September 2, 2004
By Tammy O'Reilly
CELEBRATING the first day of spring, a City of Johannesburg team took the opportunity to showcase humanitarian growth and environmental development by means of a bus trip.
Two years on from the World Summit on Sustainable Development, held in Johannesburg in 2002, the City officials toured Soweto - site of numerous projects that have either been completed or are nearing completion - to view the progress being made.
Executive mayor Amos Masondo, members of the mayoral committee, officials from the various City utilities, agencies and corporations, City employees, and a handful of guests from other municipalities departed from the Metro Centre in Braamfontein aboard a metro bus a scant 15 minutes later than scheduled.
As the bus, accompanied by a cavalcade of metro police and emergency personnel, headed off along the M1 South, tour guide Arthur Buthelezi, with the help of a portable audio system, enthusiastically pointed out the mine dumps and Gold Reef City.
For those who didn't know the history, he explained: "Gold Reef City captures the life and times of mining development in South Africa, and also operates as a thriving entertainment centre."
Although not visible from the bus, he also spoke about the Apartheid Museum adjacent to Gold Reef City.
The bus passed Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital and the delegation were told that the hospital is the largest in the southern hemisphere, covering 5,5kmē, has 4 000 beds and provides free health care to pregnant women and children under the age of six.
An important development under way just opposite the hospital is the Baragwanath Public Transport and Traders Market, spearheaded by the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA).
Once complete the public transport facility will accommodate approximately 500 taxis and have facilities for buses and for traders. "Some 300 people have been employed to work on this project - a significant number are women," said Robert Bathke of the JDA.
As the bus made its way to Pimville, the informal settlement of Motswaledi could be seen on the left. Buthelezi pointed out that although the area was made up of informal houses, it is 'legal'. "All these houses have yards, electricity, water and sanitation services. Some of them even have telephones."
"The City is instilling a culture of payment among these people," Buthelezi added.
A drive through Mbambiza Drive, Flamingo Street, Hoopoe Street and Ntleni Street was next. Here City Power project manager Michael Mafuze took the opportunity to address the delegation on the work City Power was doing in the area. "The objective here is to have all the street lamps lit. It forms part of a bigger project where we plan to light up all the streets of Soweto." The street lamps are being lit by low-energy consumption light bulbs.
Mostly local labour is being used on the project. Mafuze explained that "experience has taught us at City Power that when we involve locals in our projects, they take special care and responsibility for the lighting".
Next on the tour was the Kliptown Taxi Rank/Freedom Square Development. The double-storey taxi rank, which will accommodate 250 taxis, will be fully let by the end of October.
Currently the area opposite the taxi holding is dotted with steel and concrete frameworks and other partially complete structures. On completion though, the area promises to be home to an arts and craft a market, museum and multi-purpose complex consisting of a conference centre.
About five minutes from here was the next stop, Phiri. As the bus slowed down at a well-kept circular piece of land with houses on the edges, Valerie Vermeulen of City Parks took over the microphone.
"This beautiful piece of land you see here was not always like this. A short while ago this was a dump - literally. People would dump garbage, construction rubble - anything that they didn't need," she said.
With City Parks' intervention and the help of the community, that piece of land has been transformed. Lush green grass, wooden green benches and a colourful jungle gym now beautify the area.
As if to highlight the commitment and involvement of the community, members of the Siyathuthuka Project - a volunteer group that are developing and maintaining parks and open spaces in Ward 15 of Region 6 - were in full swing. planting and watering trees to celebrate Spring Day.
The final stop on the tour was Thokoza Park, where the delegation were greeted by a white tent, complete with podium, flowers, chairs and audio equipment set up for the mayor, City Manager Pascal Moloi and other speakers.
In searing heat - more like mid-summer than the first day of spring - Masondo talked about developments in Johannesburg.
He spoke of the abundance of trees found in Johannesburg, pointing out that the further south one moved, the fewer the trees. "It is precisely this contradiction that spurs us on," Masondo said.
"Johannesburg has had a magnetic attraction from the time gold was discovered. It is still very attractive to people from other countries. Our vision is to make this a world-class African city by 2030. We don't want to copy other cities. Our city will be unique because it will be adapted to its own Johannesburg specifications," he said.
He said while 2030 seemed a long time away, it was important to have a long-term plan.
The mayor referred to the importance of partnerships. "What is important is to make partnerships a reality in this region. It's important to emphasise that government cannot succeed it if it works in isolation."
In closing, he said, "the City will endeavour to do its best to be sensitive to the needs" facing communities around Johannesburg.
The afternoon ended with the mayor and city manager - helped by community members - planting five trees in the park.
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