Set in fairly bleak part of Southern Africa, two hours by road from the metropolitan centres of the Witwatersrand, the city that never sleeps is a glittering pleasure resort. Sun International and Computicket offer regular coach tours from Gauteng and there are daily flights from Johannesburg International Airport.

Sun City is the inspiration of self-made multimillionaire hotelier Sol Kerzner. In the 1970s, when the complex was built, the land formed part of the quasi-independent republic, Bophuthatswana, where gambling, officially banned in South Africa at the time, was legal.

The resort continues to attract visitors due to its many other features, particularly the entertainment centre, still one of the principal attractions. Not only does it offer a chance of winning a fortune at the spin of a wheel, there are also elaborate stage shows featuring lines of sequinned dancers, music concerts, beauty pageants and a variety of sports events.