Mayor Amos Masondo Speaks

Statement by the executive mayor of Johannesburg, Clr Amos Masondo, at the media briefing on the formalisation and regularisation of informal settlements, Metropolitan Centre, mayoral parlour, Braamfontein.

Speaker of Council: Clr Nkele Ntingane
Chief Whip of Council: Nonceba Molwele
MMC for Development Planning and Urban Management: Clr Ros Greeff
MMC for Housing: Clr Ruby Mathang
Members of the Mayoral Committee
Fellow Councillors
City Manager: Mr Mavela Dlamini
The Media

The City of Johannesburg has prioritised a programme to formalise all informal settlements in Johannesburg by 2014. We are also seeking to make significant progress in the upgrading of services and infrastructure. The objective of the programme is to attend to all informal settlements within the City boundaries and to improve the living conditions of residents, including their health and safety.

On the 25th of April 2008, Council adopted a new approach to “Informal Settlements – Formalisation and Upgrade”.

There are currently 180 informal settlements within the municipal boundaries of the City of Johannesburg comprising approximately 200 000 households. The actual numbers of these settlements are subject to change(in cases where settlements are being formalised or where new settlements have been formed).

The objective of this programme is to ensure that:

All settlements in the City of Johannesburg are legally recognised and that where settlements are hazardously or poorly located, alternative provision is made; All residents in the City of Johannesburg are protected in terms of health and safety regulations; Residents have adequate incentive and security of tenure to invest in improving their dwellings;

All matters relating to the ownership of land on which informal settlements are situated are resolved; Settlements are structured in a way that will allow for the provision of bulk infrastructure, including water, electricity and roads; Municipal services, including refuse removal, mobile clinics,libraries and ambulances, are provided; and Future settlement growth is properly structured and the development of further non-authorised settlement is contained.

The City has undertaken feasibility studies on approximately 70% of informal settlements and these are currently the subject of a formalisation and upgrading process.

The remaining 30% will be subject to detailed feasibility studies in the new financial year (2009/2010) to establish the risk of remaining in the current location and also to establish the potential for in situ upgrading. If the location is dangerous and the potential does not exist to upgrade in the current location, the City will need to identify a new area to relocate the residents to.

The progress made thus far on all 180 informal settlements is reflected in the following five (5) categories:

1. The first category consisting of 73 settlements reflects projects where the legal processes (township establishment) are far advanced and services are being constructed in situ. The legal processes in relation to this category should be completed by 2011 and the provision of services and infrastructure should be well advanced by this time.

2. The second category, involving 17 cases, is about settlements that are hazardously or poorly located where residents will be relocated to projects that are also far advanced in terms of legal processes and services construction. The legal work in relation to this category will also be completed by 2011 and significant progress will be made in terms of relocations.

Some of these settlements are Mshenguville, which has been cleared. This land will be turned into a park in consultation with the communities. The three Dlamini (1,2, and) camps are also relocated to Lehae. All that remains is to remove those who do not qualify for various reasons to a demarcated area so that the entire place can be handed over to City Parks.

3. The third category of about 20 settlements relates to settlements that can remain in their current location but where formal projects and township establishment processes have not been initiated. The legalisation of these settlements are being addressed through fast-track interim measures that draw on experiences from other countries including Brazil (this includes addressing matters relating to land tenure, land ownership and town planning).

4. The fourth category of 23 settlements is tied to a programme for future formalisation, but is not yet any specific project. An example of this, are the settlements within Greater Alexandra that are being addressed through the Alexandra Renewal Programme.

5. The fifth category of 47 settlements is where feasibility studies have yet to be concluded and where decisions regarding future development have not been made. These settlements may be relocated, or formalised through township establishment processes, or regularised using fast-track mechanisms. It is anticipated that feasibility studies will be completed during the current financial year (2009/2010).

6. In the past the formalisation process of was lengthy and costly. The City of Johannesburg is pioneering a new approach which enables us to deliver services much faster. The City of Johannesburg intends to give people living in informal settlements the right to occupy and use the land subject to certain conditions, which are spelt out in amendments to the town planning schemes.

These relates to aspects such as building materials, spacing between shacks, density of dwellings, and use of dwellings for non-residential purposes. The intention is also to provide a “recognised address” to the households, this we hope that will enable the residents, amongst others, to open bank accounts, enter into contracts with Telkom.

