After settling in Mayfair, the next step was to identify places to relax on weekends. Fordsburg, being in close proximity to my home became an instant hit. Historically, For many years Fordsburg was a business district dominated by South African Indians. In the last 10-15 years, Fordsburg has seen a surge in immigration of nationals from the Indian Subcontinent. The two main attractions include, the Oriental Plaza and the Fordsburg Square Shopping Areas on Mint Road.
Oriental Plaza
In the Oriental Plaza, commonly referred to as just the "The Plaza"one can find many clothing stores ranging from budget to very expensive, cellphones and a few restaurants. It is often mentioned that stores are owner occupied, allowing prices to be competative with other shopping establishment. When I go to this place, I mainly go looking for clothing , shoes and whilst there always stop at World of Samoosas for a bite. The samosas are awesome, not dripping in oil, prices are not extortion and taste homemade. I am a firm believer in the principle of, " The worst a person can say is no". I have often asked for a discount, the end result being, sometimes you win sometimes you dont. Many people have often remarked that asking for a discount is being a cheapskate, but at the end of the day, if you get a discount, you have a few more bucks in the bank. I Win, You Lose From a look and feel perspective, " The Plaza" is very well kept, the pathways are not sealed like other shopping malls and one can still enjoy the fresh air breeze. The only advice I can give to you, if you take your wife, bring the cash and be prepared to go on "Autopilot", because once they start looking at all the clothing all you can do is say yes boss and follow the leader.
Fordsburg Square
In the Fordsburg Square area, I read once that it has one of the largest if not the largest flea market in South Africa. Within this district, one can find movies(Some of the movies are sold within one week of its international release), name branded clothing, scores of abayas and scarve shops, restaurants and barber shops. Whether the goods for sale are genuine, thats for you to see. This area is open seven days a week but becomes extremely lively on weekends and closes when the crowds begin to dwindle. This happens around midnight on a Friday and Saturday. Whenever Johannesburg people come to KZN they tend to enjoy Durban originated restaurants. Some of these restaurants have tried their luck in Johannesburg, however at least 2 have closed down. Whenever people ask me, "Why Should I Come to Fordsburg?", the following is my answer:
Good Food and Shopping
I have to once again, at the onset concede that I am not a vegetarian and thus cannot comment on this kind of food. The choice of cuisine is numerous, ranging from budget to expensive. Using the principle of, different things work for different people, the best approach would be to try a different restaurant everytime you come and find out what works best for you. The restaurants I frequrent often include Kashifs and Indian Coffee House. From a shopping perspective, the Fordsburg area also caters for the budget to the extravagant. Recently, we had guests from Canada, who purchased many abayas and scarves, taking advantage of the favourable exchange rate. The feedback received was that these prices are extremely cheap. For me this is not a place you bring your wife to, unless you bring lots of cash especially when they walk into Abaya shops or in the Square itself. For many years, I cannot recall seeing a ATM in the "Square" area. I have however seen 2 recently installed, so we can extend it to both cash and card.
Haircuts
If you are searching for a hairdresser from 8 till late,Monday to Sunday, Fordsburg, like Mayfair is the place to be. The
hairdressers established cater for men and woman and cost a fraction of what one would pay in the Northern
suburbs. Most of these hairdressers are run by Pakistanis and Indian nationals. Many of them also have a Bollywood movies playing constantly in it. At least you dont get bored whilst waiting for your turn. My own recommendation, is that if you have a certain style like Shahrukh Khan, simply say I want to look like that instead of trying to explain how you want to look. What also surprises me is the quantum of hair dressers. Theres at least 20, many next to each other so you are not spoiled for choice. A white friend of mine once asked me whats it with you dudes and your hair with so many hairdressers and so close to each other. I have no idea, I only cut once a month and use my own shaving blade.
Other Establishments
There are numerous other establishments for example, butchers and bakeries. The key is to experience these places for yourself.
