Johannesburg: the vibe
Videos from people who went, played right here, with what viewers said underneath. Not part of the score.
The verdict
Mixed · 62Commenters, many Black Americans and South Africans, are warm about Joburg's friendliness and cost, while still acknowledging real safety and infrastructure caveats.
- friendliness
- warmth toward Black Americans
- affordable groceries and cost of living
- Sandton and northern suburbs comfort
- food quality
- community and Ubuntu culture
- crime and safety concerns
- cost creeping up for some
- early shop closures
- commuting and transport distances
- apartheid spatial inequality
- Many feel at home and welcomed as Black Americans
- Safety depends heavily on which suburb you live in
- Costs are manageable but vary a lot by lifestyle
- Sandton and Rosebank feel comfortable for expats
- Some find the city addictive once they settle in
Read from 3 videos, 30 comments and 0 posts on 2026-11-07; the summary is written by a language model and can misread sarcasm.
Black and Bold in Johannesburg, First Impressions
The Yarbros · 34K views · 2024
What viewers said
“Thank you both for taking us (your supporters) to the "Mother Land"... It's beautiful 🌍.......”
♥ 77 likes
“I'm Black American and I got a lot of love for South Africa! I just purchased a new apartment in Rosebank for an investment property.”
♥ 133 likes
“We respect and appriciate black americans who respect us and our culture especially when they visit our country.”
♥ 141 likes
“the reason why many malls & shops close early is not because of crime, but rather because many of the workers live outside the cites or far away from the workplace & have to travel long distances to get home. it's the one of those still rem”
♥ 133 likes
“It’s good to see black Americans documenting their travels in Africa and changing the narrative 🖤”
♥ 36 likes
“Yessssssss I've been to both East and West coast, but I yet to visit SA. I hear they know us and understands our struggles and successes and they love us. You don't get that from the East and West coast of Africa, truth be told.”
♥ 58 likes
“I've traveled the world, nowhere is like Jozi. Once it's in your blood, you struggle to live anywhere else.”
♥ 12 likes
“Americans were shocked when I went there in July and told them it’s Winter back home. They were like “Helll no, I thought Africa is always hot”. I was just laughing and showed them pictures of me snowboarding in Lesotho. They were blown awa”
♥ 15 likes
“I loved Joburg. I've visited twice. I did not experience any criminal activity. I know that it goes on, but I was primarily in Sandton and in the suburbs around the City. I loved Mandela Square and Sandton Mall area. The restaurants served ”
♥ 50 likes
“Joburg really is the real Mzansi🇿🇦 Glad y’all enjoyed 🙏🏾💯”
♥ 19 likes
Found with a YouTube search for the city and “digital nomad”, fetched 2026-11-07; titles, descriptions and comments belong to their authors and link to the originals.