...Johannesburg *Discussion* (Closed April 2008) [Archive]

kulani

June 4th, 2007, 05:44 PM

Construction sector drives Gauteng

The boom in the construction industry is expected to gather pace, fuelling a rise in skills and a decline in inner city vacancy rates.

June 4, 2007

By Ndaba Dlamini

VACANCY rates in the inner city of Johannesburg are dropping, largely because of the boom in construction and peripheral industries in Gauteng.

This is the view of property economist Francois Viruly, who was speaking at a breakfast meeting organised by the Gauteng Business Barometer (GBB) and Standard Bank in Germiston on Tuesday, 29 May.

Viruly said the property market in the Johannesburg CBD was getting more competitive by the day because of a robust construction industry. In April activity levels in the province were nearly 20 percent higher than in the same month last year.

"The availability of A Grade office space in the city centre has declined from 1,2-million square metres in 1996 to 700 000m2 in 2007. A significant number of building plans have been approved by the council, translating into quite a number of building projects going up in the inner city. These include industrial, office and retail space."

This positive development was the result of high levels of confidence exhibited by investors towards the inner city, Viruly added. Inner city housing was a sector that had good potential to turnaround the fortunes of the inner city. "Local government, however, should come to the party for this sector to develop adequately."

Based on the performance of the GBB for April, a unique index that measures Gauteng's economic activity on a monthly basis, approximately R1,2-trillion was expected to flow through the construction and related industries in the next few years, in sharp contrast to the R700-million that was spent in the past three years, according to Goolam Ballim, Standard Bank's chief economist.

The R1,2-trillion represented a composite figure that included activity in the extended supply chain of the construction industry, in the residential and commercial fields, he added.

Reiterating Ballim's statement, economist Mike Schussler said the construction industry was the strongest sector in Gauteng, growing at 18 percent year-on-year. It was also the largest employer of unskilled and semi-skilled workers in the province, he added.

"Construction, which contributes about 3,6 percent to the Gauteng economy every year, should stay robust but higher interest rates and land costs will make 2007 a slower year than 2006."

The growth of the sector was largely reflected in the rise in shopping mall construction, especially in Soweto. Viruly noted that three years ago, there was only one shopping mall in the township but by the end of this year, it would boast five big shopping malls.

In the lead up to the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ and Gautrain, there would be a boom in the construction industry. Viruly said the construction of the Gautrain was already influencing development along its route.

"The monorail has potential to see development growing along the whole axis from the Johannesburg CBD to Soweto," he added.

Turning to industrial development, Viruly said that instead of looking for greenfield sites, developers would increasingly turn to brownfield sites, which included land that had already been developed in one form or another.

"What is also starting to happen is that land in the Johannesburg area is beginning to become scarce. That scarcity of land will ultimately push up building costs and for the tenant it will translate into higher rentals."

The construction boom, however, should be matched by skills development in the industry. Schussler described the current skills shortage as "par excellence" and called on the government to start empowering construction industry workers with the necessary skills to complement the boom in the industry.

"The construction boom is an opportunity for small, medium and micro enterprises in the country to get involved in all the sectors. It is also an opportunity for construction companies from across the country's borders to enter the field," he said.

dysan1

June 4th, 2007, 08:50 PM

i think this is just damn funny and typical denial of some niteclub owners. it brings up the same points that some owners in durban used when they faced the same problems by our council

It's a club! Oh no, it isn't!

04 Jun 2007 - Inet Bridge -

Intro
Eatery denies it's disco at night

03 June 2007
By Phindile Chauke

The owner of a top Sandton hot spot has denied running a nightclub and accused the council's legal director in court of drunkenly imagining the presence of DJ booths and dance floors.

Gregory Ioannou, owner of The Palms, a night spot at which Joburg celebrities like DJs Fresh and Sbu have performed, told the Joburg High Court that his establishment was instead an "up-market restaurant" that contravened no bylaws.

Last week, the Joburg council and Sandton residents took Ioannou to court to try to force him to stop operating a nightclub.

The city says that The Palms, which only has permission to operate as a restaurant, is running a nightclub illegally in an area not zoned for the purpose.

Neighbours say the establishment which has a cover charge at night of at least R100 and which opened last year after costing R8 million to decorate makes far too much noise.

Their lawyer, Corien Potgieter, said they had asked the court to order The Palms to stop serving drinks without meals to patrons who, they say, urinate in their gardens.

A neighbour, who asked not to be named, said in his affidavit before court:

"A further nuisance is caused by patrons using Linden Road for parking, talking loudly, hooting and playing loud music on their car radios when they leave. Recently.

I observed a patron of The Palms urinating into my garden through my front gate."

"Both Ioannou and the company that owns the building that houses The Palms, Sandton Isle Limited, were taken to court by the city. Judgment was reserved.

After numerous complaints by residents, the council sent its legal services acting director, James Rammala, last May and June to check whether The Palms was a nightclub operating in contravention of town planning rules.

Rammala said in court papers that he heard loud music and observed a "variety of disco lights", a "disc jockey booth" and a "demarcated area for use as a dance floor".

Rammala said The Palms was a restaurant and corporate function venue by day, but by night "its identity completely changed to that of a nightclub", and he issued Ioannou a written warning to stop operating a nightclub immediately.

But Ioannou hit back in responding papers, saying that Rammala had brought three friends along to the inspection and arrived again, two weeks later, with another friend and "insisted to drink without eating and also asked for a cigar".

Ioannou claimed Rammala and his friend knocked back four double whiskeys and he was "somewhat concerned about their ability to drive, particularly since they had refused to eat anything and were somewhat intoxicated".

He said: "It is ludicrous to suggest that a council official goes about official business accompanied by a friend, not once, but twice. The denial of being intoxicated does not come as a surprise."

Rammala presented the court with photographs of The Palms, which is decorated with crystal chandeliers. The long bar serves Dom Perignon champagne at R3200 a bottle.

The Palms's website says the establishment has guest DJs on Friday and Saturday evenings, and admits to the presence of two DJ booths.

But in court papers, Ioannou says:

"There is no disc jockey booth as alleged. There is, however, a control room from which the lights and music are controlled. There is no demarcated dance floor as alleged.There is an open space that facilitates easy movement by the waiters carrying food to the various tables."

"The Palms does not operate as a place of amusement and a nightclub as alleged."

Sunday Times

Mo Rush

June 4th, 2007, 09:18 PM

lol

joburg

June 4th, 2007, 09:59 PM

NIMBYs must voetsek!

Pule

June 5th, 2007, 04:55 AM

Radical Design For Northriding - 2007/05/31

A unique and seemingly ambitious project is underway in the suburb of Northriding, Gauteng. Its design objective is a minimalism and modern look, although the development is still in the initial stages of construction, the digital conception of the project is remarkably different from its surroundings.

Many of the sectional title developments in the area have stuck with Tuscan and Balinese designs, whereas Paperbark has incorporated professionalism into its inner city appearance. The use of industrial steel supports, expansive glass fittings and face-brick walls inject the development with metropolitan features, rather than the tell-tale signs of suburbia.

Paperbark sits on a plot of land closely neighbouring light commercial and industrial parks, however located nearby is Eagle Canyon Golf Estate. The grandeur and success of Eagle Canyon might be an indication to the potential desireability of the new development - Paperbark.

The ambitiousness of the project is detailed in its starting price units of R534 000 which includes one bedroom and one bathroom. Ian McMillan estate agent for Chas Everitt says: "the underground parking garages push up costs," nevertheless the prices still remain competitive for what is offered.

An open plan clubhouse resembles an inner city, communal square, akin to the look and feel of Melrose Arch. Departing from the traditional, simple layout of a pool and braai, the Paperbark clubhouse gives off an air of sophistication, lined with columns and centred on a swimming pool. Ultimately the area can be compared to the likes of a day spa, set in and amongst a neo-European street-café scene.

Paperbark estate consists of one or two bedroom units, 46.68 sq m and 85.55 sq m respectively. Individuals / couples opting for more space may consider the estate's loft units and studio units that will be available in five options. The customised choice of such units departs from the uniformity seen in many affordable sectional title offerings.

With regards to the loft units, Owners or renters can opt for the following design additive characteristics: increased living area and balcony; the afore-mentioned with a built-in braai; a loft with a longer balcony or a unit with a dining room balcony and lounge balcony.

Paperbark has been made available for off-plan purchase, and Ian McMillan, stated that both the north and south elevations of the development are already sold out. McMillan further added that: "we set out to target the average guy on the street; and construction is due for completion in May or June of 2008.

The Paperbark development sits near the major intersection of Witkoppen Road and Hans Strijdom Drive, and is ideally located for travelling to and from, Fourways, Midrand, Douglasdale, Randburg, Pretoria and Roodeport. An S.P.C.A is within walking distance, and the omnipresent Northgate Dome is a couple of kilometres away. Honeydew Medical Centre; Olivedale and Wilgeheuwel Private Hospitals are all close-by.

McMillan was surprised as to how many buyers and potential investors into Paperbark, kept referring to the the location's convenience. Northriding is out of the morning and afternoon traffic congestion zones of Fourways and Randburg, and people are starting to move closer to their workplaces, or vice versa. McMillan says: "people are beginning to think that way", and furthermore "young people are not interested in traffic." - James Monteiro

joburg

June 6th, 2007, 07:35 AM

from the property magazine, in an article on town

"The 70-year-old Barbican building (owned by Old Mutual Properties) is undergoing a R120m refurbishment and will open as an upmarket members-only private club with a car showroom, a gym, and a cigar and champagne lounge. Reports say it is due for completion at the end of 2007. The government announced its plans for the Kapoing Government Precinct more than a year ago. The area will be situated between Simmonds, Anderson and President Streets, and 17 buildings (11 heritage) will be upgraded."

http://img.photojerk.com/joburg/CIMG4362.JPG

joburg

June 6th, 2007, 07:37 AM

more news on the future of the CBD, from mayor Amos Masondos tour of the inner city on friday,

Winding up the tour on a positive note in the inner city, Masondo was briefed about the revival of the Johannesburg Sun Hotel at a cost of R20-million. The towering blue building, bounded by Jeppe and Pritchard, Smal and Von Wielligh streets, once open to the public, is expected to act as a showcase for corporate investment and a draw-card for those who want to enjoy the revival of urban life.

Already, the hotel garage and garden have been spruced up.

joburg

June 6th, 2007, 07:41 AM

another hot space in town is the private practice gallerey on the 19th floor of the lister building.

watch http://www.intermission.co.za for cool upcoming events.
there is a 360 view of town from the observation deck which is well worth the visit.

Some of the views...
http://www.intermission.co.za/venue.htm

All the above is from the facebook group "I love the Joburg CBD... aka Sandton sucks"

waltjie

June 6th, 2007, 09:31 AM

Residents of Gauteng earn more, are better educated and are likely to live longer than people in other provinces, an SA Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) study has found.

In a report released on Tuesday, it identified "glaring inequalities" in service delivery and living conditions across the provinces.

This, it submitted, suggested a need for decentralisation of provincial authority, including a degree of autonomy over tax and labour market regulation.

Closing the gap

The move would give less developed provinces the best chance to get a competitive edge over their neighbours and close the development gap.

However, the report noted that proposals to amalgamate provinces were indicative of a policy move in the opposite direction.

It found that in 2006 Gauteng residents earned on average 300 to 400 percent more than people living in Limpopo.

It projected that by 2010 Gautengers were likely to live 20 percent longer than people in KwaZulu-Natal probably because of "the devastation of HIV/Aids".

The most educated

Gauteng also had the most educated population. The six percent of residents holding degrees was almost double the national average.

As the contributor of almost a third of gross domestic product, the province had a "firmly established" reputation as South Africa's and Africa's economic powerhouse.

This made it difficult for provinces such as North West and Limpopo to close the development gap, the study found.

Eastern Cape the worst

The worst province to live in was the Eastern Cape, according to the report, authored by Chris Kriel.

It had the lowest proportion of formal houses — just over 50 percent — and a quarter of households relied on bucket toilets.

In the North West there was a 30 percent increase in the number of households using bucket toilets between 2002 and 2005, while in the Western Cape, 31 percent of households did not have water in their homes.

The great colour divide

The report also identified "great differences" in the racial breakdown in the country's nine provinces.

Of the Western Cape's population, only 23 percent was black, as opposed to 97 percent of that in Limpopo.

It pointed out that this had implications for the implementation of black economic empowerment and affirmative action.

Jakes1

June 6th, 2007, 10:52 AM

Jakes1

June 6th, 2007, 11:23 AM

Jakes1

June 6th, 2007, 11:52 AM

JHC has done incredible work concerning turning crumbling buildings into safe, affordable housing... I decided to share a bit of information concerning some of these refurbishments...

The Landrost Hotel (18F):

Occupation: 2000
Units: 241

The conversion of the Landrost Hotel was the most ambitious and even glamorous refurbishment undertaking by JHC. Once a five star hotel which hosted the rich and famous from South Africa and abroad, it had lost its shine as the area become neglected and run down, and served as a police barracks. The conversion of the 18 storey block's 400 bedrooms into 241 units was a high risk undertaking due to the high rise nature of the property and its location next to the bustling and sometimes anarchic Jack Mincer Taxi Rank and the Johannesburg Drill Hall, which had become a haven for thousands of homeless people. The project was the first conversion from a hotel into rental accommodation. Every effort was made to preserve the original finishes of this building and the original marble basins and wood panelling still exist in the units.

Lake Success (12F)
Occupation: 2002
Units: 145

Lake Success , in Hillbrow, was the first building to be acquired under the Better Buildings Programme. It had been allowed to deteriorate by its owner, and had been abandoned. The lift motors had been stolen, flat units had been vandalised, and the sewerage system was dysfunctional. The building was extremely overcrowded with up to eight tenants per bachelor flat.

Lake Success was the first building in the City of Joburg’s Better Buildings Programme to be upgraded
successfully. The job was done by JHC – a major clean-up and complete overhaul to restore the
building to a fit condition for residential accommodation. New tenants were welcomed in 2002
– another milestone in JHC’s drive towards the renewal of the inner city. Today Lake Success forms
part of the Pietersen Street eKhaya Neighbourhood Programme where JHC and neighbouring property
owners work with city agencies to keep the neighbourhood clean and safe.

Towerhill (11F)
Occupation: 1996
Units: 124

Towerhill, situated at the top of Hillbrow, combined offices and
residential accommodation when JHC bought it in 1996. The whole
building was then converted to residential use and completely upgraded.
Towerhill offers tenants a range of accommodation, from single rooms
with shared facilities to bachelor units and one-bedroom or twobedroom
apartments.

Stanhope Mansions (11F)
Occupation: 2006
Units: 133

Stanhope Mansions is a beautiful Art Deco building that dates from the 1930s. It was fully refurbished by JHC in 2005. It offers tenants a range of accommodation, from spacious one-bedroom and bachelor apartments to single rooms with shared bathroom and kitchen facilities. Stanhope has an active tenants’ committee in place, supporting a strong community spirit in the building.

Rondebosch (6F)
Occupation: 2005
Units: 76

Rondebosch was JHC's second building acquired under the better buildings programme. The building is a conversion of an old hotel, and comprises mainly single rooms with common washing facilities and ablutions. It will house JHC's first computer centre, to be managed by Makhulong a Matala.

Rondebosch, originally a hotel, was completely refurbished by JHC in 2005
and converted to meet the need for accommodation providing single rooms
with shared facilities. Communal bathrooms and kitchen areas, shared by
sets of adjoining rooms, enable JHC to keep rent rates low. Close to other
JHC buildings, such as Lake Success, Sylvadale and Cresthill, Rondebosch
forms part of the Pietersen Street eKhaya Neighbourhood Programme. In
this programme JHC and neighbouring property owners work with city
agencies to keep the neighbourhood clean and safe.

The Brickfields Project Concept (3F - 10F)
Occupation: 2005 and 2006
Units: 742

The Brickfields project, incorporating Brickfields, Legae and Phumlani, was Johannesburg inner city's first high rise development in 30 years, and is JHC's most ambitious project so far. Comprising 742 units in a mix of low rise and high rise buildings it was JHC's first exposure to high rise construction. It is JHC's largest single investment, and the first time that a consortium of financiers including government, private banks and private investors have come together in a social housing project. Brickfields was the second of JHC's projects to be opened by the South African president.

Cresthill Mansions (13F)
Occupation: July 2007
Units: 157

Cresthill is one of the City of Joburg’s Better Buildings projects that was awarded to JHC. It was completely refurbished by JHC in 2007, to restore it to good working order and provide safe, decent housing. Cresthill is part of the Pietersen Street eKhaya Neighbourhood Programme. This programme, initiated by JHC and shared by neighbouring property owners, works with city agencies to create and maintain a safe, clean neighbourhood.

Jakes1

June 6th, 2007, 11:54 AM

These do not include all of the buildings refurbished by JHC, but it gives you an idea of how much work has been done, especially in the parts of the city that are suffering most from crime and grime...

joburg

June 6th, 2007, 11:57 AM

Joburg is a city for theatre!

The Lion King starts soon, in the largest theatre in the Southern Hemisphere.
Mozart's Magic Flute will be performed in the Civic.
Rent - New Theatre in Braamfontein (refurb)
Hair - Montecassino Pieter Toerien Theatre
Hairspray in the new Goldreefcity theatre

These are all international productions that came to joburg. Clearly Johannesburg is the mayor city for the arts in South Africa. No other city comes close!

The Lion King has started (1900 seats)
Mozart's Magic Flute will be performed in the Civic.
Rent - The Alexander Theatre
Hair - Montecassino Pieter Toerien Theatre (it was fab and had neked ppl)
Hairspray in the new Goldreefcity theatre (1100 seats)

Right you are Yarrickovichi... Jozi is the theatre capital of SA. I'm looking out for someone to redo the Alhambra Theatre near Ellis Park. That is one gorgeous motha-beep of a theatre!

Jakes1

June 6th, 2007, 11:59 AM

JHC Achievements

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Johannesburg Housing Company’s firsts:

JHC’s pioneering work has resulted in:

The first conversion in Johannesburg from office to residential development (Tower Hill 1996)
The first upgrade of residential accommodation while tenants remained in-situ (Douglas Rooms 1998). Douglas Rooms was also JHC’s first slum upgrade
The first new build residential development in over thirty years in the inner city (Jeppe Oval 1997)
The first conversion from hotel to residential development (Landrost 2000)
The first building to be refurbished under the City of Johannesburg’s “Better Buildings” urban regeneration programme (Lake Success 2002)
The first new high rise residential development in over forty years in the inner city (Brickfields 2005)
The first solar heating application to a high rise residential building (Smitshof 2005)
The first tenant hardship assistance programme in South Africa, applied particularly to tenants who have lost a breadwinner through HIV/Aids (2003)
The first customer service survey for low income residential developments in South Africa (2004)
A dedicated community development section integral to the work of providing social housing in South Africa (established in 1999)
A combination of tenant committees and tenant volunteers who participate in the community development activities of JHC. Over 800 tenants have participated in JHC training schemes.
The first inter-building soccer and netball leagues, resulting in over 400 young people participating in organized sporting activities
The first inner city neighbourhood residential improvement programme (Ekhaya Neighbourhood Programme, Pietersen Street, initiated September 2004)
The first loan by a commercial financial institution to a social housing institution, thereby breaking the proverbial red line banks had drawn around the inner city (Elangeni 2002)
The first structured finance package to a social housing project bringing in a combination of equity and debt (Brickfields 2005)
The first South African company to win the UN Habitat award (2006)

Jakes1

June 6th, 2007, 12:09 PM

The Lion King has started (1900 seats)
Mozart's Magic Flute will be performed in the Civic.
Rent - The Alexander Theatre
Hair - Montecassino Pieter Toerien Theatre (it was fab and had neked ppl)
Hairspray in the new Goldreefcity theatre (1100 seats)

Right you are Yarrickovichi... Jozi is the theatre capital of SA. I'm looking out for someone to redo the Alhambra Theatre near Ellis Park. That is one gorgeous motha-beep of a theatre!

From the draft of the inner city charter (5 May 2007)

"The City of Johannesburg will facilitate the re-opening of the Alexander Theatre by September
2007 and the Alhambra Theatre by September 2008."

So your wish concerning the Alhambra will come true. The Alexander is opening in September with Rent.

Jakes1

June 6th, 2007, 12:21 PM

Rejuvenation and residential projects help usher in Jo'burg's downtown dawn
By: Christy van der Merwe
Published: 25 May 07 - 15:56

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Since 2001 there has been a significant acceleration of regeneration in Johannesburg, with major interventions around Constitution Hill in Hillbrow, Newtown, the so-called fashion district, the financial district, the Main street upgrade, the Metro mall, Mary Fitzgerald square, the Faraday taxi rank and of course the iconic Nelson Mandela bridge.

These initiatives have all been designed to start reassuring the citizens of greater Johannesburg that the city is a place where one can safely live, work and play once again.

It has been estimated that during the 2001/6 period, about R9-billion has been invested in the city centre, by both the public and the private sectors. From now until 2010 there are plans to scale up that effort with expectations of a further R10-billion investment, and this excludes development directly associated with the 2010 soccer World Cup.

"Johannesburg's inner city rejuvenation has taken off and is progressing at a considerable pace, but it happens building by building, and we still have a huge amount to do," Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) CEO Lael Bethlehem tells Engineering News.

South Africa's economic expansion, fuelled by the country's historically low interest rates environment has led to a nationwide property boom, and some pioneering developers have decided to take a flyer not on boomed-off townhouse complexes or gated clusters, but on the cheaper property available in the inner city. Property from which others beat a hasty retreat as crime and grime encroached.

"A huge amount of money has gone into residential developments, and that has been a substantial part of urban renewal, with new developments, refurbishments and conversions adding about 10 000 residential units to the city in the period between 2001 and 2007. And this tempo looks as though it is going to increase, despite certain barriers, such as lengthy processes regarding plan passing and rates clearances, to contend with," states Neil Fraser, an urban consultant who has been at the forefront of the rejuvenation effort for decades.

READY, SET, DEVELOP

As the opportunities become more visible, the race to accommodate and gain from investments has gathered steam. The property owner profile is also changing, although still largely white, it is not only the public and corporate sectors investing in property, but a growing number of small-to-medium sized private organisations.

One such group catering for the high-end luxury market is Urban Ocean Property Developers, which owns a number of buildings within the inner city and is currently busy with construction at four residential units (The Franklin, The Cornerhouse, Shakespeare Place 1, and Shakespeare 2) and various other mixed-use developments.

The development company admits it is not all plain sailing. Commenting on the challenges of working in the inner city from a construction point of view, Urban Ocean project leader Chris Botes tells Engineering News that spatial confinement is one of the major constraints facing developers.

"Particularly with conversions of office blocks and heritage buildings, you have a very limited amount of space to work with and must be innovative with design and construction in the parameters set out," he adds.

Getting materials in and out of the building is also a struggle at times, as no hoists or cranes can be used near heritage buildings, because potential damage of a fa�ade is not an option.

Development of The Franklin was the first project of its sort in the inner city, and construction stared three years ago. The project consists of six phases and the company is currently completing phase three and is half-way through phase four. Occupation of the building is expected in June this year.

Being at the vanguard, there was a substantial amount of market hesitancy and the company also had to tackle various redundant systems within the construction and banking industries, as well as the changing and updating of regulations regarding sectional title buildings.

Interestingly, Botes says that crime in the inner city has not been a particularly challenging issue, and is in fact easier to control than in some other parts of the city and country. "Steel and copper theft is a problem at any site, no matter where it is situated. In the city centre we are somewhat better placed because there is only one way in and out of the site. We are also using a polymer aluminium pipe, which has the same attributes as copper, instead of copper, which is often stolen from sites, melted down and resold," says Botes.
Botes also explains that contractors are sometimes hesitant to try new technologies, and there are new products available to address weight and cost issues. Contractors are instead relying on tried and tested materials, which are not always the best option, "another example would be the use of dry-walling instead of bricks for interior walls," he adds.

A shift is reportedly under way from clients buying apartments as an investment, to buying them to live in. This trend has been entrenched as the inner city lifestyle with its combined retail, commercial, cultural and residential environment becomes more attractive to young professionals.

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS ON THE WAY

Another significant mixed-use development where construction is soon to start is that of Transport House, so-named because the building used to house the city's buses.
The building is currently dilapidated and is used as a parking lot, It has no roof and has, in the past, been housing squatters. The building will be revamped to contain apartments, a hotel, a cinema and a gym. The development will be undertaken by a group called Ilangabi.

Other developers currently operating in the inner city include Aengus Alp Lifestyle Properties (an ApexHi subsidiary), Atterbury Property, Circlevest Properties, Giuricich, Prop2000, Tiber, City Properties, Johannesburg land Company and Affordable Housing Company (AFHCO) among others.

There have also been joint ventures (JVs) between the public and private sectors such as the Brickfields project in Newtown, a R98,7-million JV between the Gauteng housing department, the Gauteng Partnership Fund, Anglo American Corporation, ABSA, ApexHi and Anglo Gold Ashanti, with the National Housing Finance Corporation injecting R25-million into the project and the City of Johannesburg providing the land. The development offers 742 units of one to three bedrooms, and caters for a range of income groups.
This development was the first major inner city mixed income, mixed use regeneration project, and contributed to the Johannesburg Housing Company scooping the prestigious United Nations Habitat award in September 2006, which is an international award recognising innovative and sustainable housing solutions.

THE CITY'S ROLE

Leading from problems outlined by developers working in the inner city, the City of Johannesburg hopes to ensure that by December 2007, all clearance certificates in the inner city are issued within three months, and will take a zero tolerance approach to dealing with incidents of fraud and corruption in the issuing of such clearance certificates.

The city has also committed to reducing the turnaround times on development and building plans applications, and to ensuring that the correct rates and tariffs are being applied to every building in the inner city by December 2008.
The city will also continue to promote mixed-use developments and will continue to apply a special rates rebate of 40% (available on application by the building owner) for all properties in identified inner city suburbs where at least 80% of the building is reserved for residential use.

BEYOND THE CONCRETE JUNGLE

Consultant to the city, Gapp Architechts Barry Senior in a recent address at the inner city summit confirmed that areas for new development and densification within the inner city have been identified. His ‘conservative estimate' shows the possibility for up to 55 000 additional residential units.

These of course will all need amenities, retail, open space and first class infrastructure. It has been said that the inner city has a ‘fairly good' infrastructure when it comes to water, electricity and sewage. However, it is also a relatively aged infrastructure, which will need upgrading and maintenance.

Open space is also viewed as a vital ingredient to sustainable rejuvenation, and one of the more interesting proposals put forward at the summit is a suggestion for a ‘continuous park corridor' from east to west across the city, linking new and existing parks and running above the existing Metrorail underground line.

With regards to service delivery, and waste management in particular, the city has outlined the injection of R99-million into Pikitup in the 2007 to 2008 financial year to build a new system of waste management and street cleaning with a specific focus on the inner city. The completion of the piloting of a new underground bin system for commercial and residential buildings is expected by December this year, with the system to be fully rolled out by 2011.

Fraser also notes that an important issue that may need more attention is that of adequate social facilities to accommodate the increasing residential developments. "Creches, schools, gyms and public spaces are needed if the number of people living in the city continues to increase - you can't jam thousands of people into a city and not give them anywhere to walk, play, run or walk the dog. You will encounter major social problems," he asserts.

In an attempt to attack the age-old inner city demons of crime and grime, city improvement districts (CIDs) are being facilitated by provincial legislation and have proved a successful initiative in some of the commercial areas in the inner city. Property owners within a particular area pay a certain amount over and above their rates and taxes into a section 21 company for additional cleaning, security and marketing of that area.