Meeting Fellow KZN Dudes
Fordsburg square, is a good tourist attraction, and when people from KZN come up, they almost certainly pay it a visit. I cannot count the amount of people from my hometown whom I have reconnected with here.
In the Oriental Plaza, commonly referred to as just the "The Plaza"one can find many clothing stores ranging from budget to very expensive, cellphones and a few restaurants. It is often mentioned that stores are owner occupied, allowing prices to be competative with other shopping establishment. When I go to this place, I mainly go looking for clothing , shoes and whilst there always stop at World of Samoosas for a bite. The samosas are awesome, not dripping in oil, prices are not extortion and taste homemade. I am a firm believer in the principle of, " The worst a person can say is no". I have often asked for a discount, the end result being, sometimes you win sometimes you dont. Many people have often remarked that asking for a discount is being a cheapskate, but at the end of the day, if you get a discount, you have a few more bucks in the bank. I Win, You Lose From a look and feel perspective, " The Plaza" is very well kept, the pathways are not sealed like other shopping malls and one can still enjoy the fresh air breeze. The only advice I can give to you, if you take your wife, bring the cash and be prepared to go on "Autopilot", because once they start looking at all the clothing all you can do is say yes boss and follow the leader.
Fordsburg Square
In the Fordsburg Square area, I read once that it has one of the largest if not the largest flea market in South Africa. Within this district, one can find movies(Some of the movies are sold within one week of its international release), name branded clothing, scores of abayas and scarve shops, restaurants and barber shops. Whether the goods for sale are genuine, thats for you to see. This area is open seven days a week but becomes extremely lively on weekends and closes when the crowds begin to dwindle. This happens around midnight on a Friday and Saturday. Whenever Johannesburg people come to KZN they tend to enjoy Durban originated restaurants. Some of these restaurants have tried their luck in Johannesburg, however at least 2 have closed down. Whenever people ask me, "Why Should I Come to Fordsburg?", the following is my answer:
Good Food and Shopping
I have to once again, at the onset concede that I am not a vegetarian and thus cannot comment on this kind of food. The choice of cuisine is numerous, ranging from budget to expensive. Using the principle of, different things work for different people, the best approach would be to try a different restaurant everytime you come and find out what works best for you. The restaurants I frequrent often include Kashifs and Indian Coffee House. From a shopping perspective, the Fordsburg area also caters for the budget to the extravagant. Recently, we had guests from Canada, who purchased many abayas and scarves, taking advantage of the favourable exchange rate. The feedback received was that these prices are extremely cheap. For me this is not a place you bring your wife to, unless you bring lots of cash especially when they walk into Abaya shops or in the Square itself. For many years, I cannot recall seeing a ATM in the "Square" area. I have however seen 2 recently installed, so we can extend it to both cash and card.
Haircuts
If you are searching for a hairdresser from 8 till late,Monday to Sunday, Fordsburg, like Mayfair is the place to be. The
hairdressers established cater for men and woman and cost a fraction of what one would pay in the Northern
suburbs. Most of these hairdressers are run by Pakistanis and Indian nationals. Many of them also have a Bollywood movies playing constantly in it. At least you dont get bored whilst waiting for your turn. My own recommendation, is that if you have a certain style like Shahrukh Khan, simply say I want to look like that instead of trying to explain how you want to look. What also surprises me is the quantum of hair dressers. Theres at least 20, many next to each other so you are not spoiled for choice. A white friend of mine once asked me whats it with you dudes and your hair with so many hairdressers and so close to each other. I have no idea, I only cut once a month and use my own shaving blade.
Other Establishments
There are numerous other establishments for example, butchers and bakeries. The key is to experience these places for yourself.
Meeting Fellow KZN Dudes
Fordsburg square, is a good tourist attraction, and when people from KZN come up, they almost certainly pay it a visit. I cannot count the amount of people from my hometown whom I have reconnected with here.