by Glen Poezyn
It's 5 pm in Joburg. The laptops close, the office starts clearing out, and a voice rings out from the corner: "okes, who's keen to do something?" Next thing you know, everyone's caught a second wind. When the office vibes are immaculate, heading straight home just feels...wrong. Plus, there's all the traffic. Luckily, there are plenty of after-work activities in Joburg that make the perfect second location.
Padel/Pickleball
When did these sports get so trendy? Padel and Pickleball are two sports that are incredibly easy to get into, so that's probably why they're such popular activities in Joburg these days. Padel is like a shrunken-down version of tennis played within a box, and Pickleball is essentially a larger version of table tennis. We swear these definitions will make sense when you try these games out!
Both games have exploded in popularity across the country, and as a result, there are areas for you to play all over Joburg. The games are easily accessible (gear can be rented from the courts) and fun to play with mates from work or even in a workplace league. The games are welcoming of players of all skill levels, so don’t let that be a deterring factor! If you're over thirty...warm up your knees.
Karaoke
We all know that one diva who sings their lungs out whenever the office speaker is on. This one's for them. Whether you’re a shy shower singer or a boastful Broadway belter, there are karaoke spots across Joburg that are more than willing to accommodate you; just know that your colleagues might look at you a little differently afterwards.
If you're looking for a more lowkey or intimate karaoke experience, places like Saigon Suzy have booths for groups to sing along to their favourite workplace bangers, so nobody else in the vicinity is obliged to hear you butchering Queen. If you and the workplace crew are brave enough, spots like Karaoke Kong in Melville will have you singing on stage in front of the entire bar! Either way, the trauma bonding will bring you closer as a team.
Bouldering
You've spent all day trying to climb the corporate ladder. Why not do some climbing with more immediate results? With bouldering, you’ll be climbing walls, but not at such a crazy height that you’ll need ropes and specialised equipment. These climbs are safe enough that if you let go, the cushioning below you will break your fall. Plus, climbs are colour-coded so you can easily find the beginner routes to start your ascent. Places like City Rock and Bloc 11 change up their bouldering climbs every few weeks, so if you end up in a position where you’ve flashed all of your projects, just wait a little bit, and new ones will be ready to greet you. This is a great after-work activity to assert dominance over your colleagues. Or embarrass yourself entirely. We don't know you.
Sushi
Is eating sushi an 'activity'? It depends on how passionate you are about the whole situation, really. At some point, you and your work bestie will inevitably forget to bring lunch and clock off absolutely starving. With multiple sushi places like Wok and Roll or Yamakado (on our list of best spots to grab a bite in Fourways) offering all-you-can-eat sushi buffets, you can put that appetite to good use and go head-to-head stuffing yourselves silly. By paying the set price for the buffet, you’ll be able to order as many portions of spring rolls, fashion sandwiches, rainbow rolls, and bao buns as you like! The reason we've put this here? Establishing a regular after-work meeting spot is a great way to build relationships with your colleagues, and you get to skip cooking dinner after a long day spent staring at spreadsheets.
Quiz Nights
As an after-work group activity in Joburg, quiz nights are an absolute classic. Plus, if you're decent at them, it's a massive flex. These trivia evenings are usually hosted on Wednesday or Thursday at various bars and restaurants across Joburg. If you and your work friends are super invested in an incredibly niche topic, chances are there’s a quiz night for that! After multiple rounds of questions that increase in difficulty, your scores are tallied, and the team with the most points wins. Usually, the prize is a voucher or a specific bottle of something, but the time spent out with friends is the best prize. Just make sure that you have your team name locked down; it might even be worth calling an impromptu meeting on the day so that you can all align.
Joburgers are a social bunch; we don’t specifically need an occasion to go out and have a great time. Luckily for us, we live in a city that is always ready to accommodate us with whatever it is that we want to get up to. Be sure to let us know your favourite spot to hang out after work.
