In the loop Dec 2014 by CITY OF JOHANNESBURG JOBURG

Internal Newsletter

In the Loop Issue No.

Dec2014/Jan 2015

Festival lights the way into the festive season

Contents

Arts, Sports & Culture

Message from the Executive Mayor

Madiba remembered in the City

Vital injection for regional economic dynamo

‘Best of the Best’ in JMPD recognised for exceptional service

Global events show Joburg’s “pulling power” as host City

Festive food hampers bring cheers to families

“Blue is the new Green” as Joburg steps into the future

Festival lights the way into the festive season Junior Mayor commits to tackle youth challenges

Pivotal year ahead for Corridors of Freedom

Prema Naidoo -- a founding father of SA’s democracy

City scoops two top EPWP KAMOSO awards

There’s food on my rooftop!

Pantomime, comedy and zoo events brighten up festive season

Announcements begin for Jozi@Work packages

City spends R100m to give clinics a clean bill of health

Massive plan for a safe festive season

Fast new machines to speed up City printing jobs

Enjoy City Parks, but keep safety in mind

Mayor launches major social housing development project

Acknowledgements Chief Editor: Nabintu Petsana - bintup@joburg.org.za Editor: Thomas Thale - thomasth@joburg.org.za Contributor: Luyanda Lunika - luyandal@joburg.org.za Kabelo Maseng - kabeloma@joburg.org.za Photography: Enoch Lehung - enochl@joburg.org.za

Out with the old ...in with the New Year at Joburg Carnival

Cover Credits Festival lights the way into the festive season. Full story on Page 15.

There will be entertainment galore when the Joburg Carnival winds its way through the streets of the City on New Year’s Eve

Out with the old… in with the New Year at Joburg Carnival

oburg’s rich diversity of cultures will again be on display on New Year’s Eve when the annual Carnival winds its way through the streets in a kaleidoscope of colours and sounds. Now in its tenth year the Joburg Carnival has become a tradition that celebrates the City’s reputation as a melting-pot of different cultural traditions. The country’s commemoration of 20 Years of Democracy and Freedom will add an additional reason to celebrate as revellers see off the old, and welcome in the New Year. Councillor Chris Vondo, the MMC for Community Development says the Carnival is a marvellous opportunity for City residents coming from diverse backgrounds to celebrate the contributions they are making to Joburg’s unique urban identity. The Joburg Carnival is a flagship event and contributes to the allure of a City that has recently been named as the most popular destination in Africa, for the second consecutive year by the MasterCard Global Index. “As we celebrate two decades of freedom we want to encourage all communities who reside in Johannesburg – especially coming from other countries on the African continent – to participate. This is further proof that Johannesburg represents an enriching fusion of cultures and that we are making strides towards social-cohesion in the city,” he says.

In the Loop

Colourful floats and dazzling costumes will again be the hallmark of Carnival, which promises to be the best ever. More than 2 000 participants representing all seven regions will sashay through the streets and display their talents in choreographed dancing, music and poetry. Troupes from a diverse group of countries will give Joburgers a glimpse of their unique cultural traditions – Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Bangladesh are among the nations that will be represented. Most of the troupes have been practicing for weeks and smaller events have been staged in the regions to prepare the participants for the big New Year’s Eve party. Joburg residents can again expect a flamboyant spectacle as the floats, the gigantic puppets, stilt walkers and streets entertainers work their way along the streets and interact with the spectators watching from the sidewalks or apartments along the route. The bands of the JMPD and the SAPS as well as drum majorettes will, however, add a strong local flavour as the procession moves from Hillbrow, through the streets of Braamfontein, across the Mandela Bridge and into Newtown. Here, at the Mary Fitzgerald Square, the various artists will entertain the crowd and join them to party into the early hours of 2015. In the Loopn – 21

Arts, Sports & Culture

ages and tastes. The Animals of the Amazon exhibition centre boasting colourful species from Central America with a walk-through aquarium can be viewed and this is complemented with a rare Big 5 experience in an urban-setting at the Zoo.

Message from the Executive Mayor The dawn of the festive season has brought with it several great news for citizens of the City – subsequently inspiring us to do more in the New Year. One such news is that the Jozi@Work programme, which is designed to empower communities to partner with the City in the delivery of services in their neighbourhoods has finally come alive.

The monthly Zoo Trot has become a great opportunity for city dwellers to run or walk in a peaceful setting. On the second Sunday of each month you and your family can join other zoo trotters for a run or a leisurely stroll. This is a great opportunity to reduce stress, build stamina, keep fit or just socialise. The Trot is open for young and old and many parents even push their babies in strollers along the route. The Pantomime is on until the end of December 2014

Pantomime, comedy and zoo events brighten up festive season H

ailed by critics as “the best ever” the annual festive season Pantomime has returned to the Joburg Theatre with a production of Peter Pan. Directed by the inimitable Janice Honeyman, the production features well-known actors of the South African stage and TV such as Vusi Kunene, Kim Cloete and soap star, Hlubi Mboya as Tinkerbelle.

The Zoo Snooze, where you can hear the lions roar at night while you rough-it on a campout;

Wild Lights and Evening Encounters at the Zoo. Watch the sun sets over the Johannesburg skyline while a new day starts for nocturnal animals. Bring along a torch to enjoy this amazing experience.

Day Tours include a 90-minute Ferry tour, a Senior Citizen’s tour and a Behind-the-Scenes tour which takes you to places where only staff members are usually allowed and give you a sneak peak at how the Zoo functions.

Writing in Business Day, theatre critic, Christina Kennedy described it as: “The most fresh, youthful, modern and timber-shiveringly smashing pantomime in years…It’s loud, brash, colourful, funny: a fast-paced musical comedy blast.” On stage till the end of December is the People’s Theatre production of Beauty and the Beast, recreating a Disney tale that appeals to “children of all ages.” Comedian Loyiso Gola also returns to the stage at the Joburg Theatre during December to perform his stand-up routine. At the Soweto Theatre, the Women in Music project will hold a special concert on 12 December featuring some of the City’s music greats such as Thandiswa Mazwai, Busisiwe Mnguni, Simphiwe Dana and Ray Phiri. The Joburg Zoo’s reputation as one of Johannesburg’s primary leisure destination was confirmed by the readers of The Star who voted it as the “Best Family Outing” in its annual “Your Choice Competition.” During the holiday period the Zoo remains one of the best places to visit with a wide range of activities catering for all 20 – In the Loop

The first Jozi@Work Regional Forums where community members are informed of available work packages under Jozi@Work that they can bid for began on December 1. The forums to be held in all the City’s seven regions are calling on cooperatives and community based enterprises to bid for Jozi@Work contracts valued at just over R1 billion.

