By Neil Fraser
August 1, 2005
IT HAS been interesting to see that two organisations, the Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research (Wiser) and the Human Sciences Research Council, have both recently organised workshops on 2010.
Graeme Reid, in virtually his last week as chief executive of the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), and myself were asked to do a small joint presentation at the former.
We suggested that there would be four "legacy areas":
- Urban development and integration of the City;
- The public transport system;
- Stadiums and facilities; and
- Sports and social development.
The last two are quite self explanatory so I will only deal with the first two of these.
First, the urban development and integration of the city really relates to two specific areas, the first being Greater Ellis Park and the second Nasrec.
Greater Ellis Park is being developed as a "world class competitive and leading destination of choice for sports and recreation for the city of Johannesburg". It is to be a well managed and highly integrated multi-nodal area of appealing places providing diverse opportunities to live, work, play, get educated, visit, shop, relax and be entertained.
The extensive preparatory groundwork on this project, being managed by the JDA, is progressing steadily and there is a strong programme of interfacing with the local stakeholders and roleplayers.
Nasrec
The focus on Nasrec, with its existing international exhibition centre and soccer stadium, is to develop it further so that it becomes an international event centre and world class soccer-golf-recreation-expo hub. Its location makes it an ideal project to accelerate major integration between the developed north and disadvantaged south of the city.
Second, on the transport front, the national Department of Transport is to invest about R3-billion across South African cities. The spin-off for us locally will be the opportunity to deal with our history of poor public transport.
Four specific aspects that are in process are the Gautrain, where the total budget (at this stage) is R7-billion (that is, over and above the previously mentioned R3-billion); new rail links to Soweto; the implementation of the Integrated Transport Project (ITP); and the Inner City Distribution System (ICDS).
On the Inner City Distribution System, I understand that the bulk of the work being done currently is on operational matters, like collecting data to confirm the route, passenger demand data, validation of the vehicle size and operational period as recommended in the feasibility study. A final report is due at the end of August 2005.
Regarding the new rail link, it will run between Soccer City and Nasrec through to Soweto. Both Soccer City and Nasrec will, of course, be important venues for 2010 and substantially upgraded as mentioned previously; the latter will evidently house the massive media contingent.
The Integrated Transport Project includes a large number of road-based projects, for example, the provision of a Strategic Public Transport Network linking Sandton, where Fifa will be headquartered (where else?), with Nasrec, Ellis Park and Orlando. The first five kilometres in Soweto is evidently at the construction stage.
N17 link road
Then there is the N17 road link between Nasrec Road (Crown Mines) and Klipspruit Valley Road, an important link to develop the east-west corridor and to give much better access between Soweto and the northern areas of the City.
Following a proposal call procedure, a service provider has been appointed, the mapping of the area has been completed and a final route for the N17 is being considered.
There are a number of related projects in the ITP, some of which will affect 2010, namely:
- Investigation into Sustainable Revenue Streams for Transport in the City of Johannesburg;
- Feasibility Investigation into an Integrated Ticketing and Fare System;
- Transport Authority Project;
- Travel Demand Management;
- Taxi Route Restructuring for Flagship Project;
- Public Transport Planning for Cosmo City;
- Public Transport Information; and
- Park City/Joubert Park Precinct.
The latter, much overdue project is investigating the long distance and cross-border operations in the City, both bus and taxi. The current situation is totally ad hoc and disorganised and the aim of the project is to understand the current operations and where they are, so that proper planning can be undertaken to ensure that these operations are co-ordinated, centralised and managed.
Park City/Joubert Park
The study hopes to ensure that improvements to long distance operations are focused in the Park City/Joubert Park precinct and that the further development of long distance operations outside it are discouraged. Given the high rate of cross-border travel between the City and neighbouring countries, the concept is to have an international public transport terminal and shopping centre that will also serve the travel requirements of 2010.
We see the positive aspects of 2010 therefore including:
- Economic impact;
- Job creation;
- Promoting comprehensive integrated land use planning;
- Introducing sustainability to the agenda;
- Confidence and image; and
- Sports development and facilities.
However, we also see certain major negative aspects. The first is if we are successful in delivering the event but not the legacy. This was the case to a large extent with the World Summit some three years back. The World Cup takes place in the last year of the next council term. This means that politicians' focus is likely to not extend beyond the event itself, and this would be tragic.
In fact, we should not be focusing on 2010 at all. We should be focusing on what happens beyond 2010 - that we have the facilities, infrastructure and vision to do a 2012 and a 2015 and a string of events beyond that.
As an example, from what I can see of the ICDS, we are not thinking big enough. As I have written before, this is a great opportunity to raise the bar and we should be putting in place an inner city distribution system that will see us way into the future because it is world class - such as a light rail system.
Do we have the necessary visionaries among our transport officials and politicians?
Then I am particularly nervous when I hear that the City council has only now set up a 2010 structure and that it excludes the private sector. Interesting that in the private sector these workshops are being organised because of the lack of information coming from the council.
The other major concern is the potential for displacement. If one looks at what has to be done in the Greater Ellis Park area, it is clear that there will have to be gentrification and that there are serious heritage issues that will have to be addressed.
If we do not deal with these issues sympathetically then we can expect to have vociferous pickets as was the case with the opening of the Kliptown commemorative facilities.
There is lots to do and time is few!
Cheers, Neil
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