"The CIDs mean that you now have a number of people on the ground watching out and cleaning, which goes a long way to ensure the environment is looked after. They also create a platform for property owners to work together. Property owners have experienced numerous benefits from the CIDs," explains Bethlehem.

The City of Johannesburg is now developing a coherent programme of support for improvement districts within residential areas by October this year. It is envisaged that by June 2008 the city will have assisted in the establishment of at least three improvement districts in stressed residential areas.

BAD BUILDINGS CAN CRIMP PROGRESS

Becoming an increasingly disputed issue is that of so-called ‘bad buildings', with the better buildings programme (BBP) continuing to hammer away at plans to accelerate renewal. One initiative is to bring old buildings onto the market for new residential developments.

The programme makes provision for buildings where the rates and service charge arrears may exceed the market value of the building to be sold to a new owner at the assessed market value, with a consequent writing down of the debt owed to the city. The process involved in giving effect to the programme on a building-by-building basis is exhaustive, and a mechanism is required to speed the programme up. Till the end of January 2007, 61 buildings had been approved by the Council for the BBP, but only 15 have been completed, and there are hundreds more in the city.

In many cases, bad buildings are occupied by illegal tenants with slumlords extorting rent after they have taken over the building because the property owner has abandoned the building.

The Avril Malan building in Sauer street is said to be the worst of the bad buildings in the inner city. It is derelict, and with no working services, the first two floors have become communal ablutions and a refuse collection area, the stench deplorable, and emergency exits clogged with rubbish.

"Bad buildings like the Avril Malan building, and the laws surrounding eviction and relocation could be a major stumbling block for urban renewal. You can't move people from a building, no matter how squalid the conditions, unless you give them another roof over their head. It's a continuous battle and debate has only really started over the last year," says Fraser.

The city remains convinced that rapidly deteriorating buildings must be rehabilitated in the interests of the whole community, but also recognises the constitutional and legal rights to tenure security of very vulnerable people legally or illegally occupying many buildings, and sees the need to balance these rights and needs in a programme that sequences the rehabilitation of buildings with the availing of both temporary accommodation options and affordable rental and ownership options in the inner city.

A number of commitments have been put forward by the city in a draft charter to address the issues, including making available 5000 beds for emergency accommodation and decanting facilities in the inner city by 2009.

FORGING AHEAD

Besides residential development, further areas vital to urban regeneration are those of economic development, social development, transportation, urban management and safety and security, and public spaces, arts, culture and heritage.

The city and stakeholders have identified weaknesses in the existing system and plans are in progress to announce how to deal with these identified problems.

With the Gautrain on its way, massive development is being planned for the Park Station area by Johannesburg City's Transportation Department, and this is set to include not only bus and taxi ranks, but substantial retail and residential activity. There is also the proposal of a multibillion bus rapid transit (BRT) system for the metropolitan area including an inner city distribution system.

Johannesburg has won the right to host the 2009 World Summit on Arts and Culture, boosting this sector and accelerating projects such as the proposed refurbishment of Museum Africa, reopening the Alexander Theatre, and refurbishing the Johannesburg City Hall for meetings and concerts.

Rehabilitation and refurbishing of all existing sports and recreation facilities and swimming pools within the city are expected, as well as the development of new facilities.

Over 200 CCTV cameras will be added to the already existing network in the city to boost safety and security.

These projects are over and above the current development of certain nodes such as the fashion district in the east of the inner city, Jewel City, and the massive R600-million facelift of the Ellis Park precinct over the next four years ahead of the 2010 soccer World Cup.

The challenge for the future is to ensure the scale-up and continued momentum of regeneration efforts to ensure more rapid, even and sustained positive impacts on the entire inner city. To realise the vision of Johannesburg as a world-class dynamic city that works, and is liveable, safe, well-managed and welcoming, a city for all, and the trading hub of Africa.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Tel: +27(0)11 622 3744 | Fax +27(0)11 622 9350 | newsdesk@engineeringnews.co.za

joburg

June 6th, 2007, 12:41 PM

Also the Victory Theatre opened this year with Umoja. Althugh it looks really dumb.

hsark

June 6th, 2007, 01:32 PM

Jakes1

June 6th, 2007, 02:04 PM

Please tell me property mag did not misspell Kopanong as Kapoing?! hehe

This refurb has been on the cards for quite some time now. What can be stalling it?
Options:
1. Old Mutual is still waiting to see what exactly happens in this district. Not very likely, the whole area is blossoming and buildings are going up everywhere, so I don't think this is what is keeping it back.
2. Old Mutual is waiting to sell. They make it clear that they don't want to sell, ever.
3. They are waiting for proposed designs - this can be an option. They apparently plan to build a new building around the barbican. And several things need to be taken into consideration.
4. The building is structurally unsound. Also likely. the steel frame fell victim to rust over the years. Thus refurb can be tricky.

I choose to believe option 3.

Jakes1

June 6th, 2007, 02:48 PM

joburg

June 6th, 2007, 05:24 PM

Please tell me property mag did not misspell Kopanong as Kapoing?! hehe

Kapoing sounds better. :D Less... er.. governmenty.

I'll try find out more about the Barbican..

Mosi-oa-Tunya

June 6th, 2007, 09:49 PM

BIG NEWS!!!! I emailed neil fraser to ask about the Johannesburg Sun Refurbishment... This was his exact reply.

"As far as I know it is a Tanzanian investor, the "Tollman Towers" section is
to be converted to an hotel - the podium to the main tower will be basically
retail and entertainment and the tower to residential but possibly with
commercial space as well. Estimated cost R120 million, regards"

So the 20storey tower will be a hotel, and the 40storey one residential. hope to have more information soon.

Thanks Jakes for the info on the Joburg Sun. I hope something happens as it is currently an eyesore being vacant for almost 10 years. The Tollman Towers section has been vacant for 15 years as it was closed down when the Joburg Sun was downgraded to the the HI Garden Court in 1992. Keep us informed. Neil Fraser is the old guy on the City of Johannesburg website and he has a section called CitiTalk.

SA BOY

June 7th, 2007, 09:22 AM

So stoked that Joburg Sun is finally being thought about.
Next up should be the carlton Hotel cvonversion into appartments

kulani

June 7th, 2007, 03:41 PM

Skyscrapers Follow Economic Boom - 2007/06/07

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South Africa's largest cities are readying for brand new sky scrapers in a bid to promote the country's economic prosperity.
The past 30 years saw precious few tower buildings being built. Africa's tallest building, the Carlton Centre in Johannesburg, with 50 stories, was built in 1973. The most recent sky scraper, the Michelangelo Towers in Sandton, with 35 stories, was built last year.
Worldwide cities update their city silhouettes with tower buildings to signify their positions in their respective countries as places of doing business. Cities like Dubai, Shanghai, London and Moscow use their city profiles to increase their visual identity and increase global competitiveness. Cities like these boast some of the world's highest buildings, e.g. the Gherkin in London and the Burj Al Arab in Dubai.
According to Mr Alastair Collins, chief of foreign activities of the quantity surveyors and construction cost consultants group, Davis Langdon, South Africa is ready for new high buildings, taking into account the strong economic growth and one of the best property markets in the world. He was the speaker at the Talking Tall work session in Johannesburg earlier this week, facilitated by Davis Langdon.
According to him, the height of tower buildings differ between cities, but Johannesburg has a higher height aspiration than Cape Town. "In Johannesburg, buildings of up to 60 stories can be built, although 40 stories would be more realistic. Buildings in Cape Town shouldn't have more than 30 stories, to avoid spoiling the view on Table Mountain." Other cities in South Africa which can also consider investments in higher buildings, include Pretoria, Durban and Bloemfontein.
South Africa's sky scrapers are old stock when measured against performance, safety, services and esthetical value. "In the light of this, intelligent developments are called for, which will protect the historical buildings, and respect the existing socio-economic culture in every city." Developments should have high quality architectural designs which will create a sustainable heritage for future generations, he says.
The initial development and operational cost of tower buildings is high, but it can be argued that high buildings are more sustainable and that land is put to better economical use.
According to Prof Gerhard Brümmer, executive director of Davis Langdon, in South Africa the cost of land is between 20% and 40% of the total development cost of a building. "This depends on floor space ratio, the limitation on height, and the coverage of the building."
In Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore, where land is scarce, land totals up to 75% of the total development cost.
Mr Johan Kemp, chief executive of Davis Langdon: Africa Region, says that tower trends are taking hold of Africa, and tower buildings are being planned for Angola, Botswana and Nigeria.
The world's highest building, the Burj Dubai, is currently being built, and will be 800 m high. – Elma Kloppers

http://www.property24.com/property24/news/FullArticle.asp?articleid=5383

Inertia

June 7th, 2007, 04:25 PM

Cool, doesn't mean much tho.. until we see a skyscraper being built will we have one

Harkeb

June 7th, 2007, 06:51 PM

Jhb: Mayor Wants 'transformation' - 2007/06/07

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On a recent tour of the inner city, the executive mayor and his mayoral committee members were brought face-to-face with the urban decay stalking the region. But he committed himself and his team to finding solutions. By Ndaba Dlamini

A lot needs to be done to deal with urban decay and growing poverty in the peripheral areas of the inner city, Executive Mayor Amos Masondo and members of the mayoral committee discovered during a tour of Region F.

The inner city is of strategic importance in ensuring Joburg is a world-class African City, and boosting economic and social development in its cultural and economic heart is key to cementing Joburg's position in the country and on the continent.

The City, at a summit held in early May 2007 looking at ways to regenerate the inner city, undertook to develop a comprehensive plan to deal with the urban management challenges .

In a speech delivered at the summit, Executive Mayor Amos Masondo said: "We cannot under-estimate the strategic importance of the Inner City. The Inner City has not only just been the historical centre of Johannesburg, it has also been its symbolic, economic as well as its cultural centre."

He ended the speech by saying: "Within the next few years … we want the complete transformation of our Inner City. We want this Inner City to be clean and green. We want it to be safe for residents and visitors. We want a proper balance between residential development and business development. We want it to be a desirable location where both the wealthy, and those who are just getting on to the ladder of prosperity, can live, work and enjoy themselves in harmony."

Region F, which ranges from the Johannesburg central business district and the degraded suburbs of Hillbrow, Berea, Yeoville and Bertrams to the affluent middle- and upper-income suburbs of Glenvista, Mulbarton and Bassonia along its southern boundary, is a region of contrasts.

A victim of the urban flight of the 1980s and 1990s, when there was an exodus of business investment to decentralised nodes like Sandton and Rosebank, the central business district fell into disrepair and urban blight spread into surrounding areas. Top attractions like the Carlton Centre and the Johannesburg Sun Hotel closed down, leading to a drastic drop in visitors to and shoppers in the inner city.

The formerly middle-income residential areas of Hillbrow, Berea and Yeoville degenerated because of overcrowding and lack of maintenance of infrastructure.

Efforts to turnaround the inner city include the Better Buildings Programme, which is aimed at accelerating renewal and bringing old buildings to market for new residential development. More recently, the Inner City Summit identified opportunities, focus on challenges and find possible solutions to the problems in the inner city.

Presenting a State of the Inner City report at the Metro Centre before the tour on Wednesday, 30 May, Region F's director, Nathi Mthethwa, said the road show was biased towards highlighting the effects of urban decay.

Clean up
Starting off in Joubert Park, Mthethwa took the mayor and his committee through Park Station. A pile of paving stones and uncollected rubbish at the corner of Noord Street and King George Street attracted Masondo's attention.

"What Pikitup needs to do is to develop a simple mechanism to increase the rate of collecting waste. There are too many people living and passing through the inner city and it is proper that rubbish in this area be collected 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year," he said.

Mthethwa said taxi drivers and shop owners contributed to the waste. "Taxi associations should have a responsibility to regulate cleaning in the inner city as well because they churn out a considerable amount of waste when they clean their taxis on the side of the road."

At the corner of Noord and Wanderers streets, Masondo had a few sharp words to say to a shop owner he spied sweeping rubbish on to the street. "Shop owners found dumping or throwing waste on to the street will be fined heavily in the future," he warned.

There was chaos at the Noord Street Taxi Rank, where heavy early morning pedestrian and motor traffic, exacerbated by taxis parked illegally on pavements, made it impossible to move freely. Masondo said a de-densification strategy and taxi management programme needed to be developed for the area to cater to growing demand.

From Joubert Park, the tour moved to Pretoria Street in Hillbrow, opposite Shoprite Stores; Masondo described the area as "the dirtiest place in the inner city". Asked to comment on the conditions outside his shop, the store manager said he had nothing to say. Masondo warned the manager that if there was no improvement in the next few days, the shop would be closed down – permanently.

Masondo acknowledged that grime was a problem in Hillbrow. "We need to find a solution sooner rather than later. We cannot allow the city to degenerate because of a few irresponsible individuals."

Homeless
At Banket Street rows of homeless people, sleeping on the pavement, greeted the mayor and his entourage. A few were awake and sniffing glue to keep the biting cold away. A man, probably in his early twenties, approached Masondo and began to pour out his life story. Originally from Pimville in Soweto, he had to leave home because of family problems and try to eke out a living on the streets of Johannesburg.

"My name is Sibusiso Nzuza and when I came here I was living in a shelter, but they made me pay R4 a day to live there. I had to leave because I found absolutely nothing that would have made me improve my life," he said.

Masondo assured the group that the City would do everything possible to help them get skills and, possibly, jobs. However, they seemed more interested in asking for food from the officials and Nandi Mayathula-Khoza, the mayoral committee member for community development, promised she would visit again to try to resolve their plight.

Bertrams was "a suburb with a long history as a residential area", according to Lael Bethlehem, the chief executive of the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA); the visit to the suburb revealed almost the same problems as Hillbrow – derelict buildings and piles of rubbish in the streets.

"This area is characterised by buildings that have been taken over illegally by some people. Because of the proximity of the suburb to the city centre, sports infrastructure like the Greater Ellis Park sports precinct and good transport links, Bertrams is a good place to invest in. There are a number of projects commissioned by the JDA, like the new housing and retail developments on Gordon Avenue, meant to regenerate the area," Bethlehem said.

Shacklands
At Jeppestown, Masondo met the residents of an informal settlement called Platform 5. Here people live in shacks, some built on pavements and encroaching on the road. A group of men were digging among the labyrinth of shacks, preparing to install a water pipe. On one side of the road a resident had illegally connected electricity from a street pole into his house.

One resident, Alex Simbini from Mozambique, said he paid R60 a month rent to "a man" who owned the place. He had no idea where the man stayed.

At Denver Main Reef Road, the officials stopped off at a warehouse that had been turned into an informal housing complex. There were about eight units made of iron and wood and a web of electricity wires criss-crossed the dark roof. More shacks spilled into the courtyard and some families were living in trailers. Residents said they paid R10 a day for electricity and R100 a month rent.

A few blocks away, under tall electricity pylons, an informal settlement is developing. One resident is breeding more than 20 greyhounds in an enclosed area "for purposes of game hunting back home in KwaZulu-Natal". Masondo advised the residents to vacate the land because their shacks would be demolished in a day or two.

Mthethwa noted that all the people living in the informal settlement were spill-over from the nearby hostels. Because of the escalation in urban decay around hostel boundaries, the management of these areas would form part of the multi-disciplinary investigation on possible interventions by the inner city task team. It was looking at by-law enforcement, regeneration initiatives, educational and empowerment projects and the provision of adequate infrastructure.

City Deep Hostel Complex
The scene brightened considerably as the party moved to City Deep, where a mixed-income housing project is taking off. The City Deep Hostel Complex is off Heidelberg Road; already 123 housing units have been completed and occupied by council staff in phase one of the project.

James Maluleke, from the Johannesburg Social Housing Company (Joshco), said phase two, which comprises the renovation of 92 units, was in progress.

"A total of 654 units will be built by the end of the project and the estimated cost, including building of roads and pedestrian walkways, will be R108-million. Council staff will be given first preference and the public will be considered later in the allocation of houses," he said.

The next stop was the Rand Stadium, which is undergoing refurbishments valued at R69-million. Construction started in December 2006 and the 28 000-seater stadium is expected to be complete by October 2008.

Winding up the tour on a positive note in the inner city, Masondo was briefed about the revival of the Johannesburg Sun Hotel at a cost of R20-million. The towering blue building, bounded by Jeppe and Pritchard, Smal and Von Wielligh streets, once open to the public, is expected to act as a showcase for corporate investment and a draw-card for those who want to enjoy the revival of urban life. Already, the hotel garage and garden have been spruced up. – Ndaba Dlamini

Durbsboi

June 8th, 2007, 10:48 AM

Courtesy of Pule, I cant find the thread for this development!!! so if anyone can find it, just post it there too.

New Landmark Takes Shape
08 Jun 2007 - Grinaker-LTA Building -

Intro
The massive new Fairland office complex – a new landmark at the intersection of Gauteng’s Beyers Naude Drive and the N1 Western Bypass – is taking shape

The massive new Fairland office complex – a new landmark at the intersection of Gauteng’s Beyers Naude Drive and the N1 Western Bypass – is taking shape, and construction is on track for completion in early March 2008, building contractor Grinaker-LTA has announced. The firm is undertaking the R715-million construction contract for this 120 000 m2 development in a joint venture with Wilson Bayly Holmes Ovcon.

“The concrete structure and structural steel roofs are complete,” notes Grinaker-LTA Building managing director Neil Cloete. “"The brickwork is nearing completion, and the windows and glazed screens
are being installed. Construction of the unusually shaped fire stair pods - which are designed to display signage – is in progress.”

Inside the buildings the contractors are currently installing access flooring and ceilings. The finishing trades, such as tiling, have just started, Cloete adds.

”The roadworks for the paved parking areas and access roads has also started and we are trying to make as much progress as possible before the next rainy season,” he concludes.

This office complex is being developed by RMB Properties for tenants FNB Homeloans and Wesbank.

Jakes1

June 8th, 2007, 02:07 PM

Gautrain To Boost Sandton Demand - 2007/06/08

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The billions earmarked for new office, retail and hotel developments near the Gautrain station in Sandton, is expected to have a huge spin-off for the area's residential property market.

Jack van der Merwe, CEO of the Gautrain Management Agency, says some 150 000 sq m of new office and retail space is scheduled for completion in the Sandton CBD over the next two years. Another 50 000 sq m of space in existing commercial buildings is in the process of being refurbished.

The expected influx of additional office workers to the Sandton CBD will no doubt create more demand for both rental and owner-occupied residential accommodation. Van der Merwe, who earlier this week outlined details of the Gautrain project to members of the SA Property Owners Association (SAPOA) in Johannesburg, expects a significant increase in high-density residential developments in Sandton over the next decade.

But developers who want to cash in on the expected surge in housing demand need to get a foot in the Sandton market sooner rather than later. Van der Merwe says land prices in the vicinity of the Sandton station - currently under construction between Fifth and West Street opposite Sandton City - have already skyrocketed. One developer recently paid R140m for a 2,83ha tract of undeveloped land in the Sandton CBD, setting a new record for Johannesburg land values in the process.

The Sandton CBD also offers buy-to-let investors above average returns over the next five years. Charles Vining of Seeff Properties' Sandton office says demand for rental accommodation in the Sandton CBD has already picked up markedly over the past six to nine months.

He says there are few, if any, vacancies. And when rental stock does become available, it is snapped up quickly. Vining says there is also a growing shortage of investment opportunities in the Sandton CBD, as new sectional title developments currently under construction are mostly sold out.

This is placing strong upward pressure on prices of existing sectional title units. For instance, Vining says at 77 Grayston two bedroomed units are now selling for R1,5m, up from R850 000 three years ago.

Vining expects the sectional title market in the Sandton CBD to outpace average house price growth for at least the next five years, as demand is likely to continue to outstrip supply. - Joan Muller

With land in short supply, and companies wanting to be closer to Gautrain station, the skyscrapers might be closer than we think...

Jakes1

June 11th, 2007, 11:17 AM

Jakes1

June 11th, 2007, 11:18 AM

And to Tom, some good news. Herbert Baker's 1903 Observatory in Observatory will soon receive a multi-million Rand upgrade!

dysan1

June 11th, 2007, 11:37 AM

Translated for all the guys: from Beeld newspaper...

some facts regarding Johannesburg

Between 1996 and 2005 630 000 new formal jobs were created in Johannesburg. Cape Town created only 20 000 formal jobs over the same period.

70% of SA's corporate headquarters are in Johannesburg.

1/5 of the country's wealth is located in Johannesburg.

50% of all commercial buildings to be developed in South Africa over the next few years, will be developed in Johannesburg.

how did they research the 630 000 to 20 000 ratio? sounds a bit dodge.

Also what did they calculate the 70% HQ on?

Not disputing but would like to understand what they base these reports on, cos often one man's stats and another man's are completely different due to different points of reference and standing

Jakes1

June 11th, 2007, 02:45 PM

Extreme park open for play
It took hard-working City Parks staff just 24 hours to transform a barren piece of land into an attractive park.

June 11, 2007
By Ndaba Dlamini

CHILDREN cheered amid joyful adults when Johannesburg City Parks officially opened the world's first park developed in just 24 hours, on a freezing evening in Wilgeheuwel on Friday, 8 June.

The park was created as part of City efforts to mark World Environment Week. In just 24 hours, the barren piece of land at the corner of Nic Diedrichs Boulevard and Florin Road in Wilgeheuwel, Roodepoort, was transformed into a charming park complete with a mini soccer field and a fountain.

Officially opening the 1,22ha park, the member of the mayoral committee for environment, Prema Naidoo, commended the 200 workers who had toiled through the freezing Thursday night and Friday morning temperatures to build one of the most beautiful parks in the city.

A beautiful play area at Wilgeheuwel Park

"A park such as this one would have taken three to six months to develop but through the dedication of City Parks personnel, they managed to come up with a fully developed park."

Councillor for ward 97, Mike Tonkin, said the park would go a long way towards increasing the quality of life of residents in the area. "What a pleasure it is going to be for people to bring their families here to enjoy the park in peace and quiet," he said.

At 6pm on Thursday, 7 June, Luther Williamson, City Parks's managing director, officially started the extreme park make-over at a celebratory ceremony; it was followed by workers labouring through the night at zero degree temperatures, surviving on hot coffee and snacks.

By 4pm the following day, lighting, play equipment, landscaping and mosaic footpaths had been created, replacing the desolate open space that had characterised the area 24 hours earlier.

Addressing residents who had gathered at the park, an excited Williamson said he felt inspired by the project.

"People have been asking me what next after the extreme make-over park. Next year we hope to involve children in developing a one or two square metre park in record time of five minutes in a selected suburb in Johannesburg."

Cindy Clarke, a resident of Wilgeheuwel, said City Parks had come up with a fantastic idea when it had decided to build a park in the area. "It's safe and a lot of fun for the kids," she said.

Nine-year-old Mauritz Janse van Ransburg said the park was "nice" and he would make sure he played there every weekend.

Mo Rush

June 11th, 2007, 02:54 PM

wow...that park idea is great!

joburg

June 11th, 2007, 09:52 PM

Joburg looks rather green from the ground up, but from the air it looks a bit dust-bowlish. sigh. We really need to reduce CO2 emisions and make the air around Joburg less foggy and dusty.

joburg

June 11th, 2007, 09:54 PM

And to Tom, some good news. Herbert Baker's 1903 Observatory in Observatory will soon receive a multi-million Rand upgrade!

yeeha.. no doubt this will increase our values. it'll also be vital in the upliftment of Yeoville, as the observatory practically borders Rockey Street/Yeoville.

Jakes1

June 12th, 2007, 07:57 PM

2010 preparations
racing ahead
Preparations for the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ are on time and within budget, says the head of the City's 2010 unit.

June 12, 2007
By Lucky Sindane

JOHANNESBURG'S preparations for the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ are well on track, within budget and ahead of schedule, according to the executive director of the City's 2010 unit, Sibongile Mazibuko.

Speaking at a press briefing at Safa House on Monday, 11 June, Mazibuko said the City was preparing to host an event that would delight and surprise both local residents and visitors.

Safa is the South African Football Association. The briefing was held as part of a tour of Soccer City and Orlando Stadium.

German national team players Piotr Trochowski and Philipp Lahm attended the tour, as both wanted to see the progress that had been made by the City - and the stadium they would be playing at should Germany qualify for the soccer spectacular.

"We are looking forward to the tournament and we are confident that South Africa [will] give the world a great showpiece," Lahm said.

Mazibuko took the visiting soccer stars on a site visit of Soccer City, which is undergoing a R1,5-billion revam to host the finals of the 2010 Fifa World Cup
(Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)

Kheepe Moremi, the marketing director at the International Marketing Council, said, "These two players are kicking soccer balls in South Africa today and will be back here in 2010 to see magnificently completed stadiums and a proud and united South Africa after showing the world and each other that we've done it before and can do it again."

Johannesburg is the only city in the country that will have two venues used in the group stages of the 2010 event, namely Soccer City and Ellis Park. Soccer City will host five first-round matches, one second-round match, a quarter final and the final.

"That stadium, which will also host the final and deciding match of the world's greatest sporting spectacle, will be ready and completed in April 2009, well ahead of the start of the tournament," Mazibuko said.

"You can see for yourself where one of the world's most modern and best equipped sports stadiums will be erected from what is today a massive construction site."

Soccer City recently received a cash injection of R1,5-billion, to increase its capacity to 94 000 by March 2009. Work began in January 2007, with a sod-turning ceremony attended by Executive Mayor Amos Masondo.

In addition to the extended seating, the two-tiered stadium will be fitted with an encircling roof.

Many of the top teams will complete their final preparations at six training venues in and around Johannesburg, including Orlando Stadium, Dobsonville Stadium, Rand Stadium, Cecil Payne Stadium, Rabie Ridge Stadium and Ruimsig Stadium.

Orlando and Dobsonville stadiums already meet Fifa's requirements in terms of the number of spectators they can accommodate, safety standards, medical facilities, flood lighting and media needs.

"The earthworks at Orlando Stadium are already completed and almost a quarter of the construction work has been done. At Dobsonville and Rand stadiums work has passed the 15 percent mark and both will be completed by October 2008," Mazibuko said.

"We are looking beyond 2010 at projects that will bring lasting benefits to Johannesburg in our efforts to create a world-class, African city and improve the lives of our people."

Mo Rush

June 12th, 2007, 08:10 PM

"racing ahead" is so appropriate. things really are moving so fast that everyone from all spheres of world cup projects arebeing forced to get their acts together

pappy

June 13th, 2007, 08:13 AM

I heard South Africa might not host the world cup! That's a shame, you guys better get on your grind and finish those projects.

Jakes1

June 13th, 2007, 09:55 AM

I heard South Africa might not host the world cup! That's a shame, you guys better get on your grind and finish those projects.
Heard that Nigeria might host it instead. Apparently the Niger Delta is quite nice this time of year.

Inertia

June 13th, 2007, 10:33 AM

Yep apparently some Nigerians are taking South Africans against their will in a show of love and friendship, how nice!

SA BOY

June 13th, 2007, 10:43 AM

and the fact that the nigerian goovermnet is the cleanest in the world really helps this punks argument

Jakes1

June 13th, 2007, 10:49 AM

I started with classical piano when I turned 5. And this is great news for the Linder. Steinway piano's are amazing!

Linder goes
shopping for new piano
After using the same concert piano for 25 years, it has been decided an investment should be made into a new, modern Steinway concert piano for the Linder Auditorium.

June 13, 2007
By George Matlala

WORLD-CLASS pianists playing at the Linder Auditorium have urged staff to invest in a modern concert grand piano - and it seems their pleas have not fallen on deaf ears.