In addition, the Joburg Zoo recently added a number of new events to it well-established list of attractions. Among these are:

Coming events on the Joburg social and cultural calendar: Date

Event

Venue

14 December

Zoo Trot

Johannesburg Zoo

12-20 December

Wild Lights and Night Encounters

Johannesburg Zoo

15-21 December

Soweto Festival of Lights (Free)

Mofolo Park

Councillor Mpho Parks Tau Johannesburg Executive Mayor

Colleagues, as 2014 draws to a close, it presents an opportunity for all of us in the City of Johannesburg to reflect on how much we have achieved in making this City a better place for all who live in it. We, as a City at work, have already entered the time of the year when many of us begin, or have already begun, making grand plans to spend quality time with our loved ones during the festive season. I am, however, pleased that this has not meant that the delivery of the City’s programmes has also come to a halt around this time.

This is a significant milestone towards the fulfilment of Jozi@Work’s ultimate objective of transforming members of our communities from being job seekers to becoming job creators. On December 3, the Johannesburg Social Housing Company (JOSHCO) also launched the 708-unit City Deep Social Housing project as it celebrated its 10 Years Delivery of Quality Social Housing in the City. A total of 30 social housing projects undertaken by the company were showcased during the launch. It was encouraging to see that in the past ten years, JOSHCO has continued to grow and adapt to the needs of Johannesburg’s citizens in providing good quality, affordable and safe

rental homes that many families can build great memories in. Those social housing projects are also a clear demonstration of public driven medium density housing delivery in locations along transport corridors in line with the City’s Corridors of Freedom programme, which is aimed at liberating our citizens from apartheid spatial legacies. Both the Jozi@Work programme and the City’s social housing projects look to restore the dignity of our citizens and what better way to close 2014 than to recognise our achievements in serving the people of this city. As our City – the African economic powerhouse - slows down around this time of the year, local tourism offerings such as our rich and diverse culture, leisure, fashion and other lifestyle activities are increasingly taking centre stage. I therefore urge all of you to continue wearing your City of Johannesburg ambassador’s hat with pride as you welcome or visit other parts of the globe to share what makes us a world class African city. May each one of you have a safe and joyous holiday, and a happy new year. Cllr M.P. Tau

Use the QR code reader on your smartphone to scan these barcodes.

www.facebook.com/ CityofJohannesburg

www.plus.google.com/ 1131415161359973 56931/posts

www.instagram.com

www.twitter.com/ CityofJoburgZA

www.youtube.com/ my_videos?o=U

www.flickr.com/ photos/city_ of_joburg/

www.linkedin.com/ profile/view?id=2453 26835&trk=tab_pro

In the Loopn – 1

Food Resilience

Economic Development

The project also brings an additional environmental benefit because the resources used to cultivate the gardens include recyclable items such as tyres to create beds, and plastic bottles for seedling trays and watering tools. “The Food Resilience Programme aims to alleviate poverty alleviation through food security. It also intends to feed those who would otherwise go to bed without a meal,” says MMC Molwele. “Many indigent people live in high-rise building. One of the most effective ways to attain our targets to alleviate poverty and hunger in the city is to utilise available space more effectively. The City is helping residents of high rise buildings to put their rooftops to productive use

There’s food on my rooftop! The City Deep Freight Hub is set for a major revamp which will increase its capacity to move cargo

Vital injection for regional economic dynamo

T he roads infrastructure connecting Africa’s largest inland port – the City Deep Freight Hub -- will undergo a major overhaul to ensure it meets its full potential as an economic dynamo for Johannesburg and Gauteng. The Member of the Mayoral Committee for Transport, Christine Walters says the Johannesburg Roads Agency, in partnership with the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport, will jointly invest R122-million in massive infrastructure upgrades, new developments and accelerated expansions of the roads leading to the terminal. The investment is over and above the R900-million that state-owned logistics and rail entity Transnet will spend over the next few years on the freight terminal. The Transnet upgrade will result in the modernisation of the inland container terminal to handle increased volumes of operations With the nearest seaport – Durban – about 500km away, the importance of the City Deep Freight Hub to the regional economy is far-reaching. It is a key forwarding and clearing hub of goods to the rest of Africa and is connected by major rail and road infrastructure links. However, these existing links have limited capacities.

2– In the Loop

“This is an invaluable investment to ensure the largest container depot in the country runs optimally,” says MMC Walters. “The roads upgrades and expansions will increase the efficiency and decrease the cost of containerised cargo moving in and out of the city by ensuring a better flow of freight traffic and linkages with national highways.” Mpho Kau, JRA’s Head for Infrastructure Development, says the roads upgrade programme will include several interrelated roads infrastructure projects along links leading to the terminal. Projects that are currently in the final stage of design are the widening of Rosherville Road and the Rosherville Road Bridge, the extension of Bonsmara Road and the development of the Cleveland Road Bridge. According to Kau investigations into the extension of Houer Street as well as the development of new links or ramps to the N17, which will ensure increased mobility to and from the terminal and freeway, are almost completed. “We anticipate construction on these projects to commence later in the financial year,” says Kau. The projects are implemented in partnership with the South African National Roads Agency Limited.

Johannesburg’s high-rise rooftops will soon be sprouting more edible greenery that will be turned into nutritious meals.

The City’s first rooftop garden has been a resounding success. Now, more rooftop gardens are to be established throughout the city this summer. The pilot, which is linked to the City’s initiatives to ensure food resilience and security, was launched at a facility run by the Displaced Persons Unit in Kotze Street in the inner city.

“We utilise natural and available resources that are accessible to the poor and have shown that our goals can be achieved at very little cost. The programme is aimed at the poor and this necessitated that the solution be cost-effective,” she says The gardens will be tended by identified tenants. The produce will then be used at kitchens located at the facilities to prepare daily nutritious meals to benefit the tenants. The food gardens also deliver other benefits in terms of skills development and education. Young people will become involved in the project and acquire practical and technical knowledge that can be used on other projects. The rooftop gardens and other food security projects are in line with the City’s Growth and Development Strategy 2040 in that they aim to substantially reduce noncommunicable diseases or lifestyle diseases through the promotion of healthy eating and lifestyle choices, as well as to ensure increased food resilience and security.

“We used this facility to assess the viability of using a portion of the available rooftop for food gardening. Our objective, especially in high-rise buildings in the CBD, is to utilise available areas optimally as space for conventional food gardening is limited,” says the MMC for Health and Social Development, Councillor Nonceba Molwele. The project is part of the City’s Agriculture and Food Security and Resilience Programme. The rooftop gardens initiative aims to increase access to food for the poor and the vulnerable and to improve nutritional security. Vegetables and herbs that deliver maximum nutritional benefit will be planted including spinach, kale/chimolia, beetroot, lettuce, coriander, rocket lettuce, baby cabbage and parsley. In the Loopn – 19

Economic Development

Know Your Leader

for this by the quality of our facilities, the efficiency of our services and the warm hospitality of our citizens.” Adding to the lure of Joburg is its state-of-the-art conference venues and rapidly growing public transport network as well as the support offered by an enthusiastic and very professional private sector. The five day Africities Summit in December will bring together more than 5 000 top decision-makers – cabinet members, business leaders, academics and representatives from international organisations.

