A commitment to a better Johannesburg for all is bringing new life to the city’s derelict areas, building a pulsating, world-class African city.
Joburg’s inner city and surrounds are gradually transforming into a chic, vibrant metropolis after years of investment by the JDA.
Over the course of 13 years, the city’s environmental regeneration has influenced a trend towards rejuvenating derelict spaces and has played an instrumental role in creating eye-catching sculptural design and architecture.
Most noticeably, the regeneration has led to a number of public space and park upgrades, rolling out art installations throughout the city, and a plan to “restitch” the City to overturn apartheid spatial planning, all of which have come after focused work with the City of Johannesburg.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
During the first mayoral term (2001/02 to 2005/06), the JDA’s strategic focus was on economic development objectives with an urban regeneration mandate.
Since then a number of plans have been developed. In 2003, the Nelson Mandela Bridge was opened. This bridge straddles the railway lines that divide the city in two – with the central CBD and Braamfontein on the opposite side.
The second mayoral term (2006/07 to 2010/11) centred on work relating to the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup™. This focused on mass transit infrastructure and smaller supportive precinct investment projects implemented over a longer period of time, mainly in the inner city and in marginalised areas.
The JDA completed the public environment upgrade in Braamfontein in 2006. By 2007, the agency had upgraded the Fashion District and developed Fashion Kapitol. It also began the High Court Precinct upgrade and redeveloping Rockey/Raleigh Street in Yeoville.
During the same year, the JDA upgraded the public environment in and around Jewel City.
In 2008, the JDA completed environmental upgrades in Hillbrow, Yeoville and Berea. In 2009, the agency upgraded the Greater Ellis Park Precinct in time for the Fifa Confederations Cup and completed work on the Transport Square in New Doornfontein.
The third mayoral term (2011/12 to 2015/16) has the JDA focusing on resilient, sustainable and liveable city objectives as part of the Space Transformation Mandate. This includes creating integrated precinct developments that direct investment.
The JDA has also been involved in the City’s Corridors of Freedom – a transit-oriented initiative that focuses on mixed-use development; high-density accommodation supported by office buildings, retail and opportunities for leisure and recreation. The spatial vision is aligned with Joburg 2040, the City’s long-term growth and development strategy.
Transport-orientated development will allow Joburg to overturn apartheid-era town planning by bringing services, schools and work opportunities closer to home for those living on the city’s outskirts. Central to this is developing transit-orientated projects in the Randburg CBD, Park Station Precinct and Westgate Station Precinct. Most visible, though, has been the JDA’s large-scale public transport infrastructure in the form of Rea Vaya BRT stations.
The Rea Vaya BRT system links the inner city and Soweto and was implemented in 2010, along with upgrades to Chancellor House in the inner city.
The JDA has gone on to invest in the inner city core; eKhaya Neighbourhood Park; Fordsburg; Moth Building; 3 Kotze Street; the commuters’ link; the Art Gallery Precinct; and Gandhi Square. It continues to invest in Newtown, Beyers Naude Square and along Diagonal Street.