If all goes according to plan, the auditorium, at the University of the Witwatersrand Education Campus in Parktown, will soon reverberate with the sounds of a new R1,1-million Steinway model D concert grand piano made in Hamburg, Germany.

It will replace the 25-year-old Bosendorfer imperial concert grand piano, which has been used since the opening of the Linder in 1982.

"The Linder is in need of a new concert grand piano if it is to continue attracting world-class pianists and maintaining its position as a premier music venue in Gauteng," says David Freemantle, the manager of facilities at the auditorium.

Since March, the university and the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra have been raising money through the sale of the 88 keys of the old piano, selling at R12 500 each. So far, companies and individuals have pledged more than 70 keys, including banking group Nedbank and fuel company Sasol.

The old piano is often overpowered by orchestral instruments, especially when large ensembles perform. It is good for recitals and chamber pieces, explains Freemantle, but falls short when it comes to the rendition of concertos, cutting edge jazz and other works where the piano forms part of a larger group of instruments.

Manufactured at Steinway's factory in Hamburg, the new piano is expected to resonate well with other instruments. A Steinway Sponsorship plaque will be erected in the Linder foyer to acknowledge the sponsors of every key.

Widely recognised for its acoustics, the Linder Auditorium hosts key events such as concerts, choir festivals, dancing and ballet. It is the home to the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra and the venue of the Orchestra Rave and the Wozani Discover the Orchestra concert. It can seat 1 059 people.

A number of world-class pianists have performed at the Linder, including Russian pianist Olga Kerm. For pledging and more information contact David Freemantle on 011 717 3223.

Mo Rush

June 13th, 2007, 12:15 PM

I heard South Africa might not host the world cup! That's a shame, you guys better get on your grind and finish those projects.

we are getting on our grind..sounds like a song

waltjie

June 13th, 2007, 02:09 PM

I heard South Africa might not host the world cup! That's a shame, you guys better get on your grind and finish those projects.

Gosh, never thought of that! Maybe we should all go and help out at the building sites on our weekends??

pappy

June 13th, 2007, 05:02 PM

Heard that Nigeria might host it instead. Apparently the Niger Delta is quite nice this time of year.

Yessir! We actually thought about that but Niger-Deltans don't like dirty South Africans.

Pule

June 13th, 2007, 05:51 PM

pappy

June 13th, 2007, 07:45 PM

Guys, I can't believe that you replied to the this guy called Pappy's post. Can we please discuss Joburg instead. People like these are the ones that creates all the negetives about Nigeria and we need not to lash Nigerian because of just one nincompoop who doesn't even understand what he just typed.

No choice but to respond to me...

Tell your friends to fall back on Naija business and stop posting on things they know nothing about. These are warning shots, if they keep doing that SA forum will not exist anymore, there's too many of us for...you already know.

Mo Rush

June 13th, 2007, 08:26 PM

warning shots...omw..i love that. very "full metal jacket" "saving private ryan"..art of war feeling

pappy

June 13th, 2007, 09:02 PM

warning shots...omw..i love that. very "full metal jacket" "saving private ryan"..art of war feeling

That's what I'm about my good man...WAR!

Martsbra

June 14th, 2007, 07:46 AM

So this is the joburg discussion thread...

incase anyone forgot and went all 9 year old

joburg

June 14th, 2007, 09:39 AM

I started with classical piano when I turned 5. And this is great news for the Linder. Steinway piano's are amazing!

You must not forget my dear friend that Pretoria is one of the pre-eminent classical music capitals of the world. My folks' company does PR work for the UNISA World Music Competition, attracting BEEEG names to UNISA's National Party-designed auditorium.. :D

joburg

June 14th, 2007, 09:43 AM

Read today that Cartier will be opening in Sandton later this year, and Paul's of London is opening on 6th Avenue in Parkhurst. And Louis Vuitton is opening up in Cape Town too.

joburg

June 14th, 2007, 09:47 AM

SA’s now too chic to miss (Column)
http://www.thetimes.co.za/article.aspx?ID=491179
Jacquie Myburgh

There’s nothing like the opening of a new designer store to get some of us thinking that perhaps we made poor decisions when it came to choosing our careers.

This may not seem an appropriate line to take when public sector workers are striking over salary increases and the average nurse’s monthly pay is enough to buy you one pair of Jimmy Choo sandals from one such designer store in Johannesburg’s Hyde Park.

But the reality of boom time in South Africa means that, regardless of how the strike pans out, the designer retail scene is heading for something of an explosion during the second half of this year.

And, bizarrely, it highlights the existence of haves and have-nots in even the most elevated social echelons.

Because there are those of us who walk through the scented aisles of Louis Vuitton in Sandton City and simply cannot believe there are enough people in Gauteng who can sustain the kind of price tags that you don’t see (if you have to ask, you can’t afford it).

But there must be because a slew of designer stores is about to start arriving on our shores.

It all started in October 2004, when Louis Vuitton opened its Sandton doors. At the time, there were those who believed it was not a business decision but simply a romantic choice of site to launch the world’s leading designer brand’s year-long 150th birthday celebrations.

I refuse to believe that a company the size of LVMH, which owns countless money-spinning labels such as Christian Dior, Kenzo, Fendi and Marc Jacobs, would allow itself such an indulgence. And since its Cape Town store opens at the V&A Waterfront in November, I don’t think South Africa is simply ‘‘nice to have” on the LVMH business plan.

I was of the school that believed that if LV had done its homework and thought there was money to be made here, countless other labels wouldn’t even bother to do the research themselves; they would simply open here on the strength of LV’s decision to do so.

Well, they’re coming.

Later this year, Paul Smith, one of Britain’s hippest designers, is opening a store in cute little Parkhurst, Johannesburg, believe it or not.

My favourite Paul Smith London store is in Notting Hill, so it makes sense that he hasn’t headed for the glitzy malls as do most designers looking for safety in numbers.

Someone who’s clearly taking the numbers incredibly seriously is Cartier, which opens a massive store in Sandton City (diagonally opposite LV) in July.

Owned by Richemont — which also owns Montblanc, their neighbouring store — Cartier’s new emporium will be so vast, it had to boot out no fewer than three stores, Palazzo Pitti shoes, André Jewellers and Amici Accessories, to make way for the labels.

The other imminent arrival comes from Australia but is no less illustrious. Belinda is that country’s answer to Brown’s of London which stocks only the most exclusive and desirable — often cultish — labels from around the world. Belinda’s South African address? Sixth Avenue, Parkhurst.

And if that wasn’t enough, the rarefied surrounds of Catherine Gaeyla, a by-appointment-only boutique in the suburb of Hyde Park, is about to become the first in South Africa to sell Christian Dior and Dolce & Gabbana.

So it’s going to be quite a year for those whose credit cards can handle it. For the rest of us, I’m starting to wonder if it’s too late to go back to university.

mike2005

June 14th, 2007, 12:42 PM

Are all Nigerians ignorant delusional prats or is it just the ones on this forum?

Martsbra

June 14th, 2007, 01:19 PM

So this is the joburg discussion thread...

incase anyone forgot and went all 9 year old

ignore them

romanSA

June 14th, 2007, 03:25 PM

Okay, moving on to construction and development news.... (I don't normally post in the JHB thread but am trying to change the mood here)

------------------------------

Spoornet studies a plan to build freight rail ring around Johannesburg
June 14, 2007

By SAMANTHA ENSLIN-PAYNE

Durban - Transnet's plans to boost freight rail capacity include a feasibility study on a rail ring around greater Johannesburg to reduce delays.

Moira Moses, the group executive for Transnet projects, said in a presentation: "We want to build a new hub [to replace City Deep]. We are completing a feasibility [study] on a Gauteng freight rail ring. This is important, because part of the reason for delays is that freight trains have to cross metro lines. As passenger trains have right of way, this can lead to a lot of delays."

Speaking at the mid-year SA Chamber of Business convention, Moses said the idea was to take trains around greater Johannesburg and develop a new inland terminal using a large tract of Transnet land in Springs.

This proposal still needs to be presented to the Transnet board.

"Our mission is to take business away from road," said Moses.

Richard Foulds, an executive director at Cross Country Containers, a Grindrod subsidiary, said yesterday that plans for the Gauteng freight rail ring needed to consider the cartage costs from Springs to Johannesburg to be a viable option.

Based on research by the University of Stellenbosch commissioned by Transnet, the transport parastatal has identified 23 priority commodities. These include coal, iron ore, cement, vehicles and containers.

Using 2004 as a base, it is forecast that 50.1 million tons will be transported on the Durban to Gauteng route in 2009, rising to 69.4 million tons in 2019 and 84 million tons in 2025.

In 2004 volumes between Durban and Gauteng were 42.2 million tons, of which Spoornet railed 10.3 million tons and road handled 31.9 million tons.

Transnet's plans for rail between Johannesburg and Durban include a focus on cars and containers, which are forecast to grow substantially.

Transnet is ploughing R20 billion into pipelines, ports and rail for this corridor. Building an entirely new line between Johannesburg and Durban through the Tugela Valley was considered, but this was not feasible and would have been "hugely expensive".

Moses said Transnet's philosophy was that technology and operational efficiency were more effective than new infrastructure.

"Our network is good; we are just not using it properly," she said, but she acknowledged that "there will need to be expansion in some areas".

Spoornet's R34 billion capital expenditure over the next five years includes the acquisition of 215 locomotives, some of which will be deployed on the Durban to Gauteng route.

Investment is also being made in ore and coal lines and the line to the Port of Ngqura is being upgraded.

A new rail link between Richards Bay and Durban is on the cards. This would provide flexibility if, for example, vessels needed to be diverted.

Staff is also important. "It is no use in investing in new locomotives and terminals if we do not have the right people to run and manage these assets. We have identified the skills we need now and over the next five to 10 years. The question is: how do we match what we require?" Moses said.

One way is to retain people. Transnet's performance management scheme, which is focused on efficiency, safety and profitability, is linked to an attractive bonus system.

Transnet has shed non-core business to focus on the freight business. It has launched a R78 billion capital expenditure programme.

Moses said: "We have taken on a lot with simultaneous investment in ports, rail and pipelines. We have projects happening in every part of the country."

The next five years are critical as Transnet completes the integration interface between ports and rail.

http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=&fArticleId=3882875

Pule

June 15th, 2007, 04:27 PM

Putting the
artistry into crafts
Quietly working away in studios dotted around Joburg, potters, ceramicists and metal workers create beautiful, yet functional art.

June 15, 2007
By Lucille Davie

Not every home can boast its own catacombs, but there's one in Rockey Street, Yeoville that can.

There is a whole basement full of catacombs under the house, in a building that belongs to ceramicist Frank Raubenheimer. Rooms lead into one another, with benches built into the earth around the walls.

And in the nooks and crannies of the catacombs you'll see the most wonderfully creative ceramic lamps, lighting the corners in magical ways.

Raubenheimer calls the catacombs his "ceramic underground", where he holds music and poetry sessions and drumming classes, or displays his work. The walls are made of finely packed soil, giving the catacombs an earthy ambience.

"I started digging two rooms under the building," he says, "and followed the contour of the house."

It was a space "begging to be used", he says with a smile. He considers it his gallery.

Raubenheimer bought the one-storey building in 1994, when it was a small block of flats. He has converted the ground floor into a multi-functional craft centre, where metalwork, woodwork, art and pottery classes are held. He also runs a small bookstall at the entrance to the workshop - he is happy for people to take a book, but leave two behind. He lives on the first floor.

The lamps come in creative shapes and sizes. "I love the translucency of porcelain," he explains. "The reflection of light fascinates me."

He is unlikely to sell the lamps, which take a month or two to make. "A lot of people want to buy them but I want to live with them for a while to see what is possible or not." It has been a long while - he has lived with these lamps for the past 10 years, but stopped making them three years ago. "They've been unusual, they work nicely here; I'll possibly sell them."

Moyo
But they act like an advertisement. Jason Lurie, the owner of several Moyo restaurants in Joburg and Cape Town, was told about Raubenheimer's ceramic underground and came visiting. He toured the catacombs and fell in love with the lamps.
He commissioned Raubenheimer to make plates and bowls for Moyo, and three years later the artist is still supplying the restaurant. Several rooms, tumbling into the back yard, have tableloads of colourful tagines and bowls, all destined for the tables of Moyo.

Raubenheimer used to live in a flat in Joubert Park, where he fixed watches and clocks, before he moved to pottery 15 years ago.

"I had a kick wheel in the flat and taught myself but I learned the wrong way around." Instead of undoing the way he taught himself, when he found out he was doing it wrong, Raubenheimer altered the wheel to accommodate his style. "I was just pig-headed," he admits.

The artist likes the "organic growth element" of pottery, and while there are "so many others much more qualified" than him, he likes to take the "less travelled path". He has avoided the cups and pots that a lot of potters make; being "fascinated by light and water", he made birdbaths.

But all that changed when Lurie approached him.

Yeoville, itself a rather bohemian, cosmopolitan community, clearly suits him. He is driven by transformation in society, and certainly Yeoville epitomises a transforming society. "People can come in here; there's a chance to extend themselves here."

He describes Joburg as a "great city". He was born in Bedfordview and has lived in Cape Town. And although there is crime in Joburg, Raubenheimer advises that fear shouldn't paralyse people.

"We've got to have a positive direction. We're stuck with what we can do … we need to get on with it. There is so much we can do. I'm doing what I can."

Metal art
He can juggle, stilt walk, unicycle, make props and costumes, do wirework and ceramics, but he prefers to be known as a metalworker.
He is John Molteno, and if you've seen a beautifully carved metal gate or fence around town, filled with exuberant trees or leaves, fish or animals, it's probably been made by him.

Molteno doesn't really like to be told exactly what to do when people commission him - he prefers to be given a broad idea of what a customer wants, then to be left to do the finer design.

He started out in wirework and ceramics, after completing matric at the Joubert Park Technical College, where he took ceramics as one his subjects. Molteno worked at Liebermann Pottery for a while but his heart was in metalwork.

"I fiddled with a few techniques, then met a guy from England who taught me how to work with sheet metal." This requires a more subtle skill – of shaping the metal with different equipment.

Molteno says he could shape the sheet metal with lazar equipment but prefers to work it manually as it's a more creative process, allowing him to make natural forms.

"I want to use metalwork as a creative medium."

Public art
The metal artist is largely involved in making gates these days, but over the last two years he has made trees, together with other artists, that have been erected in Main Street at Christmas time.
"I would love to do more public art works."

In 1996 he created a public art work, a sangoma's office from recycled materials, near the Faraday Market in the CBD. It was made of oil drums, cans and car windows. A similar creation - a DJ box - was made for a club in Rockey Street, Yeoville.

He has passed on his skills – he has taught for four years at the Creative Inner City Initiative, based in an old school on the edge of Joubert Park. Some of the skills he has passed on are prop-making, painting, wirework and a bit of sculpturing for making floats for the Gauteng and the New Year's carnivals.

Although he has given some learners temporary jobs, he says he wants them to learn to find their own work, buy their own equipment and create their own businesses. Besides, he prefers to work by himself.

Molteno has a workshop and forge in Bez Valley in an interesting set of buildings previously believed to have been a laundry, where he works with a number of other people. It's quiet and peaceful, alongside a park, on an oak-lined street in a residential area.

The conditions are basic but they suit him perfectly. "I have more than I need," he says, referring to his equipment. "I have spent my money on equipment rather than a fancy car and hi-fi."

Glorious teapots
Teapots, glorious teapots are in abundance in Peter Mthombeni's busy studio in Troyeville, where the artist's quiet, modest manner belies a talent for doing wonderful things with clay.
Working out of a tall-roofed warehouse, several tabletops are crowded with examples of his work: checked and striped teapots of various colours, assorted cups and saucers in creamy colours, and perky candy-striped cups in a multitude of colours, all with rich gold or silver handles, and matching single colour saucers with fine gold edging.

"I enjoy what I make," Mthombeni says.

It seems other people also enjoy what he makes. Mthombeni says he has come across imitators in the US, who copy his designs from magazines or trade show exhibitions he attends. Although it's a compliment, it is also annoying.

Last year Mthombeni won a prize worth R25 000 in the City's merchandising competition. He won in the functional design category, one of three categories in the competition, for his funky vase, cup and saucer, and mug, all emblazoned with images of the city. All entries had to contain designs that would capture the essence of Joburg.

At the time Mthombeni said, "I feel like I've won a Joburg Grammy Award."

Dolls and vases
But he doesn't just do kitchenware, although he admits it's what he likes best. In his 16 years as a potter he's made small, fine-featured ethnic dolls; beautiful ethnic vases of unusual shapes and sizes, one made especially for Nelson Mandela; moulds for busts, one a Polish World War 2 veteran; large wall plates of Mandela; jewellery designs for the Lost City; tiles for the hotel at the Cradle of Humankind; and a huge mural made of face brick that is in the library at the Doornfontein campus of the University of Johannesburg.
But perhaps Mthombeni's most creative ethnic work is a kraal tea set, consisting of a charcoal-coloured wooden base with a ceramic Ndebele wall around the four sides. The entrance to the kraal consists of two posts, made of a sugar bowl and a milk jug. Opposite is the main hut, a tea pot, with a ceramic imitation A-framed thatch roof, the lid of the pot. And the cups are two huts along the west and east walls of the kraal. And, of course, the wooden base is the tray.

He is about to start work on a ceramic portrait of an individual who has been honoured by the Pope. He has done two previous ceramic portraits.

The artist recently returned from the Design Indaba in Cape Town, bursting with orders for, you guessed it, colourful teapots.

Copper is alive
In a small wood and iron workshop in the shadow of the towering Ellis Park Stadium, is a fourth-generation coppersmith, Larry de Klerk, who hammers away contentedly at gleaming copper pieces.
The house and workshop, declared a national monument in 1990, were built sometime between 1887 and 1897. De Klerk's great grandfather, Hendrik Eliza, started the family business over 100 years ago in Doornfontein, working as a blacksmith, and later working with brass.

He passed the craft on to his son, Hermanus Jakobus (known as Harry), who started working in copper as well. Harry's son, Cecil, worked in wrought iron, brass and copper and started teaching Larry the craft in 1982.

Both Harry and Cecil were born in the house, but the family moved out of it in the 1960s.

While Cecil largely worked in copper and brass, making bedwarmers, bowls, jugs, mugs and spoons which were very fashionable in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, Larry has concentrated on copper work commissions, such as domes, fireplaces, basins, chandeliers, doors, water features and gorgeous copper baths.

His showpiece is "the biggest copper dome in Africa" – 10 metres by 27 metres - for the Great Park Synagogue in Glenhove.

Describing a copper bath as his "biggest challenge", De Klerk has made over a hundred baths. "It was only after about 15 years that I felt I had the confidence to make a bath." A test of the craft is whether you can see a join in the bath – his have no visible joins. "My father said it couldn't be done."

Copper baths will not crack or stain and will last forever. "Besides, they look lovely."

He says copper is alive; "with it you can put things together that no machine can do … It is not something you can easily teach." He has been coppersmithing for 25 years and is "still learning the craft".

It's very specialised. "There are no moulds for making copper items. Once you have made a template and cut the copper, you heat it, bend it and shape it. You work it into forms by stretching it, then you hammer it and you can hear when you can't hammer any more. If you hammer just once too much, it will crack and become like glass."

This takes its toll - De Klerk has impaired hearing as a result - but there is no other way of doing it. "You have to hear the sound when you hammer the copper - the precise sound will tell you when to stop."

He has six assistants, one of whom, Eric Ngomani, is a second-generation staff member at De Klerk's. His father, Amos, worked for Cecil de Klerk.

The coppersmith says his craft is addictive - and he enjoys the challenges and pressure of getting a job right. "I love what I do."

Wonderful ceramics Ozolo Ntshalintshali comes from a creative family – she is the sister of the acclaimed potter, Bonnie, who has won several awards for her wonderfully imaginative ceramics, and her work is in private and public collections in South Africa, the US and the UK.

Bonnie taught her sister to paint, continuing the family's creative tradition. Her brother, Vusi, and two of his sons are also potters, as is her sister-in-law. Bonnie died in 1998, at the age of 31.

Ntshalintshali makes jugs, teapots, bowls, mugs and vases, painting them in her favourite colours: green, blue and maroon.

She was born in Escort, in KwaZulu-Natal, and, like the other members of her family, started pottery at the Ardmore Farm. That studio is now world-famous and its work is much sought after. Ntshalintshali moved to Joburg in 1997 and lives in Soweto.

Her studio is in the township, and her pieces are sold through the Kim Sacks Gallery in Parkwood. A decorated one-litre jug sells for between R600 and R1 000.

A jug may take her three to three-and-a-half days to complete, and it's easy to see why: it's covered in hundreds of small shapes and patterns, in geometric and circular shapes, in beautiful colours.

Ntshalintshali starts her decoration by drawing the shapes in pencil, then the colours "come out".

She is a shy person, not confident speaking English, although she does understand the language.

When asked where she gets her inspiration, she says: "The patterns are in my head. They just happen; I don't know where they come from."

Kim Sacks describes Ntshalintshali as being "profoundly skilled". And looking at her work, no one can doubt that.

joburg

June 16th, 2007, 02:34 PM

Check out this other building being done up as part of the Bridge Precinct. It's pwetty..

http://img.photojerk.com/joburg/Photo-1119.jpg

Jim856796

June 17th, 2007, 08:01 PM

http://www.emporis.com/files/transfer/sixwm/2003/09/219785.jpg

The Carlton Centre Hotel is a dormant 624-room hotel that was built in 1973 as part of the Carlton Centre complex that includes a 50 story office tower. It rises to a height of 119 metres and 30 floors. The top floor has a rooftop pool covered by a retractable roof. The hotel was mothballed in 1998 for unknown reasons.

If you had plans to reuse the building, what would it be converted into? My guess would be an apartment building.

Inertia

June 17th, 2007, 08:40 PM

makoppa

June 18th, 2007, 09:31 AM

In my dream world of full-scale Carlton renovation, I would redo the entire 50-floor block and cover it with shiny glass and add an extra 15-20 floors, converting it into prime office space, then i would add another 5-10 floors onto the Carlton hotel, spruce it up with a new modern and funky facade and convert that into apartments.. CBD mixed usage fantasy world :PBut what a good and feasible idea- wait and see what a few years of the current changes bring. By the way joburg would you please put yourself up for Moderator. Mo Rush is aligned with ENIGMA and is therefore not a good idea. Still think Thryve does a good job and shouldn't be pushed aside by over-ambitious Capetonians..

Mo Rush

June 18th, 2007, 02:57 PM

But what a good and feasible idea- wait and see what a few years of the current changes bring. By the way joburg would you please put yourself up for Moderator. Mo Rush is aligned with ENIGMA and is therefore not a good idea. Still think Thryve does a good job and shouldn't be pushed aside by over-ambitious Capetonians..

aligned? with enigma? first time i hear that. congrats dysan.
my ambitions extend far beyond becoming the mod of an online forum. I certainly hope yours do to.

makoppa

June 19th, 2007, 12:58 AM

aligned? with enigma? first time i hear that. congrats dysan.
my ambitions extend far beyond becoming the mod of an online forum. I certainly hope yours do to.My point proven, Mo Rush.

Jakes1

June 19th, 2007, 09:34 AM

The johannesburg forum suddenly feels like being stuck on the M1 Bucchleuh interchange at 16:45 after a truck drove off the bridge and fell over all the cariageways... it is quite aggressive...

Jakes1

June 19th, 2007, 09:44 AM

East end, west end – which is best?
There has been plenty of investment in the western end of the city centre, but the eastern end is no longer the poor relation, with about R3-billion worth of development in the area.

June 18, 2007
By Neil Fraser

FOR some time concern has been expressed about the lack of activity in the area to the east of the centre city. To a large extent the concentration appears to have been on the other side of the core, namely to the west.

Certainly the development in and around Newtown has been spectacular and has strongly bolstered that edge of the centre city core. Starting with the redevelopment of Mary Fitzgerald Square in 2001, a large number of projects have followed and more are being planned for the near future. Infrastructure projects that have been completed include Mary Fitzgerald Square, the Nelson Mandela Bridge and M1 on and off ramps, Metro Mall taxi rank and retail facility, the upgrading of the urban environment and the conversion of disused railway sidings into parking space, and, more recently, the completion of public toilets on Mary Fitzgerald Square.

Completed residential accommodation includes the Johannesburg Housing Company (JHC) projects, Tribunal Gardens and Carr Gardens; and the Cope Housing development, all at the Fordsburg end of Newtown; and the JHC's Brickfields development at the city end.

Completed office or commercial developments, new and refurbished, include the new Number I Central Place, and refurbishments such as The Mills@Newtown; the Newtown Hotel by Numsa, the metalworkers' union; a building on the corner of Bree and Miriam Makeba streets; and, more recently, the construction of new offices for the Johannesburg Development Agency within the Bus Factory.

Oriental Plaza
The Oriental Plaza, at the western edge of Newtown, has also experienced major upgrading and refurbishing over the past few years, with a lot evidently still to come.
On the cultural front, work was done some years ago in accommodating the Dance Factory, Moving into Dance and the Midi Trust's Newtown Music Centre – now the Bassline. The first phase of the Sci Bono Science and Technology Centre was also completed a few years ago in the historic Electric Workshop building, which included a great refurbishment of the offices and the creation of retail on the southern end of the building.

Under construction
Work under construction includes the Quinn Street flats, where the conversion from offices is almost complete; the additions to and refurbishment of the Turbine Hall and Boiler House as the corporate head office for Anglo Gold Ashanti, which is also just being completed; the refurbishment of the AA Building and 11 Diagonal Street for FNB and Absa banks respectively; and the Franklin residential accommodation, which was previously the Ernst and Young building.
Planned projects include the conversion of Transport House into an 80-room boutique hotel with 200 flats and 3 600m2 of retail and cinemas; mixed use developments at Numbers 2, 3 and 6 Central Place; flats and retail opposite the Market Theatre, to be known as the Majestic; a major new residential project behind the Quinn Street development to be known as The Sidings; a very large office and retail development in Carr Street; and a complete refurbishment of the popular SAB World of Beer.

My calculation of the cost of all the development that has taken place from 2001 to date, including the known projects to be developed in the near future mentioned above, is well over R3-billion. So the western area of the core city centre has really been hot.

The east
And the forgotten east? Not so forgotten anymore!
The first major new project in this area was Absa's R450-million headquarter building, completed in 1999, followed by the bank's staff parking garage. The really big project now under construction – at R1,1-billion – is another massive addition to the Absa campus. It covers three city blocks and comprises two blocks of offices and an energy centre to service the Absa campus, over basement parking for 3 000 cars. It provides 115 000m² of additional office space that will house 3 580 staff.

The new buildings will consolidate Absa's corporate dominance in the southeastern quadrant of the inner city.

Directly to the east of the Absa campus is Jewel City, where considerable work is under way. ApexHi is investing substantially in upgrading and extending the precinct, as is another private investor. The JDA is busy upgrading the public environment surrounding Jewel City. I know of at least one residential developer who has started buying properties just east of Jewel City and I anticipate increasing interest in this area for residential development purposes.

To the north of Jewel City there has been a great deal of new investment, particularly in the area bounded by the railway line in the north and east, End Street in the west and Market Street in the south. Upgrading of a number of industrial buildings and the conversion of a large number of office blocks into flats will cause this area to become far more residential in nature than previously, while retaining some of the industrial elements.

Some of the residential projects that are on or around End Street are extremely large, such as the 120 End Street conversion from offices to 800 residential units, the previous Checkers office building into 330 residential units and Purchase Place into 440 residential units.