In addition, let me emphasise that for us in the City of Johannesburg, this programme –the Formalisation of Informal Settlements, is part of the bigger programme of restoring the dignity of our people. While informal settlements a reality in many urban landscape, they are also often degraded environments where the health and safety of residents is compromised.

This programme is intended to encourage people to invest in their own resources in building houses, unlock resources located within the state and leverage private sector resources.

Thank you

Officials check on charter progress

Written by Ndaba Dlamini
Wednesday, 22 July 2009

Visiting its "work stations" is necessary for the City to see what changes are happening on the ground - and what still needs to be done.

Tour
For a video of the tour, click here.

THE inner city is surely reclaiming its position as the social and economic hub of Johannesburg, with various development projects already completed and others on the go.

On Friday, 17 July, the City manager, Mavela Dlamini, got first-hand experience of what has been happening in the area since the Inner City Regeneration Charter, which guides development and all projects undertaken in the area, was launched by Executive Mayor Amos Masondo in 2007.

Together with several City officials, Dlamini was taken through Hillbrow, Doornfontein, the Joburg CBD and Newtown on a marathon tour by the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), the body responsible for revamping the region.

Before setting off, Phillip Harrison, the executive director of development planning and urban management, took the officials through the programme of the day, saying the tour was meant to "check the inner city's performance in terms of the charter".

Good and bad

It was very difficult to assess what had been undertaken in the inner city without a first-hand view of what was happening on the ground. "The inner city is a huge and complex place and it's really impossible to look at everything. So what we trying to do is give you a taste of the good and bad."


Linear markets for informal traders Several projects were being undertaken in Hillbrow, including building linear markets and sanitary lanes. "Quartz Street linear markets in Hillbrow are nearing completion ... The tour of the linear markets will make people understand what they are all about."

The deadline for the Quartz Street markets was the end of July.

Sanitary lanes, said Harrison, were "notorious places" in the inner city. They were developed during the bucket system and today were used as dumping grounds by flat dwellers. "They were supposed to be sanitary lanes but they are insanitary lanes. The JDA was tasked to initiate a programme to try to upgrade [them]."

He gave a brief description of a transitional housing project at the MBV building on Claim and Hancock streets. It consisted of two phases and would yield more than 600 rooms.

"Transitional housing is one of the most critical interventions in the inner city because we cannot regenerate the inner city unless we have such facilities. The project will be completed in October 2009."

Hillbrow
And then it was off to Quartz Street, where Dlamini chatted to some of the market vendors. Xolani Nxumalo, the deputy director of informal trading in the economic development department, said the linear market project looked at ease of management.

"The design of the linear markets also made sure they did not block entrances to businesses in the area. When complete, [they] will accommodate 240 traders."

However, Dlamini noted that they did not have ablution or storage facilities; Nxumalo responded that these would be built at a later stage. "Currently, traders store privately in buildings around the area."

A lot had happened since 2007; streets had been paved, trees planted and new street lights put up, said Lael Bethlehem, the chief executive of the JDA. On Claim Street, a once derelict piece of land had been turned into a beautiful park and recreation area.

"This was once a horrible piece of land but it has been converted into a place were children can play," she said.

The park includes a five-a-side soccer field with artificial grass and a children's play area. It would be jointly managed by City Parks and the city improvement district in the area, Bethlehem added.

Sanitary lanes

A few blocks away from this beautiful haven, the City has also turned smelly and dirty lanes into clean lanes by paving and putting up street lights.

Lael said there were 77 lanes in the inner city that had been earmarked for upgrading. So far, the JDA had revamped 12 of them. To give the officials a sense of what had been accomplished, Bethlehem took the officials a few metres away to a lane a block away from the newly upgraded BG Alexander building.

It was dirty, with huge rats feasting on garbage dumped by residents of a nearby flat. A steady stream of murky water ran through it. "This is what most of the lanes we have upgraded looked like. This is problem that is rife in Hillbrow and Berea."

Workers were seen busily revamping the MBV building. When complete, it will accommodate about 1 600 people.


A revamped Doornfontein Transport Square A stone's throw from Ellis Park Stadium in Doornfontein, is Doornfontein Transport Square. Once an informal butchery, it has been turned into a clean taxi facility with six taxi washing bays. The most attractive features are spectacular artworks of cows, which symbolise its history.

