| Sunnyside | |
| Pushpin Map: | South Africa Gauteng#South Africa |
| Coordinates: | -25.7542°N 28.2094°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | South Africa |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Gauteng |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name3: | City of Tshwane |
| Subdivision Type4: | Main Place |
| Subdivision Name4: | Pretoria |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Leader Title: | Councillor |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 2.25 |
| Population Total: | 39282 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Racial makeup (2011) |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Black African |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 88.4% |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Coloured |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 1.7% |
| Demographics1 Title3: | Indian/Asian |
| Demographics1 Info3: | 0.9% |
| Demographics1 Title4: | White |
| Demographics1 Info4: | 8.5% |
| Demographics1 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics1 Info5: | 0.6% |
| Demographics Type2: | First languages (2011) |
| Demographics2 Title1: | English |
| Demographics2 Info1: | 16% |
| Demographics2 Title2: | Northern Sotho |
| Demographics2 Info2: | 13.7% |
| Demographics2 Title3: | Venda |
| Demographics2 Info3: | 10.0% |
| Demographics2 Title4: | Zulu |
| Demographics2 Info4: | 7.5% |
| Demographics2 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics2 Info5: | 52.8% |
| Timezone1: | SAST |
| Utc Offset1: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code (street) |
| Postal2 Code Type: | PO box |
| Postal2 Code: | 9585 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
Sunnyside is one of the oldest suburbs of the city of Pretoria, South Africa. The well-established area is situated east of Nelson Mandela drive (and the Apies River), adjacent to Pretoria Central.
Sunnyside of the late 19th and early 20th century was a suburb of houses and mansions. Esselen street was named after Ewald Auguste Esselen, the State Attorney of the South African Republic from 1894 to 1895. Since 2012 the street has been renamed to Robert Sobukwe street. The character of the suburb changed with the influx of mainly Afrikaners to Pretoria during the middle to late 20th century, when blocks of high-rise flats transformed the western section. The one time house of the writer and poet Jan F. E. Celliers however survived until 1970.[2]
The suburb now consists mostly of high density residential developments,[3] which in the 21st century ranges from reasonably upmarket to dilapidated. Esselen street is flanked by a strip of retail businesses, restaurants and clubs. The day time street scene is very busy, with heavy pedestrian traffic and hawkers peddling food or wares on street corners. Student residences or communes and residential houses are situated in the quieter eastern part. Like much of the inner city, this suburb's retail, entertainment and nightlife area has become less upmarket since the 1980s, and rundown and dirty in places.[4]
The post-Apartheid era saw an influx of local and foreign people of different races to the high density residential areas, which they found affordable.[3] Consequently, a number of languages are now spoken here. The social evils of crime and substance abuse[3] have necessitated beefed up security at all residences, the inhabitants of which are often living in impoverished conditions.thumb|left|300px|Sunnyside on a map of 1895