Train station
Regarding infrastructure, there is talk of a new railway station being built in the area to replace the existing Ellis Park and Doornfontein stations, and the existing taxi rank must be ready for an upgrade.
Further east, the Ellis Park-Bertrams area has a minimum of R300-million allocated for upgrading prior to the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ and a visit to the area shows a great deal of work under way on upgrading roads and pavements.

Some R200-million is being spent on upgrading the Ellis Park Stadium itself and I would imagine that a lot more money will be pumped into the area directly around the Ellis Park and Athletics Stadiums.

Residential is again high on the priority list in this area, with a precinct in Bertrams being targeted for expropriation and redevelopment and the announcement by the JHC at the Inner City Summit on 5 May of a massive new housing development.

Not lagging too far behind the west, this eastern sector is looking at investment of R2,5-billion to R3-billion, taking into account projects since 1999 to date and known projects to come. And as we get closer to 2010, I anticipate seeing a lot more going into this area.

Exciting stuff and it can only get better. But notice how often I've referred to "residential" or "housing" – this is currently one of the major drivers of urban regeneration in the inner city and both east and west appear to be attracting their fair share.

Ciao, Neil

Durbsboi

June 19th, 2007, 12:22 PM

Courtesy of Pule

Luxury 'Soweto Express' to launch mid-June

By: Nelendhre Moodley
Published: 24 May 07 - 11:17
The Soweto Express, an eight-coach luxury train travelling between Johannesburg and Soweto, will be launched in mid-June, Metrorail regional manager Salani Sithole told Engineering News Online on Thursday.

The R2,2-billion train was scheduled for launch in April, but “budgeting issues" had caused delays, Sithole said.

The South African Rail Commuter Corporation (SARCC), which operates Metrorail, had had to approve the Soweto Express budget.

“Last week the board approved the capital project and business plan. SARCC has also approved the operational and maintenance budget.”

Minor changes to the coaches, including conversion to WiFi, would be completed by next week.

The 530-seater train is the first of three proposed such ventures and is targeted at satisfying the demands of middle-class travellers to Johannesburg, who often have to cough up between R400 and R500 for parking bays.

The Soweto Express, which would cost around R300 a month to ride, will begin its route at Naledi station, with stops at Ikhwezi and Dube stations in Soweto, before reaching the Johannesburg CBD.

The train would be staffed by uniformed attendants, who would serve drinks and provide free newspapers to commuters.

Sithole also said that the Soweto Express would be used as a yardstick for a similar express running from Johannesburg to Pretoria.

The Johannesburg-Pretoria express was expected to be launched by October/November.

Earlier Sithole said that a second train would be launched along the same route, but travelling at a later time.

While the Soweto Express was scheduled to arrive at Park station at 7:15, the second train would reach the city at 8:30.

In fact, depending on the viability of the Soweto Express, Metrorail was looking to launch a similar train for the lower end of the market.

“There has been great interest in trains for the lower end of the market,” Sithole said in an earlier interview.

The Soweto Express comes at a time when public transport is under the spotlight, with much controversy surrounding a R12-billion monorail also scheduled to transport passengers from Soweto to the City.

Plans for the monorail were unveiled last week by the Gauteng Provincial government, but the national government has since signalled that it had no knowledge of the project.

The Gauteng provincial government subsequently requested an "urgent" meeting with national government to discuss the matter.

Meanwhile, Sithole said that Metrorail had not yet been consulted on the monorail project, but said that, should the feasibility study reveal that the monorail alignment would impact on Metrorail or cross over its lines, then Metrorail would be contacted.

It is anticipated that Soweto Express commuters would be able to link to the R27-billion Gautrain rapid rail link at Park station, once the Gautrain, which will link Johannesburg, OR Tambo international and Pretoria, is operational.

Jakes1

June 19th, 2007, 03:16 PM

Wrote to neil fraser the other day... his replies are included...

1. The Carlton hotel: Are they considering residential refurbishment at

this stage? (It was great to be at the Carlton about two weeks ago - it

looks great - and smal street mall is clean and safe: as is much of the

rest of the city).

"It's a bit of a mystery as I know they have been considering the proposals put into them which are for redeveloping partially for a hotel at this stage as I understand it. I have heard rumours that they may also be considering residential but difficult to get a clear indication."

2. The Barbican: Can't believe Old Mutual is not moving forward faster

with this one.

"It’s part of a very large and quite complex scheme, the archiotects tell me it is definitely on and will probably start early 2008"

3. ABSA's new Towers West looks huge, but I can't find any renders on

it. You don't maybe know where to find some?

'Attachment is only one I have.' (I will upload the pic, it is rather unimpressive though.

4. Newtown developments: Central place, the Majestic, Transport house -

are they set to go ahead? Or stalling again.

"AS far as I know the problem holding them up, the Heritage requirements, have been resolved and JDA is now re-negotiating with the developers and they should be going ahead shortly."

5. Constitutional Hill: This development lured me closer to the CBD and

Hillbrow for the first time, and as such it plays an important part in

my love for the city. Are they moving ahead with the next phases?

"Held up for nearly two years by a MAJOR dispute between Blue IQ and the JDA – it either has to be sorted out by the Premier and Mayor or it will officially go to a formal dispute through Treasury. As soon as the dispute can be resolved it will proceed."

I went through the CBD again with foreign people stationed at IDASA

about two weeks ago. Walked everywhere around the traditional CBD and

only left after dark. What a wonderful day - they absolutely loved

every minute. It is clean and we did not feel unsafe for a minute. I

was also surprised at how much is being done in hillbrow and the area

around joubert park. It is much cleaner than just a year ago (although,

I feel this is the case for most of the city). I see Ponte is getting a

new coat of waterproofing as well!

"Ponte is due for a major facelift – new owners are going to turn it into sectional title units"

And the johannesburg sun?

"As far as I know it is a Tanzanian investor, the "Tollman Towers" section is
to be converted to an hotel - the podium to the main tower will be basically
retail and entertainment and the tower to residential but possibly with
commercial space as well. Estimated cost R120 million, regards"

kulani

June 19th, 2007, 05:23 PM

In my dream world of full-scale Carlton renovation, I would redo the entire 50-floor block and cover it with shiny glass and add an extra 15-20 floors, converting it into prime office space, then i would add another 5-10 floors onto the Carlton hotel, spruce it up with a new modern and funky facade and convert that into apartments.. CBD mixed usage fantasy world :P

Your dreams might come true.

"We have got permission to sell the Carlton Centre, and we will be looking at it in the near future," Ramos stated (http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article.php?a_id=111243).

joburg

June 19th, 2007, 05:46 PM

fwanks for all that info Yarrick....

kulani

June 19th, 2007, 06:07 PM

Carlton Centre up for sale

http://www.fin24.co.za/articles/default/display_article.aspx?Nav=ns&ArticleID=1518-24_2132870

19/06/2007 16:45
By: Sikonathi Mantshantsha
Print story on
Email Story

Johannesburg - As part of its disposal of non-core assets, freight parastatal Transnet said it was in the process of selling the Carlton Centre in Johannesburg.

Transnet group chief executive Maria Ramos said the building was an "important premium property in the middle of the city (Johannesburg)" which was itself going through an interesting transformation.

"We've got permission from the (Public Enterprises) minister to dispose of the Carlton Centre," said Ramos, responding to a question on whether the property was a non-core asset.

"We'll follow the same process we followed with the V&A Waterfront (in Cape Town) because it is a premium asset." Ramos said she hoped the disposal of the non-core assets would be completed by the end of the current financial year (March 2008).

The Carlton Centre has been acting as Transnet's headquarters since 2000, when the parastatal bought it for R32m from Anglo American Properties.

Asked what she thought the fair value of the remaining assets (including the Carlton Centre) was, Ramos declined to give a straight answer. "We want to get the best prices. (So) We are not going to give (potential) buyers ideas about what they must pay," said Ramos.

Worth R1.5bn

However, some potential buyers already have an idea. Gerald Leissner, the chief executive of the JSE-listed ApexHi Properties said the replacement price for the property was in the region of R1.5bn. "Depending on whether Transnet was prepared to continue occupying the building on a lease contract, it could fetch some money," said Leissner.

Noting the property had about 50 000m² of office space and the same size of retail space plus over 2 500 parking bays, Leissner said "it might fetch some money if it has a decent rental income (stream)."

Leissner was chief executive of Anglo American Properties when the building was sold to Transnet at what many reckon was a bargain price. It was empty at the time. Leissner told Fin24 that rental space in the CBD was still cheaper than in Sandton.

He said his company had just sold the 30 000m²: number 11 Diagonal Street to Absa for R100m. Leissner said Absa would probably spend another R100m revamping the building. He put its replacement cost at R500m and said it did not have sufficient parking space.

ApexHi "very interested"

Asked if ApexHi would be interested in the Carlton Centre, Leissner said they would be "very, very interested as long as there was a lease attached to the sale".

However, he nearly lost all interest upon realising Transnet would follow the same competitive bidding process that saw the V&A Waterfront falling to a Saudi-led consortium.

joburg

June 20th, 2007, 08:16 AM

I hope it isn't Old Mutual or else we'll be waiting an age to see what happens to it. I'll be happy seeing it sold to a... er Saudi (wasn't it UAE?) consortium. The last thing we need is a circumspectial and cautious developer! hehe

Anycase, it'll be interesting to see what the new owners plan to do with it, and of course who the new owners are..

joburg

June 20th, 2007, 08:21 AM

Joburg is world’s 8th cheapest city
Robert Laing Published:Jun 20, 2007

JOHANNESBURG is the world’s eighth-cheapest city for expatriates, according to the latest Cost of Living survey by Mercer Human Resource Consulting.

Johannesburg was found to have the cheapest rent for a luxury two-bedroom unfurnished apartment in the world.

It was the only South African city out of the 143 Mercer included in the study.

Harare was excluded from this year’s rankings because the severe economic crisis in Zimbabwe has rendered costs there incomparable, the report said.

At £490 (R6,860) a month, a good Johannesburg flat carries a quarter of the rent of an equivalent pad in Tokyo, the city with the highest rent and the fourth most expensive overall.

A major handicap Joburg shares with Moscow — the world’s most expensive city according to Mercer — is a public transport system rated ‘‘N/A”.

Buenos Aires was found to have the cheapest public transport, helping it beat Joburg’s cost of living despite higher rent and food prices.

Mercer’s Cost of Living index uses New York as the base city allocated 100 points. New York was ranked as the most expensive city in the US, placed 15th on Mercer’s list. Only New York and Los Angeles were in the top 50 most expensive cities list.

Rebecca Powers, a principal and senior consultant at Mercer said: ‘‘The improvement of most US cities in the ranking can be attributed to the depreciation of the US dollar against the Euro and other major currencies worldwide. The change reflects a reversal of the situation experienced this time last year, when the majority of US cities climbed the ranking due to the strength of the dollar.”

Johannesburg’s score of 61.3 indicates it is 38.7% cheaper to live in Joburg than New York. In Moscow, on the other hand, it takes 34.4% more money to live the equivalent lifestyle of a New Yorker.

A depreciating rand helped Johannesburg overtake 19 cities over the year, dropping to 136 from 117 in 2006.

Asuncion in Paraguay held its title of least expensive city for the fifth year.

The survey found the gap between the world’s most and least expensive cities appears to be narrowing.

Mercer measures the comparative cost of more than 200 items in the 143 cities covered including housing, transport, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment.

Its research is used by multinationals to gauge compensation for staff sent on foreign assignments.

Powers said: ‘‘There have been some significant changes in the ranking since last year. These are primarily due to exchange rate fluctuations, in particular, the weakening of the US dollar and strengthening of the euro.”

Moscow was found to be the world’s most expensive city for expatriates for the second year running. ‘‘The appreciation of the rouble against the US dollar, combined with ever-increasing accommodation charges, has driven up costs for expatriates in Moscow.”

London fell three places since last year to second most expensive city.

Yvonne Traber, research manager and senior associate at Mercer said: ‘‘Steep property rental costs, together with the strengthening of the British pound compared to the US dollar, have contributed to the city’s high ranking.”

The strengthening of the euro, and other European currencies, has resulted in a number of European cities moving significantly up the ranking this year.

waltjie

June 20th, 2007, 08:25 AM

Just a pitty that the vast majority of people living in Joburg cannot afford to pay R6700 p/m for a flat. The average salary isnt even close to that. So it means nothing.

joburg

June 20th, 2007, 08:39 AM

Indeed... it's very much a 'first-world' orientated study, using New York as the benchmark...

Jakes1

June 20th, 2007, 11:50 AM

I hope they do something spectacular with the carlton. Such an amazing structure, and def an icon in the city. with that part of the city becoming more and more popular, i reckon it would be a great buy. The offices are full, the mall is bustling, now only to revive the hotel...

Jakes1

June 20th, 2007, 11:53 AM

Theatre in Jozi! We are the theatre capital, are we not...

Alexander Theatre
opens with Rent
The hit Broadway musical Rent will be the first production at the refurbished Alexander Theatre in Braamfontein.

June 20, 2007
By Millicent Kgowedi

THE Broadway musical Rent will re-open the 550-seat Alexander Theatre next month. The theatre, in Braamfontein, has been dark for a decade.

The production is premiering at the newly refurbished theatre with an all-South African cast on 17 July after been showcased globally. It will run until the end of September.

Rent is the first production to be housed at the Alexander Theatre, which underwent an extreme makeover early this year, making it the third theatre in the Braamfontein area. The other two are the Civic Theatre complex and the Wits Theatre.

Prominent South African producer Hazel Feldman will stage the production.

"[Take] a combination of the attributes of youth, talent and boundless energy, together with drive, enthusiasm and passion for theatre – and you get a sensational 22-member Rent cast comprising 17 performers and five band members," said the musical's publicist, Debra de Souza.

Aubrey Poo as Tom Collins, with Zane Gillion who plays Angel Schunard, Thokozani Nzima in the role of Benjamin "Benny" Cool III and Ilse Klink as Joanne Jefferson in Rent

Although the play was written in the early 1990s, its contemporary storyline was relevant to South African society today.

Based on Puccini's La Boheme, Rent is about a year in the lives of a group of struggling artists living in New York City's East Village. They struggle with relationships, drugs, loss, love, creativity, Aids and, of course, paying their rent.

There are eight leading roles. Duane Alexander, in the role of Mark Cohen, a struggling filmmaker, has worked in musicals such as Cats, Chicago and Jesus Christ Superstar.

Sean V plays Roger Davis, an HIV-positive musician who is recovering from heroin addiction. He has been in Hi-5, We Will Rock You, Rock Me Amadeus and Nataniel and Friends.

After performing in the Sound of Music, Cats, Born in the RSA, Jozi Streets and Egoli, Talia Kodesh was chosen to play the part of Mimi Marquez, an HIV-positive stripper and dancer who is also a heroin junkie.

Sivan Raphaely plays Maureen Johnson, a spunky soul and rock singer and performance artist. Raphaely has performed in Macbeth, We Will Rock You and Jo'burg Follies 2000.

Aubrey Poo is Tom Collins, an HIV-positive philosophy teacher and computer genius. Poo was seen recently in Soweto Story, and in the television series Muvhango, Zero Tolerance, All You Need Is Love and Nomzamo.

Zane Gillion, who plays the character of Angel Schunard, an HIV-positive drag queen, was previously seen in Komplex, Fags and Villa Rosa.

The cast of the production RENT

Thokozani Nzima, who starred in Soweto Story, Kings And Queens Of Music, Rock On and Strictly Come Dancing , plays the role of Benjamin "Benny" Cool III, Mark, Roger and Mimi's landlord.

Ilse Klink, who plays Joanne Jefferson, a public interest lawyer, has been in The Fantasticks, Beehive, Scribble and Chicago.

The cast includes the eight-member ensemble performers Joco van Rensberg, Grant Almirall, Anton Luitingh, Jonathan Swart, Keeno-Lee Hector, Chantal Herman, Lorri Glajchen and Genna Galloway. They have collectively starred in many productions, including Stepping Out, Cats, Charlotte's Web and Music In You.

Bryan Schimmel is the play's music director; the band includes Jean Gabriel on drums, Jiggs Downing on bass and Rowan Bakker as assistant musical director, with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson.

The production debuted in New York City in 1996 at the New York Theatre Workshop before moving to Broadway. It is still playing there, as the seventh-longest-running Broadway musical, according to de Souza. Other countries where it has been performed include Germany, Australia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, South Korea, Mexico, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and the Philippines.

Jakes1

June 20th, 2007, 11:54 AM

And more threatre news...

Soweto to get
top quality theatre
A multimillion rand theatre is planned for Soweto, with City officials researching performance spaces in England and Canada.

June 19, 2007
By George Matlala

A DELEGATION from the City's community development department is preparing to jet off to England and Canada to investigate theatres in those countries as part of a plan to build a multimillion rand performance space in Soweto.

The team, scheduled to leave at the end of the month, includes Nandi Mayathula-Khoza, the member of the mayoral committee for community development, and Pilisiwe Twala-Tau, the executive director of community development.

They will tour the Young Vic Theatre in London, England and the Cirque du Soleil in Montreal and Artbank in Ottawa, Canada.

Joburg is planning to build a multimillion rand world-class theatre either near the Orlando Power Station or at a site near the Jabulani Mall, in Jabulani. Construction is expected to start in late 2008 after six to 12 months of feasibility studies in both areas.

"We want to turn Soweto into a viable neighbourhood that has facilities you find in the inner city, including entertainment and recreational facilities of the very best Johannesburg could offer," says Steven Sack, the City's director of arts, culture and heritage services.

The objectives behind the project are to provide equitable arts and culture services to previously disadvantaged Joburg residents and to ensure the economic and social sustainability of arts and culture services, he explains, adding that the building is for theatre productions.

"It is dedicated to the arts."

Commenting on the project, Mavela Dlamini, the City manager, said, "This project is long overdue and this theatre should be compared to others across the city."

It is a 2010 legacy project; legacy projects have been identified by the City to make sure Joburg continues to benefit from the 2010 World Cup™ long after the final whistle has been blown. It is the first theatre to be built by the City in Soweto.

Some R1-billion has been set aside for the legacy projects, which include an indoor sports centre in Orlando, Soweto and upgrading and replacing street furniture in the inner city. This was announced by Executive Mayor Amos Masondo at the sod-turning marking the start of renovations at Soccer City in January.

But it is not the only new performance space planned for Soweto. Holland's Herman van Veen Foundation is turning the Ipelegeng Community Centre in Jabavu into a full theatre, to be called The Miracle Theatre, that will stage workshop productions and community events.

The foundation, established by the Dutch performer Herman van Veen, supports projects and creates opportunities for children in developing countries to hone their talents and creativity.

Jakes1

June 20th, 2007, 02:30 PM

All-star line-up for Jazz Fest
20/06/2007 12:56 - (SA)

Johannesburg - The Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival has thrown down the gauntlet to all other South African jazz fests in the country by presenting one of the most diverse and powerful line-ups in years.

What makes this year so different from previous festivals and other jazz fests in South Africa is that it will feature the first American big band to play here in about 30 years - the world famous Count Basie Orchestra.

The Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, which runs in Newtown from August 23 to 25, also pays its own tribute in Women's Month by bringing together four of the country's national cultural treasures on one bill - Mama Africa Miriam Makeba, Dorothy Masuka, Thandie Klaasen and Letta Mbulu whose illustrious musical careers need no introduction.

17 Grammy Awards for Count Basie Orchestra

Other South African giants include Caiphus Semenya, Jonas Gwangwa, Stimela and Sipho Mabuse who will be joining international acts The Clarke/Duke Project featuring Stanley Clarke and George Duke; trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis; acclaimed fusion jazz band Pieces of a Dream as well as Israel's Common Bond and France's No Jazz.

The Count Basie Orchestra - with an astounding 17 Grammy Awards to their name - is the greatest swing band in history.

The band recorded One O' Clock Jump in 1937 and never looked back.

Ever since Basie's death in 1984 the orchestra has been led by Basie alumni: First Thad Jones, then Frank Foster followed by Grover Mitchell and today the man at the helm is trombonist Bill Hughes who first joined Basie in 1953.

Bassist Stanley Clarke has worked with the who's who of jazz from Stan Getz and Chick Corea to Herbie Hancock and Horace Silver.

He's played with both rock and jazz musicians, written music for films and along with George Duke had a hit single in 1981 with Sweet Baby.

Trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis

George Duke has done it all from playing with Frank Zappa to leading a group that included drummer Billy Cobham.

He's a keyboard whiz and a record producer. Now the two have teamed up again as the The Clarke/Duke Project to wow Joburg audiences.

Trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis is also likely to thrill. He came to prominence as a member of Elvin Jones's Jazz Machine.

He has also produced recordings for many musicians including his brothers Branford and Wynton.

His own band will comprise tenor saxophonist Mark Shim, pianist Anthony Wonsey, bassist David Pulphus and his younger brother, drummer Jason Marsalis.

Fusion enthusiasts will flip over Pieces of a Dream co-led by founder members drummer Curtis Harmon and keyboardist James Lloyd.

Young artists at festival

Included in the group are guitarist/bassist David, saxman Eddie Baccus Jnr and vocalist Ramona Dunlap.

There are also plenty of young artists at the festival. An exciting band is Common Bond from Israel who mix and match musical styles from ethnic, world and jazz music along with sounds of the Middle-East, Afro-Latin and a touch of funk.

The musicians play "regular" instruments such the saxophone, flute and oboe and also use exotic instruments such as a duduk (Armenian flute), didgeridoo, English horn and zorna (Kurdish flute).

France's No Jazz mix the original celebratory spirit of jazz with hypnotic rhythms and contemporary sounds. Acoustic and jungle, trip hop and janfares, melodies and samples, funk and jazz happily mingle with drum and bass.

Young SA performers on the bill are jazzy afro-soul singer Siphokazi, Nokukhanya, Nombulelo Maqetuka and Shannon Mowday.

Jakes1

June 20th, 2007, 03:44 PM

yawn

Jakes1

June 20th, 2007, 03:48 PM

yawnity yawn yawn

Jakes1

June 20th, 2007, 03:48 PM

yawn yawn

joburg

June 20th, 2007, 04:20 PM

Question: Cape Town has the mountains and winelands etc. Durban has the deep blue azure sea and a lovely skyline. Joburg has many green trees but just as many mine dumps and a whole lotta smog.

What would you do to make this city more aesthetically pleasing?

(no more yawning now...) :cheer:

Jakes1

June 20th, 2007, 05:20 PM

ban durbanites from visiting?

Martsbra

June 20th, 2007, 05:33 PM

Something simple

I think if you have flowers in pots lining major road systems - that makes a huge impression. Where I live-weeds or dry grass is the order of the day.

Inertia

June 20th, 2007, 06:16 PM

Well it is winter. Every few months/years the municipality gets the drive to redo the landscaping on islands and stuff, ie. replace the stolen sprinkler heads, replant flowers, etc.. Doesn't happen very often tho, but wen it does it's sweet :)

Jakes1

June 21st, 2007, 09:44 AM

Something very interesting is going on on grayston. Does anyone know who the bloke is that writes random stuff in chalk on the concrete barriers? Usually upside down? He repeats the same pattern over and over again, usually a different one each day... Example - China God China God or Siyaya BMW Siyaya BMW... Fascinating...

Inertia

June 21st, 2007, 12:30 PM

Yep always see it, its a mess. He was doin repetitive dollar signs a few weeks back, actually saw him doin it. Must be seriously deranged

Jakes1

June 21st, 2007, 12:45 PM

Yep always see it, its a mess. He was doin repetitive dollar signs a few weeks back, actually saw him doin it. Must be seriously deranged

Well, it washes off quite easily, but i think the dude is mental. You can sometimes see his scribbles at marlboro, woodmead and corlett as well... Disappeared for a while, and now he is back in full force. Wonder what the story is? Ive never seen him though.

Pule

June 21st, 2007, 07:32 PM

Gents, do you perhaps know what's gonna be in this building, Offices or apartments. There's a board saying construction starts in 30 days. Its by Commisioner Street, closer to Ghandi Square

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u115/Puleza_2007/P1030630.jpg

kulani

June 22nd, 2007, 03:41 AM

Just thought i could share this interesting piece of history about Joburg

Who gave his name to Johannesburg?

By Irwin Manoim
http://www.joburg.org.za/facts/name.stm

WHO gave his name to the city of Johannesburg when it was founded in 1886? The historians are unable to decide.

What is not in dispute is that it was named after a man named Johann. But Johann was a common Dutch name in the late nineteenth century, and there are a number of Johanns who could claim credit. The confusion can be blamed on a blustery wind which in the summer of 1886, blew away the tent of commissioner Carl von Brandis as he arrived to proclaim the new town to a motley crowd of gold prospectors.

Among the records to disappear on that stormy night, were the plans and instructions from the Surveyor General, believed to have announced - and explained - the new name. For Johannesburg was proclaimed in a great hurry - it had to be; the flood of gold prospectors had already begun. As a result, the decision bypassed the usual government procedures, and was left entirely in the hands of the Surveyor General's office, temporarily headed by one Johann Rissik.

When gold was discovered in mid-1886, the state sent two men, Rissik and Christiaan Johannes Joubert to investigate the area and choose a site on which a town could be built. Did the two decide to call the town Johannesburg because Johann was a name they both had in common?

Ten years were to pass before anyone sought to enquire as to where the name originated. In February 1896, the Swiss Consul in Johannesburg asked the government to kindly explain the name. A letter from the State Secretary's Office advised him that the town was named in honour of Rissik and Joubert.

Anna Smith, once the chief librarian of Johannesburg, who has written a useful reference book on the origin of many Johannesburg street and suburb names, quotes Rissik's daugher-in-law, who says her faither-in-law told her that Joubert suggested Johannburg as the name, in honour of Rissik. As Rissik thought the name too harsh and difficult to pronounce, he suggested Johannesburg, noting that Johannes was one of Joubert's own names.

Smith quotes an article in the newspaper Die Vaderland which in 1971 reported finding a departmental note written by Rissik and dated September 1896, in which he confirms that the town was named after Joubert and himself.

Dr Hans Sauer, the town's first district surgeon, and one of the first people to arrive on the reef after gold was struck, reminisced years later that he was present when Joubert decided to name the town after himself. When Sauer asked why Joubert had not used his first name, Christiaan, he said there was already a town called Christiana, so he was using his second name instead.

But there is also a strong lobby behind a third claimant to the title, veldkornet Johannes Meyer, the first government official in the area, and the first to attempt to bring order to the area with a system to peg out mine claims. Smith quotes early digger John Burrows, who said that "everybody at that time was under the impression that the suggestion to name the town after Johannes Meyer had been carried out."

http://www.joburg.org.za/facts/earlytown.jpg
Johannesburg, several years after the discovery of gold in 1886

Early historians of Johannesburg, James and Ethel Gray, opted to support Meyer's claims, noting that the veldkornet was intimately associated with the area for many years before gold was discovered, and was the government official in charge until more formal structures were set up. They are supported by historian GA Leyds, nephew of Kruger's State Attorney Dr WJ Leyds, who says his uncle told him that it was decided to name the town after Meyer, but President Paul Kruger was first asked his opinion. Kruger had no objection, and noted that he himself was a Johannes, as was Leyds, as were Joubert and Rissik, so why not?

Street names of Johannesburg A fascinating reference book by former Johannesburg City Librarian Anna Smith, explains the origins of many early street and suburb names. Although long out of print, the book is still available in the reference sections of many city libraries.

