Junior Mayor, Thandeka Shongwe, got to practice as a tour guide

RELATED LINKS: New Joburg Student Council launched Taking over from the old Junior City Council, the new Joburg Student Council is responsible for growing youngsters' interest in local government affairs. Read more Junior mayor meets her public Joburg's new junior mayor made her first public appearance at her own school, a very proud Lancea Vale Secondary. Read more Joburg Student Council The City of Johannesburg has set up a new student council under the Office of the Speaker. Representing some 60 schools, 114 learners from across the City's regions were elected on to the body. Read more

Personnel from the emergency management services at the Florida Fire Station gave the learners a presentation and practical demonstration

Student council tours city Members of the Johannesburg Student Council spent the day visiting several projects across the city, learning about the regeneration it is undergoing. September 21, 2007 By JoNews Reporter YOUNG leaders from the new Johannesburg Student Council were astounded at the re-development taking place in the inner city. The junior City leaders were taken on a tour of the inner city, to get up to speed on developments, on Saturday, 15 September. Kicking off in Braamfontein, the Sappi greening initiative was highlighted. Trees and a water feature dominate an area free of grime. It was followed by the new public artwork on the corner of Ameshoff and Bertha streets, where a sculpture of a giant eland stands regally. The Nelson Mandela Bridge beckoned, with the learners given facts about the structure: it is 295 metres long, crosses 42 railway lines and can handle 3 000 cars an hour. A group picture of students who went on the tour Across the bridge, is the Brickfields housing project. Once a blight on the city, it has been transformed into a residential estate where 2 000 people inhabit 198 homes. Newtown Newtown has been turned into the city of gold's cultural heart. Buildings that have been refurbished keep alive the past, but updated for modern use - the old Turbine Hall, once forgotten and neglected, is resplendent in its new finery. Mary Fitzgerald Square is a reminder of the struggles of the past, yet points to the future. Once the scene of strikes, it is now the venue of many outdoor concerts and art happenings. The tour proceeded down President Street, past the World of Beer, down Ntemi Piliso Street and towards Anglo American. Main Street was, for most, the highlight. The learners left the bus and walked through the boulevard to fully appreciate the developments that have taken place here. Mining artefacts, green walkways, pavement cafes and coffee shops give an ambience of tranquillity amid the hustle and bustle of the city. A marked feature, and one commented on over and over, was the absence of litter in the streets. From there, the tour bus sped past Gandhi Square and the old Rissik Street Post Office, now decaying. In the distance, Gautrain construction could be seen. Cosmo City From the inner city, the student council was taken westwards to Cosmo City. Housing is a burning issue that needs creative and innovative solutions; Cosmo City, a mixed housing design, is one. It is a public-private partnership between the developer, Codevco; the land owner, City of Johannesburg; and the subsidy provider, Gauteng provincial government. Situated on 1 105 hectares of land 25 kilometres north west of the CBD, once it is completed, Cosmo City will provide 5 000 low income houses; 3 000 financed, credit-linked houses; 1 000 social housing rental units; 3 300 bonded houses; 12 schools; 40 sites for churches, clinics and crèches; 43 parks and recreational sites; 30 commercial and retail sites; a 40ha industrial park; and a 300ha environmental area. Student councillors were briefed by a representative from the developers and taken on a tour of this sprawling estate. And their consensus on the development was that the government was on the right path. Next stop was the Florida Fire Station, where the student councillors were given a presentation and practical demonstration by emergency management services personnel. From there, it was off to Soweto where the Soweto Greening Project was much in evidence. The route went through Jabulani, past the impressive Jabulani Mall, and past the Hector Pieterson Memorial. Passengers caught a glimpse of the famed Regina Mundi Church. The final stop was Orlando Stadium, to see the frenetic work taking place in preparation for the 2010 Fifa World Cup™. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za