Ellis Park was first built in 1928 as a rugby union stadium. It was demolished and rebuilt in 1982, again exclusively for rugby. It was named after JD Ellis, a Johannesburg city councillor who approved the use of the land for a stadium, setting aside 13 acres.
The stadium was used for the finals of the 1995 IRB Rugby World Cup. Ellis Park has also been the stage for many unforgettable football matches. Bafana Bafana held Argentina to a 1-1 draw in 1995, and then drew 0-0 with then FIFA World Cup holders France in 2000 in international friendlies. Currently, it is the home ground of Orlando Pirates FC, a club in the Premier Soccer League. In 1995, they were the first South African team to win the CAF African Club Championship. The Nelson Mandela African XI played the World All Stars XI in a farewell match for the outgoing president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela. Kalusha Bwalya, Mark Fish, Lucas Radebe and Tijani Babangida joined 'World All Stars' such as Rigoberto Song, Dunga, Luis Hernandez and Claudio Suarez in saluting a great state leader. Ellis Park is to undergo a minor upgrade and will be ready in time for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.

Johannesburg is the business hub of South Africa, contributing a substantial part of the country's GDP approximately 12%.

Jozi, as it is affectionately known by its inhabitants, can also be a sanctuary of peace and calm. Despite the hustle and bustle of the city, Johannesburg is unexpectedly green and orientated towards outdoor living. It has a wealth of trees creating an 'urban forest', and many of the trees are located in the 2328 parks.

Cultural wealth is also in abundance, with a host of interesting museums including the Apartheid Museum, Constitution Hill and the living memory of the South Western Townships (SOWETO). The Mai Mai Market is the oldest market in Johannesburg and is a great place to discover traditional remedies.

The city is in close proximity to the Cradle of Humankind. This UNESCO World Heritage site encompasses the Sterkfontein caves, the site where the oldest hominoid skeletons were found.

History
The Tswana name for Johannesburg is eGoli, place of gold, however, the San and Stone Age people were the first inhabitants of the area. The face of the area changed when an Australian gold prospector generated interest in the mineral wealth beneath the surface.

Johannesburg became a city in 1886, during the beginning of the Witwatersrand Gold Rush.

The city also became a political hotspot during the apartheid years. Soweto was an important instrument in the liberation of South Africa. In 1955, many anti-apartheid movements met in Kliptown to sign the Freedom Charter. The Charter enshrined the belief in equality for all. It also became the working document for the current Constitution of South Africa.

Football
The heartland of South African football, Johannesburg is the backbone of the professional game. The majority of clubs come from the city and its surrounds and the city's stadiums have hosted numerous historic matches.

The city centre has been at the core of football development in South Africa. Professional football was formed in the offices of the old Rand Daily Mail newspaper in 1958. In later years, football unity talks took place at the old Rand International Hotel. Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, Jomo Cosmos and the now defunct Highlands Park, Rangers and Lusitano have all been championship-winning clubs.

Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates have the biggest fan bases of any teams in southern Africa. When these two heavyweights meet in the Soweto Derby, it is easy to see why the fixture is among the most fiercely contested matches across the globe.

Johannesburg has also produced quality players. Jomo Sono, founder of Jomo Cosmos FC, and Kaizer Motaung, founder of Kaizer Chiefs, both played in the North American Soccer League in the United States. Sono played with Pele and Franz Beckenbauer at the New York Cosmos.

Patrick "Ace" Ntsoelengoe is revered as one of the greatest football players South Africa has ever produced. He enjoyed immense success in the NASL.

The Premier League-based Wits are a team based at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, and has one of the largest clubs in the world, with membership totalling over 1,500 players. Due to their location, the team is affectionately known as the 'Clever Boys'.

Nelson Mandela is somewhat of a talisman for South African sports teams in Johannesburg. He was present for the finals of the 1995 Rugby World Cup at Ellis Park, when South Africa became the world champions. He was also present a year later at Soccer City for the finals of the 1996 CAF Africa Cup of Nations, which South Africa won.