Yörch

June 22nd, 2007, 04:32 AM

NickABQ

June 22nd, 2007, 05:11 AM

@Joburg- I think we all know the answer to this.....more skyscrapers of course!! Lol....jk :)

Jakes1

June 22nd, 2007, 09:50 AM

Jakes1

June 22nd, 2007, 10:00 AM

Planners urge
more unity in Joburg
International and local urban planners have spoken about the "fragmented" nature of Johannesburg, calling for more cohesion between its northern and southern suburbs.

June 21, 2007
By Ndaba Dlamini

JOBURG still has a long way to go to reduce the social and economic disparities between its communities, a situation that has negatively affected development in the city.

This was said on the last day of a three-day conference on planning and urban management held at the Civic Theatre in Braamfontein from Monday, 18 June to Wednesday, 20 June.

The conference was attended by urban planners from the City, academics from the University of the Witwatersrand and urban planners from countries such as Canada, the USA, Brazil, England and France.

On the first day of the conference, delegates listened to presentations from the international visitors, who told of how cities like Vancouver, Paris and Sao Paulo had handled issues of urban spread and development. On Tuesday, delegates were split into working groups to tour the inner city, Rosebank, the Gautrain stations under construction and the northern fringe of Johannesburg.

Rosebank CID
Reporting back on their experiences, most delegates lamented the "fragmented" nature of the city. One working group that toured Rosebank to look at urban management commended the efforts of the northern suburb to establish a city improvement district (CID) to spruce up the area and attract business.

The conference agreed that Joburg must work towards creating a more compact city

"It is notable that the City is striving to increase its competitiveness on an international level but there should be a connection between the different parts of the city – especially between the northern and the southern suburbs," the group noted. "The impending 2010 Fifa World Cup™ should also be used to promote inclusion to open up connections between the different parts of the city."

The group that looked into Joburg's transport system said a lot of thought had gone into developing the Bus Rapid Transit system, a network of buses that would use special lanes on routes linking townships in the south to northern suburbs and the city centre, and the Gautrain.

"It's obvious that the construction of Gautrain stations will have a positive impact on development in the vicinity as private developers are literally salivating around these station areas."

Land use laws
There were too many laws concerning land use, zoning and trading. This negatively affected housing provision for the homeless and appropriate places for trading for informal traders, said the group tasked with looking at informality in the city.
In response, Yondela Silimela, from the City's department of development planning and urban management, said there were 34 000 informal traders in Johannesburg, adding that this was not a distortion of the business sector but a new model.

"Informal trading is not illegal and people have a right to trade in designated areas. People living in informal settlements also have a legal right to apply for housing but they cannot put up houses anywhere they want," she said.

A tour of the northern fringe of the city, including the suburbs of Fourways, Dainfern, Diepsloot and Ruimsig, by the group investigating urban edge recession, revealed challenges that the City had to grapple with in terms of urban planning. The group identified traffic congestion, poor quality of environment, lack of public transport, lack of passive and active open spaces and poor distribution of public facilities as major setbacks to development.

Follow up
At the end of the submissions, all delegates could post personal comments about their experiences during the conference. Many felt that the three days were not long enough to cover many aspects of urban planning and development, and it was agreed that a follow-up conference should take place in 2008.
Wrapping up the gathering, the executive director in the department of development planning and urban management, Phillip Harrison, said that organising the conference had cost R700 000 but that "it was money well spent".

"The department needed the fresh flow of ideas and the debates held will hopefully change the way of thinking in the city. We also hope that talks about development of sustainable projects will continue."

In terms of a second session, Harrison said the department was eager to hold another conference next year. "With regard to the contribution by international visitors and academics from Wits, we will look into ways of developing this relationship into a training programme for department staff."

Jakes1

June 22nd, 2007, 11:01 AM

I think this has been posted in the previous thread, but im posting again... it gives a better overview of all thats happening. Appeared in the M&G, april 2007.

The good and the bad of Jo'burg's inner city

Sumayya Ismail | Johannesburg, South Africa

25 April 2007 03:50

As a prelude to the Inner-City Summit set to take place early next month, on Tuesday the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) led members of the media on an inner-city walkabout to gauge the city's progress in sprucing up the CBD.

The JDA oversees regeneration of the city, and CEO Lael Bethlehem said the summit will give a big push to inner-city development.

"The summit will bring together the city, the private sector and the community sector … It's about getting people to make commitments, so we don't have to talk about the inner city for the rest of our lives," she said.

Guiding the media through pockets of regeneration in the city centre, Bethlehem pointed out the upgrading of urban environments that has been taking place. But along with the positive, she admitted the city does have its share of problem areas.

Along Commissioner Street, the Avril Malan building is something the city calls a "bad" building or a "sinkhole". Originally an office block for a financial institution, it was "hijacked" by a syndicate a few years ago, said Martin New, of the Inner City Task Force -- a subsidiary of the city of Johannesburg responsible for coordinating and managing the implementation of municipal services in the inner city's different regions.

Since then, the estimated 300 illegal residents have been paying monthly rentals to this syndicate for pitiful accommodation with no water, lights or sanitation.

The building is dark and putrid. Garbage and raw sewage runs along the outside, and the first two floors are used as a make-shift toilet area, since the structure was built with only six toilets per floor. "It was never designed for this … it is decaying, and there is a collapse of infrastructure," New said.

We stepped over sheets of broken glass on the third floor, where a resident showed us his office-sized room with nothing but a mattress on the floor.

New said the building is currently under liquidation, but since many of these bad buildings are privately owned, it often takes a significant amount of time for the city to secure it under the law.

The city has already closed more than 200 bad buildings for renovation. Avril Malan is also earmarked for eventual redevelopment, after the residents are moved.

On criticism from some sectors that the city does not care about housing the ultra-poor who often cannot afford sufficient accommodation, Bethlehem said: "It's not that we don't want poor people in the inner city; we want people in the city in decent circumstances."

The current residents of Avril Malan will be offered other emergency accommodation after they are evicted, New said.

Apart from the building on Commissioner Street, the remainder of the walkabout focused on positive inner-city developments spearheaded by the JDA.

In February, the Mail & Guardian Online went walking through the city with Bethlehem to assess the JDA's plans for redevelopment. Now, two months later, the proposed changes are visibly under way.

There is ongoing construction in Newtown; Transport House under the M1 highway is being converted into sectional-title housing, a boutique hotel, a cinema and a gym; and on Central Place opposite Mary Fitzgerald Square, four or five existing sites will be demolished and remade into commercial and residential space.

Nearby, the redevelopment and transition of Turbine Hall into the new global head offices for AngloGold Ashanti is almost complete; they are set to move in a few weeks' time.

Upper-level housing complexes such as the Franklin and Mapungubwe are being snapped up in the inner city, despite their price tags of more than R1-million for a studio apartment.

And in the high court precinct, on Pritchard Street, the sidewalk upgrade has started with new paving blocks being laid. The entire facade of the area is set to change, with wider pavements, better lighting and greater pedestrian access.

Surrounding buildings have been renovated to accommodate the lawyers frequenting the area. The Johannesburg City Law Library will soon move into the Pitje Chambers building, and more upgrades are planned up towards the Fashion District, where the construction of the Fashion Kapital Square and model ramp is under way.

Bethlehem said that although the JDA cannot remake the entire city, it chooses projects that create ripple effects in the surrounding areas. It prompts more people to invest in the city by acting as a "catalyst" for redevelopment, she added.

Jakes1

June 22nd, 2007, 11:03 AM

And a lot of people chat about what is happening in Pritchard Street: This is definately the new spot to watch... This article was posted before as well on the closed thread, but just to refresh your memories!

High Court
Precinct gets some TLC
Right in the heart of the CBD, the Johannesburg High Court is a grand building, befitting its function. Now its surrounds are being revamped in keeping with the court's stature.

May 28, 2007
By Lucille Davie

THE Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) is at it again; this time it's the High Court Precinct that is getting a facelift.

The majestic former supreme court building - now the Johannesburg High Court - dominates the precinct, with its bronze dome and large, recessed arch entrance surrounded by classical columns. Two two-storey wings stretch out on either side, with rectangular and arched windows framed by smaller columns.

It's a grand building, finished in grey stone, not diminished at all by the surrounding skyscrapers.

About R15-million is being pumped into the revamp by the JDA; it will largely comprise of much-overdue TLC for the streets and pavements immediately surrounding the court. Private sector contributors are Old Mutual, Apex Hi and Pitje Chambers, with contributions of R2,5-million, R2-million and R976 850 respectively.

The pavements are to be widened, and the crossings and intersections are to be paved. Benches and new lighting are to be installed, and the impressive, tall bronze statue of Carl von Brandis, the city's first mining commissioner, is to be given a new look.

At present the statue is enclosed in the metal fence that encircles the court building, but the plan is to take the fence behind the statue, put seating around the statue and give it a small roof. It will also be repatinated. Broken paving slabs in the Smal Street Mall will be replaced, and new paving will link the high court precinct to the fashion district.

The new-look Johannesburg High Court, with paved intersections and pedestrian crossings

Von Brandis is looking westwards, towards the mine dumps, where gold was first mined in the town. The sculptor was David MacGregor, who also made the Miners' Monument statue at the top of Rissik Street. Apparently they were initially one statue, in 1964, but were separated and placed in their respective locations. They were commissioned by the Chamber of Mines as a gift to the city.

Advocates are also being attracted back into the vicinity. Pitje Chambers, with 56 advocates, recently opened plush offices alongside the court in Pritchard Street.

Von Brandis Square
The court, designed by Gordon Leith, was built in 1911, on the site of Von Brandis Square. The early town was laid out with several squares – Government Square, which was renamed Von Brandis Square in 1894; Market Square, now Beyers Naude Square; Church Square, renamed Government Square in 1893, and now called Gandhi Square; Market Plein, later the Union Grounds, opposite the Drill Hall, and now taken up by taxi ranks; and Mary Fitzgerald Square, formerly known as Aaron's Ground, a wagon site.
The court swallowed Von Brandis Square while City Hall, built in 1914, took a large bite out of Market Square.

Von Brandis was the mining commissioner between September and November 1886, his main task being to manage the new town. In 1890 he became the special landdrost, or magistrate, and dispensed justice, initially from his tent.

But he is most well known for proclaiming the gold fields of Johannesburg. He stood on a whisky box, it is said, in front of his tent in Commissioner Street, on 20 September 1886, and proclaimed the fields open for digging from 4 October.

According to Hannes Meiring in Early Johannesburg – its buildings and its people, "Von Brandis is one of the few individuals who had a statue erected to him – appropriately enough on Von Brandis Square, where his second house, The Residency, once stood."

Von Brandis, a German who served in the Hungarian and British armies, was well liked in the mining camp town. "In Johannesburg's first year the administration was in the hands of the mining commissioner, Captain von Brandis, remembered with affection by pioneers for his genial temperament, tact and urbanity," according to D Jacobsson in Fifty golden years of the Rand, 1886-1936.

Colin Gill's 1940 painting depicting Commissioner Carl von Brandis dispensing law in the early mining town

"He needed all these qualities in the discharge of his complex duties, which embraced the settlement of all disputes incidental to life in a mining camp, including those arising from the jumping of claims."

Street names
Von Brandis is also remembered in the naming of a number of streets - alongside the court is Von Brandis Street; there are another three Von Brandis streets in Joburg, and one in Krugersdorp. Commissioner Street is also named after him.
Von Brandis pops up at another court building – the magistrate's court, on the western edge of the CBD. There hangs a large, striking painting in the foyer of the court, of Von Brandis on a horse, holding a scroll and looking down his full white beard at bickering townspeople.

Entitled Settling and dispute by Colin Gill, and dated 1940, the caption reads, "Captain C von Brandis, first landdrost of Johannesburg (1886-1890), settles a digger's dispute on the Rand".

There are several inaccuracies in the painting, though. Von Brandis was lame, the result of a war injury, and couldn't ride a horse. And there is a woman in the painting, yet there were no women in the early mining camp days.

The revamp of the high court precinct started in January and is expected to be finished in November this year.

Jakes1

June 22nd, 2007, 11:06 AM

See the Johannesburg Gallery for two small pics concerning the upgrade.

Jakes1

June 22nd, 2007, 12:48 PM

Transnet to cash in Carlton
22 Jun 2007 - Inet Bridge -

Intro
Transnet CEO Maria Ramos is likely to make a killing from the sale of the Carlton Centre

22 June 2007
By Ian Fife

Transnet CEO Maria Ramos is likely to make a killing from the sale of the Carlton Centre, as she did recently by selling the V&A Waterfront for R7,3bn.

The department of public enterprises has given the transport parastatal the go-ahead to sell the 220 000 m? property - twice the size of Sandton City - that it bought in 1999 for R33m, or R150/m?. That's probably the price per square metre of the carpets in Ramos's modest office on the 49th floor of the centre's tower block. It cost about R50m to build in the early 1970s.

How much does she expect to get for it? "I'm not saying," she said on Tuesday. "If we had set a price for the V&A, we would not have got what we eventually did." Clearly she is hoping for the same frenzy over the Carlton Centre - and she has a good chance of getting it.

The timing of the sale will be excellent.

Its scale and quality make the building an ideal target for the expanding flock of international property investors with their sights on SA. The country's commercial property market is taking off while others are beginning to sag. There is a shortage of properties that are zoned for development and have electrical and other infrastructure available. And Johannesburg CBD is turning around, with property prices rocketing.

The FM understands that V&A buyer London & Regional has already approached Transnet to buy Carlton Centre.

The V&A Waterfront was estimated to be worth R2bn in 2005. Wendy Luhabe and Stuart Chait offered R5bn in 2006 and it sold for R7,3bn in December.

The Carlton Centre was estimated to be worth about R400m last year.

"It's now worth at least R600m," says cities expert Neil Fraser.

"R800m-plus if Transnet signs a lease," says Madison director Marc Wainer.

The Carlton tower block has 72 000 m? of offices, a 52 000 m? shopping centre below, a 2 600-bay parking garage and a 620-bedroom hotel next door. Transnet FD Chris Wells estimates the replacement value to be R1,7bn. But with zoned land now selling for at least R2 000/m? of lettable commercial space and high-rise building costs of at least R15 000/m?, that replacement cost might be conservative.

Given the frenzy around buying it, Ramos could walk away from the sale with more than R1bn, a R967m profit and a compound 300%/year plus return on the original R33m cost eight years ago.

The sale will also refocus the attention of developers and investors on Johannesburg, just as the city council displays clear commitment to regenerating the city after its recent inner-city summit.

An investor who accepts a leading role in Johannesburg's regeneration would be first prize for the city. But Ramos is after money and the highest bidder is often not the most visionary.

Financial Mail

Jakes1

June 22nd, 2007, 12:49 PM

Randburg's revival
21 Jun 2007 - Finweek -

Intro
It appears that Johannesburg's Randburg CBD, which in recent years saw empty office space rise and property values fall as urban decay took its toll, is starting to lure tenants back

Listed property fund Vukile recently reported a strong uptake of space in its landmark Randburg Square shopping centre and office tower (the old high-rise Sanlam Centre).
Vukile CEO Gerhard van Zyl says at the beginning of the year more than 70% of Randburg Square's office space stood empty. By end-2006, vacancies had dropped to below 10%.

Van Zyl says as office space in prime business nodes such as Sandton becomes scarcer, tenants are likely to turn increasingly to secondary nodes such as Randburg.

Astute investors are wasting no time to cash in on the trend by buying and upgrading older office blocks in the Randburg area. Black-owned African Capital Property Portfolio, a new unlisted fund chaired by Zwelakhe Sisulu, is one such investor. Last month the fund bought four commercial properties for close to R80m in the Randburg area: three office blocks and an industrial property. The four Randburg buildings are African Capital's first acquisitions. JSE-listed CBS Property Portfolio has a 45% equity interest in African Capital.

African Capital MD Jacques van der Heyde says the fund's initial strategy is to focus on acquiring primarily office blocks valued at between R20m and R100m. He says the company would also consider mid-market opportunities in the industrial and retail sectors, specifically small community-based retail centres.

The Randburg properties bought by African Capital include the Motown motor retail warehouse, the double-storey office building Dover House and office blocks in Harley Street and Palm Grove.

Latest figures from the SA Property Owners' Association confirm that the Randburg CBD is showing a reversal of fortunes. A- and B-grade office vacancies nearly halved - from 13% to 7% - in the two years to end-December 2006.

Industry commentators say that office-to-flat conversions are also starting to take off in Randburg's CBD as an influx of office workers is driving additional demand for middle-income housing.

Jakes1

June 22nd, 2007, 12:51 PM

They moved in! (OK, a while ago, but read the Star's article about this new iconic structure in the CBD - printed today)

This is an extract from miningweekly.co.za
By: Olivia Spadavecchia
Published: 16 Mar 07 - 0:00
Mining powerhouse AngloGold Ashanti is set to take occupation of its new building on April 2. The company will be relocating to the historical site of Turbine Square, which is owned, and is currently being developed, by the Tiber Bonvec Group.

AngloGold Ashanti project manager (Turbine Square) Robin Finlayson says that the company has taken a 15-year lease on the building and the site has been built to its requirements. The finishing touches are currently being made to the building’s interior, and the air- conditioning system and emergency generator are being commissioned.

The interior of the building will be fitted with an energy-saving lighting system that is motion- sensitive, with lights switching off when the room is empty. The perimeter lights also brighten or dim, depending on the amount of light outside. After the handover of the property, there will be a four-week period in which the interior is furnished and fitted out with new office and electronic equipment. The company’s clinic, gym, canteen and security department will also be set up before the employees take occupancy.

A total of 470 ‘workstation’ employees will move to the new location during the week starting May 7.

Finlayson comments that careful consideration has been given to the timing of the physical relocation, and substantial planning has been done in order to minimise down time. He explains that the current building Anglogold Ashanti occupies is inefficient with regard to the wastage of available space, the difficulties experienced with the lifts ser-vicing the 19-storey building, and the cellular office structure. The design of the new building is far more compact, “fat, flat and walk-up with only four floors”.

He explains that the space will be used far more effectively and the office structure has changed to open-plan with open offices in order to promote communication between employees.

“It is part of Anglo-Gold Ashanti’s values that we create communication and knowledge- sharing among members of the organisation.”

The cellular structure has not always encouraged an environment conducive to open communication, remarks Finlayson.

Turbine Hall is an iconic structure that forms part of Johannesburg inner city’s architectural identity. It was originally built in 1927 and served as one of the city’s first power stations; it is now recognised as a heritage site. Owing to the historical value of the square and its buildings, the developers and AngloGold Ashanti have had to comply with the requirements of the South African Heritage Agency. Finlayson explains that there has been continual interaction with the Johannesburg City Council and the Newtown Regeneration project in achieving shared preservation and development goals for the location.

Turbine Hall fell victim to vandalism and neglect by the mid-1990s, but, in 2001, it benefited from increased efforts by the Newtown Renewal programme to clean up the city centre. In addition to existing regeneration projects running in the city, the Clean and Safe initiative has also made a significant impact on the status of the area. Businesses in the inner city pay a membership fee to the initiative and are provided with security guards that function both to create a securer environment and to provide a cleanup service.

Development of the site has taken place in two stages. In the first phase, permission was granted to implode the north boiler house and construct a new four-storey building in its place. A three-level basement parking area, with 473 bays, will provide sufficient parking space for employees and visitors. A 190-seater auditorium is housed in the building and will, in future, be available after hours. The building has been designed to cater for AngloGold Ashanti’s needs, while maintaining an industrial aesthetic that adheres to the appearance of the existing structures.

The second phase of the development, which began in November last year, is the renovation of Turbine Hall. The development is currently in progress and will be available as office space from October. AngloGold Ashanti will take over the first and second floors, and the ground level can be leased from the developer; the south boiler house is also being revamped and will offer about 1 400 m2 of retail or office space. The site has won awards with regard to safety, notes Finlayson. In the R100-million to R200-mil- lion development category it achieved first place from the Gauteng Builders’ Association and also took the award at national level.

Edited by: Archivist

Coupon No.: MW0105244

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Jakes1

June 22nd, 2007, 12:55 PM

Also an article in the Star today concerning Bertrams and surrounds. Property prices are at R1200/m2, comparable to that fetched in Sandton. This is because of renewed interest in the area, and the massive redevelopment it is currently undergoing. Good news, hope we see the outcomes soon.

joburg

June 22nd, 2007, 04:25 PM

@Joburg- I think we all know the answer to this.....more skyscrapers of course!! Lol....jk

So good to see your sexy ass back in town.. ;)

joburg

June 22nd, 2007, 04:27 PM

The design of the new building is far more compact, “fat, flat and walk-up with only four floors”.

No, No, fat and flat is BAD. Lifts are GOOD.

joburg

June 22nd, 2007, 04:46 PM

Given the frenzy around buying it, Ramos could walk away from the sale with more than R1bn, a R967m profit and a compound 300%/year plus return on the original R33m cost eight years ago.

The sale will also refocus the attention of developers and investors on Johannesburg, just as the city council displays clear commitment to regenerating the city after its recent inner-city summit.

An investor who accepts a leading role in Johannesburg's regeneration would be first prize for the city. But Ramos is after money and the highest bidder is often not the most visionary.

So true. I think it would be wise to hold on to the building for a little while longer if she is after money. The High Court Precinct isn't even complete yet, and I have no doubt an improvement in that environment will push up leases which in turn will push up the value of the building..

Wonder if anyone is going to do anything about the Mall?

joburg

June 22nd, 2007, 04:50 PM

Cramers.. sorta like Seattle, except that it aint Seattle..

I would kill for a Vida to open on Main Street..

http://img.photojerk.com/joburg/Photo-1127.jpg

joburg

June 22nd, 2007, 05:01 PM

Rent: A Musical Phenomenon
http://www.mambaonline.com/article.asp?artid=1076

If you were unlucky enough to see the tragically inept film adaptation of Rent last year, put it out of your mind immediately; Rent the theatrical experience is a whole other kettle of fish.

http://img.photojerk.com/joburg/feat_rent_lrg2.jpg

Legendary South African Producer Hazel Feldman is staging the highly acclaimed award-winning international musical in Johannesburg from July 17, and for a brief run in Cape Town in October.

Based loosely on Puccini’s La Bohème, Rent is about the lives of a group of Bohemians living in New York City’s East Village over the course of a year as they struggle with relationships, drugs, loss, love, creativity, AIDS and paying their “rent”.

Rent will always be linked to the tragic – and perhaps now legendary – demise of its creator, Jonathan Larson, who composed the music and wrote the lyrics. The young Larson said that he aimed "to bring musical theatre to the MTV generation," and he spent years trying to do just that; often working as a waiter to make ends meet while he reworked the show.

In 1996, after the musical’s final dress rehearsal in New York City, 35 year old Larson died suddenly from a heart condition in the early hours of the morning. Bizarrely, this happened almost exactly on the 100th anniversary of La Bohème. The first preview of the show was cancelled and the cast instead performed in his memory at his funeral. Larson never lived to see the huge phenomenon that Rent was to become.

The musical finally debuted on Broadway in April 1996 at the Nederlander Theatre. The reviews were remarkable: Rolling Stone said that Rent was, “Reinventing Broadway,” and described it as, “A raw and riveting milestone in musical theatre.” The New York Times called it an “Exhilarating landmark rock opera”, while The New York Post said that the show was, “Full of heart, passion and wit.”

Eleven years later, Rent is still playing at the Nederlander as the seventh-longest-running Broadway musical. International productions of Rent have been performed in Australia, China, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and New Zealand. It opened in Portugal in October 2006 and this July sees its first performance in South Africa.

While some might be surprised to learn that Larson was apparently straight, Rent will be remembered as one of the first Broadway musicals to clearly feature gay, bisexual, lesbian, and transgender characters. It was also considered revolutionary for bringing controversial topics, such as AIDS, to a traditionally conservative medium, and is credited with increasing the popularity of musical theatre among a younger generation.

“Although written in the early 1990’s, Rent’s contemporary story line is relevant to today’s South African society.” says Hazel Feldman. “In fact, the story is timeless and very much resonates with youth around the world.”

Rent will be staged at the newly refurbished 550 seat Alexander Theatre in Braamfontein. Interestingly, the producers have commented that the area is re-inventing itself; it’s at a similar stage to what New York’s East Village was at 11 years ago.

http://img.photojerk.com/joburg/feat_rent_lrg.jpg

Each of the international musicals (Fame, Chicago and We Will Rock You) produced locally by Hazel Feldman have featured an all-South African cast and Rent is no exception.

The show will continue the ‘Feldman philosophy’ of, “Combine the finest South African talent with the finest musicals in the world and you have an all-powerful combination on a par with or perhaps in some cases better than performances currently on London’s West End and Broadway.” Rent boasts a sensational cast featuring new and exciting young performers.

Duane Alexander plays the role of “Mark Cohen”, a struggling documentary filmmaker and best friend of “Roger Davis”, an HIV-positive musician who is recovering from heroin addiction played by Shaun V. Talia Kodesh is “Mimi Marquez”; a sexy HIV-positive stripper and dancer who is also a heroin junkie and Roger's love interest.

Sivan Raphaely plays a spunky soul/rock singer “Maureen Johnson”, who is Mark's ex-girlfriend and ex-girlfriend of “Joanne Jefferson”, a tough, headstrong Harvard-educated lawyer played by Ilse Klink. “Tom Collins”, the HIV-positive philosophy teacher, friend and former roommate of Roger, Mark, and Maureen is played by Aubrey Poo.

The ground-breaking role of "Angel Schunard”, an HIV-positive drag queen with a heart of gold, and Tom Collins' love interest, is performed by Zane Gillion. The lead characters are rounded off by “Benjamin "Benny" Coffin III”, the landlord of Mark, Roger and Mimi's apartment, played by Thokozani Nzima,

Other notables working on the production include acclaimed Musical Director Bryan Schimmel (he also plays the keyboard player and is accompanied by a five piece band), as well as Craig Urbani who is resident director.

It’s taken just over a decade for Rent to make it to South African theatres; appropriately reaching us at a time in which AIDS and sexuality are at the forefront of change in our country. Now, finally, we’ll get the chance to see if it was worth the wait.

The Johannesburg run of Rent (starting July 17) is followed by a limited season in Cape Town, opening at the Artscape Theatre at the end of October 2007. Book at Computicket.

Inertia

June 22nd, 2007, 09:24 PM

Planners urge
more unity in Joburg

International and local urban planners have spoken about the "fragmented" nature of Johannesburg, calling for more cohesion between its northern and southern suburbs.

June 21, 2007

By Ndaba Dlamini

JOBURG still has a long way to go to reduce the social and economic disparities between its communities, a situation that has negatively affected development in the city.

This was said on the last day of a three-day conference on planning and urban management held at the Civic Theatre in Braamfontein from Monday, 18 June to Wednesday, 20 June.

The conference was attended by urban planners from the City, academics from the University of the Witwatersrand and urban planners from countries such as Canada, the USA, Brazil, England and France.

On the first day of the conference, delegates listened to presentations from the international visitors, who told of how cities like Vancouver, Paris and Sao Paulo had handled issues of urban spread and development. On Tuesday, delegates were split into working groups to tour the inner city, Rosebank, the Gautrain stations under construction and the northern fringe of Johannesburg.

Rosebank CID
Reporting back on their experiences, most delegates lamented the "fragmented" nature of the city. One working group that toured Rosebank to look at urban management commended the efforts of the northern suburb to establish a city improvement district (CID) to spruce up the area and attract business. The conference agreed that Joburg must work towards creating a more compact city

The conference agreed that Joburg must work towards creating a more compact city

"It is notable that the City is striving to increase its competitiveness on an international level but there should be a connection between the different parts of the city – especially between the northern and the southern suburbs," the group noted. "The impending 2010 Fifa World Cup™ should also be used to promote inclusion to open up connections between the different parts of the city."

