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Many of us probably think of Hillbrow in Johannesburg as a no-go zone, but Nick Bauer and Mike Luptak are making a point of taking people to its very heart. And to Ponte City too. And beyond. Through their company, Dlala Nje, Bauer and Luptak offer two increasingly popular tours – This is Hillbrow and The Taste […]

Many of us probably think of Hillbrow in Johannesburg as a no-go zone, but Nick Bauer and Mike Luptak are making a point of taking people to its very heart. And to Ponte City too. And beyond.

Ponte, Johannesburg, South Africa
Ponte, Johannesburg, South Africa. Source: dlalanje.org

Through their company, Dlala Nje, Bauer and Luptak offer two increasingly popular tours – This is Hillbrow and The Taste of Yeoville – that take visitors back to areas of Johannesburg that for so long seem to have been off-limits.

Of its Hillbrow tour, Dlala Nje says, “Hit the streets…and discover the truth about one of the city’s most notorious and misunderstood suburbs.”

Dlale Nje says that Johannesburg’s former centre of wealth, which turned into a crime hotspot in the 90s, is now being reborn as one of the most vibrant suburbs of the city. Bauer and Luptak both live in Ponte, so they have an insider’s take on the famously infamous building.

“We like to take people out of their comfort zone,” Bauer, a Mail & Guardian reporter, says on a video describing the Hillbrow tour. (See below.)

Describing the Taste of Yeoville tour, meanwhile, Dlala Nje says: “Feel the vibrancy of Africa’s melting pot of culture through an unforgettable culinary experience.”

Ponte at night from the Yeoville ridge.
Ponte at night from the Yeoville ridge. Source: dlalanje.org

Dlala Nje also runs a community centre at the base of Ponte for the 800 children who stay in the iconic building.

Watch Video – Dlala Nje Hillbrow Walks

Watch above for larger version.

Watch Video – The Evolution Of South Africa’s Skyscraper Slum

https://youtu.be/kWMUbwIKe84