The City of Joburg is entrenching its position as a host of major events with many such events lined up for 2015

Learners and community members from across the City have taken part in the award winning Eco Guide project

City scoops two top EPWP KAMOSO awards T he City of Johannesburg added another feather to its cap when it scooped two Expanded Public Works

prevention, traffic management and community outreach activities.

Programme’s Kamoso Awards at a glittering annual awards ceremony held at the St George’s Hotel in Centurion recently.

After 2010, Maluleka says, the project changed its name to JMPD Peace Officers, which sought to empower community members with skills to become peace officers by giving them arresting powers, providing tourists with guidance and protection, assisting with traffic control, crime prevention and enforcing the City’s bylaws.

The EPWP awards, hosted by the Department of Public Works, recognise municipalities, provincial governments and government departments that have excelled in implementing the programme. They also encourage others to embrace the programme. The awards were presented by Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi. The City of Joburg was given recognition in two categories: the Best Social Sector Programme, and the Best Environment and Culture Sector Programme.

July

The Summit on Healthy Ageing

February

Breakbulk Africa Joburg Open

September

March

Conference of the Association of Commonwealth Universities Joburg Fashion Week

Arts Alive Bauma Conexpo Africa Standard Bank Joy of Jazz 21st World Congress on Public Relations

April

Joburg Easter Festival

October

IMEX Africa

May

International Women’s Forum Cornerstone Conference

December

Africities Summit 2015

t en

“More than 350 EPWP work opportunities have been created through this initiative. Participants have received training in mentoring, coaching, programme novelty, administration, Eco Guides conveying and disposition,” Maluleka says.

International Institute of Peace through Tourism, World Symposium

He adds that the role of the Eco Guides was to educate communities on how to play a role in creating a cleaner and healthier environment, as well as in waste management and in the effective use of water and rain harvesting.

January

He says the programme is implemented in schools and communities throughout the City, including Soweto, Midrand, Eldorado Park, Orange Farm, Cosmo City, Diepsloot and Alexandra.

2 of

18 – In the Loop

On the Eco Guide project, Maluleka says it was conceived by the EISD in line with the “Liveable Cities” concept.

Maluleka says its primary aim was to provide guidance and safety for the spectators and participants through crime

Mayor Tau says the tourism and hospitality sectors will be among the biggest beneficiaries of the growth in Johannesburg’s profile as a destination of choice for events, conferences, and exhibitions.

“Johannesburg might not have the natural attractions usually associated with tourist destinations,” says Executive Mayor, Mpho Parks Tau, “however we more than make up

ht lig

Bokaba Maluleka, the City’s Head of EPWP, says the JMPD Peace Officers project was initially conceived as a tourism ambassadors' project in preparation for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

The number and quality of events already on the calendar of Joburg Tourism indicate that global event organisers are increasingly recognising the “pulling power” of the City of Gold and the quality of the infrastructure available to draw delegates and media interest to the economic hub of southern Africa.

Other global events already on the calendar for 2015 include the Cidesco World Congress – for professionals in the skincare industry – the World Congress of the International Fragrance Association (Ifra) and the World Congress on Healthy Ageing. Each of these niche events will bring its own set of participants and media and raise Johannesburg’s profile in specialised communities.

h ig

The City has scooped a total of 10 awards since the inception of the EPWP awards in 2007 through its active participation and performance in the programme.

As part of the exit strategy, those empowered in this way are offered work opportunities in JMPD and other departments, as well as in the City's municipal-owned entities.

oburg’s hosting of the prestigious Africities Summit in December 2015 will be among the highlights of a busy year of events and strengthen the City’s status as a highly sought-after global events venue.

In March the Executive Heads of the Association of Commonwealth Universities – the world’s oldest academic network – will meet in the City, followed by the Cornerstone Conference of the International Women’s Forum, Bauma Conexpo Africa, scheduled for the Johannesburg Expo Centre in September is considered to be the most important trade fair on the continent for machinery and technology used in the construction, mining and building industries.

The first was won by the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department’s Peace Officers project, while the second went to the City’s Environment, Infrastructure and Services Department (EISD) for its Eco Guides project.

The project has since created more than 700 EPWP work opportunities.

Global events show Joburg’s “pulling power” as host city

Earlier in the year Johannesburg will be the host of the 21st Public Relations World Congress following a successful bid by Joburg Tourism. The event will coincide with the 60th anniversary of the association that represents public relations practitioners in more than 80 countries.

In the Loopn – 3

Know Your Leader

Blue Economy

Naidoo, who is now Chief Whip in the City of Johannesburg Council, grew up in a politically astute and active family. His parents’ house in Doornfontein always teemed with political heavyweights, such as “Uncle Mandela”, who came either for social visits or clandestine political meetings.

The site visits and subsequent report identified a number of projects with the potential to become Blue Economy initiatives and facilitate the participation of communities at grassroots level. Among these are: • The establishment of a stone paper factory utilising the contents of tailing dams at mine dumps to produce this unique product which is increasingly used for stationary, magazines, posters, packaging and bags. There are a number of tailing dams across the City and the project has the potential to attract investment from mining companies who want to mitigate the impact of their activities on the environment.

Delegates discussing ways of stimulating the Joburg economy at a recent workshop organised by the City

“Blue is the new green” as Joburg steps into the future Johannesburg’s economic future looks refreshingly “blue” as the City takes actions to invest in ventures and initiatives

• The utilisation of Li-Fi technology for street lighting will be a cost-effective option for the city and stimulate the growth of a local industry to manufacture photo-voltaic panels. Li-Fi also has numerous other applications in industry, technology and healthcare and will support Johannesburg’s transition towards becoming a “smart City.” • Households currently consume about 95% of water delivered by Johannesburg Water and the fitting of conservation devices such as the vortex toilet system will contribute significantly to save on this precious resource. One initiative under consideration is to install waterless urinals, based on modern technology, at all city-owned buildings.

within the “Blue Economy.” A number of projects already being investigated will enable Johannesburg to assume a leadership role in a new wave of thinking about sustainable economic development that is currently catching the imagination of global civil society and communities. The City’s “green initiatives” are well-known, including investments in solar heating, photovoltaic panels, the production of biofuels and the conversion of the vehicle fleet to run on such energy sources. However, the City is equally aware that the transition to renewable energy is often expensive and requires either huge capital investments or subsidies to consumers who want to make the switch. In his 2014 State of City Address, the Executive Mayor, Mpho Parks Tau, envisaged a stronger emphasis on projects within the “blue economy” space. A high-level team from the Zero Emissions Research and Initiative (ZERI) programme led by Belgian Economist, Prof Gunter Pauli, met with the City’s leadership in October and visited a number of sites and projects which have the potential to support Blue Economy activities. Research that led to the establishment of ZERI was funded by the United Nations Environmental Programme and Prof Pauli is the world’s leading thinker on the concept that “Blue is the new Green.” 4 – In the Loop

The City’s Blue Economy team will continue to investigate the feasibility of some 29 potential projects and firm proposals for funding will be taken to the first Budget Lekgotla in 2015.

