Multi million rand face-lift for inner city

Joburg Development Agency (JDA) spokesman Sammy Mafu said they had chosen the three suburbs because they have “the highest human and commercial capacity so that we can accelerate development in the city”. The makeover is set to cover 200 city blocks which will be upgraded in terms of landscaping, paving, toilets and lighting and provided with steel benches, swivel bins and new bus shelters. The JDA also plans to plant indigenous trees such as river bushwillow and white stinkwood. 

The Alec Gorshell, Pieter Roos, Le Roith, JL de Villiers and Donald McKay parks will also be upgraded, as well as the derelict Governor’s House and the Hillbrow Recreation Centre. Mafu said the Governor’s House could be used to house orphans or street children. There will also be art in the streets. Stephen Hobbs and Marcus Neustetter of The Trinity Session, working with architectural urban design firm Ngwedi Design, won the tender for this. 

Hobbs said they would present their ideas to the JDA at the end of February. Explained Mafu, “We are not only looking at separate parts of the city, but we want to upgrade the city holistically so that the precincts will be integrated”. 

The project, which will create up to 1200 jobs, is set to start next month and is to be completed by the end of July. 

27 January 2008 (Sunday Times)
Benjamin Moshatama