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The Member of the Mayoral Committee for Development Planning in the City of Johannesburg, Cllr Belinda Echeozonjoku, and Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) Chief Executive Officer Mokgema Mongane conducted oversight of the public environment upgrades that JDA has undertaken in the Gandhi Square East Precinct on Monday, 26 September.

The Gandhi Square East precinct has seen many development initiatives recently, including the investment of ABSA Towers Main building, Jewel City, and Afhco developments. 

Most recent development news in the precinct also saw Transnet looking to redevelop Carlton Centre in the 2022/23 financial year. The City plans to invest over R800 million in capital projects into Region F, which encompasses the Inner City. 

The vision for the Gandhi Square East Precinct is to create an economically viable, functional, and integrated inner-city precinct of developmental and socio-economic strategies and programmes. 

This vision is a step closer to being realised after the JDA completed the public environment upgrade of Main Street as part of the Gandhi Square East Precinct urban development framework. The agency also upgraded Portplein Park as part of the scope of works.

“It’s pleasing to see efforts to build a better city by JDA bearing fruit at Gandhi Square East Public, and I look forward to seeing-further progress and upgrades in the inner city,” said Cllr Echeozonjoku. 

“I think we have many success stories of the amazing work done by JDA in the inner city. The JDA empowers SMMEs and provides quality work in public environment upgrade projects. These inner-city public environment upgrades are an example of collaboration between different departments,” she said.

Urban planners worldwide see the value in urban design principles to guide public environment upgrades and support future investment opportunities. Main Street has stood mostly as a car-dominated environment, with mainly blank, inactive interfaces which featured no landscaped spaces or comfortable sidewalks.

The upgrade of Main Street was a far-reaching undertaking spanning from:

•           Gandhi Square; Eloff Street to Mooi Street, 

•           Fox Street between Von Wielligh Street and Troye Street 

•           Fox Street between Polly Street and End Street.

•           Main Street between Mooi Street and End Street.

The project entailed the construction of new sidewalks and road lay-by facilities, upgrading the stormwater system, replace streetlights and new street furniture and trees.

To achieve the rationale for the spatial structure and character of the precinct:  

A functional and integrated Inner City precinct is achievable when public transport and pedestrian a priority. An urban structure should support walkability through spatial elements such as superblocks with pedestrian-priority routes and active building interfaces.

The quality and safety of the urban environment is the driver in influencing efficient and effective usage of public transport and walking as the mode of choice for movement within the precinct. Investor confidence and attraction to private investments are also spatially driven by well-designed and well-maintained public spaces.

A diverse precinct with residential components (specifically residential developments that would serve different income groups) would support sustainability, walkability, and safety. 

A unique, identifiable identity for the precinct would instil pride and a sense of ownership in residents and visitors to the area. The precinct should not be seen as an island but integrated into the wider Inner City and metropolitan area.

For this project to be successful, it requires extensive stakeholder engagement with Absa, the anchor tenant in the precinct, Olitzky Property Holdings (OPH), Diversity, Inner City Partnership Fund, Transnet, the Ward 124 Councillors, and the General Public. 

The JDA’s objective is to deliver this public infrastructure project using labour-intensive methods with the aim of job creation and income generation through an Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) approach. A total of 12 SMMEs were on the project, and the total SMME expenditure was approximately 33%, exceeding the City’s policy.

·       The scope of works undertaken for the upgrade of Portplein Park included. 

·       Repaving the existing paved area

·       •Provide border fencing as per specifications

·       Provide applicable street furniture as per specifications

·       Landscaping, planting of trees and plants.

Issued by Johannesburg Development Agency