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About Megaplex cc ~ For Students ~ Local Facilities ~ Owl box, Bat box ~ Our Running Trail ~ Contact Details ~ How to Get to Us
"The Most Helpful Website in the Universe for Shopping in Sandton"
When our computer hardware business went under as a result of cheque fraud in which we lost two new laptops, we started letting rooms so that the house could pay its way. Rick started this website to advertise those rooms.
We then wanted somewhere to put useful information about local amenities for tenants, and the web site was the obvious place. We listed the shops in the local shopping centre (which had no web page of its own, and only recently got one): That page rapidly became the most popular one on the site. So we added the centre on the other side, which rapidly became the most popular page on the site. Since then we have kept adding pages for other shopping centres until we have listings for pretty much every mall in Sandton (except for that one at the corner of Rivonia Road and Sandton Drive, the name of which I can never remember).
In setting up the site we have tried to be as helpful as possible, giving you the contact details and description of every shop that will give them to us. This information is often more detailed than that on a mall's own site –if it has one at all! Consequently we rank well on Google.
The site still runs largely as a public service: None of the shopping centres to which we send hundreds of new shoppers every month has been willing to pay a cent towards the work we do, even as some of them spend thousands on glitzy websites with moving pictures and maybe –if you are lucky– the names of the shops and their phone numbers! We do make a small income from advertising on this site and in the monthly e-newsletter, but it continues to be largely a labour of love towards increasing the prosperity of our area. If, however, you would like to help by paying for some adverts, please go here.
Furnished Rooms and a furnished apartment in a family home with all amenities in Morningside, next to Morningside Manor, Sandton
Your host is Rick Raubenheimer, a widower who lives on the property at 126 Kelvin Drive, and takes a personal interest in his guests. Below you can read more about the house, the property, and the surroundings.
Other Pages: Home ~ All rooms (some not available at present) ~ Apartment details and Photo Gallery ~ Best Way to eat a Mango ~ PAIA Section 51 Manual
The Health and Fitness Academy at Planet Fitness in Rivonia is 2.2 km away –a quick jog if you are fit (which you must be to study there!), or by minibus taxi along Rivonia Road.
Students at Varsity College in Waterstone Drive are only about 3.1 km away by minibus taxi or bus along Rivonia Road (cost about R7 per trip) plus a 1.5 km walk (Map from Megaplex to Varsity College).
For students of the International Hotel School in Sunninghill, we are a 5 km car trip away (or a minibus taxi ride plus a bit of a walk): Routes here (separate image).
Regenesys Business School in Sandton is 5.4 km south of us, with transport along Rivonia Road, including the Gautrain bus, Metrobus, PUTCO buses, and minibus taxis (Map from Megaplex to Regenesys). We are 390 m from Rivonia Road, which is a major transport route. The most luxurious transport, the Gautrain bus, runs to the Sandton Gautrain station, a 650 m walk from Regenesys. Along Rivonia Road also run Joburg Metrobus, PUTCO buses, and minibus taxis, with stops outside Sandton City, about 200 m from Regenesys. Fares per trip vary from about R20 for the Gautrain bus down to about R7 for minibus taxis.
SACAP (The South African College of Applied Psychology) at 22 Westbrooke Dr, Strathavon, is 5.1 km south of us by road, with transport along Bowling Road and Katherine Street, including the Gallo Manor Gautrain bus, Metrobus, PUTCO buses, and minibus taxis. Or borrow keys from us and take a brisk walk (or a quick jog) of 3.9 km via the Sandspruit Hiking Trail, which goes almost directly there.
If you are travelling from/to elsewhere, there is a web site of minibus taxi routes here. We are on Johannesburg Metrobus route 5D, Gandhi Square to Sunninghill (alight at 90 Degrees Engen Garage, Kelvin Drive and Rivonia Road, Morningside). Gautrain bus routes are here; we are on route S2 Sandton Gallo Manor at the Morning Glen Mall Terminus (stop S2-10) and route S3 Sandton Rivonia (stop S3-8, Kelvin Drive and Rivonia Road).
