Johannesburg
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The building on the left is the most famous, and notorious, in Jo'burg. Ponte Towers. It is circular in structure and has a huge billboard at the top that you can see from all directions aroung Jo'burg especially at night, when it is lit. This photo was taken before the erection of the billboard. Today it is known for housing illegal immigrants and druglords. People are always warned not to go there but it isn't really dangerous. Kind of like the 'haunted house' on the corner
The tower on the right is the Hillbrow tower, a symbol of Johannesburg, you'll never see a photo without The Tower in it somewhere.
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Towers
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There is no trick photography, that is our sunset. Its almost a surreal feeling at that time of the day when it's not actually night but not daytime either. Beautiful, and it's like that everyday.
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Sunset over Johannesburg
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There's that tower again, see what I mean?
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Twilight zone
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Fireworks are a big part of South African society. On New Years eve millions are spent on fireworks by families across South Africa. Although it is currently being threatened with being banned, the love of fireworks I believe will never die.
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Celebration
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XMas tree in Africa? Sure. Jo'burg is decorated with trees and lights and a whole lot of other decorations in December. It's kind of strange for a city that sees blistering hot Christmas's in December, dead bang in the middle of summer. I've never really agreed with the Father Christmas concept in Africa but I love watching those guys in red suits sweating under all the make-up and clothes in hot weather just to keep up with western traditions. By the way, did you know the father Xmas character was created by Coca-Cola?
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Shopping
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Remember I said we're a country of contradictions? Here's one on the right. A businessman in full suit and tie shopping in an African themed store.
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Fountain
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We also have fountains. I heard a tourist once say that we're wasting water while our people are thirsty. Did you know South Africa is considered to have the 3rd best water in the world? We have one of the best water systems in the world and our water is on par with all that bottled stuff tourists keep bringing over here when they tour our country, fearing that we're gonna poison them with our water.
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en route to Jo'burg
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Baba Tshabalala
Wiser than wise, taught by lifes' lessons
Lessons not televised, never read by common eyes
He pushes his home, his possessions in his heart
Possessions more beautiful than any work of art
Baba Tshabalala on the street corner
Baba Tshabalala living on the border
The border of life, our world and yours
People everyday closing their doors
Doors to lives full of pretenses
Doors to lives surrounded by fences
Fences built with fear, fears to be found
Fences built with tears, tears with no sound
Flowing everyday, down to the ground
We've searched for a reason but no answer is found
but you know the reason, the reason to this world
A world filled with tales, tragedies unfurled
Baba Tshabalala, that man on the corner
Baba Tshabalala, no one taking time to understand ya
No one caring about what you've seen
No one caring about where you've been
Just a living liability in the eyes of the world
The living dead walking our streets in the cold
Little do they know that you fought for the schools that they go to
Fought for the government that doesn't know you
Fought for the McDonalds we all drive through
Fought for that label on your designer shoe
Baba Tshabalala fought for me,
Baba Tshabalala fought for you
But they don't know, you're just a man with a sign
A man standing at the corner wasting our time
Many think they do but only a few can understand
See the future in the mind of a beggar man
He ain't begging for your money
Baba Tshabalala ain't begging for your pity
He's begging for you, he's begging for me
Maybe some day you'll all understand me
Baba Tshabalala, that man on the corner
Yes Baba Tshabalala the man who saved my future
Opened my mind to the possibilities
It's time we all changed our mentalities
It's not about the amount of money you have
It's not about the education you claim to have
It's not about my degree, my car or my suit
My brother, my sister, Baba Tshabalala is all about you
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