In a recent book Prof Gunter Pauli describes the Blue Economy as a model that will shift society from scarcity to abundance “with what is locally available.”

What is the Blue Economy?

Both government and the private sector are encouraged to switch to technologies that are “powered less by investment and more by innovation,” with a focus on creating jobs, building social capital and generating multiple cash flows. In the Blue Economy there are no waste products. Materials are continuously reused through a “closed loop” process which turns them into new products, new components and new materials. Readers of In the Loop are encouraged to view the very informative video at the following YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1af08PSlaIs

Naidoo himself was harassed and detained by the security police for his political activities and spent lengthy periods in jail. Every time, after he was released for brief periods, he linked up with his comrades in the ANC and the Transvaal Indian Congress to take the struggle forward. By the time the winds of change began to blow and struggle veterans were released from prison Naidoo was already battle-scarred. It was a time of joy but he also knew that the struggle was not over; it just had to be intensified. Councillor Prema Naidoo, Chief Whip in the City of Johannesburg

Prema Naidoo continues to serve SA’s democracy H

e was barely in his teens – hardly a fellow who could hurt a fly – when the apartheid machinery in all its might came hurtling towards him, threatening to break his fragile bones and snuff the young life out of him. Premanathan Naidoo was only 14 years old when he came face to face with apartheid’s brutality. His ‘”crime” was to distribute pamphlets denouncing the system’s atrocities and injustices during a “pound-a-day protest” by workers in Doornfontein in the early 1960s. Police did not take kindly to that. He was thrown in jail, hauled before the courts for “trespassing on railway property” and slapped with a suspended sentence. But, the harrowing experience did not break his spirit. It strengthened his resolve to continue to seek justice, equality and freedom. He has not looked back since then.

In 1994, after South Africa’s first democratic elections Naidoo was appointed mayor of the South-Western Transitional Local Metro Council, which included Eldorado Park, Lenasia and parts of Soweto. A year later, he was elected chairman of the South-Western Local Metro Council, a position he held until 2000 when the local councils were consolidated into the City of Johannesburg. “The consolidation of Johannesburg into a single city resulted in the tarring of all roads and streets in Soweto, the redevelopment of Alex and the building of clinics in many parts of the city. We planted more than 200 000 trees in the City” says Naidoo who was the Member of the Mayoral Committee responsible for Environment. Looking back at the past 20 years, Naidoo is satisfied with the achievements that have been made but remain realistic about the remaining challenges. “Johannesburg’s population is growing all the time. Finding homes for people has been a challenge and a lot more still has to be done,” he says. “Unemployment, poverty and inequality are the real problems,” he says. Looking into the future, for Johannesburg Naidoo envisages an integrated city. “We will be able to integrate the city through the Corridors of Freedom. We have already done quite in bit in re-stitching the north with the south,” Naidoo concludes. In the Loop – 17

Corridors of Freedom

Human & Social Development

Social infrastructure, schools, clinics, police stations and government offices will be strategically located to support the growing population. Well-planned transport infrastructure is a key determinant for success and the City has already made significant progress with the introduction of the Rea Vaya, Bus Rapid Transit System, supported by a trend towards cycling lanes and pedestrian walkways.

The Empire-Perth Development Corridor is one of the first three corridor nodes approved by Council

The newly appointed Junior Council of the City of Johannesburg

Innocent Marubini, a learner at the Vuwani Secondary is the Junior Mayor of the City

Junior Mayor commits to tackle youth challenges Johannesburg’s new Junior Mayor has committed his newly-elected Council to “working tirelessly” to tackle the challenges facing the youth in the City. Innocent Marubini, 15, a learner at the Vuwani Secondary School in Tshiawelo, Soweto, leads the 10-member Executive Council, which represents youth from schools across all seven regions in Johannesburg. Following a voting process the Johannesburg Students’ Council was elected and an Executive Council inaugurated, the seventh such body since the programme was launched in 2007. The Executive serves as the Junior Mayoral Committee during the one year term of office. The Johannesburg Students’ Council is modelled around the Metro Council and has the objective to train the youth for future leadership roles and to instil a sense of duty and community responsibility. Members of the student council are exposed to a variety of life-changing programmes, both locally and abroad. They get opportunities to attend seminars and meet their peers and counterparts to share experiences. The Junior Council provides a useful forum for the City to interact with the youth, the future leaders of Johannesburg. In his acceptance speech Marubini, welcomed the opportunity for service given to the youth. “We are aware of the work ahead of us,” he says. We promise to work tirelessly to tackle the challenges facing the youth in our areas.” In a statement the Speaker of Council, Cllr Constance Bapela, said the Johannesburg Student’s Council has 16 – In the Loop

surpassed all expectations since its launch seven year ago. It is especially gratifying that most schools in Johannesburg had embraced the initiative. The other members of the Johannesburg Students’ Executive Council that were inaugurated are: Deputy Mayor: Nangomso Nduna (Topaz Secondary School, Lenasia), Speaker: Branden Molotsi (Sir John Adamson Secondary, Ridgeway), Deputy Speaker: Linda Nene (Kensington Secondary School), Mamakiri Letswalo (Marlboro Gardens, Sandton), Prianne Chetty (Rand Girls High School, Braamfontein), Jonty Ngwekazi (King Edward VII School, Houghton), Azraa Moyideen (Sir John Adamson, Ridgeway), Chandile Beetge (President High School, Ridgeway) and Aaliyah Charles (Victory House Private School, Florida).

The new councillors are following in the footsteps of many young leaders who participated in the programme and gone on to do well in their educational careers. One of the former junior mayors, Palesa Motene, 23, is currently doing her final year LLB degree at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Pivotal year ahead for Corridors of Freedom wenty fifteen will be a decisive year for the Corridors of T Freedom initiative as the future urban form of Johannesburg gets further shape. The adoption of the Corridors of Freedom Framework by Council has accelerated the implementation of the plan designed to “re-stitch” the spatial landscape and transform entrenched settlement patterns. The City has also released comprehensive Strategic Area Frameworks for the first three corridor nodes which will determine the implementation of the programme over the medium term: •

The Turffontein Development Corridor;

•

The Louis Botha Avenue Development Corridor; and

•

The Empire-Perth Development Corridor.

