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The Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Development Planning, Cllr Belinda Echeozonjoku, recently conducted a site visit of Lehae Library, in the south of Johannesburg, following media reports of the development project being a white elephant since its completion in 2019.

At project initiation stage, it became clear to the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), who implemented the project, that the allocated site was not registered, and zoning was therefore not allocated, although a Site Development Plan (SDP) application was made with the Land Use Development Management directorate in January 2017.

However, the SDP (a plan or set of plans that illustrate the detailed aspects of a proposed development) could not be approved, as the land had no Certificate of Registered Title. It was only the Surveyor General diagram that was approved.

To carry out its service delivery mandate and to avoid losing the approved budget of R23-million, the JDA opted to run the SDP process parallel to the implementation of the project, with the hopes that it would be approved by the time the library was completed.

Other challenges encountered during the implementation of the library included the change in contractors, as well as project managers.

Cllr Echeozonjoku said the JDA had suffered from a lack of stable leadership over the recent years.

“This was further exacerbated by the high staff turnover at the entity. However, there are no excuses when it comes to service delivery, which is why we need to act with urgency to finalise this project and its handover,” she added.

On her site visit to Lehae Library, Cllr Echeozonjoku, was accompanied by Cllr Sthembiso Zungu of Ward 122, who expressed his frustrations and that of the residents about the facility not being accessible, even though it was completed.

The JDA have assured Cllr Echeozonjoku that they will resubmit the SDP application and anticipate it to take approximately one month for a decision. Without an SDP approval, a Certificate of Occupation cannot be issued.

She said Lehae Library would undergo urgent repairs that estimated to approximately R2.7-million.

“Given that the library has been standing unoccupied for such a long time, there has been some minor damages that require urgent repairs, in preparation for its opening.

“The ball was dropped, however, there is now a coordinated effort by all departments and entities involved to fast-track the approval of all outstanding applications and finally hand it over to the client department, Community De

Issued by Member of the Mayoral Committee for Development Planning, Cllr Belinda Echeozonjoku