ROAD RUNNING

Challenge participants make their way through the parking decks to the start

The awesome view looking up from the Core floor

The top few floors and massive advertising billboard that tops the building seem to make wind tunnels , and on a winter ’ s morning , the wind was whipping past us as we waited for the challenge to start .

We were welcomed by the Dlala Nje team – a great bunch of guys doing great work . I am always inspired by people who are trying to make a difference , and these guys are definitely doing that . Their community centre is home to 60 registered small children and many more teenagers . These tours are their main means of fundraising , and it was wonderful to see that more than 100 people had signed up for the challenge on the day we were there , but I believe it is only now that the things have begun to pick up again after the COVID pandemic . Once again , it hit home for me again , the destruction and lives affected not just by the pandemic itself , but by the effects of lockdown . It ’ s 2023 and we ’ re still trying to rebuild … but I digress , back to the challenge .

Everybody Welcome

I read that the fastest time set thus far for the Ponte Challenge was 5 minutes 47 seconds , so some people obviously come here ready to race , but the allure of the iconic Ponte Tower beckons each person for a different reason . In our group , we had firemen coming for training , people coming to try better their times of four years ago , some looking to get out of their comfort zone , others to test their fitness , and plenty of people just wanting to experience something new . To know their city better , to go where few others have gone . And like tying our history back to that of the building , it was a merging on this little challenge of all of us different folk that make up our South African rainbow nation .

The building itself is splendid . Quite an architectural feat . The sheer height and open , bar-less windows are slightly terrifying at first , but I got a feeling of nostalgia – especially present within the bowels of the building . The other thing I noticed was that building is somewhat eerie . Whilst making our way up the stairs , I was surprised how quiet the building was . I expected to see many more people , and much more noise .

Once on the 54th floor , looking down on the city , I saw Jozi with new eyes . She really was beautiful in the early morning winter sunshine . Blue , blue skies , the Hillbrow Tower ( another landmark ) nearby , a scene

This group of firefighters used the challenge for training

below that would rival that of any major city in the world . The post-climb breakfast in the Boardroom had a distinctly African Flair , and that world class view just made it all the more memorable .

Once we had finished breakfast , and drinking in that view , it was back down the stairs – I think taking the lift would be cheating – and time for home . The drive back out gave a very different impression to that of the drive in : Busy , bustling , noise , chaos , drinking , beggars , church … but still I didn ’ t feel unsafe . All in all , a most worthwhile experience , and one I highly recommend you add to your To Do list . You won ’ t be disappointed .

Images : Juliana Ambrosi & courtesy Dlala Nje Foundation

For more info on the Dlala Nje Foundation and the Ponte Challenge , visit www . dlalanje . org .

The Ponte is the third-highest inhabitable building in SA , but the Hillbrow Tower is almost 100m taller !

Ponte City sits third on the list ranking the tallest inhabitable buildings in South Africa . The list below includes all such buildings that stand at least 150m tall , based on standard architectural height measurement , which includes spires and other architectural details .

The Johannesburg Skyline also features two distinctive towers that stand taller than the buildings listed here – the Hillbrow / Telkom Tower ( 269m ) and the Brixton / Sentech Tower ( 237m ) – but these are not inhabitable buildings , both having been built as communications platforms .

46 ISSUE 161 | www . modernathlete . co . za