Johannesburg is following modern spatial planning trends with the introduction of transport arteries linked to interchanges where the focus is on mixed-use development and high-density accommodation. These nodes will be supported by office buildings, retail developments and opportunities for leisure, education and recreation. Johannesburg residents will, in future, live closer to their workplace and be able to work, stay and play without having to use private motorised transport. Future growth in and around these corridors is envisaged as medium to high-rise residential developments growing around the transit nodes, gradually decreasing in height and density as it moves further away from the core.

Executive Mayor Mpho Parks Tau says the aim of the Corridors is to create “a people-centred city” where the safety, comfort and economic well-being of communities are at the core of planning and delivery processes. Travel time will be shortened, transport costs significantly reduced and families will be able to spend more quality time together leading to greater social stability. Such a compact City is energy efficient, provides residents with greater access, promotes social cohesion and creates a vibrant urban environment. Mayor Tau says the vision will also support Johannesburg decisive turn towards a low-carbon future with ecoefficient infrastructure that underpins a sustainable environment. A reduction in urban sprawl will create a compact city that is energy efficient, provides residents with greater access to services and economic opportunities, promotes social cohesion and creates a vibrant urban environment. “The Corridors of Freedom will usher in a new era of access to opportunity and choice for Joburg residents and create a vibrant future urban environment,” says Mayor Tau.

Corridors of Freedom will create: •

Mixed-use developments where residential areas are close to public facilities and retail opportunities;

•

An environment that stimulate economic activities and create opportunities for emerging entrepreneurs;

•

Integrated neighbourhoods with a wide range of housing options within the same space;

•

Convenient access to public transport through well-planned corridors and transit nodes.

•

Safe neighbourhoods designed for cycling and walking

In the Loop – 5

Jozi@work

Human & Social Development

“The Soweto Festival of Light brings a spirit of joy to many families in Soweto and creates a true ‘African Christmas’ especially for children who do not have the opportunity to enjoy a holiday away from home during the festive season,” says MMC Vondo.

More than 1 750 new and existing enterprises at community level are expected to benefit from the co-production intervention that is the Jozi@Work programme. Although one of Jozi@Work’s objectives is to cut down on bureaucratic red tape and simplify the procurement process for Jozi@Work service providers, prospective participants are required to register as legal entities."

New announcements bolster Jozi@Work programme T he announcements of the work packages available under the Jozi@Work programme have begun in all seven

"This is important because the City is a custodian of public money and needs to always account adequately for all its expenses,” says Mayor Tau. "The City still needs to ensure that it receives value for the money allocated to the community based-enterprises and quality service delivery. This requirement is also covered by the involvement of the Capability Support Agents, who oversee acceptable quality standard of work is delivered by the enterprises in the Jozi@Work programme," Mayor Tau says.

The Festival of Lights is a spectacular display of lights, bringing colour to Soweto

Festival lights the way into the festive season

During the Jozi@Work Registration Drive, which ended in the first week of December, officials from the City, in partnership with a development agency, The Business Place, helped community members to navigate their way through the registration process of their cooperatives and community based companies as legal entities.

T he Soweto Festival of Light will, again, be the best way to kick-start the holiday period when it returns to the

The forums also provided practical advice and information to emerging micro-entrepreneurs who wish to participate in the Jozi@Work programme, designed to empower communities to work with the City in the delivery of services in their own neighbourhoods.

They were also informed about the Jozi@Work Regional Forums that they needed to attend to hear what work packages were available in their respective regions that they could bid for.

Since its inception in 2012 it has grown both in size and in fame expecting to attract close on 60 000 visitors this year, making it the largest annual family lifestyle event in Soweto… and well on its way to become the biggest of its kind in South Africa.

“The regional forums represented significant milestones towards the fulfilment of one of the Jozi@Work programme’s objectives, which is to transform community members from being job seekers to becoming job creators,” says the Executive Mayor of Johannesburg, Cllr Parks Tau.

The new micro-enterprises will be delivering a range of services that include grass cutting, gardening, the de-sludging of chemical toilets, as well as separation and recycling of waste. The work packages also include growing and delivering food to the City’s nutrition programmes, resurfacing and maintaining of roads and providing frontline support for the water and power infrastructure.

The Festival of Light coincides with a programme at the Joburg Zoo at which patrons can enjoy a relaxing evening at the Tree of Light Lawn and Wildlights. The daily Moonlight Tours start at 17h00 and include guided visits to the many nocturnal animals in the Zoo as well as a programme of Marimba bands, traditional dancing and story-telling.

"The forums were steps towards realising the goal of the City partnering with communities to build a world class African city," Mayor Tau says.

Jozi@Work coordinators have also been placed in the City's regional offices to assist with inquiries on the programme.

The Soweto Festival takes place in a safe and hospitable environment that is being created with a special focus on activities that appeal to the tastes of families with children.

regions of the City of Johannesburg. The first announcements were made at a successful series of 23 Jozi@Work Regional Forums held in the various regions during the first 10 days of December.

Through Jozi@Work, the City has set aside work package contracts to the value of just over R1-billion that will be assigned to cooperatives and community-based enterprises.

Mayor Tau says Jozi@Work will not only bring huge benefits to the enterprises that are being created to deliver the services – but also to the overall people and businesses in the City who will experience faster and more attentive service in return for their rates and services charges paid to the City.

Mofolo South Nursery from the 15th to the 21st of December.

The Executive Mayor of Johannesburg, Mpho Parks Tau and his wife, Pilisiwe Twala-Tau, will again officially switch on the lights during the opening of the Festival leading to a week of fun-filled activities. Ms Twala-Tau is the patron of the Festival. City Parks, the Joburg Zoo and City Power are among the departments and agencies that are working with the organisers to make this year’s Festival another success. Entrance to the event is free. The event helps to build a positive image of Soweto and will bring long-term benefits to the growth of the tourism industry and contribute to create a vibrant, warm and cohesive community. The Soweto Festival of Light creates income opportunities for performance artists, entertainers, security personnel and support staff recruited from the greater Soweto area. It also benefits a number of Soweto charities dedicated to caring for underprivileged children and the elderly, including the Love Jozi Generation that teaches young people life skills, financial management and supports leadership development. Alan Busuttil from The Imagineering Corporation says the Festival is also a great opportunity for talented young fashion designers to showcase their designs at the Soweto’s Got Talent, event which will be hosted on a daily basis at the amphitheatre.