The group that looked into Joburg's transport system said a lot of thought had gone into developing the Bus Rapid Transit system, a network of buses that would use special lanes on routes linking townships in the south to northern suburbs and the city centre, and the Gautrain.

"It's obvious that the construction of Gautrain stations will have a positive impact on development in the vicinity as private developers are literally salivating around these station areas."

Land use laws
There were too many laws concerning land use, zoning and trading. This negatively affected housing provision for the homeless and appropriate places for trading for informal traders, said the group tasked with looking at informality in the city.

In response, Yondela Silimela, from the City's department of development planning and urban management, said there were 34 000 informal traders in Johannesburg, adding that this was not a distortion of the business sector but a new model.

"Informal trading is not illegal and people have a right to trade in designated areas. People living in informal settlements also have a legal right to apply for housing but they cannot put up houses anywhere they want," she said.

A tour of the northern fringe of the city, including the suburbs of Fourways, Dainfern, Diepsloot and Ruimsig, by the group investigating urban edge recession, revealed challenges that the City had to grapple with in terms of urban planning. The group identified traffic congestion, poor quality of environment, lack of public transport, lack of passive and active open spaces and poor distribution of public facilities as major setbacks to development.

Follow up
At the end of the submissions, all delegates could post personal comments about their experiences during the conference. Many felt that the three days were not long enough to cover many aspects of urban planning and development, and it was agreed that a follow-up conference should take place in 2008.

Wrapping up the gathering, the executive director in the department of development planning and urban management, Phillip Harrison, said that organising the conference had cost R700 000 but that "it was money well spent".

"The department needed the fresh flow of ideas and the debates held will hopefully change the way of thinking in the city. We also hope that talks about development of sustainable projects will continue."

In terms of a second session, Harrison said the department was eager to hold another conference next year. "With regard to the contribution by international visitors and academics from Wits, we will look into ways of developing this relationship into a training programme for department staff."

dysan1

June 24th, 2007, 04:16 PM

hehe i know two of the people in the RENT cast

joburg

June 25th, 2007, 03:25 PM

The Africa Remix exhibition opened yesterday at the JAG in Joubert Park. GREAT news for the gallery - hopefully they can keep the 'kewl' momentum going.

Some photies from the event.. http://www.flickr.com/photos/24672979@N00/

And a story by the representahs... (http://'www.represent.com)

Represent Recommends: Africa Remix
June 25th, 2007 · No Comments

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We couldn’t believe the number of SUV’s lining up in a long wait to enter the grounds of the JAG in Joubert Park yesterday arvie - the number of people streaming into the gallery gave us a glimpse into an ideal world where art is as popular as sport. See our pics here.

Have you spotted the numerous street posters featuring a colourful African pirate advertising the Africa Remix art exhibition? The marketing of this wonderful collection of 85 African artists from 25 African countries and the diaspora could not be more thorough - it is a MUST SEE and if you miss it, you miss out. The exhibition has been showcased to the world and now finds itself (appropriately) for the first time ever on African soil - however this is the last chance to catch it.

It was quite overwhelming to step into a courtyard seething with people all listening to the speeches at the official opening of Africa Remix and we found ourselves preferring to wander around the enormous gallery poking our noses into all the installations, nooks, crannies and spaces… It is ongoing, unending, mind-blowing, fantastic… eventually, just before we hit sensory overload we decided to stop while we were ahead and come back another time for more. There is no way you can take it all in in one go. So make sure you pencil in a number of visits to the Joburg Art Gallery over the next few months to celebrate the wealth of some of the finest artist’s Africa has to offer - it’s on till September.

See our pictures of the traffic, some of the art, the patrons and the speeches by clicking here.

Africa Remix – which will be held at the Johannesburg Art Gallery from June 24 to September 30 – features the work of more than 85 artists from 25 countries on the African continent and the Diaspora. This is the first time it has been seen in Africa.

Never before in the history of the continent has an exhibition of such magnitude focusing exclusively on Africa been shown to African audiences.

Arriving to celebrate this unique occasion is the Cameroon-born, Paris-based curator and critic Simon Njami as well as number of artists including Goddy Leye, Samuel Fosso, Barthélémy Toguo, Bili Bidjocka and Pascale Marthine Tayou, Aimé Ntakiyica, Ingrid Mwangi, Antonio Ole, Benyounès Semtati, Mohamed El Baz, Mounir Fatmi, Dilomprizulike, Joël Andrianomearisoa, Myriam Mihindou, Cheick Diallo, Amal Kenawy, Moataz Nasr, Patrice Felix Tchicaya and Loulou Cherinet.

South African artists included in the exhibition are Jane Alexander; Willie Bester; Wim Botha; Andries Botha; Tracey Derrick; Marlene Dumas; David Goldblatt; Jackson Hlungwani; William Kentridge; Moshekwa Langa; Zwelethu Mthethwa; Santu Mofokeng; Tracey Rose and Guy Tillim.

Several walkabouts of Africa Remix: Contemporary Art of a Continent will be conducted, offering the public an opportunity to gain insight into the exhibition and artworks. Guided tours of the exhibition by museum guides will be given for schools, learners and the general public.

A number of Panel Discussions will be held for the public, sponsored by Africalia and the Ford Foundation.The first of which will be held on the 26th of June, featuring the Chief Curator of Africa Remix, Simon Njami, in discussion with artists on the exhibition.

A full-colour South African version of the Africa Remix catalogue – including essays by Simon Njami and David Elliott - is to be published jointly with Jacana Media.

Africa Remix: Contemporary Art of a Continent is sponsored by the Prince Claus Fund for Culture and Development; Goethe Instiut; Southern African-German Cultural Fund; Mondriaan Foundation; IFAS Institut Français d’Afrique du Sud; the Embassy of France in South Africa; AF Alliance Française; CULTURESFRANCE; OIF Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie; NAC National Arts Council; Africalia, Belgium; The Ford Foundation; BASA Business and Arts South Africa; Gauteng Province; Arts Alive; the Ministry of the Flemish Community and the Gordon Schachat Collection.

Partners include WISER Wits Institute of Social and Economic Research; WSOA Wits School of Arts; Trinity Session; Sebenza Forwarding and Shipping Consultancy (Pty) Ltd and Adele Prins, Flowdesign. Media partners are 702 Talk Radio and The Sunday Times.

The Johannesburg Art Gallery would like to acknowledge the Africa Remix Curatorial team and Organisers; Simon Njami, Marie-Laure Bernadac, David Elliot, Roger Malbert, Jean-Hubert Martin, Els van der Plas, Mattijs Visser and Claudia Banz.

JOHANNESBURG ART GALLERY

Johannesburg Art Gallery
King George Street,
(Between Wolmarans and Noord Streets)
Joubert Park
Johannesburg
Tel: + 27 11 725 3130
Fax: + 27 11 720 6000
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm

Jakes1

June 25th, 2007, 07:54 PM

Jhb Cbd Auction On 28 June - 2007/06/25

Email Article Print Article SMS News Alerts
The resurrection of the Johannesburg CBD property market is gathering momentum and investors are definitely back in the picture, says David Teasdale of Park Village Auctions.

It's against this background that PVA has announced its next collective commercial and industrial property auction on Thursday June 28, at the Wanderers Sports Club, Illovo.

Most of the 13 properties coming under the hammer will be in the CBD and its peripheries. Notable among the offering is the landmark White House Hotel behind the Carlton Hotel.

With all its bedrooms en suite, this well maintained property lends to continued use as a hotel, conversion to Sectional Title units or even office use says Teasdale.

The auction portfolio also boasts the former Jaguar showroom in Johannesburg's Eloff Street motor town of the past, a property that lends itself to retailing.

Noteworthy as well is the 30 000 square metre Perskor Building, on the corner of Height,Curry and Nind Street, Doornfontein which would suit a light manufacturing operation and another landmark, Kahns Corner in End Street, offering in its present form, a combination of industrial, retail and residential space.

The balance of the portfolio comprises a mix of properties in Doornfontein, Melville, Langlaagte, Benoni and Germiston, which may well be next in line for re-development.

Adds Teasdale: "There's widespread interest in CBD properties right now. Buyers include large and small investors and owner occupiers and with property commentators predicting increasing values going forward we expect a good auction."

For more information contact (011) 440-6797 or email dteasdale@pvaproperty.co.za. Click here to visit the website.

joburg

June 27th, 2007, 12:25 AM

It is 00h24 here in the morning in Jozi, and i would like to note that IT IS SNOWING!!!! :-)

**yay**

TEBC

June 27th, 2007, 03:05 AM

It is 00h24 here in the morning in Jozi, and i would like to note that IT IS SNOWING!!!! :-)

**yay**

where are the photos!!!!!!!!!!! :banana:

Pule

June 27th, 2007, 04:44 AM

Joburg, I was driving home at that time from work. At the time I was listening to Radio 702 and some people were saying that they had woke up thier kids so as to see this beuty. I couldn't believe my eyes, it was white all over the show and the snow was still coming down and as I arrived by my complex all cars were white. Unfortunately I was not able to take pictures, but I'm sure we gonna get hold of some during the course of the day.

Jakes1

June 27th, 2007, 09:27 AM

Started snowing in centurion just after 1 in the morning. Fell for 20minutes, and then went slush puppy and icey... darn

Jakes1

June 27th, 2007, 10:03 AM

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Jakes1

June 27th, 2007, 10:04 AM

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/IMG_8258-s-edited.jpg

Jakes1

June 27th, 2007, 10:16 AM

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Martsbra

June 27th, 2007, 10:23 AM

University of Johannesburg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o224/martsbra/DSC00420.jpg

Martsbra

June 27th, 2007, 10:36 AM

Concrete + snow = not good

Jakes1

June 27th, 2007, 10:47 AM

HAHAHA - I also slipped this morning...

Snow causes flight delays

June 27 2007 at 10:36AM

By Solly Maphumulo

The snow caused a number of delays at Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport this morning as planes remained on the ground to have ice removed before take-off.

"When ice forms on aircraft it affects the lift, or in other words the ability of the aircraft to take off and fly normally," said Hein Kaiser, spokesperson for budget airline Mango.

Meanwhile, Salvation Army spokesperson Major Harry Fillies said they were struggling to give out enough blankets for the hundreds of homeless people in the city.

The Salvation Army runs a daily soup kitchen in Selby at 2.30pm where dozens of homeless people are fed and given clothes and blankets.

"We are continuing to urge the public to help by donating blankets, warm clothing and soup ingredients. All kind donations can be dropped at any of our branch countrywide and will be distributed accordingly," said Fillies.

Operation Snowball's Gordon Phake said they were distributing blankets to the homeless on Wednesday morning. "

We've gone out in the morning in search of homeless people in Joburg CBD who will be given blankets to keep them warm."

joburg

June 27th, 2007, 11:06 AM

The snow was lovely for all us peeps tucked up in bed, but not at all nice for the homeless.. Went through Hillbrow this morning, and it had snowed there too. Can just imagine how cold it must have been!

I think the last time we had such hectic snow in Joburg was in 1982...

Jakes1

June 27th, 2007, 11:26 AM

And with tonight set to be even colder these people's suffering will continue... But on another note, isnt it interesting how a little bit of white fluffy stuff can make grownups kids again? No-one at the office slept last night, as sms's and calls concerning snow travelled. Most were outside playing until 2this morning (those that live in joburg at least - in pretoria we had a few flakes and then icerain). And the office was still empty by 9:30 because many were up again building wee little snowmen on their cars!

Jakes1

June 27th, 2007, 11:42 AM

One city moving forward to combat xenophobia...

Migrant helpdesk gets going
Just over a hundred foreigners have visited Joburg's Migrant Helpdesk since its launch in April, and most of them have no papers.

June 26, 2007
By Millicent Kgowedi

ZIMBABWEANS top the list of people who have visited the City's Migrant Helpdesk seeking information, since it was launched in April.

More than 119 foreigners have consulted the centre, which helps migrants with information, ranging from shelter and asylum papers to healthcare and education-related issues. "We are meeting our purpose of having a helpdesk," said Virgil James, the City spokesperson. "We assist, make referrals and point foreigners in the right direction."

Nandi Mayathula-Khoza, the member of the mayoral committee for community development, said the helpdesk was an information service-provider focusing on the needs of asylum seekers and refugees. It had information on community networks, economic opportunities and services such as counselling, legal help and shelter.

"There is even help where language barriers might exist, mainly with French, Portuguese and Swahili speakers," she said.

People visiting the helpdesk come from all over Africa, with 78 percent originating from Zimbabwe; the balance come from Ethiopia, Burundi, Rwanda, Nigeria, Zambia, Tanzania and Democratic Republic of Congo.

Most of the migrants are males - only a small number are female and very few children use it. "We have experienced a couple of cases where we had to deal with unaccompanied children," James said. "Their cases are handled differently - they are referred to the children's court and they are given psychological assistance. They are also offered shelter and counselling to help them settle in a new environment."

Many of the migrants are highly qualified, with BSc (bachelor of science) degrees in mathematics, statistics and geology. "Some of the visitors have masters degrees. There are some who are qualified educators [or are qualified in] aviation, engineering, nursing and information technology," James said.

However, the centre was also visited by less-educated people, such as informal traders, shoemakers and others.

Trauma and depression are common among the refugees. "Remember these people left their countries because of wars and extreme poverty and when they come here and encounter unfair treatment, they become very depressed."

He said that migrants also needed help to repatriate bodies for burial and to trace their families and friends. Others needed medical attention for chronic illnesses.

Challenges faced by asylum seekers and refugees continue to make their lives as foreigners in another country difficult. James explained that they complained of several problems they experienced in South Africa, such as harassment from law enforcers, xenophobia, and unclear and often ambiguous Home Affairs processes.

"In terms of unfair treatment from the public, foreigners can report to the helpdesk with full proof of what happened and the centre will be able to assist in such matters."

Of those seeking help, 82 percent are undocumented, meaning that they came into the country illegally. Migrants affect the country's economy, social welfare, healthcare services and education.

"We always refer undocumented foreigners to the Department of Home Affairs for the necessary documentation because the helpdesk cannot help anyone who cannot be traced. We need to know where these people are coming from and their reasons for leaving their country.

"We have what we call a receiver officer at Home Affairs; he is the one who will interview a refugee. He will find out why they moved out of their countries and look at a number of things like the Refugees Act, the Constitution and the Administrative Act," James explained.

At the end of May, the national department held a two-day workshop on migration processes for City officials and representatives from the South African Police Service, Johannesburg metropolitan police department and migrant forums.

"The aim of the workshop was to make people understand the processes that qualify the migrant [with a] refugees status. The workshops also raised some awareness that foreigners are people just like us and they are seeking a better life for themselves," James said.

The Migrant Helpdesk is situated in downtown Joburg, next to the People's Centre on Loveday Street. It is opposite the licensing department

Jakes1

June 27th, 2007, 11:57 AM

Thomas:

"Ek praat nie so vlot afrikaans nie, maar ek sal dit hopelik vinnig kan afstof. Hier in Johannesburg kry mens nie veel kans om afrikaans te praat nie, maar ek sien uit na 'n geleentheid om dit te kan verbeter. Dit sukkel maar partykeer as mense te vinnig praat, maar ek leer vinnig!"

Translation for Tom:

I talks not so well afrikaans, but hopefull to dust it off quickly. Here in johannesburg people speaks not so much afrikaans, but I still look forward for an oppartu... oppertune... opperchunit... chance to speak it better. I struggle if people speak fast, but I hope I learn it fast to.

joburg

June 27th, 2007, 12:07 PM

^^ I think that's such a great initiative by the city! It's about time the government does something concrete in accepting refugees and integrating them into society, because it is only through integration into society that refugees can lead productive lives and contribute to the growth of South Africa.

It's also through initiatives like this that we combat xenophobia in this country, and also combat misconceptions that refugees and immigrants put strain on social resources in this country. It has actually been proven that refugees and immigrants add VALUE to a country.

joburg

June 27th, 2007, 12:16 PM

Jakes1

June 27th, 2007, 12:25 PM

:lol: @Yarrick: dank u vir die klingon. :D

Its "dankie" you nunu

Inertia

June 27th, 2007, 12:39 PM

Was at Palms last night and was snowing like crazy.. The whole club emptied out to wallow in the snow in our drunken states, was very cool!
First time i've seen snow in SA

Jakes1

June 27th, 2007, 01:01 PM

I will post some pics of a snowstorm that we had in the freestate in 1996. between 30cm and a metre in some places like clarens! It was nuts.

^Anton^

June 27th, 2007, 01:30 PM

One question, does "nou-nous" mean anything in Afrikaans?

Jakes1

June 27th, 2007, 01:42 PM

The term "nou nou" literaly translates as "now now". People will say, "see you nou nou, meaning, I will see you in a while (anything from a few seconds to a few months.)

The term nunu, is just a weird slang word describing someone who is frufru, if you know what I mean?

^Anton^

June 27th, 2007, 01:46 PM

frufru? lol, no, what does that mean? :D

Jakes1

June 27th, 2007, 01:51 PM

Im not sure really... I refer to people as nunu or frufru when they are a tad absent minded, or just completely ladida. Forgive me, i didnt sleep much - the snow kept me awake...

^Anton^

June 27th, 2007, 01:57 PM

Snow is cool! :) Why did it keep you awake though? It's not noisy when it snows...

joburg

June 27th, 2007, 02:01 PM

frufru? lol, no, what does that mean?

It's a funny type of language that Jakes1 employs. he is such an oddball really...

El is muy feo travestido... ;)

(that's the only Spanish 'insult' i know...)

joburg

June 27th, 2007, 02:02 PM

Was at Palms last night and was snowing like crazy.. The whole club emptied out to wallow in the snow in our drunken states, was very cool!
First time i've seen snow in SA

That must have been awesome. i was smsing peeps and telling em to go outside and frolick about in the snow. :)

was the place still pumping given all the bad press coverage it's been given lately?

Jakes1

June 27th, 2007, 02:04 PM

Snow is cool! :) Why did it keep you awake though? It's not noisy when it snows...

Initially the sleet woke me up, and soon after it started snowing... and then back to sleet, I was too excited to sleep in any case...

Jakes1

June 27th, 2007, 02:05 PM

It's a funny type of language that Jakes1 employs. he is such an oddball really...

El is muy feo travestido... ;)

(that's the only Spanish 'insult' i know...)

Y mama tambien, tommy...

^Anton^

June 27th, 2007, 02:05 PM

It's a funny type of language that Jakes1 employs. he is such an oddball really...

El is muy feo travestido... ;)

(that's the only Spanish 'insult' i know...)

LOL why did you call him an ugly transvestite???

Martsbra

June 27th, 2007, 03:53 PM

Snow is cool! :) Why did it keep you awake though? It's not noisy when it snows...

It never snows in Joburg!
We wake up to play in it!
Not the other way round-ie snow wakes us up to play with us

joburg

June 27th, 2007, 04:27 PM

My house at 06h25 this morning...

http://img.photojerk.com/joburg/Photo-1133.jpg

joburg

June 27th, 2007, 04:29 PM

LOL why did you call him an ugly transvestite???

dunno.. boredom..? :)

dysan1

June 27th, 2007, 05:04 PM

wow..tom is that snow? or frost? whats the temp like up there? cos if it was a max of 15 in Durban it must be single digits in jozi today. My temp in the car said 11 just now.

and Brad... your comment is funny!!

"ie snow wakes us up to play with us" naughty snow...

dysan1

June 27th, 2007, 05:08 PM

oh and the owner of the palms deserves to be in jail! what a $&^%#$@@@#@

:)

joburg

June 27th, 2007, 05:22 PM

It was snooooooooooooow :D

the temp goes up and down. Sometimes my car reads 2 degrees, the highest it has read is 10.

^Anton^

June 27th, 2007, 07:21 PM

@joburg: Awake and in the street at 6:25AM... I admire you man :)

SA BOY

June 28th, 2007, 09:01 AM

well a balmy 47degrees today

Durbsboi

June 28th, 2007, 09:38 AM

@joburg: Awake and in the street at 6:25AM... I admire you man :)

I had to wake up 5:45am yesterday! had an early meeting, & the b*sturd came late :bash:

Jakes1

June 28th, 2007, 11:25 AM

Our whole office was late - everyone had to play in the snow first. It was also funny seeing jozi cars, still covered with sheets of snow on the highway!

Jakes1

June 28th, 2007, 01:10 PM

Soccerex to be
'bigger than ever'
Organisers expect Soccerex 2007 – to be held in Joburg for the first time – to be the biggest event yet, with more than 300 exhibition stands already sold.

June 27, 2007
By Lucky Sindane

OVER 5 000 delegates from the soccer fraternity and 300 exhibitors from 90 countries are expected to attend this year's Soccerex, the world's largest soccer exhibition.

Now in its eleventh year, the exhibition runs from 26 to 28 November at the Sandton Convention Centre in the north of Johannesburg.

Football legends, top football clubs and football playing nations, and football-related businesses attend the annual show.

Speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday, 26 June at the convention centre, Soccerex chairperson Tony Martin said, "We have delivered the event for the past 10 years and we are sure that in November [it] will be bigger than ever.

"Soccerex is the greatest opportunity to reach the friends and family in football. The event is surely going to double in every way."

It is the only international football convention that gives exhibitors and delegates the opportunity to network with suppliers, manufacturers, key buyers and decision-makers. It will be staged in Gauteng over the next three years.

Lucas Radebe, former national defender, Ivor Hoff, Chief Director of Sport and Recreation in Gauteng and John Barnes, English soccer legend, shake hands

"We have moved Soccerex to its fourth continent, Africa, in conjunction with the Gauteng province," said the chief executive officer of Soccerex, Duncan Revie.

"We are delighted to offer sponsors, delegates and exhibitors the opportunity to experience the reality, professionalism and pride of South Africa over the next three years leading up to the 2010 Fifa World Cup™.

"We will be sending out 5 000 disciples of soccer to spread the message that South Africa is going to host the best world cup ever," he continued.

Over 300 exhibition stands have already been sold for this year's event, and the majority of exhibitors from the 2006 show have rebooked larger spaces to build on the business generated and the relationships developed over the previous years.

It is projected that Soccerex will bring in more than R700-million to the economy as well as give the province billions of rands worth of media coverage.

Before the convention kicks off, there is a football festival, which will feature a match between African Legends, led by Lucas Radebe and Mark Fish, and Asia Select, led by Ali Daei. Manchester United's Bryan Robson and Liverpool's Phil Thompson and John Barnes will play for Asia Select.

Meanwhile, a second Diambars Football Academy will be established in South Africa before the World Cup kicks off.

"Football brings people together. The academy will provide education and training to children. We have to give our children hope," Barnes said.

Patric Vieira, the academy's founder issued a media statement saying, "Our goal has always been to expand the Diambars Football Academy across the globe and we decided South Africa would be our next step.

"We want to build on the momentum behind the World Cup to promote the idea that football can be a great instrument to advance education and promote social and human development".

Jakes1

June 28th, 2007, 01:16 PM

Live Earth concert
moves to Joburg
The Coca-Cola Dome in northern Johannesburg is the new venue for the African leg of the Live Earth concert, 24 hours of music across the world to highlight global warming.

June 28, 2007
By Lesego Madumo

NINE international superstars will rock Joburg on the African leg of the worldwide Live Earth concert at the Coca-Cola Dome in Northgate.

Running for 24 hours, from 6pm on 7 July, the concerts are taking place in nine countries on six continents simultaneously - Australia; Brazil, in South America; Britain and Germany, in Europe; China and Turkey in Asia; United States, in North America; South Africa, in Africa; and Japan.

Rock and roll band, the Parlotones, will fly the South African flag at the concert

A worldwide concert on an unprecedented scale, Live Earth is designed to encourage mass action to combat global warming, and organisers say it will wow spectators and critics alike.

The African leg was originally scheduled for the Cradle of Humankind in Mogale City. However, organisers say that because there is no Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) at the Cradle, the concert has been moved to the Coca-Cola Dome in northern Joburg.

An ISDN is an information and communication technology that allows the digital transmission of voice and data through telephone wires.

Tickets bought for the Cradle concert are valid for the new venue.

The bill on the night includes internationally acclaimed world music star Angelique Kidjo, who fuses Afro-funk, reggae, samba, gospel and jazz to create a unique soulful sound.

Senegal's Baaba Maal mixes a traditional Senegalese sound with American R&B, soul, jazz and blues, alongside British soul, R&B and blues singer and songwriter Joss Stone. Stone sold more than nine million albums worldwide and has won numerous awards, including a Grammy. She is the youngest female to have topped the British charts.

From South Africa come Danny K, a Sama award winner; The Parlotones; and the Soweto Gospel Choir, winners of a Grammy, an American Gospel Music Award and a Sama. The group has also clinched the top spot on Billboard's World Music Chart.

But the headliner is UB40, the British reggae band. In a long career, the band has released 23 albums, which have sold more than 50 million copies worldwide. UB40 is to be accompanied by prominent local singer and songwriter Vusi Mahlasela, fondly known as The Voice, and popular local TV host, actor and kwaito superstar Bonginkosi Dlamini, better known as Zola.

According to the concert organisers, Naomi Campbell, the British supermodel and friend of Nelson Mandela, will speak at the concert. "I'm proud to be a part of Live Earth and I'm especially proud that we are joining forces here in South Africa," she says.

Global warming is more critical in Africa, she adds. "Live Earth SA will not only unify Africans on this issue, it will connect the crisis here with the rest of the world."

The concert will be streamed live online on theMSN Live Earth website, thanks to online media partner MSN. The company plans to get the message to the masses. Other sponsors include Philips and Coca-Cola.

"Live Earth seeks to inspire its global audience to make meaningful and lasting changes in their lives and spur action by [people] to turn the tide on global warming," says Kevin Wall, the chief executive of Control Room, the company responsible for producing the concert.

Wall says music is an international language that can move people. "Live Earth's 24 hours of music … will move people in every corner of the planet to take action against global warming."

The concert also marks the start of an annual campaign to trigger individuals, corporations and governments to take stern action to curb the crisis of global warming. The Alliance for Climate Protection and other international non-governmental organisations will lead the campaign.

Al Gore, the former vice-president of the United States and the chairman of the Alliance for Climate Protection, is a partner of Live Earth. He says, "[The Live Earth concert will] take place across all … continents because the climate crisis affects us all and [we] all must be a part of the solution."

Included in the concert will be guidelines on recycling, and information on how food and beverages, packaging, transport, energy and water use affect global warming.

Tickets can be bought at Computicket outlets, by phone on 083 915 8000, or online on the Computicket website. They cost R250, including all service fees.

For more information visit the MSN Live Earth website, or the Live Earth website.

Jakes1

June 28th, 2007, 01:17 PM

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC00688-edited.jpg

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/Jacques-Louw.jpg

joburg

June 28th, 2007, 04:02 PM

Live Earth concert
moves to Joburg

Volunteer for free tickets... http://www.liveearthvolunteers.org/johannesburg

joburg

June 29th, 2007, 10:41 AM

Go east
28 Jun 2007 - Financial Mail -

Canny developers have been buying up key properties and they're about to turn them into a large mixed-use precinct.

Afhco CEO Renney Plit, possibly the biggest buyer in the precinct, says he expects a thriving community of 10 000 people to be living in New Doornfontein in the next couple of years. They will find work at a multitude of businesses for which old buildings are being refurbished. Compare this with Newtown, punted as the place to be by city authorities for almost a decade, which has yet to produce 500 residential units.

