Slices of life in Johannesburg; a dynamic, gritty and glamorous African city. On each episode you'll hear a different Joburger tell host Zanele Mji their true tales about love, crime, work, relationships and everything in between.
In Tsakane, a township near Joburg, a serious mental health crisis is unfolding amongst its youth. When Zanele visits Tsakane to meet with 14 year old Naledi and her family, their story makes her reflect on how post-apartheid intergenerational trauma impacts families and communities across South Africa, including Zanele's own.
Read the essay 'South Africa Doesn't Need More Heroes' (https://bit.ly/3VsufTa)
14 Feb 2025
Meet Nomhle
Nomhle is a fourth generation born and bred Soweto native, and today is her last day living there. As she packs up her bags to move to the suburbs, Zanele listens to her favourite stories and memories of growing up in South Africa's most famous township. From culture, to crime and community justice, to loadshedding - she shares how Soweto has made her who she is and reflects on her love for her family and neighbours.
11 Dec 2023
Pt. 2: Lucky City
The Steyn City golf estate - where the likes of Nelson Mandela have been seen - represents the future of African luxury living. However, the land it sits on tells the story of a painful past.
When the developers who built Steyn City tried to evict an old woman from her home of 62 years, her community once destroyed by forced removals decided to unite and fight for her rights.
11 Apr 2023
Pt. 1: "Those graves were our title deeds"
Dotted around the upmarket neighbourhoods in Fourways, crumbling graves hide in plain sight. They are symbols of an old way of life that's long been sanitised from the area. Monuments to a people who were repeatedly robbed of almost everything.
On the five year anniversary of Zanele Mji's hard hitting yet tender investigation into Fourways' history of forced removals, she presents an audio version of the story with never-before-heard interviews and clips.
Read "Those graves were our title deeds"
10 Feb 2023
Meet Sharon
A behind-the-scenes peek into the world of social media influencing, where the perks are cushy and the competition is stiff. Sharon is a former Instagram influencer who grew tired of feeding the algorithm's insatiable demand for content, and started using her platform to help others.
19 Jan 2023
Meet Sisipho
Sisipho's dream is to help South African women achieve sexual liberation. That starts with coming together to heal their hearts, minds and bodies. Wild Thots, the monthly dance workshop she hosts, has been a safe space for many women for years. Now that Sisipho is processing the grief of a heartbreaking loss, she's really feeling the strength of the sisterhood she's built.
8 Dec 2022
Meet Lesego
Although satirist Lesego Tlhabi's political views could not be more different to Coconut Kelz, the character she created, they share a background story. Growing up a "coconut" - a black girl in an extremely privileged white world - exposed Lesego to amazing opportunities and to "lots of f-ing racism from a very early age." This is the story of how her childhood experiences drove her to build a unique anti-racism platform.
3 Nov 2022
Meet Luyolo
Twelve years after leaving a maximum security psych ward, Luyolo started writing a book about his life with a mental illness. Then, he had another terrifying experience that added a chapter to his story.
8 Oct 2022
Meet Zandi
Zandi's wild night with the South African police.
21 Sept 2022
Meet Sihle
Joburg is the corporate capital of Africa, where ambitious young professionals make their dreams come true. For black women like Sihle, ambition comes at a price.
6 Sept 2022
Meet Ora
Ora’s pretty street smart, and she loves a good night out in Joburg. When she meets a handsome stranger in Braamfontein, she learns about safety and self-worth in a dangerous city.
7 Mar 2022
Golden City Trailer
Welcome to Golden City! I'm your host, Zanele Mji and I love a good story. This podcast is a collection of the greatest stories I've ever heard about life in the City of Gold: Johannesburg, South Africa. True tales set against the backdrop of a glamorous, gritty African city and told by its most entertaining characters.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
27,478
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 43 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
43
Social presence
0
YouTube
76
Engagement
32
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