Other expected activations include:

a Holiday Beach with sand castle competitions and other activities usually associated with the seaside;

the Tombola Alley, including face painting;

The organisers are proud of the fact that not a single incident of bad behaviour was recorded at last year’s event and both security and medical services will be on hand again to provide peace of mind to parents who want to bring their children along to experience the wide range of happenings.

the Baobab Forest, creating a true symbol of an African Christmas;

the Circle of Light designed to bring joy and laughter into the lives of families;

Hands on Deck, an interactive experience allowing the children to express their creativity;

Councillor Chris Vondo, the MMC for Community Development, says the City of Johannesburg is delighted to again work with the organisers The Imagineering Corporation and Showtime Marketing to create an event that strengthens the image of Soweto as vibrant and exciting hub within Gauteng.

Father Christmas Land, Play Land, Mirror Land and the Power of Dreams.

The Mofolo South Nursery is located on the corner of Elias Motsoaledi and Chris Hani Roads in and within easy walking distance from the Thokoza Park Rea Vaya station.

Many residents have attended meetings and are signing up for Jozi@work packages 6 – In the Loop

In the Loop – 15

Health

Human & Social Development

The Joburg Fresh Produce Market is bringing cheer to many families this festive season with its Food Bank

Festive food hampers bring cheers to families Freedom Park Clinic is one of the new clinics bringing quality healthcare to residents across the city

ore than 11 000 Joburg households will have an extra reason to celebrate the 2014 festive season when they receive free food and vegetable hampers from the City’s food bank this month. “The food bank which was set up in 2009 as part of the City’s Food Resilience Programme has the objective to enhance food security among residents,” says the Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Health and Social Development, Councillor Nonceba Molwele. The City spends more than R5-million a year to support vulnerable households in response to Mayor Parks Tau’s call that “no one in this city must go hungry”. Every month, a total of 7 352 indigent households on the City’s database receive food and vegetable hampers from this unique community resource. The hampers are distributed to the beneficiaries in all seven regions via 800 non-governmental organisations registered on the City’s database, according to MMC Molwele. However, the number of beneficiaries will jump to more than 11 000 during the festive season due to increased demand and the need to give the indigent members of the community – particularly the elderly – festive season treats. The extra food and vegetable hampers will also be distributed to a number of recreation centres under the schools’ holiday programme. This will help to close the gap left by school feeding schemes that closed at the start of the summer holidays. Mpho Mukwevho, Targeted Groups Manager at the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market, leads a team of 17 employees that ensures that the city’s most vulnerable households receive their hampers every month. The food bank at the Market in City Deep collects fresh vegetables from farmers, market agents and exporters on a daily basis. 14 – In the Loop

“When we receive the vegetables we wash and sort them. The food is then certified by an inspector to ensure it is fit for human consumption,” he says. Mukwevho believes the City is making a big difference in the lives of the less fortunate residents of Johannesburg. “On a daily basis we call the identified NGOs to collect the food, depending on the volume available. The number of people who request assistance always exceeds the amount of food we have at any given time. We don’t always have enough food in stock because availability depends on the season. In summer we have more stock because producers are afraid food will go to waste,” says Mukwevho. The programme also encourages residents to turn their backyards into food gardens. In addition it is running a 12-month pilot project – called “Food for Waste -- in food insecure areas in Region G with Pikitup. The project distributes fresh produce and basic groceries to 142 households every week. Every Monday, members of the community clean up their neighbourhood. Pikitup then collects the garbage and gives community members basic groceries and vegetables in return. “The food is usually enough to keep them going for a week, depending on the size of the family,” he says.

City spends R100m to give clinics a clean bill of health

T he City of Johannesburg is to spend nearly R100 million on the building of new state-of-the-art clinics or the refurbishment of existing ones in the New Year. Member of the Mayoral Committee for Health and Social Development, Councillor Nonceba Molwele, says the infrastructure development is in response to the growing healthcare needs of communities across all the City’s seven regions. According to MMC Molwele, the building and upgrading of these primary healthcare facilities in line with Johannesburg’s Growth and Development Strategy 2040 (GDS 2040) and the infrastructure requirements of the Corridors of Freedom. The eight clinics that will either be built from scratch or refurbished will bring to 13 the number of primary healthcare facilities the City has provided residents over the past few financial years. It will also bring the total cost of clinic building and refurbishment programme to more than R150 million. The eight clinics to be built or refurbished are in Zandspruit, Noordgesig, Orchards on Louis Botha Avenue in Parktown, Parkhurst, Westbury, Halfway House, Ennerdale and River Park in Alexandra. MMC Molwele says the building or renovation of the nine other clinics will be completed in December 2015. Thanduxolo Mendrew, CEO of the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), the entity managing and

overseeing the construction and refurbishment of the clinics, says the Westbury facility will be upgraded to deliver comprehensive healthcare services to the local community, including tuberculosis treatment, chronic care, antenatal and post-natal care, child healthcare services, HIV-Aids care, antiretroviral medication, and cancer and prostate cancer screening. The 2 080sqm facility, which is situated at the corner of Du Plessis and Westbury streets, will also accommodate auxiliary and support services. In March this year, Executive Mayor Councillor Parks Tau opened the R17,1 million Slovoville Clinic, about 30km from Dobsonville, Soweto. The clinic, which serves a community of more than 8 000 people, replaces a makeshift structure the community had been using for a number of years. The clinic is named after Joe Slovo, an SACP and ANC stalwart and the first Minister of Housing in the late former president Nelson Mandela’s Cabinet. Mpumelelo Clinic, in Ivory Park, which also operated from a prefabricated building for more than 20 years, was completed earlier this year. It was officially opened by MMC Molwele in September. Built at a cost of R12.7-million, the modern clinic caters for the healthcare needs of more than 3 000 residents a month.

In the Loop – 7

Safety

Employee News News Employee

soon found his calling in law enforcement when he joined the newly-created JMPD in 2001.

“The City will ensure high visibility of our uniformed staff in areas identified as hotspots,” MMC Lemao said. He identified driver fatigue as another serious cause of accidents.

He forged his career steadily through the ranks, from officer to sergeant and eventually to superintendent. Along this route he gained valuable experience in all the varied aspects of policing in a large urban setting – leading city-wide teams that acted against transgressors of the City’s bylaws on outdoor advertising and heading a unit dedicated to crack down on illegal water connections.

MMC Lemao said EMS receives more than 30 000 medicalrelated calls a month. He said for the department to efficiently and diligently deal with each and every call, all safety protocols, especially relating to equipment and personnel, must be observed. MMC Lemao emphasised, however, that safety was a collective responsibility.