We are within a short walk of two shopping centres, Morning Glen and "90º on Rivonia" (formerly called the Pavilion), both on Kelvin Drive. Facilities include a Postnet, Pick 'n Pay, stationers, Steers, Panarottis, Pizza Perfect, various other restaurants and take-aways, several hairdressers, bottle store, two pharmacies, Medical Rooms (Manor Medical Centre), an optician, Video Hire, ATMs (ABSA, FNB, Nedbank, and Standard), a hardware shop, Engen and BP Garages, and tyre repair/replacement. The "Mr Delivery" service operates in the area, and many take-away food places do their own deliveries as well..
About a 20-minute walk (or a 5-minute drive) away is The The Wedge, Morningside, a shopping centre on Rivonia Road containing several other restaurants, a Woolworths food store, SuperSpar and liquor shop, pharmacy/dispensary, optician, Clicks, etc.
Slightly further, but still in walking distance, is central Rivonia with its wide array of restaurants (read Restaurant Reviews here), supermarkets, shops, banks, and clubs.
The nearest cinemas are at Sandton City, a 15-minute drive away in central Sandton (half an hour in rush hour).
For fitness fanatics, the Morningside Country Club is close by (at 1 de la Rey Road), as is a private gym on Rivonia Road corner North. The Morningside Virgin Active Club is about 3 km south on Rivonia Road corner Centre Rd.
If you would like to overcome your fear of public speaking and become a leader in your field, then the cheapest, easiest and most enjoyable way is to join a Toastmasters Club. No less than two of them meet at the Morningside Country Club on various evenings. Aspiring speakers are welcome! Contact Rick on 082 389 3482 or email info@megaplex.co.za.
We do regular walks almost every Sunday along the nearby Sandspruit Hiking Trail, and have keys to the gates both for access downstream, and upstream through Ernest Ullmann Park. The Ernest Ullmann Park Recreation Centre once had a tea garden on Sundays and a monthly craft market. The trail itself is good for walks of up to four hours in peaceful and natural surroundings with running water, spectacular rock formations, lawns, indigenous vegetation, willows, wattles, kakiebos and black-jacks. There are geese, ducks, plover, guinea fowl, various ibis, other birds, and occasionally a rare sighting such as a leguan. Dogs are allowed under control or on leads. The Braamfontein Spruit Hiking Trail, where walks of a whole day are possible, is in the next valley.
For our tenants, it helps if you like dogs and cats: We have multiple cats and Labradors. We sometimes have a puppy we are puppy-training for the SA Guide Dogs Association for the Blind, who would welcome a donation from you! We bred Labrador pups for the Guide Dogs Association too.
North-facing Bat Box suitable for an extended family of small bats. Three rooms, unfurnished. Self-catering: Plenty of insects on hand as we do not use pesticides. Rent negotiable. Available now. Apply using contact details below, or view under the eaves on the north side of 126 Kelvin Drive. Picture on right >>.
Great news if you are a Barbet: We have nesting logs. Apply now to avoid disappointment! The ability to get on with other birds, such as sparrows, weavers, doves, African hoopoos, redbilled woodhoopoos, crested barbets, red-collared barbets, and hadeda ibis, will be a recommendation.
Note: If you would like an owl box, bat box, or nesting log, e-mail EcoSolutions or phone Jonathan or Stephanie at 072-365-9777. Despite extensive advertising on this site, our owl box never got tenants, so we gave up on it.
[Easter, 2020] Do you want to get out into the fresh air and commune with nature, despite the Covid-19 lockdown? The Megaplex walking & jogging trail is now open. It's about 250 m long (300 m if you do an extra loop around the parking areas).
The trail starts at the main house front door, although you could start anywhere along the route, such as the cottage entrance. Turn left, so that you are going towards the garage. Go through the red door (marked “{--Trail”) into the kitchen courtyard. Please close and latch the door behind you. Go through the kitchen courtyard into the front garden (don’t trip over the water channel). Do a loop around the fish pond (and please latch the gate after you). Go up the patio steps (a few step-ups and –downs if you want some more exercise) and around and off the patio. Go up the garden towards the cottage. Before the cottage gate, you will see a sign to the right to the North Forest trail.
