Neil Fraser
20 September 2002
BEEN thinking a lot lately about inner city livability sparked off by a number of articles and events.
The first article was one that appeared in the August edition of 'Planning' which provided an interesting and useful overview of city livability in European cities. Whilst it doesn't draw comparisons to any South African cities it ends with a statement that "It is indeed possible to build compact, livable cities."
The second was an editorial 'Comment' in the August edition of 'Building Africa' (also a really worthwhile magazine) which raised the question of the impact of the various projects underway in the inner city on "the revitalisation of the city and whether it will, in fact, make Johannesburg into a livable, user friendly city again." Good question and we should welcome the raising of interest levels regarding the Inner City. However the writer raises her doubts against three of her own experiences. 1. Of a trendy Hillbrow in the '70s, (Hillbrow and CBD streets "crowded with people of all races and everybody having fun") plus, 2, concepts to achieve livable cities presented at the recent Built Environment Professions Convention by 'distinguished local and international architects and urban designers' and, finally, 3, a recent trip to Paris. I would strongly query these as a legitimate base. Yes, Hillbrow of the seventies was trendy and its and the CBD streets may have been crowded with people but the crowds did not reflect the demographics of the country as they proudly do today and certainly not everybody was having fun as claimed. The vast majority of our local population were as sure as hell not having fun in the seventies.
The writer goes on to ask "How many intrepid tourists will be brave enough to venture into Newtown?….How many Johannesburgers will be brave enough to do so? Not any of our rainbow colours are at present encouraged to spend a Sunday afternoon in Newtown…." Just as a matter of interest, and excluding current statistics lest I be accused of misleading because of any additional numbers through the WSSD, visitors to Museum Africa increased from 34 562 in 2000 to 42 309 in 2001; SA World of Beer increased their numbers from 19 941 in 2000 to 24 432 in 2001. Not bad, 22% and 23% respectively AND even before Mary Fitzgerald Square was anywhere near completed! Not enough I agree but watch how these figures start to accelerate! Our Art City launch in Turbine Hall hosted 800 and the Food Court during WSSD attracted 6 000.The recent Joy of Jazz pulled in about 5 000 people each night of Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. A 'fashion commentator' who popped into my office on Wednesday summed up the situation when he told me about the differences between SA Fashion Week shows in Sandton and Newtown held last week. The former was attended by 'hundreds' and was at least an 80% white audience ("might as well have been held at Sandton Clinic") – the latter pulled in a totally mixed audience of 3 500 over the week and "really pumped!" He said that there was no better fashion venue in the Metropolitan area than Newtown's Turbine Hall!
Those who are not regular 'users' of the Inner City either as a workplace or socially/ culturally, generally have skewed perceptions of it.
Some years ago I was asked to assist in raising funds for the inner city's CCTV programme by doing a presentation to property developers and owners in the North – at question time I was asked why on earth I thought that the city needed CCTV – "after all, no one goes there!" I suggested that the questioner might just be excluding the 800 000 who come into the city daily! A couple of months ago I was asked to do a presentation on regeneration in the city to an all male 'black-tie' supper group who meet monthly at the Inanda Club. Interesting that the dinner dress was the only presence of 'black' - other than the highly interested waiters! Apart from them, the group was arrogant, rude and totally dismissive of any attempts to regenerate the city.
On the other hand, two positive inputs at the Cope Housing Association's Annual General Meeting earlier this week. Both related to addresses, one made by Graeme Reid (CEO of the Johannesburg Development Agency) and the other by Jill Turnbull the acting General Manager of the host organisation. (Jill has stepped into the large void left by the recent tragic death of Sipho Simelane which has greatly saddened all of us who were fortunate to have known him). As I listened to Jill talk about Cope's achievements I was once again struck by the huge level of commitment and personal dedication of so many people to the huge task of what Graeme earlier succinctly called "the opportunity to re-shape the geography of the apartheid city". Graeme went on to talk about 'livability' by focusing on the changes in the housing environment from the early '90s. That was a time when it was totally unstable, characterised by abandoned buildings, hostility and a lack of trust between landlords and tenants, rent boycotts, invasions and a breakdown in the management of the public environment. Compounding this situation was a 25% increase in population (as the previous regime's social engineering failed) but with no increase in stock. Today the situation, still difficult admittedly, has stabilised considerably. 5% of all housing stock now falls under social housing management (0% prior to 1994!). An estimated R30 million in new private sector investment has been made in the non-subsidised housing market in the inner city. New players are entering the housing market bringing strong and sound management and a new focus on by-law enforcement (evidenced by the recent forced closure of the notorious Sands Hotel).
There is a fresh sense of urgency on the promotion of middle income housing to create sustainable neighbourhoods and to complement other developments in the city and a vision to ensure a quality of life for inner city citizens comparable with other cities with green lungs, open spaces leisure, recreational and cultural activities. But there is also an acceptance that a major effort is needed with some innovative solutions to ensure that the poor is not excluded in the process, lest we perpetuate apartheid geography.
Companies such as Cope and the Johannesburg Housing Company don't merely offer accommodation (often to people who have been at the mercy of slumlords for years). They provide real empowerment through a wide range of training and development and social interaction. They offer livability, they offer pride and they offer hope!
I believe that the city is far more livable for everyone than it has been for the past decade and for the overwhelming majority of our citizens it is better than it has ever been!
So what's with Sao Paulo? Next week!
Cheers, Neil.