Massive plan for a safe festive season

“We urge residents to play their part by ensuring their own safety and that of their loved ones,” he said, The following are some of the road safety tips the EMS Department has prepared: • Pedestrians are not allowed to walk on the freeways; •

Hawkers are not allowed to sell goods on the freeways;

•

Vehicles are not allowed to stop on freeways to pick up passengers;

•

Pedestrians must wear light-coloured clothing to be more visible at night; and

part of the City of Johannesburg’s plan to ensure that residents and visitors to the city are safe throughout the festive season.

•

Drivers must ensure their vehicles are roadworthy and must never drive under the influence of alcohol.

Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Public Safety, Sello Lemao says the plan would include a comprehensive list of safety tips that residents could follow to ensure they enjoy an incident-free holiday.

On fireworks, MMC Lemao urged residents to buy them from reputable dealers. He called on them to use protective eyewear and to stand well back after lighting them. “Always have a bucket of water or garden hose handy,” he said.

T he Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) will next week launch a massive safety campaign as

“We will be using the media and other communications platforms to spread the safety message. Residents will be given flyers, brochures and booklets containing safety tips in simple language,” MMC Lemao says. He said similar EMS campaigns in previous years had resulted in “a noticeable reduction” in the number of car accidents and fatalities that occurred on the roads.

He also called on residents to keep their pets indoors when using fireworks, never throw lit fireworks at pets and to contact animal welfare organisations such as the SPCA and Animals in Distress to attend to distressed animals. In case of an emergency, residents are urged to call 10177 or (011) 375 5911 for assistance.

The festive safety campaign will largely focus on traffic management, water safety, pedestrian safety and fireworks bylaws compliance.

8 – In the Loop

‘Best of the Best’ in JMPD recognised for exceptional service

“ t is more than a job… it is a calling,” is the way in which Superintendent Ignus Jona, describes his role a metro policeman for which he has just been recognised as the JMPD’s top officer for 2014. For the 54-year old who heads up the JMPD operations in Region E, there are no half measures when he leads his group of dedicated officers on a daily quest to make Johannesburg a safer, cleaner and friendlier place for all residents and visitors.

“It starts with personal neatness and punctuality and ends with the way in which you interact with the public. Our duty is to be professionals and deliver high levels of customer care to the residents of Johannesburg,” he says.

Councillor Sello Lemao, MMC for Public Safety.

The 37-year old who hails from Limpopo and joined the JMPD in 2006 says she is both “excited and surprised” by the honour to be recognised as the top officer in a force of 2 300 members. The citation which she received in addition to a sparkling trophy mentioned her “excellent ability to work as an individual and as part of a collective.” Her trustworthiness, attention to detail and commitment to work during awkward hours and at short notice all counted in her favour when the selection panel took a decision on the finalists submitted from the various regions. Speaking at the prestigious ceremony held at the Red Farm in Eikenhof, the MMC for Public Safety, Councillor Sello Lemao, said the various awards handed out demonstrated that the “good work done by the JMPD does not go unnoticed. We appreciate the fact that you are taking a rest during the festive season but will continue to be on duty to keep the city safe,” he said.

Whether it is arresting drug smugglers, acting against serial polluters of the environment or patrolling the highways and issuing tickets to traffic offenders, Supt Jona believes in “a 100% commitment approach.” Quipping that his wife thinks “I am married to my job” Jona says he believes in leading by example. As can be expected from a veteran lawman that has been recognised for his contribution to the JMPD for a record four times the word “discipline” crops up regularly in conversations about his role in the City.

“This year will be no different. We are working towards making this an incident-free festive season. The EMS Department will deploy sufficient numbers of members to strategic points to ensure the safety of residents is secured,” he said.

The EMS Department will pull out all stops to deal with all emergency situations that might occur during this time. He said accidents involving pedestrians were one of the department’s major concerns.

JMPD spokesperson Superintendent Wayne Minnaar, with Metro Police Officer Ndivhuho Masoga, the 2014 Officer of the Year & Superintendent Ignus Jona, best Superintendent for 2014

For Jona the award is a recognition of the quality of the team that he has assembled in the region. And one thing is certain – his enthusiasm and professionalism is definitely rubbing off on the officers under his command. Joining Supt Jona in the limelight at this year’s JMPD awards was Ndivhuho Masoga, who was named as the 2014 Officer of the Year.

Growing up in rural Matatiele in the Eastern Cape Jona moved to the City at a young age and literally “worked his way from the bottom upwards.” His first job in the late 80s was as a manual labourer in the roads department but he

•

Best regional commander – D P Mogwane; •

Best superintendent – Ignus Jona

•

Best Sergeant – W W Mrubata

•

Officer of the Year – Ndivhuho Masoga;

•

Shottist of the Year – L J Kesilwe;

•

Driver of the Year – Mothusi Leshomo;

•

Best rate of arrests – Azwindini Kutama;

•

Top crime prevention team – Region C In the Loop – 13

Employee News

City of Joburg Executive Mayor, Parks Tau addressing staff members to mark the first anniversary of the passing of the former statesman and Freeman of the City, Nelson Mandela

Madiba remembered in the City

Fast new machines to speed up City printing jobs

T hree ultramodern printers acquired by the City of Johannesburg will improve turnaround times and efficiency, increase printing capacity and enable the production of professional publications.

Johannesburg Mayor, Parks Tau has committed city employees to uphold the values that the late former President Nelson Mandela stood for, by creating a better and inclusive city and nation. He was addressing political office bearers and officials on 5 December at an event to mark the first anniversary of the passing of the former statesman and Freeman of the City of Johannesburg. “We have a duty as people serving the City to uphold the values Madiba stood for. As civil servants, we need to create a better place in Johannesburg, Gauteng and South Africa. That’s what Madiba committed his life to,” Cllr Tau told the gathering outside the civic centre. He touched on the 67 years that Mandela sacrificed towards the creation of a non-racial, non-sexist and democratic South Africa in which people’s colour enhances and strengthens the national diversity. “The world descended on the City of Johannesburg last year to be part of a ceremony celebrating Nelson Mandela’s

12 – In the Loop

life. Heads of state visited South Africa and we showed the world that it can only happen in South Africa that Cuban and American presidents Raul Castro and Barack Obama can shake hands,” Cllr Tau said. Official ceremonies to mark the first anniversary of Madiba’s passing included an interfaith prayer service followed by a wreath-laying commemoration by veterans of the anti-apartheid struggle, as well as a cricket match. Bells, hooters, and vuvuzelas, were sounded for three minutes and seven seconds, followed by three minutes of silence, combined to equal a six-minute and seven-second ceremony designed to symbolise Mandela’s 67 years of public service. The iconic leader passed away last year at the age of 95 after a long illness. Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa led the three-minute moment of silence, followed by a friendly cricket match, dubbed the Mandela Legacy Cup, between South Africa’s national rugby and cricket teams.

