Google Street View in Africa

Presently, Google Street View can only be seen in most urban areas of South Africa. However, Google has recently reviewed plans to expand the street view service to other parts of Southern Africa by 2015.

Contents

Background

On September 1, 2009, Google announced that it started collecting images in South Africa for Google Maps Street View. Google is currently driving around South Africa in Toyota Prius, taking photographs of locations in the cities of Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban and East London. Google Trikes are also being used for the first time to map popular tourist destinations, such as the scenic Chapman's Peak Drive and Table Mountain in Cape Town, Soccer City in Johannesburg, and the new Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. Images of South Africa were made available on Google Street View on June 8, 2010.

On December 8, 2010, more locations in South Africa were added. These were mostly rural and main roads, as well as a much larger coverage of the Limpopo province. After the update, the borders of South Africa's neighboring countries could be reached.

Controversy

Some officials and residents of South Africa worried that Street View in the country could contribute to crime.[1]

Introductions by date

Date Major locations added
Tuesday, June 8, 2010 Johannesburg, Soweto, Roodepoort, Krugersdorp, Randfontein, Kempton Park, Benoni, Vosloorus, Katlehong, Centurion, Pretoria, Bronkhorstspruit, Midrand, Middelburg, Vanderbijlpark, Sasolburg, Heidelberg, Kroonstad, Welkom, Kimberley, Pietermaritzburg, Mbombela, Ermelo, Pinetown, Kingsburgh, Mdantsane, King William's Town, Port Alfred, Grahamstown, Cape Town, Kuils River, Mitchells Plain, Fish Hoek, Somerset West, Durbanville, Kraaifontein, Stellenbosch, Melkbosstrand, Kleinmond, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London, Bloemfontein, Polokwane, Nelspruit, Rustenburg, Johannesburg Zoo, Apartheid Museum, Boulders Beach, Company's Gardens, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden, World Cup 2010 Venues
Wednesday, December 8, 2010 More locations in South Africa
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 More locations in South Africa

Areas included

Province Most coverage[2] Some coverage[3] Very limited coverage[4]
Gauteng Johannesburg, Pretoria, Benoni, Germiston, Krugersdorp, Kempton Park, Nigel, Springs, Centurion, Bronkhorstspruit, Carletonville, Westonaria, Hillshaven, Lenasia, Heidelberg, Vereeniging, Vanderbijlpark, Laudium Soweto, Vosloorus Katlehong, Hammanskraal
Mpumalanga Witbank, Middelburg, Nelspruit, Ermelo Embalenhle Amersfoort, Secunda, Bethal, Badplaas, Balfour, Lydenburg, Malelane, Hectorspruit, Komatipoort, Machadodorp, Waterval-Boven, Hendrina, Barberton, Standerton, Volksrust
Limpopo Polokwane Vaalwater, Louis Trichardt, Musina, Thabazimbi, Thoyohandou, Tzaneen, Haenertsburg, Northam, Mookgopong, Modimolle, Bela-Bela, Roedtan, Settlers,
Free State Bloemfontein, Welkom, Kroonstad, Sasolburg, Clarens, Vaalpark, Riebeekstad Thabong, Mangaung Koppies, Viljoenskroon, Bultfontein, Dealesville, Deneysville, Oranjeville, Villiers, Memel, Harrismith, Kestell, Bethlehem, Paul Roux, Senekal, Virginia, Hennenman, Ventersburg, Wesselbron, Odendaalsrus, Smithfield
North-West Rustenburg, Brits, Mooinooi Klerksdorp, Orkney, Stilfontein Potchefstroom, Mafikeng, Bloemhof, Christiana, Stilfontein, Ventersdorp, Derby, Wolmaranstad, Modderspruit, Phokeng, Swartruggens, Zeerust, 'Ottoshoop, Geysdorp, Delareyville, Sannieshof, Coligny
KwaZulu-Natal Durban, Newcastle, Pietermartizburg, Ladysmith, Vryheid, Chatsworth, Berea, Richard's Bay Dundee, Paulpietersburg, Mooi River, Mpumalanga Glencoe, Bergville, Winterton, Estcourt, Umlazi, KwaDukuza, Empangeni, Louwsburg
Western Cape Cape Town, Mitchell's Plain, Blue Downs, Heidelberg, Simon's Town, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Strand, Grabouw, Stellenbosch, Nature's Valley, Somerset-West, Worcester Khayalitsha, Dennekruin, Paarl, Sedgefield, Laingsburg, Prince Albert Road, Beaufort West, Hermanus, George, Kwanokuthula
Northern Cape Kimberley Douglas, Prieska, Strydenburg, Hopetown, Colesberg
Eastern Cape Port Elizabeth, East London, Grahamstown, Queenstown, Stutterheim, Aliwal North, Mdantsane, King William's Town, Bhisho, Middelburg, Cradock, Adelaide, Fort Beaufort, Alice, Lady Grey, Middeldrift Elliot, Ugie, KwaNonzame, Midros, Rosmead, Lingelihle, Michausdal, Bedford, Mpolweni Steynsburg

Notes

  1. ^ Smith, David (29 November 2009). "Google Street View raises crime fears in South Africa" (in English). guardian.co.uk (Johannesburg). http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/29/google-street-view-south-africa. Retrieved 16 March 2011. 
  2. ^ Settlement has most or all roads mapped
  3. ^ Settlement has many roads covered, but some areas still missing
  4. ^ Settlement has only a few roads mapped, for example only the main street
Mapping sites
Earth  · Mars  · Moon  · Sky
Street View
Street View locations
United States  · Canada  · Latin America  · Europe  · Asia  · Africa  · Oceania
Other