February 6, 2004
By Thomas Thale
FROM as early as eight in the morning, men of business and men of the cloth packed the Lenasia Civic Centre for a breakfast engagement with Amos Masondo, the executive mayor of Johannesburg. They came formally dressed, mostly in tie and jackets, others sporting the abbaya, a Muslim robe.
Masondo and his entourage of senior City officials and councillors were on the Region 11 leg of a series of road shows, in which they interface with members of the local community.
Nibbling on the snacks on offer, the audience listened attentively as Masondo outlined the achievements made by the City in recent years and highlighted the economic potential that waits to be unlocked in the area. He spoke at length about the City projects, which are designed to be catalysts of economic growth. But the mayor left it to Lael Bethlehem, director of the City's Economic Development Unit to tease out the details of the economic potential of the area.
With her presentation, the diminutive Bethlehem took the audience through the economic journey of Joburg. She drew liberally from the Census 2001 report and from the Joburg 2030 plan to demonstrate the economic milestones that have been made.
On the question of skills development, she pointed to the strides that have been made by the City, with the number of people with higher education qualifications having increased from 110 000 in 1996 to 300 000 in 2001.
The City had also recorded progress in increasing the number of households with access to housing, electricity, refuse collection, telephone lines, water and sanitation, Bethlehem said. "The City has become an agent of economic development and not just a provider of services," she declared.
Focussing on local developments, Bethlehem drew attention to the potential that remained to be realised in the area. "This region is home to 10 percent of the city's population, but accounts for less than one percent of the city's economic activity," she observed. "We must turn this situation around. We need to ensure that we build on the strengths of the area."
The main economic activity of Lenasia, said Bethlehem, was retail and transport. "There is little manufacturing and financial services taking place here."
Acknowledging the Lenasia CBD as an important centre of economic activity in Lenasia, Bethlehem identified a need to upgrade it. The area also had a lot of under-utilised agricultural land. The audience warmly welcomed her announcement that the City was to upgrade the CBD by improving transport infrastructure and providing facilities for informal traders.
"At current levels of 33 percent, unemployment remains a big challenge for the city." She called on the businessmen present to help stem the tide.
Bethlehem referred to the regional development framework as a document that informed the City's plans to develop the area.
Mayor Amos Masondo at the Lenasia Civic Centre
But it was during question time that the local residents got a chance to take the City bigwigs to task. Presiding over the proceedings, regional director Xolile George asked the audience to keep their questions short. A middle-aged man from Orange Farm wanted to know why there had been so many delays in the proclamation of business sites. His question was echoed by a priest, also from Orange Farm, who complained his church could not find an appropriate site for worship. "We are forced to worship inside a shack, and right next to a tavern," complained the priest.
In response, Amanda Nair, executive director of environment, planning and transportation, explained there had been backlogs in the processing of applications, but promised to speed up the process. The mayor then took to the podium, stating categorically that there should be no backlogs. "The executive director and the political head have a responsibility to ensure that this does not happen," he said. Nkele Ntingane, councillor responsible for municipal enterprises, explained church sites were only released on auction because of their high demand. "Land is limited and there are too many churches," she said.
Then a youthful, emerging entrepreneur complained about what he called unfair competition from big retailers. "These giants are killing us," he complained. "Small men are now going down the drain."
Other concerns raised by the audience related to the provision of infrastructure, especially water and sanitation.
Wrapping up the proceedings, Masondo called on the businessmen to take advantage of existing business opportunities. "Stop complaining about big business and identify opportunities that exist within communities. You can't have a situation where all the people sell bread, coca cola and cigarettes," the mayor advised. Then it was off to a closed meeting between members of the mayoral committee and local councillors.
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