Portal:Africa/Featured article/14

The suburbs of Johannesburg are officially demarcated areas within the city of Johannesburg, South Africa. As in other Commonwealth countries, the term suburb refers to a "neighbourhood", although the term has a somewhat stronger meaning in South Africa as most suburbs have legally recognised borders and separate postal codes. The municipal functions for the area, such as police and social services, are still managed by either the local region or the city government.

Johannesburg, like many other boomtowns, grew rapidly and with little planning, and thus the city covers an extremely large area. The main differences between the city's suburbs tend to be socioeconomic. The wealthy live to the north of the City Centre in the northern suburbs, while the poor live to the south and on the fringes of the city in former townships. (Read more...)