Hillbrow

Hillbrow ( /ˈhɪlbroʊ/) is an Inner City residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa. It is characterized by a high population density and has experienced issues associated with municipal disinvestment, including elevated levels of unemployment, poverty, prostitution, and crime.

Under the Group Areas Act during apartheid, Hillbrow was initially designated a "whites-only" area. It later became a "grey area", where residents of different ethnic backgrounds lived together. During this period, it developed a reputation as a cosmopolitan neighbourhood with a politically progressive character and was one of the first recognized queer neighborhoods in South Africa.

For much of the twentieth century, Hillbrow had a significant Jewish community and was home to several Orthodox synagogues, including the Great Synagogue and Poswohl Synagogue. Temple Israel, the oldest Reform synagogue in South Africa, continues to operate.

Following the end of apartheid, population growth, white flight, and socio-economic pressures contributed to rising crime rates and a decline in infrastructure maintenance. During the 1980s and 1990s, many wealthier residents left the area, and numerous buildings fell into disrepair.

Today, Hillbrow is home to large numbers of immigrants, particularly from Zimbabwe and Nigeria, alongside residents from local townships. Urban regeneration initiatives are underway. The Johannesburg Art Gallery, located in Joubert Park, houses the most extensive public collection of contemporary art on sub-Saharan Africa, including the works of Gerard Sokoto and William Kentridge.