Skip minibus taxis unless you ride with a local

Alberton has no Gautrain station. The line stops at Rhodesfield and the airport on the east side, and the feeder midibuses do not run on weekends. Plan the last leg by hire car or ride-hailing, and set the pick-up point in the app away from busy taxi ranks near stations. Check the first and last train times before you…

Alberton is built around freeways and busy intersections, so most days you will spend time in a car waiting at traffic lights. The UK government warns that thieves break windows and grab valuables from stopped cars in South Africa, so keep phones and bags in the boot, not on the seat. Leave room to see the tyres of…

Reading Country Club is a parkland golf course in Alberton's New Redruth, open to visiting golfers. Its signature par 3 is the fifth, played over a large dam with no bail-out area. Book a morning tee time through the pro shop, because players report better greens early and a busy course later in the day. Weekdays are…

A kota is a quarter loaf of bread, hollowed out and stuffed with chips and fillings, and it was born in Gauteng's townships. Ask for your own mix: polony, sausage, fried egg, cheese, a patty and a spoon of atchar, the spicy mango pickle. Every vendor adds a twist, so no two taste the same. Locals often wash it down…