End Street Park
Yet another attractive development is the End Street Park, which consists of two five-a-side football fields, a skate board area and a children's play area. The park, manned by two permanent guards, also has 16 CCTV cameras.

Soon to be opened to the public, it will mainly serve residents of 120 End Street, a tall building in downtown Johannesburg. It is also being upgraded and will yield 5 000 flats.

Across town, in the west is Newtown, Turbine Hall has been turned into a classy office block occupied by mining company AngloGold Ashanti, among others. Once derelict and home to hundreds of squatters, Turbine Hall is now prime office space and has become an important link between the CBD and Newtown.

Taking the officials on a walkabout down Bree Street, the Region F director, Nathi Mthethwa, pointed to an attractive building at the corner of Bree and Harrison streets, saying this was once a slum.

By-law enforcement

"The building has been turned into a shopping mall and all the trader stalls that once littered the street have been removed to create more space for pedestrians. The only challenge ... now is that if we ... have by-law enforcement on a daily basis we won't have a problem."

In terms of bad buildings, Mthethwa said there were only a few buildings left in the block that needed to be tackled. "We are now working with City Parks to put in plants, but our main worry is that this needs to be sustained."

Wrapping up the tour, Dlamini said it was important for the City to grow a culture of visiting its "work stations" such as the inner city.

"It is important to reflect on how we can build a better Johannesburg in the current economic environment. There are lots of challenges but we will change the city one step at a time."

The tour had been an eye opener and there were plenty of things to reflect on; however, he said more participation and interest from business owners in the area were required.

"This is our collective city," he said.

The ninth Discovery 702 Walk the Talk is on Sunday,

The ninth Discovery 702 Walk the Talk is on Sunday,

GET those walking shoes on and the dogs and family ready for a saunter amid the verdant ambience of Joburg's northern suburbs; the ninth annual Discovery 702 Walk the Talk is scheduled for Sunday, 26 July.

Vanessa Papas, the public relations co-ordinator at Primedia Broadcasting, confirms that it's all systems go for Sunday, and walkers should collect their registration numbers and race packs at the Marks Park Sports Club between 22 and 25 July, from 9am until 5pm.

The amble will start and finish near the club on Judith Road, in Emmarentia.
And as a safety precaution, the City has granted permission for stringent road closures on the day because the safety of walkers, pedestrians and motorists is paramount. Closed roads on the day will be monitored by Johannesburg metro police and officials from the Johannesburg Roads Agency to ensure the compliance and co-operation of motorists.

Pedestrian safety comes first "To ensure the safety of all walkers and motorists a number of roads along the route will be closed to traffic on the day of the walk. To see if your area is going to be affected or whether your routes will have to change please log on to the 702 website and have a look at the road closures map."

Motorists and pedestrians travelling to, from and around the city on the day are urged to take note of the road closures and use alternative routes.

Judith Road will be cordoned off to traffic from about 4am until 2pm from the intersection of Beyers Naude Drive to Barry Hertzog Avenue, and from Victory Road on the corner of Barry Hertzog Avenue until the Empire Road intersection.

Niger Road will be closed from the intersection of Judith Road to Sabie Road from 6.30am until 1pm. Sabie Road will be closed from the intersection of Hill Road to the corner of Barry Hertzog Avenue from 7am until 1pm.

Rustenburg Road will be closed from the corner of Sabie Road to Carlow Road until the intersection of Rustenburg Road on the corner of Mayo Road from 7am until 1pm. Emmarentia Avenue will be closed from 8am until 1pm on the corner of Carlow Road to the intersection of Wicklow Road.

No vehicles will be allowed through any of the closed roads. Other affected routes include Gleneagles Road from the intersection of Emmarentia Avenue to Sunningdale Road from 8am until 1pm; Sunningdale Road from Gleneagles Road to Cruden Bay Road from 8am until 1pm; and Chirnside Road from Greenfields Road to the corner of Barry Hertzog Avenue from 8am until 1pm.

Barry Hertzog Avenue will be closed from Chirnside Road to Muirfield Road from 8am until 1.30pm; and Muirfield Road will be closed from the intersection of Barry Hertzog Avenue to the corner of Louw Geldenhuys Drive from 8am until 1.30pm.