Plit is not alone. Amdec, the Cape developers and 50% partners in icon mixed-use project Melrose Arch, and residential developer Chelsea Manhattan have asked Plit to join them in creating SA's biggest block of flats - 850 units over a shopping centre in a 19-floor building at 120 End Street. The building cost them R170m when they recently bought it from Nedbank.

City consultant Neil Fraser says what used to be the Checkers office building is also being converted into 330 residential units, and Purchase Place into 440.

Next to New Doornfontein, the suburb of City & Suburban is almost certain to become a major creative centre.

Ricci Polack's Lifestyle Lofts, the developers that turned Milpark into one of Johannesburg's trendiest mixed-use areas, has bought a portfolio of old buildings next to Jewel City. "They've been in the same family for 86 years," he says. "We even have the original furniture. They have a wonderful history." And, typically, Polack has sold out his lofts, offices and shops before they became publicly known.

The biggest tenant is an art gallery, displaying works being assembled by some of Johannesburg's top financiers. Architects, advertising executives, production houses and restaurants are also opening up. Polack is moving his own offices there, too.

Johannesburg CBD's eastern area is the oldest residential district in the city and its complex fabric of houses, warehouses, offices and modest factories is ideal for adapting to modern city life. Small developers can create great variation in style, with two- and three-storey buildings ideal for lofts.

The larger properties in Doornfontein will be more suited to the big developers. Afhco is likely to own more than 5 000 residential units in the city in a few years. The restaurants in 120 End Street will face a park between End and Nugget streets that the consortium has offered to manage. The 120 End Street development budget includes the cost of upgrading the park.

The area is part of Johannesburg's 2010 redevelopment plan, and the city has begun cleaning up the area around Ellis Park. It will also have a New Doornfontein central improvement district, which will stretch from the edge of the fashion district in the CBD to the Jeppe Street police station. The area houses the University of Johannesburg's Doornfontein campus.

Plit says small business is thriving in the area. "We bought Access City, another landmark building in the precinct, and the demand for space from cut, make and trim factories and other small manufacturing businesses is so intense that we're fixing it up to rent to them. Access City is already 90% let and will house 3 000 workers."

Johannesburg's journey to the east will be swift. It's not a zero sum game, so the other precincts should not lose business to the newcomers.

Jakes1

June 29th, 2007, 10:50 AM

Great news! Very excited about this, because for such a long time the east was totally forgotten.

Jakes1

June 29th, 2007, 11:00 AM

Houses planned
for Paterson Park
About 3 percent of Paterson Park, in eastern Joburg, has been identified for residential development in "one of the most exciting public open space projects the City has ever embarked on".

June 29, 2007
By Lesego Madumo

PART of Paterson Park, between Norwood and Orange Grove in eastern Johannesburg, has been earmarked for development. And standalone cluster homes, forming Victoria Ext 3 township, could be built at the park if plans by the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) are approved.

The houses target medium- to high-income earners and, according to Nisha Moodley, JPC's marketing manager, when the application to erect the township is approved, the precinct will comprise of 25 houses per hectare.

Paterson Park is regarded as a passive space, Moodley explains, "as no activities currently take place" there. After construction, one hectare of the park's residual space will be earmarked for a tea garden and a nursery.

The current park will not be absorbed into the development

An agreement between the JPC, ward councillors for Norwood and Orange Grove, community representatives and residents has been reached, which involves developing 3 percent of the 13-hectare park for residential purposes, she affirms.

The segment set aside for residences is on the western side of the park. The rest of it will be preserved and refurbished into a public open space, to complement the new residential development.

Community interests
"A joint oversight committee will work in co-operation with the JPC to ensure that the community's interests are integrated into the overall plan," Moodley says, adding that the residential development that will border Paterson Road and Ninth Street is seen as a breakthrough for the neglected area.
The company expects that the application for the township establishment will be approved by December, "whereafter [developers] will be invited to purchase [the land] and develop the township", she says, adding that construction should be completed by 2009.

Paterson Park begins at the Art Complex adjoining Louis Botha Avenue in Orchards, and runs over Paterson Road to the Paterson Park Recreation Centre. "This will form one of the most exciting public open space projects the City has ever embarked on," Moodley asserts.

She says that a broad-based precinct plan is also under way that will focus on council-owned property near the park, north and south of Paterson Road. The plan will look at linkage issues, like a pedestrian bridge over Paterson Road leading to the park and revamping the recreation centre and its facilities.

Part of the precinct design framework strategy is the identification and overhaul of all council-owned property. Its programmes are geared to ensure safety and security around a council-owned framework.

Art strategy
Already a dilapidated council-owned house, which was illegally occupied, was identified in Orange Grove. The house is a heritage gem and has been cleaned up. "The property was fenced off and in the near future it will be landscaped and linked to the Art Complex."
The JPC has another key strategy that will shape the success of the project - public art. "Art should form part of the public space," Moodley says, adding that enough space will be allocated throughout the park for artistic features "that reflect the creative spirit of all of our communities".

The strategy is designed to support and encourage art in Orange Grove and Norwood, "and will include the dynamic broader spectrum of Alexandra as well as connections with all similar projects throughout the city".

"The aim is to support the development of local artists, the generation of new art-related employment and the interactive expression of different cultures."

Jakes1

June 29th, 2007, 11:01 AM

Clinton to help
Joburg go green
Energy saving technology is being installed in council buildings after Joburg was picked to join the Clinton Climate Initiative.

June 29, 2007
By George Matlala

FIVE council buildings are being fitted with energy-saving products as part of a plan to go green.

This move comes after the Clinton Foundation, set up by the former US president, Bill Clinton, chose Johannesburg as one of the 40 cities to benefit from its Clinton Climate Initiative. The initiative is aimed at fighting climate change in practical and measurable ways.

According to Nthatise Modigoane, the City's spokesperson, the plan is for the City to buy energy-saving technologies at a lower price, a move that will help to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide.

A buying consortium set up between the Clinton Climate Initiative and manufacturers makes lower pricing possible.

"A mayoral sub-committee on climate change has been set up which will be supported by a technical team of officials, that is led by the environmental management department, drawn from all relevant departments."

The first council-owned buildings to go green are the Roodepoort, Sandton, Jabulani and Metropolitan civic centres and the Putco building at Baragwanath, Soweto. They are being retrofitted with energy-saving products like solar-powered lighting and solar water heaters.

Some council buildings are to be fitted with energy saving lamps

Projects that the City is already implementing to fight climate change include using solar geysers in Cosmo City and installing solar street lighting in Zandspruit, he says.

Through its partnership with the Clinton Foundation, the City is already benefiting from funding to drive its climate change programme and implement its Bus Rapid Transit project, which aims to reduce emission of gases like carbon monoxide by cars.

Speaking at the C40 Large Cities Summit on climate change held in New York in May, Executive Mayor Amos Masondo said: "As Johannesburg we are proud to be associated with global initiatives that address the impacts of global change, which is a new struggle. We will endeavour to ensure that our operations and new developments do not further exacerbate the impact of climate change."

Joburg is among the first 22 cities earmarked to benefit from the project; others including London, Delhi, Berlin and Buenos Aires.

According to the Clinton Foundation's website, urban areas are responsible for over 75 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions, which is why cities should fight emissions to slow the pace of global warming.

The foundation is working with a group of world banks and energy-saving companies to reduce the price of energy-saving products and come up with other ways of reducing gas emissions.

Jakes1

June 29th, 2007, 11:01 AM

Bruma Lake gets a
dose of cleanliness
Chemicals have been poured into Bruma Lake in an ongoing effort to clean up the watercourse, which is contaminated with bacteria and germs.

June 28, 2007
By George Matlala

THE cleaning of Bruma Lake is under way. A dose of chemicals is already killing the bacteria, germs and other pathogens contaminating the lake, in eastern Joburg.

A ceremonial dosing of the lake took place on Wednesday, 27 June outside the Courtyard Hotel in Bedfordview, after the City's environmental management department appointed 02H, a water purification company, to clean up the watercourse.

At one point it was declared a bacteriological hotspot in a city-backed test of Johannesburg's rivers.

Dosing the lake was one of a number of ongoing interventions by the City to restore the catchment. It was also aimed at dealing with health problems that may result from the overburdened system, said Jane Eagle, the City's assistant director responsible for air and water quality monitoring.

Speaking at a briefing before the dosing, Eagle said that the deterioration of the lake was a mounting concern that could no longer go unchecked. "We are committed to working with the people of Bruma to restore the lake," she said, calling on the community to help with the rehabilitation.

Concrete channels that lead water into Bruma have caused the water flow to increase; together with a lack of vegetation, which would absorb and filter water, this has resulted in erosion of the riverbanks and has led to the deteriorating quality of water in the Bruma precinct, Eagle noted.

Litter, sewage and decaying infrastructure had contributed to the problem.

She added that though the water in the lake was not used for drinking, it had to be clean in case people using it downstream in areas such as Alexandra. The City would monitor the rehabilitation closely.

Eagle pointed out that the area would be a primary gateway to the city during the 2010 Fifa World Cup™.

"We aim towards dosing twice a week just past the litter trap and around the lake in certain ‘dead' areas for a period of eight to 12 weeks," said Joanne Raphael-Katz, the managing director of 02H.

One of the key challenges was the "continual toxic spill that flows in to Bruma". She said her company would use its product to dose the lake and help control the present high contamination of the water.

"We are aiming towards rehabilitation of the whole sub-catchment upstream from Bruma, not at just Bruma Lake itself, that will lighten the litter and bacterial load all the way to Hartbeespoort Dam."

However, Raphael-Katz said that the dosing was not a sustainable solution, noting that creating wetlands that held and filtered stormwater runoff was important. "Planting trees and native vegetation and breaking up impervious surfaces all help to absorb water and prevent it from running off into streams and rivers."

Bruma Lake was an artificially constructed waterfront that suffered from common problems associated with such man-made catchment areas, caused by rapid urbanisation and stormwater runoff.

joburg

June 29th, 2007, 11:05 AM

We should try find out how they're going to develop the public space. I think there is a need in Joburg to use open spaces more proactively. We have some fantastic spaces (Zoo Lake, the Wilds, Joburg Botanical, Witwatersrand Botanical, Giloolies), but I don't think the city puts in enough effort to get people out of their homes and into the open..

Jakes1

June 29th, 2007, 11:10 AM

The problem in Johannesburg and pretoria according to me is that we closed off everything we could in order to prevent property crime. This means public space fell out of favor, because we want to keep the public out to keep ourselves safe. We sterilised our neighbourhoods. We stopped going to parks. And all of this, ironically, made the crime problem worse. In Pretoria the art market at beautiful Magnolia Dell was suspended because of perceptions of high crime. Why not get extra security guards? Why not think up creative solutions? Individuals need to reclaim their parks, and put pressure on the city to maintain them.

We need public spaces in both these cities. And a shopping mall is not a public space.

joburg

June 29th, 2007, 11:35 AM

^^ I need to become mayor of Joburg...

First thing i would do is close the open-air parking lot of Rosebank (and turf all the cars downstairs into the parking garage), and create a large public square with a huge big ass fountain in the middle, restaurants overflowing onto the square, and that ghastly telephone exchange turned into an art gallery ala the Tate Modern in London...

sigh.. if only they had MY vision... :D

Jakes1

June 29th, 2007, 11:59 AM

Frolocking around in lalaland Tommy? Hehe, that telephone exchange is quite brutal in its bland bigness...

joburg

June 29th, 2007, 12:22 PM

Have you ever known me to not frolick about in lalaland?

Yup the telephone exchange is indeed extremely bland and brutal, but that's all the rage at the moment, no?

Rosebank is crying out to become an (even more) awesome precinct, bound by Jan Smuts, Oxford, Jellicoe and Bolton. It just has so much potential, and is definitely a place to buy into!

Mosi-oa-Tunya

June 29th, 2007, 07:06 PM

Travel News Now

29 June 2007

ON July 1, Southern Sun will launch three new names, The Palazzo Montecasino (previously Intercontinental Palazzo Hotel), The Sandton Sun (previously Intercontinental Sandton Sun) and The InterContinental Sandton Towers.
The Sandton Sun will also be launched with a brand new look following a R78m refurbishment.

Brought to you by TravelHub…

Chana Viljoen
chanav@nowmedia.co.za

dysan1

June 30th, 2007, 01:36 PM

i was about to post the article on the park. Tom as you are a park person how do you feel about public open spaces being lost and converted into yet more drab housing? It sometimes comes across that most joburgers dont mind that there is shrinking public space, and if the city approves this then it seems the city encourages it. i'm a bit confused.

On the issue of parks. are there any in the new areas? Fourways direction?

Pule

June 30th, 2007, 06:16 PM

Pule

June 30th, 2007, 06:35 PM

By the way gents, I drove though Hillbrow today and I must say that there is a lot of progress. Check photos in the gallery and see some of the currently restored buildings. Its amazing that we do not get report about it.

kulani

June 30th, 2007, 09:37 PM

Guys, i have some fresh news. I have received confirmation from my brother that Carlton centre was sold today in an auction held this afternoon at wanderers for a little over R838 million to a foreign investor (will confirm name tomorrow) who managed to beat the London & Regional group that bought the V&A waterfront who were known to be interested in that property. He attended this closed auction this afternoon and will give me the name of the winner tomorrow morning.

SA BOY

July 1st, 2007, 09:19 AM

shit it sold for R50 million from Anglo to Transnet around 6 years ago. Great growth

joburg

July 1st, 2007, 10:21 AM

Bet Anglo is kicking itself for not holding on to it for longer, and Transnet is laughing all the way to the bank!

Who is it kulani? DYING to find out and what they're going to do with it!

joburg

July 1st, 2007, 10:25 AM

Tom as you are a park person how do you feel about public open spaces being lost and converted into yet more drab housing?

Well when I first read about it I was slightly peeved because, as you say, more drab housing. But I'm reassured by the fact that only 3% of the land is going to be developed into housing.

I'm not sure how it's all going to be worked out (because 3% is nothing!), but it's clear that the city wants to keep a large part of it as open public space. I also hope that the housing will be social housing - not only will it provide much needed housing, but I do think there is a need in Joburg for greater integration of different economic groups.

Also, if I'm not mistaken, Patterson Park is quite close to Melrose Arch, and I think it would be cool if the two developments are linked up to provide one continuous 'new urban' node..

joburg

July 1st, 2007, 10:26 AM

Gents, what's happening between Nelson Mandela Bridge and the Total Grarage. The area is normally used by driving school guys. When I passed there today i saw fencing around that area, do you perhaps know what's happening there.

I know there were plans two years ago or so to develop it into more housing ala Brickfields and Central Place. Maybe ask Neil Fraser?

kulani

July 1st, 2007, 03:12 PM

Bet Anglo is kicking itself for not holding on to it for longer, and Transnet is laughing all the way to the bank!

Who is it kulani? DYING to find out and what they're going to do with it!

Guys, here's what my brother sent me in an e-mail. These are some of the notes he took while at the auction. From his notes, its not very clear whether the property was actually sold for R838 million (as he initially told me last night) or R1.4 billion, i will give him a call to clarify.

CARLTON CENTER
The starting price for it was R600 mil , and the hammer came down as the last bid was R1,4 billion offered by a Russian Billionaire and his name was not disclosed. it's value was estimated to be R400 mil last year so you can see the value of CBD properties are shooting up.The Carlton tower block has 72 000 m? of offices, a 52 000 m? shopping centre below, a 2 600-bay parking garage and a 620-bedroom hotel next door. Transnet FD Chris Wells estimates the replacement value to be R1,7bn. But with zoned land now selling for at least R2 000/m? of lettable commercial space and high-rise building costs of at least R15 000/m?, that replacement cost might be conservative. Ramos could walk away from the sale with more than R1bn, a R967m profit and a compound 300%/year plus return on the original R33m cost eight years ago.

kulani

July 1st, 2007, 03:23 PM

more information from his notes

There were so many guys at the auction including the likes of Mzi Khumalo, Richard Maponye, London & Regional guys, Ramos, Anglo properties CEO guy, Old Mutual guys, someone from Oppenheimer family, lots of oil guys from the middle east and Russia also att was Afhco CEO Renney Plit....he is more interested in the Doorfontein area..there was also some guys from Amdec-the Cape developers and 50% partners in icon mixed-use project Melrose Arch. The cheapest residential areas are going for about R5-R6 mil....but the starting price is about R2 mil....there was also this building called the Jozi-junction (A landmark building) on seimert road, opp Ellis park Stadium, doorfontein - bidding opened at R13 mil but the hammer came down at about R18 mil. there was this block (flats) at commissioner street it was going for about R4 mil but it was sold for R9 mil.

Jakes1

July 2nd, 2007, 10:08 AM

More theatre news!

Fiddler makes his
way to the Civic
There is no let up to the great musicals being staged at the Civic Theatre this winter; the latest to play out on the Nelson Mandela stage is the timeless classic, Fiddler on the Roof.

June 29, 2007
By Ndaba Dlamini

THE producers of the hit musical Soweto Story are back at the Civic Theatre with yet another humdinger, Fiddler on the Roof, an award-winning musical about the trials and tribulations of a poor, pre-revolutionary Russian family.

Widely considered to be one of the best musicals ever produced, Fiddler on the Roof is on at the Nelson Mandela stage from 7 July to 19 August. Produced by Packed House Productions, in association with Absa bank, the show is expected to be a stunner.

The tale is based on the book Tevye and his Daughters by the Russian Jewish author, Sholom Aleichem. Set in the small town of Anatevka in Czarist Russia, the story follows the lives of Tevye, a poor Jewish milkman, his waspish wife and their daughters.

Times are achanging; anti-Semitism is growing and - to his increasing dismay - Tevye's headstrong daughters choose love over tradition. Each daughter's choice of husband moves further away from the Jewish customs he reveres and his life becomes precariously balanced, like a fiddler on the roof.

Michael Richard, playing Tevye, first starred as the patriarch in the 1997 production of the show, when he was 45. He says his favourite songs are the ever popular If I were a rich man and Sunrise, sunset.

Michael Richard as Tevye, the milkman and Judy Page as his wife, Golde

"As you get older it gets harder to do the physical stuff, but I have more experience to draw on," he says. "Revisiting Tevye is wonderful. This production will be a totally new experience for me, with a different cast and young director. It is a universal story. Although it focuses on Jewish tradition, it is also about family tradition. All cultures can identify with the joy and pain of the characters."

This time around, Richard is working with director Genna Lewis, who was recently at the helm of Soweto Story for Packed House Productions. Adele Strombeck is the musical director and Eddie Clayton conducts an orchestra of 24 musicians. The choreography is by Shelley Adriaanze.

Strombeck says the score uses traditional Jewish music with a strong Russian feel to it. "It is a very full, soul-based score, opposed to a more classical score as in My Fair Lady. It is earthy, emotional and quite demanding on the singers. There are many unexpected chord changes," he says.

Joburgers will hear the wonderful songs, like Matchmaker and the exuberant To life, that have enchanted millions of fans worldwide.

The cast includes the chorus, consisting of 25 members, with stage veterans Judy Page (Golde), Rouel Beukes (Lazar Wolf), Mike Huff (Rabbi) and Neville Thomas (Constable) strutting their stuff.

Tevye's daughters are played by Michelle Botha (Tzeitel), Belinda Chapman (Bielke), Gemma Donnely (Hodel) and Marissa Bosman (Chava). The agile fiddler of the title is played by Jacques van Jaarsveld and Kristy Suttner embodies the ghostly Grandma Tzeitel in Tevye's nightmare.

A Tony Award-winning musical, Fiddler on the Roof has received great acclaim on Broadway, in the West End and in theatres around the globe, and is often said to be one of the most powerful musicals ever staged. In 1971 it was turned into a movie by Norman Jewison, winning three Oscars - for best scoring, best sound and best cinematography.

The musical first opened on Broadway on 22 September 1964, with Zero Mostel as Tevye and music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, libretto by Joseph Stein and choreography by Jerome Robbins. The production was an instant hit, scooping nine Tony Awards, including best musical, best actor, best choreographer and best costume design.

Fiddler on the Roof is on at the Nelson Mandela Theatre, in the Civic Theatre complex, from 7 July to 19 August. Tickets are R169, excluding booking fees, and are available from Computicket. Discounted tickets for groups of 10 or more are available through VIP Ticketing on 011 877 6854.

Jakes1

July 2nd, 2007, 10:09 AM

greening jozi, step by step. The northern suburbs are treelined havens, but other regions have always been neglected.

Dozens of trees
planted in Kliptown
Trees have been planted at 45 homes in Kliptown to beautify the area and cut down on carbon emissions, so adding to the fight against global warming.

June 29, 2007
By George Matlala

With global warming dominating hearts and minds around the world, the City took the fight against climate change to Kliptown, Soweto, where more than 90 trees were planted in front of 45 homes.

On a chilly Thursday afternoon, 28 June, an enthusiastic group of Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) staff members swamped a section of Kliptown and planted at least two trees – one indigenous shade tree and the other a fruit tree – in each of the homes to cut carbon emissions and beautify the yards.

The tree-planting was done in partnership with South Africa's greening organisation, Food and Trees for Africa. The team was led by Flora Mokgohloa, the executive director of the environmental management department; Lael Bethlehem, the chief executive officer of the JDA; George Ndlovu, the councillor of ward 22; and Sipho Mathe, the community forester of Food and Trees for Africa.

"The environment is everybody's business and we all need to demonstrate our manifest responsibility by doing something about it. We at JDA started with this initiative," said Bethlehem, speaking to the residents before planting began.

Bethlehem called on individuals and companies to calculate the amount of carbon they emitted during their activities and to go green. "Planting trees in people's gardens is an excellent idea because it is one of the major ways of mitigating carbon."

The planting was also in support of the City's ambitious Greening of Soweto project, which aimed to plant thousands of trees across the township in preparation for the 2010 Fifa World Cup™, said Mokgohloa.

Joburg was also planning to run robust campaigns to highlight the effects of climate change. "People know about this problem, but they don't know how it affects them," she said, emphasising that residents had to have noticed the changing weather patterns.

Developing countries would be the worst affected by global warming. "Plant as many trees as possible," she said, noting that the City's move to retrofit council buildings with energy-saving products was a perfect example of going green.

"JDA has set the benchmark, though it doesn't have a big building. I challenge other entities to do the same."

Noting that the trees would also beautify the suburb, Mathe said, "By planting trees in this area we are cutting the illnesses caused by carbon emissions."

To ensure the sustainability of the project, he said his organisation would visit the residents until the trees were 12 months old, teaching them about the importance of planting and caring for trees. Ndlovu called on residents to take care of the trees, noting that that they would hold community meetings to discuss the matter. Evelyn Rummutla, one of the residents, took the councillor's call to heart. "I will take care of the trees. I will water them in the morning and at night," she said, urging other residents to do the same.

SA BOY

July 2nd, 2007, 12:41 PM

Durbsboi

July 2nd, 2007, 03:58 PM

Perskor building goes for R20m
02 Jul 2007 - Inet Bridge -

Intro
Seven buildings were sold in quick succession in a spirited auction

29 June 2007
By Madden Cole

Seven buildings were sold in quick succession in a spirited auction held by Park Village at the Wanderers Sports Club on Thursday when a landmark hotel in central Johannesburg came under the hammer.

Six properties in Doornfontein were sold to the same buyer before the auction. The buildings included the old Perskor building in Height Street, which fetched R20m, and five other buildings in the area that realised a combined price of R2,4m.

The White House Hotel, with 27 en suite bedrooms, at 152 Marshall Street, was once one of four hotels around the area today taken up by the Carlton Hotel. It was sold as a going concern for R2,5m after keen bidding.

The former Jaguar showroom in Johannesburg's Eloff Street motor town of the past fetched R1,5m. Another prominent building on offer was Kahn's Corner in End Street, described as suitable for industrial, retail and residential use. It sold for R4,1m.

Other lots were a mixed bag of properties in Melville, Langlaagte, Benoni and Germiston.

A second hotel to come under the hammer was the Fountains Hotel in Langlaagte, with 21 rooms, three bars and a night club. After protracted bidding, it went for R1,9m.

Another lot that attracted interest was a two-storey building in Fourth Avenue, Melville, with factory-warehouse space on the ground floor with front shop, a mezzanine, and spacious office on the first floor. The building, in the restaurant district, drew some fast bidding before a final bid of R3m was accepted.

On offer on the East Rand was a building on a triple stand. The former bakery is now used as a workshop for motor repairs. It sold for R1,025m.

Benoni Small Farms, a 2,15ha property on Boundary Road, offers a workshop-factory, a large house with a portion ready for occupation, five garages and a cottage. A bid of R1,9 was received.

David Teasdale, of Park Village Auctions, says the resurrection of central Johannesburg property is gathering momentum. Investors are definitely back in the picture.

"There's widespread interest in CBD properties right now. Buyers include large and small investors and owner-occupiers. With property commentators predicting increasing values going forward, we expect a good auction," says Teasdale.

joburg

July 2nd, 2007, 10:50 PM

Pink is coming to Jobeg, Sun City and Cape Town..

http://www.represent.co.za/pink-coming-to-sa.htm

joburg

July 2nd, 2007, 10:54 PM

why does the city not have its own nursery (sponsered by Sappi) and distribute a million sapplings per year to residents like we had in Sydney? it was great and you could always get indigenous tress for your garden

They're quite good about planting trees in formally underprivileged areas like Soweto etc. And they've also got projects such as 'Transform a Park in 24 hours' which keep the city green. So I don't think they're doing a terrible job, just think that maybe they should be doing more to encourage Joburgers to use open green space.

^Anton^

July 3rd, 2007, 03:05 AM

I agree, encouraging people to use open spaces (either green spaces or squares) is a way to bring people together and create a nicer urban atmosphere... Johannesburg is a lot more than a city of suburbs.

Durbsboi

July 3rd, 2007, 08:32 AM

I hate Pink, but thats my opinion.

Radebe to launch luxury Soweto-Joburg train
By: Nelendhre Moodley

After several delays, the Soweto Business Express (SBE), an eight-coach luxury train travelling between Johannesburg and Soweto, will be launched on Tuesday, Metrorail regional manager Salani Sithole told Engineering News Online on Monday.

After Transport Minister Jeff Radebe officially launches the R2,2-billion train, it will make its debut trip from Naledi station, in Soweto, to the Johannesburg CBD on Tuesday morning, Metrorail communications manager Brenda Motau announced.

Radebe will be joined by Gauteng MEC for Public Transport, Roads and Works Ignatius Jacobs, Johannesburg executive mayor Amos Masondo, and South African Rail Commuter Corporation CE Lucky Montana.

The 530-seater train is the first of three proposed such ventures and is targeted at satisfying the demands of middle-class travellers to Johannesburg, who often have to cough up between R400/m and R500/m for parking bays.

The SBE, which will cost around R330/m to ride, will begin its route at Naledi station, with stops at Ikhwezi and Dube stations in Soweto, before reaching the Johannesburg CBD.

Motau said that the revamped, refurnished and rebranded SBE had numerous modern facilities, including the Internet.

She added that each of the eight coaches would be staffed by a uniformed attendant, to serve drinks and provide free newspapers to commuters, and a security guard.

The SBE was initially planned for launch in April, and then June, but “budgeting issues" had caused delays, Sithole said earlier.

The SBE would be used as a yardstick for a similar express running from Johannesburg to Pretoria.

The Johannesburg-Pretoria express was expected to be launched by October/November.

Earlier Sithole said that a second train would be launched along the same route, but travelling at a later time.

While the SBE was scheduled to arrive at Park station at 7:15, the second train would reach the city at 8:30.