The multi-function printers – able to process up to 200 copies per minute – will produce brochures, books and square-spine booklets and add full-colour cover inserts. Indrin Mariemuthoo, the deputy director for printing and duplicating, says the new printers are able to print millions of black and white documents at maximum speed and in minimal time. The three printers can do binding, scan in full colour, fax, copy and print simultaneously. They have an initial six year lifespan but will still function optimally for many more years after that. The acquisition of the machines means that the City will never run behind schedule for its printing requirements. Every printing job will be done quickly and the quality will be unrivalled. The new printers will streamline all document-related operations and increase printing capacity. Large print operations such as for the Mayor’s State of the City address, the Budget and Council documentation are sensitive jobs for which machines are geared for, says Mariemuthoo.

His department will now be able to handle the printing and delivery of essential documents, such as Council documentation and speeches as well as brochures and booklets effortlessly. “We can now meet tight turnaround times and offer more services, such as large document publishing and customised catalogues,” he says. The machines are equipped with the latest printing technology, which features a built in USB port and anti-virus software, making them the first of their kind in the world. The 100 gigs descriptor allows the user to store printing jobs which can be retrieved many years after they have been processed. One of the machines, a Xerox D125, is considered to be the most technologically advanced in the country at the moment. There are also two gigantic colour 1000s, which are only available in the City. The D125 Copier/Printer can store documents electronically through an easy-to-use touch screen interface. With the use of archiving software, documents are stored electronically and their authenticity is guaranteed with numerical markings. Flexible features like booklet making, binding, punching and folding enable quick turnaround times. A resident technician from the company that supplies the new printers will be based at the City to ensure the machines always function optimally. In the Loop – 9

Safety

Housing

Mayor launches major social housing development project

T he City of Johannesburg is at work to secure a future in which residents, instead of driving or commuting to work, will either walk or cycle on designated lanes currently being rolled out, Johannesburg Executive Mayor Councillor Parks Tau said at the 10th anniversary celebrations of the Johannesburg Social Housing Company (Joshco) at City Deep on Wednesday December 3.

JMPD officers are keeping parks safe this festive season

Enjoy City Parks, but keep safety in mind

Johannesburg City Parks is introducing special measures to ensure visitors to parks and public facilities under its care

and January and enjoy the great weather that we usually experience during this time of the year.

will be able to enjoy the festive season in comfort and safety.

“We call on people to respect their fellow visitors and obey the rules that are clearly posted at the city’s parks.”

The Park Rangers will have a visible presence in parks and work closely with the JMPD to combat crime and take action against unlawful activities and disturbances.

Between 10 December and 15 January 2015 the Rangers will maintain a high visibility at parks and, when required, conduct stop and search operations at park entrances.

“The vast majority of our visitors are law-abiding citizens who simply want to enjoy a good day out in nature especially during the holiday period,” says City Parks spokesperson, Jenny Moodley.

Officers will patrol the parks by foot and strategically deploy unmarked police vehicles to observe unlawful activities and apprehend transgressors.

“We have a responsibility to ensure that we provide families and social groups with a social environment that accommodate leisure activities.” Moodley says it is unfortunate that the festive period is often also accompanied by a rise in anti-social behaviour in public spaces and transgressions of by-laws. These include drinking in public, vandalism, vagrancy, unruly behaviour and illegal dumping. “We don’t want to spoil people’s fun. On the contrary we invite families and friends to visit our parks in December

10 – In the Loop

Moodley says the Rangers will also work with the JMPD to address more serious crimes such as muggings, robbery, assault, drug dealing and the possession of illegal fire arms. “While we encourage Joburg residents and visitors to the City to enjoy themselves in our parks during the holiday season we also call on them to extra vigilant and keep safety in mind. Unfortunately criminals are active during this period of the year and take advantage of crowds and the relaxed mood of people to carry out their misdeeds,” says Moodley.

The celebrations coincided with the launch of the City Deep Project, a 708-unit social housing development that, among other things, boasts roads, pedestrian walkways, gardens and other amenities. Joshco, mandated by the City to address human settlement and urbanisation disparities, has over the past 10 years invested more than R1.8 billion in the provision of a total of 7 000 homes and the refurbishment or construction of 8 749 housing units, with ambitious plans to increase the number to 13 600 units by the end of June 2017. The ongoing City Deep Project – it is expected to be completed by May next year – entails transforming the old segregated dormitories into a contemporary living space in a safe and secure environment. Mayor Tau said the flagship project – winner of the 2014 South African Housing Foundation’s Best Social Housing Project award – represented the vision of Johannesburg’s future, one of accessibility, equality and dignity. “Joshco in fulfilling its mandate to transform these monuments of South Africa’s historic inequalities into sustainable thriving spaces,” said Mayor Tau. “The City Deep Project is a demonstration of the City’s commitment to redress historic spatial inequalities through, among other things, the rehabilitation of mining land in line with our Corridors of Freedom programme. This programme seeks to realise our spatial vision of wellplanned transport arteries that are linked to interchanges where mixed-use development, high density accommodation – supported by office buildings, retail development and

opportunities for leisure and recreation – exist.” Mayor Tau said the City would spend a total of R3.3 billion on infrastructure development along the Corridors of Freedom over the next three years. He commended Joshco for being at the forefront of transforming social housing as well as former single-sex hostels into family friendly, dignified and accessible homes. In a bid to create accessible social housing, Joshco offers affordable and secure rental units for citizens who earn between R3 500 and R7 500 a month. Said JOSHCO CEO, Rory Gallocher: “One of the factors that threatened social housing was non-payment of rentals by tenants. Our tenants can expect delivery of service, while we expect them to pay rent on time every month and to respect the buildings and the rights of other tenants. The collection rate up to the end of the last audited financial year was 88%, up from 46% in 2006. Joshco is progressively improving this to achieve an average of 97%.” He said education played a large role in Joshco’s operations. “Often our tenants are first-time renters, so the rights and obligations of a responsible tenant need to be communicated. This is done through workshops that Joshco’s tenants are obliged to attend before signing a lease agreement,” he said. The Mayor, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Housing Councillor Dan Bovu, Gallocher, members of the Section 79 committee and several other dignitaries had earlier visited the recently completed Fleurhof, where the Mayor handed three families the keys to their new homes. MMC Bovu said Fleurhof reminded him of the old Sophiatown, “an area where we knew no colour, where we were all one and equal. It’s a true representation of a rainbow nation”. The 10 000-unit Fleurhof Estate is a transit-orientated development that boasts 452 social housing units. The area is close to schools, parks, shops and places of work.

In the Loop – 11