From 4am until 1.30pm, Louw Geldenhuys Drive from the intersection of Olifants Road to Orange Road; The Braids Road from Louw Geldenhuys Drive to Orange Road; and Orange Road from the intersection of The Braids Road to Gambia Road will be closed.

Niger Road will be closed from the corner of Judith Road to the intersection of Sabie Road from 7am until 1pm. Other roads earmarked for closure from 7am until 1pm include Sabie Road from Hill Road to Barry Hertzog Avenue, and Rustenburg Road from Sabie Road to Carlow Road.

Please be patient
These roads will be closed for different periods of time to accommodate motorists and pedestrians, while some will be closed for the duration of the walk, says Papas, adding that although the closures may cause some traffic and inconvenience, motorists should be compliant and patient.

She adds that residents of Emmarentia and other affected suburbs can collect their official resident passes at the Parkview Police Station or call 011 486 5000; "proof of residence will be required to collect the passes". Without a resident pass, they will not be allowed to drive around their suburbs until after the race.

For a comprehensive list of all road closures, parking availability and a detailed route map with an interactive route finder that automatically maps the route you need to take to evade the closed roads and reach your destination, log on to the the Walk the Talk website .

Alternatively, telephone the Walk the Talk office on 011 463 2743 or call the radio station's call centre on 011 270 2702.

In addition to the walk, Papas says there will be plenty of free live entertainment on the day, including performances by Garth Taylor, Bongani Nxumalo and the South African Police Service Band.

Participants are advised to bring their own food and beverages. "People are encouraged to bring along picnic baskets and blankets and join the fun-filled entertainment. However, no alcohol will be allowed into the venue," Papas confirms.

Source:http://www.joburg.org.za/content/view/4112/266/

First BRT buses a month away

By Lucile Davids

By the end of August Joburgers will be able to catch a Rea Vaya bus, when the first phase of the public transport system gets on the road.
THE first passengers will step aboard the Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) buses and ride the busy streets of Joburg by the end of August.

Originally scheduled to hit the roads for the Confederations Cup in mid-June, but delayed by negotiations with taxi organisations, the City is now ready to meet its new deadline.

"A lack of public transport holds you hostage," said the mayoral committee member for transport, Rehana Moosajee, at a media briefing on Tuesday, 21 July.

Some two-thirds of Joburgers don't have access to cars, but soon they will have access to a world-class means of public transport.

"Think rail, do bus," added Moosajee, referring to the efficiency and speed of rail transport combined with the easy access, affordability and frequency of catching a bus at the bus stop down the street.

BRT systems are also being constructed elsewhere in the country - Cape Town, Tshwane and the Nelson Mandela Metro.

Three phases

Once complete, the BRT buses will travel some 330 kilometres across the city and suburbs. The first phase, Phase 1A, from Regina Mundi Church in Thokoza Park in Soweto to Ellis Park in the inner city, will begin on 30 August. The route will pass stations at Orlando Stadium, Westgate, Chancellor House, Beyers Naude Square, Carlton Centre, Fashion Square, Johannesburg Art Gallery, and the Doornfontein campus, dropping passengers at the Ellis Park North and Ellis Park East stations.

Phase 1B will run from Soweto past the universities of Johannesburg and the Witwatersrand, through to Sandton. Phase 1C will run in an east-west direction, from Alexandra to Cresta.

Some 143 buses will be rolled out in Phase 1A, travelling 25,5 kilometres and stopping at 27 stations. It is expected that 69 300 passengers will travel daily on the buses, generating R158-million in revenue annually.

The City is constructing the infrastructure, and once operational, it will also maintain that infrastructure.

There will be two kinds of buses: trunk buses, with a capacity of 112 passengers, will run in the designated lanes, with doors on the right-hand side. Complementary buses will have doors on both sides, and will travel on the BRT dedicated routes and on normal routes. They will have a capacity to carry 75 passengers.

A high-tech control room will monitor security, traffic lights and road conditions 18 hours a day. Should a breakdown occur, technicians will be dispatched immediately to move the bus from the lane, to allow for constant flow of buses. The control room will also feed information to the passengers. A voice-over system will cater for those who cannot read and the visually impaired.

