What to do in Joburg airport for 4 hours??

[RiverViews77]

Basically, we will have four hours to fill at Joburg airport before we can drop our luggage and head through to airside. Any ideas as to what we can do, please? I can't see any lounges that you can pay for until after security...
Maybe we will have to book a room in a hotel for the day, eg the Intercontinental?
Thanks for any suggestions!

City Lodge is a bit cheaper than the Intercontinental, and still easy to walk to from the main Terminal building at OR Tambo. A bit further out are the Southern Sun and Protea, but you would likely need to get the shuttle bus to either of those.

The City Lodge has a pool, and a large restaurant / lounge area, so even if you don't book a room, you could probably find a quiet corner to take a seat, and have something to eat or similar.

I don't know of any lounges before security. Depending on the airline, you might be able to drop your luggage early and go through security and find your way to a lounge? KLM wouldn't let me, but BA have in the past. Just make sure there is nothing valuable in your luggage, I don't think I've had my bags broken into as much as in Joburg!

Tambo airport is pretty awful even airside to be honest but absolutely dismal the other side. If you really have 4 hours to kill I'd probably pay for left luggage (having first had your luggage cling-film wrapped - there are booths all over the place and it costs about a fiver) and maybe get the Gautrain to Rosebank or Sandton even if it's just for a coffee & cake. You'll go crazy killing 4 hours in the terminal!
Or @PierretheBear 's suggestion is also good. But get that luggage wrapped!

Airside will be fine - we have already paid for the lovely lounge that we've been to before - very worth it!
I'm going to contact Emirites about dropping luggage early but I think their limit is 4 hours ahead or even 3...
City Lodge - good shout, thanks! Will check it out.