SKYSCRAPERS towering above the inner city streets, as well as minimal spaces have been granted new life through restoration, revitalisation and upliftment – and these efforts have been celebrated at the prestigious Halala Joburg Awards.
halala-awards_side1The Halala Awards are held every year, giving recognition to inner city revitalisation
The awards acknowledge deserving contributors to inner city regeneration and are handed out annually. This year, the winners were announced at a seminar organised by the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) on 12 May, at Turbine Hall in Newtown.
It was also an opportunity to bid farewell to Lael Bethlehem, who received an honorary award for her achievements and a standing ovation. Bethlehem, the chief executive officer of the JDA, is stepping down this year. She opened the seminar by saying it “aimed to build a community of investors” to share ideas and encourage each other.
At the seminar, the impact of the JDA’s area-based regeneration projects on private sector investments was discussed by Andreas Bertoldi from Rhizome Management and regeneration highlights over the past decade were explored by Sharon Lewis, the JDA’s planner and strategist.
Neil Fraser, an urban development strategist, reflected on his thoughts of inner city regeneration since 1992. Other speakers included developers Gerald Olitzki, Lebo Mashego and Isaac Chalumbira, who spoke about the effects of commercial and residential investments.
Fanuel Motsepe from Motsepe Architects, Graeme Gotz from the Gauteng City Region Observatory and Josie Adler from the eKhaya Neighbourhood Improvement District all spoke about catalysing investments in the inner city.
The awards finalists also presented detailed illustrations of their projects; this was followed by the awards ceremony.
Categories and winners
halala-awards_sideJDA CEO Lael Bethlehem receives an honorary award from Ros Greeff, MMC for development planning and urban management Living Joburg, with the sub-theme “Not houses but homes”, recognises residential projects that provide innovative, progressive and inclusive housing for inner city residents’ needs and that support community development.
This category was divided into two sub-categories, recognising individual investors and corporate investors. Two shortlisted finalists were chosen for the individual investors sub-category – Ekuphumuleni Village by Moonsilk and 9 Saratoga by Harmony Galz, which won the award.
There was also strong competition in the corporate investor sub-category with Afhco being shortlisted for two of its buildings, Greatmans and Cavendish Chambers. It won for the latter.
Other tough competition between the Zurich Building, the National Union of Metal Workers of South African (Numsa) Head Office and Conference Centres, and Arts on Main was seen in the Working and Buying Joburg category. It was won by the Zurich Building.
Working and Buying Joburg, with the sub-theme “Creating a business destination”, recognises innovative, exciting and striking commercial and retail developments that attract people to the city.
Creativity and innovation is recognised through the use of new and old buildings to provide unique recreational spaces in the Relaxing and Playing Joburg category, which had the sub-theme “The recreation destination”.
It looks at the original use of public space, urban art, sports and recreation, and entertainment facilities, such as gyms, restaurants and theatres, among others. The shortlisted finalists in this section included SAB halala-awards_side3Winner: The Zurich Building World of Beer, Sci Bono Science Education Centre and Arts on Main, which won.
“Supporting Joburg’s citizens” was the sub-theme of Caring Joburg, a category that recognises the selfless and community-minded individuals, volunteer groups and organisations who create the “caring heart” of the city.
It also acknowledges those individuals who deliver support services focused on community development. Finalists included the Inner City Ambassador Football Club, Siyakhana Permaculture Food Garden and the winner, Missionaries of Charity: Mother Teresa Home.
Believing in Joburg – the Stan Nkosi Achievement Award – had the sub-theme “Joburg: the home of innovators, investors and implementers”. Made in honour of the late JDA chairman, Stan Nkosi, it recognises individuals who display the same degree of commitment, developmental values and allegiance to sustaining the inner city.
This year it was given to Ishmael Mkhabela, who was described by the judging panel as “a bridge builder whose longstanding and consistent support of social and economic equality and access in the inner city cannot be surpassed”.
Lastly, the Colosseum Award, which relates to conserving Joburg and had the sub-theme “Joburg past, present and future”, was awarded to the Numsa Head Office. This award recognises conserving heritage buildings that meet certain renovation criteria as shown in the national and provincial heritage policies.
Makarapas, the traditional hat of South African football fans made from construction hard hats, were given to all shortlisted finalists as incentives for their contributions in the inner city. They were representative of the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup™ and decorated in true JDA style, incorporating the city’s landscape.
The winners each received a wooden sculpture of the city’s landscape.
The difficult task of selecting the winners was left to eight individuals, most of whom have in some way extensively contributed to the inner city’s regeneration.
Judges
halala-awards_side2Arts on Main is recognised for original use of public space The adjudication panel was made of Bethlehem; Fraser; Anne Steffny, the director of Kagiso Urban Management and the Central Johannesburg Partnership; Gert Dry, the director of housing empowerment finance at Absa; Salome Sengani, a senior member of investment company Musa Capital; Santhurie Naidoo, the inner city manager; Nkosinathi Manzana, the senior development manager at the JDA; and Frank Meintjies, from the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
“One of the most inspiring things about being on the adjudication panel this year was to see the category of individual investors,” Bethlehem said. These first time nominees, who had had very little business experience, had started renovating large buildings.
First time nominees
The inner city has also been a playground for many new developments, projects and programmes which led to first time nominations. These projects included residential, retail, commercial, heritage and social developments.
Susan Monyai, the marketing manager at the JDA, said: “The nominees themselves reflect the vibrancy and diversity of the city.” They ranged from a domestic worker turned investor, to a young man with a vision now moving into his second large development, to a garden the feeds hundreds of children monthly, to a head office that holds the history of South African trade unions.
The “aim of the Halala Joburg Awards is to bring to the attention of the public the incredible investments that are taking place by awarding prizes to the best of these developments every year”, Bethlehem added.
History of the awards
The JDA is an agency of the City involved in inner city regeneration through public and private sector partnerships. “Rejuvenating a city is a massive task,” Bethlehem explained. “We [the JDA] rely on a multitude of partners to transform all the areas of decay.”
Organised by the JDA, the Joburg Halala Awards are handed out annually, first in 2008. It recognises private sector developers involved in reviving and building inner city properties, as well as those who attempt to improve the lives of people.
“We will continue to identify, recognise and spotlight those who, through their investments and effort, are contributing to significant regeneration in the inner city through the Halala Joburg Awards programme.”
Summing up the winners, she noted: “It is a simple matter of fact that these exciting developments and people are out there changing the way we live in and use the inner city.”
Story: City of Johannesburg