Neil Fraser
July 5, 2004
I'M often asked to explain who does what in the inner city and to describe the differences between the organisations that are linked in some way or another to the regeneration process.
So here's a start. My list doesn't include many developers, professional consultants and individuals. It also doesn't include intermediaries such as specialist funding organisations. However, I would like to build up a useful reference document that eventually will cover the organisations that are contributing to the revival of the inner city.
If you are involved in this sector, drop me a line and let me know about your organisation, the name of a contact person and contact details.
Utilities, agencies and corporatised entities of council
The establishment of various self-contained agencies, corporatised entities and utilities is part of the council's drive to manage the metropolitan area in a more businesslike and efficient way.
They include City Power; Egoli Gas; Johannesburg City Parks; the Johannesburg Civic Theatre; the Johannesburg Development Agency; the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market; the Johannesburg Property Company; the Johannesburg Roads Agency; Johannesburg Water; the Johannesburg Zoo; Metrobus; the Metropolitan Trading Company and Pikitup.
They all add to (or detract from!) the urban-regeneration process to a greater or lesser extent, but I've singled out those more intimately involved in the process in more detail below.
Contact details can be found here on the City's website.
Blue IQ
Public Sector with a provincial focus
Blue IQ, an initiative of the Gauteng provincial government, is designed to lift Gauteng's economy and shift the mix towards three sectors: smart industries, high-value manufacturing and tourism. It does this in partnership with the private sector or other government departments by funding infrastructure development through 11 projects - two in smart industries, four in manufacturing and five in tourism.
Blue IQ - a programme of Gauteng's Department of Finance and Economic Affairs - is wholly funded by the provincial government.
The legal entity - Blue IQ Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd - is not an operational company. It is an investment holding company that holds Gauteng's equity stake in these projects.
Inner-city projects that are being or have been funded by Blue IQ include Constitution Hill, the Nelson Mandela Bridge and certain Newtown developments.
Chief executive officer: vacant
Phone 011 689 1600, fax 011 689 1601 or visit www.blueiq.co.za.
Central Johannesburg Partnership (CJP)
Private Sector with an inner-city focus
The CJP - a private, not-for-profit company established under Section 21 of the Companies Act - focuses on the urban revitalisation of the inner city. It is independent but is linked to the Kagiso Group through Kagiso Urban Management, a black-owned company that provides administration and managerial support.
The CJP is probably best known for its role in establishing and managing city improvement districts (CIDs) in Johannesburg. It established the first CID in the Johannesburg CBD in 1993 - making it the South African pioneer of this form of private-sector urban intervention.
Other than its work with CIDs, the CJP does urban research, consultancy and advocacy; is a catalyst in a variety of projects that involve business and public funding; and manages a number of other organisations that are involved in urban revitalisation.
The CJP has played a major role in the redevelopment of Gandhi Square and Main Street, in the pedestrianisation of Fox Street, in the upgrading of Braamfontein and in JhbArtCity.
Executive director: Neil Fraser
Phone 011 688 7800, fax 011 688 7801 or go to www.cjp.co.za.
City improvement districts (CIDs)
Private Sector; now occurring nationally
CIDs are areas in which all property owners, through appropriate legislation, fund the services that supplement those provided by a local authority in order to develop and maintain a superior environment.
Services provided include safety and security, cleaning and maintenance, marketing, business retention and attraction, place making, environmental upgrading and maintenance.
There are three legislated CIDs in the inner city; a number of new initiatives are in the pipeline.
The CJP manages the CIDs. The chairpersons of the controlling companies are Harvey Stott (Central), Jeanette Hofsajer van Wyk (South Western) and Eric Bernstein (Braamfontein).
Economic development unit (EDU)
Public sector with a metropolitan focus
The EDU is a council department that is charged with implementing the City's long-term economic strategy, Joburg 2030. The strategy aims to expand the economic base of the city and create new opportunities for economically disadvantaged residents.
The EDU has a metropolitan focus, but much of its work is in inner-city regeneration.
This includes skills development, economic regeneration, safety and security, transport and freight, telecommunications, support for small and medium-sized enterprises, infomatics, economic analysis and information dissemination.
Director: Lael Bethlehem
Phone 011 407 7141, fax 011 339 2870 or visit www.joburg.org.za/finance/econ_dev.stm
Inner city committee
Public sector but provides a public-private forum; has an inner-city focus
The Inner City Committee was established under municipal legislation. It brings together the council, business, labour and communities, and examines and monitors all issues, projects and processes that relate to the inner city.
Chairperson: Sol Cowan
Johannesburg development agency (JDA)
Public sector - a wholly owned agency of the council but a company with a board appointed from the private sector. It has a major inner-city focus at the moment
The JDA was established in 2001 to stimulate and support economic development initiatives throughout the Johannesburg metropolitan area. The aim is to support Joburg 2030 - Johannesburg's long-term economic development strategy.
The JDA co-ordinates and manages capital investment and other programmes involving private and public stakeholders, and is the implementing agent for a number of Blue IQ projects in the city.
The JDA has developed or managed projects such as Constitution Hill, the Faraday Station Precinct and the Fashion District, as well as others in Newtown, Braamfontein and Kliptown.
Chief executive officer: Graeme Reid
Phone 011 688 7850, fax 011 7801 or visit www.jda.co.za
Johannesburg heritage trust (JHT)
Private Sector with an inner-city focus
The JHT was established by the CJP out of concern that the built heritage of the Johannesburg CBD was being neglected.
The JHT believes that if Johannesburg is to compete as a world-class city, it must celebrate its uniqueness - for a community's identity and civic pride are rooted in physical and cultural links to its past.