Little spent on public transport

The deputy minister of transport, Jeremy Cronin, said at the briefing that over the previous 20 years very little had been spent on public transport. "Public transport is hard to sustain, with its peak flows in the mornings and evenings."

But whereas more people owned cars, the congestion problems on freeways made private transport almost an equally time-consuming exercise. He indicated that there had been a 7 percent increase per year in car users.

"The [Joburg] BRT project is important because it is a flagship project. Transport is a key catalyser for transforming society," he explained.
"Buses begin to democratise space - the rich and the poor use them," he added. "The BRT has flexibility and speed, and the stations are more pedestrian friendly." This is compared to the "sterile space" of the freeways.

"I salute what Rehana Moosajee, Lisa Seftel [the new executive director for transport], and Mayor Masondo have done in the city. I am very proud, very supportive."

A different service

The BRT would be different in a number of ways, said Moosajee. Besides operating in dedicated lanes, making it faster and more efficient, the City and not the driver would collect the fares and pay the bus operating company.

The company would be penalised if it did not follow the bus schedules precisely, if any damage was caused to the buses, and if the buses were not spotlessly clean.

A smart card will be in place by 2010, linking smoothly with other systems like the Gautrain and Metro Rail. The buses will be accessible to people with disabilities. Security will be a priority - stations and buses will have CCTV cameras installed, and there will be a visible presence of station ambassadors.

New standards in public transport will be set by the City, matching the high standards set by the Gautrain. This means that instead of chasing passengers and speeding, to reach daily targets, the BRT drivers will have no incentive to speed but will work on a strict timetable. Each bus will contain a GPS system, so it will be easy to monitor whether a driver is going either too fast or too slow.

Talks with taxi industry

Meanwhile, negotiations with the taxi industry continue. Taxi drivers will be incorporated into the BRT, being re-trained to drive the buses. Other jobs for ex-taxi drivers will be created - at the stations themselves, on maintenance and upkeep of the buses, and in monitoring operations.

While some 24 620 construction jobs have been created, 4 530 operational jobs will be created, plus 100 BRT agency jobs. Estimates are that 575 taxi drivers will be affected.

"The BRT will be employment neutral," explained Moosajee, meaning that whatever jobs were lost in the taxi industry would be gained in the BRT.

On 11 June the new minister of transport, S'bu Ndebele, met the taxi industry, and City talks with the industry begin again on 31 July.

"Change is never easy," stressed Moosajee. "We want people-centred transport planning. We want to leave a transport legacy from major sporting events."

She pointed out that there were some visionary leaders in the taxi industry who had taken a longer-term view and were looking at the future, in 20 years' time. "At this point the City's doors are closed to no-one."

The Joburg BRT was based on the South American BRT system, but "the final solution is uniquely South African, and a uniquely Joburg solution".

It is hoped that the major benefits flowing from the BRT will be traffic congestion and pollution relief. It is estimated that if only 15 percent of car users switch to the BRT by 2010, 382 940 tons of carbon dioxide will not be emitted into the atmosphere. That figure rises to 1,6 million tons by 2020.

STATEMENT BY MOSES KA MOYO, CHAIRPERSON OF THE FRIENDS OF THE INNER-CITY FORUM – MANDELA DAY ,LORNA COURT

STATEMENT BY MOSES KA MOYO, CHAIRPERSON OF THE FRIENDS OF THE INNER-CITY FORUM – MANDELA DAY ,LORNA COURT

Fellow residents

Ladies and Gentleman’s ,Thank you for responding to the clarion of call of “Mandela Day - Build your neighbourhood campaign “, we are gathered here to celebrate the Legacy and Birthday of Dr Nelson Mandela, a giant that towers and champions the struggle for the poor and the Under-privileged all over the world .

As we clean Lorna Court today let’s remember that we dedicating this 67mins to a humble man that once wrote to a friend from prison that “I have spent all my life dreaming of a golden age in which all problems will be solved and our wildest hopes fulfilled”.

As we stand here, our wildest dreams as a community is to see this building revived and many who used to stay here return to their homes .We request donations of roofing materials and other building materials that will help in the revival of this building. We are convinced as we stand here that this gesture will go a long way in fulfilling the Dreams of a golden age that Madiba has.

Lets join Hands and Build our Neighbourhood, it starts here and it should be spread out through the Inner-city .building need to be revived and people sheltered again.

