The industrial revolution wrought by the discovery of diamonds in Kimberley, and then the discovery of gold in Johannesburg transformed South Africa from an agrarian backwater into an industrial centre of the British Empire. The transformation was rapid and extraordinary, and by 1966 Johannesburg was described in Fortune magazine as “the only real industrial complex south of Milan”.

The structures built for industrial use are remarkable for their technological innovation, use of space, and surprisingly, their beauty. Our tour encompasses one of the City’s very earliest buildings in existence, a wood and iron “store” in New Doornforntein, the remarkable industrial heritage of Newtown, the Gas Works, and concludes at the monumental Lion Match factory in Industria.

To book contact Eira - mail@joburgheritage.co.za

Meet: Prof Katherine Munro and David Gurney

Park: Sunnyside Park, Parktown

Time: 2.00 pm

Duration: Approximately 3 hours

Cost: R200 for members and R250 for non-members

Maximum No: 60