. Oppenheimer hailed Philip Bawcombe’s Kimberley (1976) as capturing “the spirit and portraying the fabric of old Kimberley,” and announced that his De Beers Company had acquired the original collection for permanent display...

Prior to the 1994 elections, the National Party controlled both National Government and Provincial Government of the Transvaal. Planning of roads and townships were the responsibility of the Transvaal Provincial Administration (TPA).

Sandton was established as a town in its own right in 1969. It did not take long for residents to form ratepayers associations in most of the suburbs.

In 1990 Sandton’s ratepayers associations came together to create one body which could represent all associations with a view to be able to negotiate with various authorities on a united basis. The result was the establishment of the Sandton Federation of Ratepayers Associations (SANFED).  The first chairman was David Allen, previously Editor of The Star.

The PWV3 (South Road Development)

In the late 1980s, the TPA proposed the creation of a high speed four lane road between Alexandra Township and Randburg. This was part of a 25 year planning exercise.

The intention of the proposal was to provide easy access for residents of Alexandra and Sandton to Randburg which had been planned to be a major regional office and shopping node. At the time, Randburg was already well established with office blocks, small businesses and high rise flats.

The four lane road was planned to wind through the following route:

Bond Street Randburg

The southern edge of St Stithians College (see main pic)

The Field and Study Centre Park

The southern edge of Riverclub Golf Course

Coleraine Drive (Kelvin Drive)

South Road Morningside

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If you walk down 11th Street in Parkmore, a short distance from the Sandton CBD, you may see some bright orange signage announcing 'Saks's Corner 1949'. Considering Sandton City was only built in the early 1970s there is certainly a story to be told. The following piece was written by Juliet Marais Louw in 1982 and reveals the history behind one of Sandton's oldest shops. Unfortunately the original structure has been demolished but the memory of the famous landmark lives on.

On the corner of 11th Street and Elizabeth Avenue in Parkmore, stands the well-known landmark of Saks’s Corner with the date 1949 on the wall outside.

Old photo of Saks's Corner (Sandton Archives)

Who was Saks and where did he come from? Harry Saks was born in Saville, Lithuania in 1911. When he was thirteen he went to live in Israel and then in Palestine where he stayed for several years. He led an exciting life there working as a guard on a farmer’s land where he dressed as an Arab to fool the thieves and snipers who roamed around and were a constant menace. He also worked as a photographer and slept on a roof-top at night. He had to pay the owner of the house 50 cents a month for his bed and when he left for South Africa...

In November 1982, Harry Oppenheimer presided over the opening of a landmark fountain in the heart of the Sandton CBD. The fountain, located on the corner of 5th Street and Rivonia Road in front of the Sandton Civic Centre, was donated to the town by Kay Barlow in memory of her husband Charles Sydney (Punch) Barlow.

Kay Barlow and Harry Oppenheimer at the opening of the fountain (Rand Daily Mail)

Punch Barlow passed away in 1979 and is remembered today as one of South Africa's most successful businessmen. He took the company his father started and grew it into one of the world's largest enterprises (Barlow Rand - known today as Barloworld). Click here to read a 1982 New York Times article unpacking the complexity of the company.

Barlow used his considerable wealth to help preserve South Africa's built environment and natural heritage. He was passionate about birds and made a great contribution to ornithology over the decades. According to various sources published after his death, he even had a few sub-species of birds named after him. This is why Kay Barlow commissioned the talented sculptor Robin Lewis to create two large bronze Fish Eagles to be placed...

In November 2018, the Legacy Living website announced what many South Africans had been hoping for... that the Leonardo in Sandton will be Africa's tallest building on completion (it probably won't hold the record for long with the Pinnacle under construction in Nairobi). Assuming the announcement is accurate, the building will reach 234m into the sky. This will be 11m higher than the 223m Carlton Centre completed in the mid 1970s.

The update on the Legacy Living website. Some concern has been voiced with the estimate of 60m higher than the Michelangelo Towers. This building is 140m tall so the Leonardo would have to be 94m higher.

Following on from a previous article on The Heritage Portal (click here to view), here are photos of the building at various stages of construction from the same position. I will keep adding photos until the building is finished.

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In the article below, journalist Lucille Davie reveals the rich history of Lonehill in Sandton. She also uncovers some wonderful details about the places, spaces and people of Sandton before it became the financial capital of South Africa. The piece first appeared on the City of Joburg's website on 25 February 2003. Click here to view more of Davie's work.