Starting the North Forest Trail, we step through the soap bush (not bearing at present) – don’t trip! Follow the path running along the north boundary wall, emerging at the Meditation Hut. Keeping the hut on your left, go down the garden to the North Veg Garden gate (please leave it latched behind you). Next, a run through the old chicken run (don’t trip or bump your head). Through the Hole in the Wall (not as spectacular as the better-known one in the Transkei, and further from the coast) into the East Alley. Along East Alley, past the dangerous Delicious Monsters into the East Veg Garden. Through that, past the outbuilding into the Mulberry Garden. Bear right if you see the bees that live in the electricity box. Arrive at the driveway. Cross with care, watching for traffic.
Across the driveway near the gate, we start the forest trail. Do not fall into the drop inlet where water goes into the culvert near the gate! Instead, run up the water furrow (usually dry) to the settling pond. Go through the dry pond up to the west boundary. Turn right and go along the wall to the West Visitors’ Parking Area. Keep any cars on your right and arrive in the Cottage driveway. Loop to your left under the cottage carport, around any cars, and you’ll be back at the start, ready for another lap.
Enjoy your run or walk! The trail as described is 248 m. Do 4 circuits for a km, varying the route as you like. To take it to 300 m (1.2 km for 4 circuits), run an extra loop to the mulberry and back around the visitors' parking at the main entrance. It’s not difficult or dangerous, but you do it at your own risk, of course. Watch out for dog mess, low branches, and tripping. Do feel free to give me feedback.
Thanks and RICKgards
Co. Reg. No: |
2008/261796/23 (Previously Megaplex (Pty) Ltd, Reg No 1998/005645/07) |
VAT Reg. No: |
4520173727 |
Member: |
Rick Raubenheimer |
Postal Address: |
126 Kelvin Drive, Morningside Manor, Sandton, 2191 South Africa. |
Physical Address: |
126 Kelvin Drive (opposite Gary Ave.), Morningside Manor, Sandton, Gauteng, South Africa |
Telephones: |
011 802-2685 / 011 802-6440. Rick (cell, SMS, WhatsApp & Telegram): 082 389-3482) |
International calls: |
Dial your code for international calls (usually 00), and then country code 27 instead of the first 0. |
Fax to e-mail: |
086-635-7902 (South Africa only) |
E-mail: |
Please note: We do not own or manage the shopping centres listed on this site: Please contact Centre Management or Letting Agents for the specific centre (listed near the top of the centre's page where known) directly! |
Web site: |
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Rick's Blogs: |
From Johannesburg International Airport: Assuming you don't hire a car, your best method is to take the Gautrain from the airport to Sandton (R100 fare) and then the Gautrain bus (S3 Rivonia route), getting off on Rivonia Road at the Kelvin Drive stop opposite the Engen garage at the 90 Degrees on Rivonia shopping centre. The bus fare is around R20 and you have to buy a gold card at the station, as the bus does not accept cash or any other type of card. From the bus stop you walk 200m downhill on Kelvin Drive to No. 126. Check your time of arrival: The Gautrain stops running well before the evening's last flight gets in.
From Sandton Gautrain Station, view directions on your smartphone in Google Maps with this link: VIEW IN GOOGLE MAPS .
If you are taking the Gautrain bus from the station, you want route S3: Rivonia or S2: Gallo Manor, whichever leaves first (well, technically speaking, the S2 route is longer and stops further from us, so if it isn’t leaving at least 10 minutes earlier than S3, rather take S3).
If you take S3: Rivonia, alight at the shopping centre “90 Degrees on Rivonia”, the first Engen garage and Spar supermarket on the right. That puts you at the intersection with Kelvin Drive: Walk 200 m downhill (to your right) to number 126 (red pole and red gate on the left), or phone Rick to collect you.
If you take S2: Gallo Manor, get off at the terminus: Walk 700 m downhill on Kelvin Drive (in the direction the bus was going) and cross the bridge (we are on your right just after the bridge), or phone us to collect you.
We are at 126 Kelvin Drive (opposite Gary Ave), Morningside Manor, Sandton. For other directions, copy and paste GPS Coordinates -26.07058, 28.06778 into the search box at Google Maps.
By minibus taxi from Central Johannesburg: Visit this page for details.
From Lanseria Airport: If you don't hire a car, you will have to get a metered taxi, Uber, Bolt, or similar ride-hailing service: Fare around R300. Get a copy of the Map and Directions from the link below.
For Map and Directions by car click here.
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