[Business Book Review] The Chaos Precinct: Johannesburg as a port city by Tanya Zack

Hilary Joffee, columnist and editor-at-large at Business Day, reviews The Chaos Precinct: Johannesburg as a port city by Tanya Zack with Motheo Khoaripe.

Listen to the interview in the audio player below.

The Chaos Precinct: Johannesburg as a Port City is a vivid exploration of Jeppe, the city’s so-called Ethiopian Quarter, where abandoned office blocks have been transformed into bustling hubs of migrant trade.

Also referred to as Little Ethiopia, Little Addis and the 'Chaos Precinct’, this area of Johannesburg's city centre is now a thriving centre for entrepreneurship, where everything is on sale from shoes, t-shirts, dresses and even underwear.

The book is written and researched by Tanya Zack, who is a South African urban planner, specialising in urban policy, regeneration, informality and sustainable development.

Speaking to Motheo Khoaripe on The Money Show, Hilary Joffee, columnist and editor-at-large at Business Day says the author has gone to great lengths to tell this interesting story about a unique part of the city.

"She's an urban planner, and she's been walking the streets of downtown Joburg for years and is absolutely fascinated by the hustle and bustle...and gives us an absolutely fascinating account of Johannesburg."

- Hilary Joffee, editor-at-large - Business Day

"These few blocks of downtown Johannesburg which are very dense, with all these very over populated buildings. They're turning over $600m a year, maybe more."

- Hilary Joffee, editor-at-large - Business Day

"The point that she's making as an urban planner, as a matter of policy is that this is actually something that instead of harassing and trying to drive these traders out and making their lives very difficult, the city should be supporting..."

- Hilary Joffee, editor-at-large - Business Day

Scroll to the top of the article to listen to the full interview.