Although Johannesburg's historic links are tragically embedded in its colonial and apartheid past, they form the city's heritage base. Heritage conservation and management contribute to the regeneration of the city. They are critical elements in creating a sense of place, identity, evolution, ownership and community.
Managed by the CJP; chairperson: Neil Fraser
Phone 011 688 7800, fax 011 688 7801 or visit www.cjp.co.za
Johannesburg housing company (JHC)
Private Sector with a focus on the inner city and near city
The JHC is a Section 21 company established in 1995 to deliver affordable rental housing. It has become a pioneer in the field of social housing in South Africa and has developed innovative solutions to meet the needs of low-income families.
It tries to balance social responsibility and long-term financial sustainability.
The JHC has established about 2 000 housing units at a cost of more than R100-million - adding significantly to the city's housing stock. It has received many awards for innovation and excellence. The JHC is now building 600 units in the first phase of its Brickfields project in Newtown.
Chief executive officer: Taffy Adler
Phone 241 6900 or fax 836 6887
Johannesburg inner city business coalition (JICBC)
Private Sector with an inner-city focus
The JICBC, a loose coalition of business organisations, was established in 1995 to take part in the debate about the provincial government's inner city 'Ivukile' renewal process.
In 1997 the CJP and the National Business Initiative (NBI) initiated the establishment of the JICBC to represent business interests in the city. The JICBC interacts with local government through an inner-city committee.
The members of the JICBC tend to be major inner-city corporates, but over the past few years the membership has been broadened: today a large number of businesses and property owners are members through their participation in city improvement district initiatives.
The JICBC has funded, initiated or been a participant in a large number of inner-city initiatives, including: the moving of the provincial government from Pretoria to Johannesburg; the strategic visioning exercise undertaken in 1996; the establishment of the Johannesburg Inner City Development Forum, which led in turn to the establishment of the Inner City Section 79 Committee; the development of a strategic plan for the inner city; and the establishment of an inner-city office and manager - now superceded by the regional office and the development of a spatial framework for the CBD.
Managed by the CJP; chairperson: Gert Dry
Phone 011 688 7800, fax 011 688 7801 or visit www.cjp.co.za
Johannesburg property company (Propcom)
Public Sector with a metropolitan focus
The City of Johannesburg Property Company was established in 2000 as the property management and property development arm of the council, its utilities, agencies and corporate entities. It manages the City's property portfolio.
Propcom is responsible for the Better Buildings Programme, which takes an innovative approach to redevelopment by tackling deteriorating or abandoned buildings.
Executive director: Leila McKenna
Phone 011 339 2700, fax 011 339 2727 or visit www.jhbproperty.co.za.
Johannesburg trust for the homeless
The Johannesburg Trust for the Homeless, which was established in 1995, is a partnership between the CJP, St George's United Church and the Central Methodist Mission.
For the past eight years it has been driven by its vision to "bridge the gap between homelessness and affordable housing". This it has done by being a pioneer of transitional housing.
Low-income people are offered housing - with a limited tenure of 18 months - as well as training.
About six years ago the trust developed a model transitional-housing initiative, Cornelius House, which it manages.
The trust is finalising a joint venture with the Johannesburg Housing Company; it will result in the trust managing considerably more housing units in the next three years.
Chief executive officer: Chris Lund
Phone 011 688 7810 or fax 011 688 7801
Metropolitan trading company
Public Sector with a metropolitan focus.
The MTC was established by the council in September 1999 to develop and manage informal-trading markets and taxi ranks, and to support and train traders.
The MTC manages a number of inner-city facilities - including the Yeoville, Hillbrow and Faraday markets and the Metro Mall. This latter R140-million development caters for 3 000 kombi taxis, 22 buses, 510 informal traders and offers nearly 3 000 square metres of retail and wholesale space.
Chief executive: Keith Atkins
Phone 833 7344, fax 833 7355 or visit www.metrotrading.co.za,
Property owners and managers association (POMA)
Private Sector with an inner-city focus
POMA was established to ensure that the residential sector plays a role in inner-city regeneration by providing well managed housing units and developing good relationships between landlords and tenants.
Several hundred inner-city residential buildings are controlled by POMA members. The organisation is actively involved in the Better Buildings Programme and works closely with the council and other organisations involved in the regeneration process.
Chairperson: Brian Miller
Phone 403 0554 or fax 403 0595
Region 8
Public Sector with an inner-city focus
Johannesburg is sub-divided into 11 administrative regions; Region 8 covers the inner city.
The core of Region 8 is the city centre or CBD. But the area stretches from Vrededorp in the west to Jeppestown, Kensington, Bez Valley and Observatory in the east; Parktown, Hillbrow, Berea, Yeoville and Bellevue in the north; and the M2 in the south. An area south of the motorway incorporates Crown, Selby, Ophirton, Booysens, Southdale and Turffontein.
The regional office is responsible for health, housing, library and information services, social development and sports and recreation.
Its strategic importance is underpinned by the Inner City Task Force. This comprises four task teams: the law-enforcement unit, building control and land use, environmental clean-up and infrastructure.
Regional director: Yakoob Makda
Phone 011 376 8500, fax 011 376 8567 or visit Region 8 on www.joburg.org.za.
So, these are some of the players who are regenerating Johannesburg's inner city.
PS: The two CIDs in Sandton have amalgamated and re-launched under the name Sandton Central. Sandton Central launched its brand strategy and revealed its new corporate identity recently.
The district aims to define, spruce up, open up, connect and interconnect the area. Sandton Central also wants to position itself as part of the Johannesburg offering.
PPS: Urban Ocean has held a function in their Franklin residential development - a high-quality refurbishment of the Ernst & Young building in Diagonal Street - providing an opportunity to view a furnished apartment.
It looks great and it created huge interest. And they sure know how to throw a party!