There’s a story that if the top boulder of the Lonehill Koppie were dislodged, all the whites in the country would leave. It’s a latter-day version of an Anglo Boer War tale: that if the Boers dislodged the rock, the British would lose the war and leave South Africa.

Whatever version you fancy, the top boulder, which balances on several larger boulders, is still firmly in place and although some whites have emigrated, most are just as firmly still in the country.

Ladder to the top (The Heritage Portal)

The Lonehill Koppie is beautiful – it stands out as a lone koppie in the middle of suburbia, some 28 kilometres north of the city centre, and is a reminder of what Johannesburg used to look like before it was settled: rocky veld with small streams trickling through it, dotted with shrubs, small trees and knee-high grasses. Guinea fowl...

She is the daughter of the City of Gold and she is gorgeous. Sandton is definitely coming of age with landmark buildings around every corner. If you love her during the day, you should see her at night! Property owners and their lighting experts have created quite a show when the sun goes down. Below are a few photos taken by The Heritage Portal team to encourage you to explore the city at night.

Sandton City and the Michaelangelo Towers. Note the two lovebirds on the bottom right. (The Heritage Portal)

The iconic Sandton City (The Heritage Portal)

When Sandton City was reclad a few years ago it received some brilliant lighting and a wonderful spire (The Heritage Portal)

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The last week of April 2018 will be remembered by Sandton enthusiasts for many years to come. It was the week that the Leonardo surpassed the Michelangelo Towers (140m) and then the Sandton City spire (141m) to become the tallest building in Sandton.

The 'Big Three' from Katy's Palace in April 2018 (The Heritage Portal)

The Leonardo is a multi-billion rand development by the Legacy Group. It is located on Maude Street a short stroll from the JSE in one direction and Sandton Square and the Gautrain in the other. Once finished, the Leonardo will consist of apartments, prestigious office space and what is being billed as the most exclusive and expensive suite in the country. Those lucky enough to call the building home will enjoy their own concierge service, gym, spa, rooftop restaurant, garden, coffee shop and business centre. They will also be at the centre of a brand new precinct which will include a buzzing new square. The project is a massive boost to what is already South Africa's premier business node.

Artist's...

A short distance from the modern Fourways CBD lies a highly significant gem from another era... an old house that once belonged to the Van der Walt brothers who farmed watermelons in the area. Further research is needed to establish the exact age of the property but it appears as though it dates from the late 19th century which would very likely make it the oldest house in Fourways. In 1935, Ernst and Ethel Eriksen of Norscot Manor fame visited the farm and decided it was the perfect setting for their new home. Below are a few excerpts about the 'Van der Walt Cottage' taken from research on the area conducted by Avril Reid in the late 1990s. Recent photos were taken by The Heritage Portal team. Thank you to the current owner Jim Morris and his partner Henrietta for showing us around.

It was in 1935 when the Eriksen's had first seen the land to the north of Johannesburg, and Ethel Eriksen decided there and then that “this is where I want to build my home“. She had been captivated by the glorious open view to the north, with the land sloping away towards the Magaliesburg Mountains, and by the superb sunset.

The very next day Ernst Eriksen set out to find out more about the land, and it was then that he met the van der Walt brothers. The land was part of the original farm of Witkoppen which had been proclaimed as long ago as 1856 and granted to Van Vuuren. By the 1900s much of the original farm land had been in...

Earlier this year I wrote a piece highlighting a few amazing places to see the Joburg skyline (click here to view). Since then I have received several requests to do something similar for Sandton so here it is. If you know of any great places not mentioned, please add them in the comments section.

St Stithians School

Saints is one of the places that most Sandtonites will identify as having great skyline views. In my opinion the best spot is above the dam a short walk from Higher Ground (the restaurant - click here to view location). The combination of the dam, sports fields, school buildings and then the skyline is iconic.

View from above the Saints dam (The Heritage Portal)

Bryanston Shopping Centre

This is one of my favourite views of Sandton. I love how the buildings rise from the green of the urban forest and River Club golf course. I've been taking photos from the same spot for some time and will continue to do so for years to come (click here to view location). The plan in a few decades time is to create a very cool time lapse video showing the growth of Sandton.

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