Happy Birthday Madiba “Ukhule Ungakhokhobi”

Issued By

Friends of the Inner-city Forum

For More info Contact:

Moses Ka Moyo 076 681 05577
Jack Wa Lesudi 072 283 0979

Our Nelson Mandela Day Project

Lorna Court

Below are images of the building that we will be cleaning on July 18 2009 to commemorate Dr Nelson Mandela Birthday.

Dr Nelson Mandela "A prisoner for 27 years, an activist for 67 years, an inspiration for 91 years

Friends of the Inner-city Forum Condemns the Granting of Bail to Mr James O'Shea

Friends of the Inner-city Forum Condemns the Granting of Bail to Mr James O'Shea

Friday , 17 July 2009

Residents in the inner-city are riled and angry at the Decision of Magistrate PR du Plessis to grant Mr. James O'Shea bail of R50.000 on who he said was not a flight risk because he had "substantial assets" in the country. Did the magistrate consider that the substantial assets may be proceeds of crimes committed against poor people?
Hijacking of buildings in the inner-city is a big problem , as residents who have time and again felt the brunt of these hijackers, we are angry that he has been released on bail and is free to interfere with the proceedings . We will not stand idle while Mr. O'Shea and his Ilk reverse the gains made in housing.

We are also preparing our residents to declare war against the Department of Justice, which is continuing to grant Building Hijackers and Conspirators bail when they continue to leave a trail of homeless families . We further call on the Minister of Justice to take action against those senior officials and magistrate who continue to give bail to Building Hijackers. This country belongs to all of us, not only to those who have money.

We also want to commend The police for sterling work in investigating and eventually arresting Mr. O'Shea, The biggest let-down has been the justice system. On August 21,the victims of Mr. O'Shea will be mobilized to be out in full force at the courts to make sure this travesty is Reversed .

Issued by Friends of the Inner-city Forum
Contact:
Moses Ka Moyo
Chairperson – 076 681 0577

HAPPY BIRTH TATA MADIBA

Nelson Mandela Day

Nelson Mandela Day

Residents in the Inner-city (Johannesburg) will on Saturday the 18th of July 2009 join millions around the world in celebrating Dr Nelson Mandela’s Life and achievements for the underprivileged, Residents will spend 67 minutes cleaning a Building on the Corner Streets of the busiest streets in the Inner-city (Twist and Wolmarans) . Residents will also donate Various Building material and Tools to be used in the reviving of this Building , Lorna Court, which burnt down a couple of years back leaving more than 300 residents, who used to reside in this building , homeless and destitute.

The details of the Event are as follows:

DATE : Saturday, 18th June 2009
TIME : 10H00AM -11H07
VENUE : LORNA COURT, CNR WOLMARANS AND TWIST STREETS(Joubert Park)

As Friends of the Inner-city Forum we are inspired by Nelson Mandela words when he says "it is in your Hands to make of our world a better one for all, especially the poor ,vulnerable and marginalised"

The members of the media are hereby requested to attend.

For more information feel free to call Friends of the Inner-city Chairperson , Moses Ka Moyo on 076 681 0577

Public Meetings

Public Meetings





Friends of the Inner-city Forum invites all inner-city residents to public meetings which are held every thursday at 18:30pm .the venue of the meetings is the Ark Royal Body Corporate boardroom ,situated in cnr Banket and Pietersen ,Joubert Park ,In front of the Windybrow Theatre.

Unobhala Wabahlali

The secretary of the Forum is Mr Jack Madumetja Lesudi .He is always available to listen and provide solutions to issues that affect our own people .He always tells me that "good Listerners make good Leaders"

He has been instrumental in initiatives that will change our peoples lives and contribute significantly to a "Better Inner-city "

Our Community will be forever indebted to You Nobhala wabahlali .

He is contactable on jack@inner-city-forum.org or dial him on 072 283 0979

Mandela Day

Friends of the Inner-city Forum ,fully supports the Nelson Mandela day initiative and will be participate with an event of our own which deals with issues in our community.And we will be further calling on the Government to declare this day a Public Holiday .

We are inspired by Nelson Mandela when he says "it is in your Hands to make of our world a better one for all,especially the poor ,vulnerable and marginalised"

For more info about our lined up event contact the forum Secretary on :

+27 283 0979 (Mobile )