It is anticipated that SBE commuters would be able to link to the R27-billion Gautrain rapid rail link at Park station, once the Gautrain, which will link Johannesburg, OR Tambo international and Pretoria, is operational.

Kulani, can you get some pic's?

joburg

July 3rd, 2007, 12:08 PM

I'm glad SA Roads is doing something to improve this, but as I've said before, it really needs to be implemented in conjunction with better zoning and building laws.

Billions dedicated to fix Gauteng roads 03/07/2007 06:39:35

http://www.702.co.za/news/news.asp

The Transport Department says the National Roads Agency's plans to upgrade highways in Gauteng forms part of the national road improvement plan.

But motorists stuck in this morning's traffic crush will have to be patient.

The R22bn upgrade plan will only take place over the next seven years.

Extra lanes will be added to the N1 Ben Schoeman highway as well as the R21.

A new link between Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg’s southern suburbs is also on the cards.

Problem areas including the M1 from the Buccleuch interchange towards Johannesburg. Sections of the R24 and the N12 near OR Tambo International Airport will also be upgraded.

Roads upgraded during the project will be tolled after 2010.

A further R14bn worth of road upgrades will also take place from 2010 to 2013.

Jakes1

July 3rd, 2007, 12:22 PM

News from urban ocean. They sent me an email stating that 130 000m2 of buildings are in the pipeline for development. 3 of the 23 buildings are currently being actively renovated. The Franklin is finally open for occupation, Shakespeare Place 1 will open in December/January and SP2 (which is also sold out) opens in April.

joburg

July 4th, 2007, 09:58 AM

^^ Have they said anything about #1 Rissik?

Jakes1

July 4th, 2007, 10:07 AM

joburg

July 4th, 2007, 10:46 AM

There is a walking tour of Newtown by the Parktown & Westcliff Heritage Trust if anyone is interested.

SATURDAY 14 JULY 2007
“NEWTOWN” - Walking Tour

Join The Parktown & Westcliff Heritage Trust on Saturday 14 July 2007 on a guided walking tour entitled “Newtown”.

Visit the phoenix that is Newtown! Where once there was a Railway siding, a brickfield, produce market and power station as well as a residential area for people of mixed cultures growing and developing harmoniously, the history of forced removals and dissent caused Newtown to become neglected and run-down.

Newtown’s vibrant redevelopment as a cultural and residential area has turned back the clock to happier days. Cafes, bookstores, music clubs and dance studios are the backdrop to this example of imaginative re-use of old sites and buildings. The tour will meet at 2.00pm from the main entrance of MuseumAfrica.

The cost is R70.00 per person and tickets are available at Computicket.
For information telephone Elaine Persona (weekdays 9am – 1pm) at (011) 482 3349

joburg

July 4th, 2007, 10:49 AM

Nope, no news about #1 Rissik. They did say that the renovation of four buildings surrounding the Franklin will start soon - retail etc. and SP3 will be launched soon. And construction at SP2 will start in October, and at Cornerhouse later this month.

I wonder if they should aim a little more downmarket like the other developers have been doing. They just don't seem to be getting a 'grip' on the city. They seem to fly in with grand and sexy developments, yet nothing much seems to be taking place, does it?

Jakes1

July 4th, 2007, 01:09 PM

well, they sell out... so not sure. but I think they can benefit from starting to do more affordable, reasonable developments. All their units aim for the hotel market, and don't know how big this market is currently.

Pule

July 7th, 2007, 06:18 AM

Credo Mutwa Village
now almost complete
The Zulu and Sotho homesteads in Soweto's Credo Mutwa Village have been carefully brought back to life, with restorer Musa Ntanzi paying meticulous attention to tradition.

July 6, 2007
By Lucille Davie

The Credo Mutwa Cultural Village in Jabavu is a step further to completion, with the beautiful restoration of the Zulu and Sotho homesteads.

Restorer Musa Ntanzi describes in meticulous detail his work in restoring the homesteads within the village. Ntanzi was assistant to author and traditional healer Mutwa in the 1970s and 1980s, when the village was created.

The village consists of symbolic clay sculptures and structures on a site of several hectares in Central Western Jabavu. Now 86 years old, Mutwa lives in frail health in Kuruman, Northern Cape.

The buildings depict a variety of African styles while the large, painted sculptures are of human and animal figures depicting African culture and folklore. Many of the figures have a mythical quality.

Several people have commented on the uncanny likeness between Mutwa and Ntanzi, implying a master-disciple relationship. Ntanzi clearly has a deep understanding and love of Zulu culture and customs.

The making of huts
The Zulu homestead consists of four round, thatched huts, for the king, the queen, the grandmother, and the son.
Inside the grandmother's hut sit five women preparing strands of straw for plaiting, for use on the roofs of the huts. The straw is first soaked in water, explains Ntanzi, then placed on a log and pounded with a smaller log, to make it pliable and flexible. From there several strands are interwoven, making a tight plait to be used to tie down the thatched roof. It takes four hours to make a three-metre long rope.

Wattle branches are used to make the frame for the huts. They are left in the sun for three months before they are dry enough to be used, and then are burnt and bent into shape. Traditionally the whole village would get together to make a new hut, a task that would take up to a month to do, says Ntanzi.

Each hut has a central indented circle inside, where a fire would traditionally have been made. Around the sides are raised sections, to be used for storage of kitchen utensils like calabashes.

The roofs consist of three layers of thatching. The thatching of the grandmother's hut reaches down to the ground, whereas the other huts have one-metre high mud walls, with a low, arched doorway. The mud for the walls is made from ground-up anthill sand, mixed with water. The pinks and yellows used to paint the walls are obtained from grinding stones. The doorways are closed with grass mats.

The inside of the hut is filled with smoke from the fire, but, says Ntanzi, if you sit down in the hut, the smoke doesn't bother the eyes so much. He explains that some woods are burned especially to clear the eyes, so that when you cry from the smoke, the eyes are cleansed and refreshed.

Ntanzi, born in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, elaborates on the role of the grandmother. She is the cook, the nurse, the entertainer, and the keeper of the village's "secrets". Examples of secrets are what plants were suitable for treating certain illnesses; or which tree could be used as a lightning conductor.

The kraal
Ntanzi regrets that the homestead is not in a circular shape, with the kraal in the centre. The stone-walled kraal has multiple uses, says Ntanzi. It can be used as a graveyard; a court where elders will sit in judgement of a wrongdoer; a place to welcome visitors; a place where dancing takes place; a place to convene with the ancestors; and of course, a place to keep the cattle safe at night, and gather their dung to use for floor-making.
"A village without a kraal is not a village," says Ntanzi, "it's like having a house without a garden."

Ntanzi is keen to get two cows for the homestead, to give it "the smell of a village". They would also supply dung for the floors.

The Zulu homestead also has two granaries – smaller versions of a hut, but on stilts, to prevent small animals like moles getting at the grain. This kraal also has a griffin, a symbol of strength and bravery, says Ntanzi. A stone-walled kraal for a blacksmith has also been re-instated.

Sotho village
The Sotho village, also consisting of four huts with two-metre high mud walls and single-layer thatch roofs, is surrounded by a neat stick fence.
The main hut is the king's hut, guarded at its entrance by a mud-sculpted leopard and a cow, the former the symbol of the king, the latter a symbol of wealth.

The walls of the Sotho huts were largely intact, says Ntanzi, and only minor replastering and decorating touch-ups were necessary.

By the beginning of 2006 the first phase of the restoration was complete. This consists of the large Zulu figures of Nkulu Nkulu, God the father and the chief of creation, and Nokhubuwana, God the mother, and the figure of Umvelingangi, sun god of Africa. They make a striking entrance to the village.

Future restoration
Still to be restored is the Arab village, with its stonewall enclosure and courtyard, and the three prophesy figures and accompanying graveyard. The three figures are grotesque alien forms, that apparently appeared before Mutwa one day when walking in a forest. Ntanzi says they predicted an incurable disease would hit the local village. Aloes were planted at the site by Ntanzi and Mutwa because they are believed to have curative properties.

http://www.joburg-archive.co.za/images_2007/jul/credomutwa000.jpg
The fearsome dinosaur figures, also awaiting restoration

A small grouping of prehistoric animals also needs restoration. Two thirds of the village has now been restored. Phase 2 of the restoration cost R900 000. The work was carried out under the guidance of conservation architect Jonathan Stone.

Ntanzi would like to bring Mutwa to the village, to thank him for "bringing the light". Mutwa is still much in demand for his healing powers.

Pule

July 7th, 2007, 06:27 AM

Trees blossom in Braamfontein
Braving the bitter cold, artists are busy installing bright life-size metal trees in Braamfontein, adding to the city's burgeoning cultural arc.

July 6, 2007
By Millicent Kgowedi

Although it is mid-winter, trees are blossoming in Braamfontein.

Several artists are braving the winter chill to install 16 brightly coloured metal tree sculptures – adding to the nine erected last year.

Five new trees will grace the pavement between Melle, De Beer and Bertha streets.

The remaining 11 will bloom across two blocks to the west of the Mandela Bridge, between Bertha, Station and Henri streets.

The Braamfontein artworks are an initiative resulting from a partnership between the Johannesburg Development Agency and The Trinity Session, a contemporary art production team that runs The Premises, the gallery at the Johannesburg Civic Theatre. The Trinity Session team comprises critic Kathryn Smith, Stephen Hobbs, who describes himself as an "urbanism junkie", and Internet whiz Marcus Neustetter.

"We have a budget of R125 000 to complete the 16 new tree sculptures," says Hobbs. "The total budget for the entire tree sculpture project, including the nine that were launched last year, is about R200 000."

The public art project is part of the broader initiative to create a visual trail in Joburg's cultural arc, which spans Constitution Hill, Braamfontein, and the University of the Witwatersrand's East campus, across the Mandela Bridge through to Newtown, ending at the Bus Factory.

During the launch of the tree sculptures last year in July, visual art teacher Claire Regnard said of the public art, "the difference between the tree sculptures is that one can touch and even speak to them, unlike art in a museum".

According to Hobbs, students from the Imbali Visual Literacy Project based at The Bus Factory came up with the original concept and developed small-scale designs of the tree sculptures, using recycled materials like tyres, tin cans and plastics. "Claire took the designs by the students and created human-scale artworks of tree-like metal pieces," he added.

The pattern, size and material used for the new tree sculptures was the same as the previous ones, with the exception of three trees installed near the Mandela Bridge. "They are larger and have different patterns from the rest of the tree sculptures," Hobbs said.

kulani

July 7th, 2007, 07:31 PM

High hopes for tainted Joburg landmark (Ponte City)

By Fiona Forde
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=124&art_id=vn20070707114544802C

The winter of 1976 conjures up images of Soweto schoolchildren rising up in protest against Afrikaans as a teaching medium - sparking the uprising that was the beginning of the end for apartheid.

But for architect Rod Grosskopff, it marked the unveiling of Ponte City, his 54-storey residential creation that rises 173m above Berea, on the fringe of Hillbrow.

The R11-million Ponte on Johannesburg's skyline was the tallest residential building in the southern hemisphere.

'I used to dream about Ponte'
It became a magnet for middle-class metro types and a playground for yuppies, lured by the hedonism of Hillbrow.

But during the three decades since, Grosskopff has watched the glimmering architectural showpiece fade into disrepute as illegal migrants from all over the continent moved in.

By the time freedom dawned in 1994, Ponte had become a den of iniquity where prostitutes did a roaring trade and where some residents were involved in questionable - and often illegal - activities.

And it wasn't for nothing it was dubbed the Nigerian home affairs department in the late 1990s. Indeed, it wasn't beyond Ponte to churn out passports, if such were your needs, or a supply of illegally printed cash.

Yet Grosskopff has never failed to marvel at the cylindrical engineering feat he designed.

'Five of the 54 floors are taken'
It was around the same time that Nour Addine Ayyoub arrived from Belgium and set up home in what was then trendy Yeoville and soon cast his sights on the beacon.

"I used to dream about Ponte. I wanted it, really wanted it. But I didn't have the cash, or the means," he explains. It would have set him back around R10m.

Many years later, David Selvan, a lawyer by training and a film producer by trade, returned to South Africa and it didn't take long before he too began to covet the high-rise.

Then late last year the two entrepreneurs joined forces and signed what is reported to be a multi-million rand deal to secure Ponte City.

"I'm bound by a confidentiality clause and cannot say how much we bought it for," Selvan says. But according to a reliable sources, they had little change out of R100m.

Add a further R95m which they anticipate spending to complete the development and it illustrates just how much they believe inner-city Jo'burg is ready for real city life.

"I could've developed in Sandton or Bryanston," said Selvan. "But I want to bring people back to the city. "

While Ponte's social potential also appeals to Ayyoub, who has the deeper pockets, it makes good business sense.

With a reported 200%nbsp;000 people working in downtown Jo'burg today, "it's logical to develop what we have", said the 40-year-old chairman of Investagain 229.

"The reality is there are upper middle-class people working in the city, but they can't live there. There's an economic powerhouse downtown. The banks alone employ thousands.

"What we're doing is servicing professional workers. This is purely about people who want to stay in town, who don't want to go all the way to Sandton for upmarket apartments."

The partners say they've watched the owners of high-rises sweat their assets, squeezing too many people into grotty flats, only to feed into the very reputation that keeps the city down. Someone has to break the mould. And maybe Ayyoub and Selvan are the men to do it.

By this time next year they promise Ponte will be a gleaming new window on the world. An initial phase is due to launch within three months when potential buyers will encounter 467 sleek, modern European-style apartments, ranging from bachelor pads to three-bedroomed units.

A second phase will hit the market in nine months and will include six penthouses, views from which stretch across Ellis Park and out to Soweto, over to the Drakensburg, "even down to Durban on a good day with a telescope" reckons Selvan.

An up-market gymnasium will occupy a ground-floor unit next to a trendy supermarket, a restaurant, a crèche, DVD store, pharmacy, internet café and launderette. The grounds will be landscaped. The swimming pool will sit on the sevenstorey basement car park which can house 600 vehicles.

Ponte has long since rid itself of illegal activity. The criminal residents of yesteryear have been replaced by working-class folk, the majority of whom are South Africans. It's a prime spot, not a hot spot, they say.

The Ponte experience comes with price tags between R300 000 to R3,45m. Five of the 54 floors are taken.

"The day you move in, you have everything at your fingertips," says Ayyoub.

But sceptics are two-a-penny and rarely shy to douse the developers' optimism.

Robert Peinaar, of the residential property section of Standard Bank, said that while the figures at the lower end of the development do add up and could well work for the average investor, or perhaps parents who want to set up their children, "it's hard to see how the market will react to the prices at the top end."

His views echo those of many property experts. It's one thing to live in the confines of the skyscraper, which will come with state-of-the-art security, "but what happens when you drive out of Ponte?" asked one of the doomsayers.

By 2010 the area will be looking all the better for a R300m injection, explains Agmat Badat of the Johannesburg Development Agency.

The Bus Rapid Transit hub will be nearby, with the Gautrain not much farther at Park Station. "This is what we are trying to achieve: a legacy beyond 2010," said Badat.

Despite the optimism, there's a mountain as high as Ponte to climb between now and the initial launch in September. Ponte is home to 3 500 tenants, mostly impoverished people for whom new homes have to be found, and Ayyoub and Selvan are assisting in relocating them.

"I've seen this happen in London and all over the world," said Ayyoub. "I've done it myself in Braamfontein. Why should Ponte be different?"

"This is what we had in mind when we built Ponte," reminds Grosskopff. "An upmarket, city tower designed for upmarket city folk."

SA BOY

July 8th, 2007, 01:01 PM

i still have a soft spot for this building. fact was due to be 64f and 200m but was scaled back by the fire dept

joburg

July 8th, 2007, 02:34 PM

dumb ass fire dept... good to see the plans for the building. I might find myself moving in one day. Although those naysayers do have a very good point about the surrounding area being a shithole. it's troublesome. and taxi's presently occupy the 7 floor parkade.

SA BOY

July 9th, 2007, 06:24 AM

100mil, amazing what a few good years in the property boom have done for the value of buildings. about 8 years ago you couldent have given this building away.
Its currently owned by a East London family

hsark

July 9th, 2007, 02:35 PM

kulani

July 9th, 2007, 03:30 PM

man me thinks these guys are going to cash in its right opposite the ellis park precinct and im sure they can be incorperated into the upgrade ps: is it me or the ponte has had a paint job it looks a new light gray 2 me

You are right, they have just finished giving it a new coat of paint (not sure if its the real thing yet or just waterproofing).

Jakes1

July 10th, 2007, 12:20 PM

did the Carlton sell? Why havent we heard anything about it? Are the new owners just laying low? In any case, the Sowetan had an interesting few pieces concerning the Carlton and the Johannesburg CBD. Thought Id post them.

Jakes1

July 10th, 2007, 12:46 PM

Barometer of inner city

Isaac Moledi
10 July 2007

Johannesburg’s best-known landmark, the Carlton Centre, and the city’s barometer of confidence in the central business district (CBD), will soon be on sale once again.

Transport utility Transnet, which bought the building at a bargain eight years ago, has already made its intention clear to sell the Carlton as part of the group’s overall strategy to off-load all its non-core assets.

The Carlton will be on sale for about R500million, a big jump from the R33million that Transnet paid Anglo American Properties when they bought Africa’s tallest building in 1999.

The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, the group’s iconic investment in Cape Town, has already been sold.

The 50-storey building had been lying empty for two years before the transport group bought it.

Property experts believe that it was an example of “fortitude and sheer bloody guts” for Transnet to buy the entire complex, including the Carlton Hotel.

However, by putting its money in the project, they say, the group instilled faith in the city again by bringing prospective investors back into the CBD.

The centre forms a major part of Transnet’s property division, Propnet.

Transnet has also sold its housing loan book worth R1,4billion – part of the assets to be off-loaded – to FirstRand Limited.

According to the group’s chief executive Maria Ramos, the Transnet housing portfolio is split into two divisions: the loan book, which conducts lending activities, and the property portfolio division, which manages Transnet housing and lodges portfolio.

The Transnet housing property portfolio division and the respective staff who work within this division are currently excluded from the scope of FirstRand’s transaction.

Rajan Desraj, chief executive of Propnet, said the group was still discussing and consulting with various stakeholders on a strategy to ditch its non-core assets.

The Department of Public Enterprises, a major stakeholder in state properties, was also being briefed about the process, Desraj said.

Desraj said though the nitty-gritty involved in selling the property was yet to be finalised, an announcement to that effect has been made in principle.

Built in 1973 by a consortium of local and US-based developers, the Carlton is part of a complex that includes the Carlton Hotel, a large shopping area of several levels and the inner city’s biggest car park.

Though the Carlton Hotel is still to become fully functional, many remember its fine restaurants, its world-class conference facilities, the pool deck and the banquet hall that could hold 500 guests.

Property experts say with the 2010 World Cup on the way, this magnificent hotel might still reach its full potential. With 70000 square metres of office space and 50000 metres of retail space, linked to a 2500 bay parking facility, property experts agree that the Carlton can truly be called the Centre of Africa.

More than 2500 people work in the complex and each day about 25000 people visit the centre.

Transnet moved from their Parktown and Braamfontein offices in 1999 to occupy the Carlton. Statistics for the year 2006 showed that the company occupied 60percent of the office space.

Other tenants include the Department of Justice, attorneys, doctors, engineers, insurance, travel and property consultants and a computer school.

Business giants such as Pick ’n Pay, the South African Revenue Service and scores of other enterprises have moved in to take occupancy, resulting in the complex becoming a bustling shopping precinct.

Those who moved in from Sandton City and other parts of the country said they wanted to be part of the revival of downtown Johannesburg.

Transnet says it has worked hard to get people into the Carlton Centre and the CBD. To attract some of the best businesses, the group had to instal state-of-the-art security.

This gradually halted the exodus of businesses from the Carlton in general and the CBD in particular.

Mining houses such as Anglo American, some of the country’s major financial institutions as well as other businesses still have their headquarters in the CBD. This shows business’ confidence in the City of Gold.

There are security guards at every entrance to the Carlton, and each lift foyer has surveillance cameras.

It does not stop there. Plans have already been implemented to establish safety corridors into and out of the city centre.

Government and business initiatives will ensure the route off the M2 on to Rissik Street, through Marshall Street and into the Carlton Centre parking garage will have security guards deployed at strategic points.

After rescuing the complex which had stood neglected for almost two years, the country’s biggest state-owned transport company intends putting the centre back on sale.

Fears abound as to what will happen to the complex that has brought so much life and business confidence back into the city centre.

But national property letting agent, Trafalgar, says it is not worried because the renewal of the city centre is strong and progressing well.

“The Carlton Centre is an icon and has a history associated with it. It is important that whoever is going to buy the Carlton continues to maintain its iconic status,” says Andrew Schaefer, Trafalgar chief executive.

Schaefer is hopeful that the Carlton would still be properly maintained because of the city’s potential and other major developments currently taking place.

Business Against Crime (BAC) says it hopes that the various projects that have been launched to fight crime in the CBD will not be affected.

These include the control-room housing surveillance cameras and other security equipment, situated in the Carlton Centre complex.

This project, says BAC spokesperson Labane Maluleka, had brought crime in the CBD down by 80percent.

Other experts believe that with the Carlton Centre now back on sale, this might be an opportunity for some new big business thinkers to go back to the drawing board and think of ways of making the complex the Centre of Africa once more.

The message should be very clear: that Joburg’s new-look inner city will never go back to its gloomy days.

The Carlton must once more project itself as a major tourist area. Groups such as students, youths and others who visit the complex for its variety of activities including relaxing at the food courts and other attractions, must be kept in mind by whoever buys the Carlton from Transnet. This will send a strong message that the city is back on track.

Jakes1

July 11th, 2007, 10:58 AM

Evicting inner-city blues

Jocelyn Newmarch

10 July 2007 11:59

Getting into the headquarters of JHC, the Johannesburg Housing Company, is like breaking into Fort Knox, with access control devices on myriad doors. In fact, as we pass through the last door, I realise it actually is Fort Knox-- at least according to its name plate.

The man at the centre of this African fort is Taffy Adler, JHC’s chief executive. And JHC’s objective -- to help urban regeneration through the provision of decent, affordable accommodation within the Johannesburg CBD -- could not be more dissimilar to its office’s American namesake. Last year, the company was recognised with a UN Habitat award for innovative and sustainable housing solutions.

“We own 24 buildings in the CBD, all of which are mixed income. Twelve percent of units cater for people earning less than R1 500 a month, and 50% are for people within the government subsidy band of R3 500 or less,” Adler explains. Since 1997, JHC has added 8% of stock to the existing rental accommodation in the city, or 2 809 units.

Today, JHC is a provider of preference. A property price report released this week showed that purchase and rental demand for low- to middle-income property is at all-time highs, with stock difficult to find. “We’re completely full. Every month, about 50 units become available and they’re taken up immediately. We are at 100% occupation. Our rental arrears are below 3%, they have never been above 5%, and currently they are at 2,7%.”

JHC currently covers all operating costs from its income, and targets all buildings for surplus profit. It has a 12% return on investment on its portfolio as a whole, which is small compared to commercial investors who target at least a 20% return. Government subsidies on most of its buildings help to keep rentals low.

In the beginning, JHC only ventured into areas considered too risky for normal commercial operators. “We proved the risk could be minimised if you treat people properly, as clients, and institute a service culture,” he says. “This has gradually become the norm.”

JHC ensures that its buildings are properly maintained, with running water, electricity and the building’s appearance priorities. That’s become a trend, remarks Adler, with other landlords following suit.

Most of its buildings have been refurbished, but JHC has also built “four or five developments” including the Brickfields development in Newtown, which Adler is clearly proud of. “We’re building to last. We look at a 20-year life cycle costing, where a developer builds to sell. That means we put in more money upfront, in order to spend less later,” he says.

The interest in Brickfields has been so great that the company has kept one unit as a show unit for visitors. “We took a derelict site and created something entirely new -- a residential community -- which is exactly what is needed in the CBD. It’s the first high-rise development since Ponte -- which was built 30 years ago -- for residential accommodation, so people had to dust off their skills in [that field]. The question was, how do we design so it is affordable to mixed-income residents? We experimented with lofts, by which I mean adding mezzanine floors, to give residents more space. In our other designs, we experimented with facebrick, rather than paint and plaster, as being more reliable,” Adler says.

In some ways, JHC has been a victim of its own success. As one of the first investors in a dilapidated inner city, it was able to leverage low prices to its own advantage. Now prices have risen dramatically as the regeneration’s achievements became more visible. The Landdrost Hotel was bought for R3-million and the upgrade and conversion into 240 units cost R14-million, “so R17-million altogether”. Each unit cost just R55 000. Cresthill, bought eight years later, cost R17-million for its refurbishment alone, with each unit costing R100 000.

Adler points out that, although JHC is probably the city’s biggest provider of social housing, it is not catering for the poorest of the poor. Residents of derelict buildings run by slumlords pay between R200 for part of a room and R600 for a single room, often without water or electricity. “Those people are the most vulnerable. Those who are paying R600 plus, we could probably accommodate. We charge between R600 and R750 a month for our rooms, which are much more secure and better serviced. But the people paying R200 require a special effort from government.”

Durbsboi

July 11th, 2007, 03:28 PM

Is Johannesburg "a world class African city"?
11 Jul 2007 - Finweek -

Intro
Johannesburg is showing phenomenal population and physical growth as it reinvents itself, but the process is exhibiting extraordinary contrasts of regeneration and decay

This is what experts told a recent Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) forum on whether Johannesburg is a world class African City.

In 120 years it has grown from a population of 200 to its current estimate of just under 4m in a wider city-region of 9m people. It is growing at 3-4% per annum and the population is expected to double in 17 years. It generates one fifth of SA's wealth and is home to 70% of corporate headquarters.

"The growth has been phenomenal from a physical point of view," says Neil Fraser, a partner in urban consultancy Urban Inc.
The period of decline - from 1990 to 2000 - saw relatively low new capital investment, mainly from the private sector. From 2001 to 2006 this increased to R6,5bn, of which R2,5bn was from the public sector. Of the R4bn from the private sector, 50% was in residential refurbishments, conversions and new developments, providing approximately 10 000 units, he said.

"There is just this unbelievable amount of residential (development) coming on to the sites," said Fraser.

Residential upgrades and conversions from offices in the Plein, Bree, Jeppe, Kerk, Pritchard and President streets area include the Empire State, Leisk House, Essanby, Connaught, Dundonald, Cavendish, African Diamond, Normandie Court, Textile Centre, 120 End Street, Lustre House, Newkirk, Berbro House, Stirling House, Fine Art House, Elgin, Royal St Marys, Castle, New Plaza, Tribeca Lofts, Record House, Persam Place, Lusan Court and Dorchester buildings.

Residential conversions in the CBD core include the previous Southern Sun complex, Shakespeare House and CNA complex, landmark buildings like 87 Commissioner Street, 1 Rissik Street, the Carlton Hotel. Some CBD core infrastructure projects are the Gautrain station, Gandhi Square, the Faraday Taxi Rank and Multimarket, the Rissik Street Post Office, the Kerk Street Linear Market and the Legal Precinct upgrade.

The south-western quadrant is seeing upper income residential development at Harrison Place, The Franklin and Mapungubwe. Other developments in this quadrant are Turbine Hall for AngloGold Ashanti, 11 Diagonal Street for Absa, and AA House for First National Bank. The Newton area, desolate for a long time, has come to life with the Nelson Mandela Bridge, completed in July 2003, opening the whole area, Fraser said.

Braamfontein, across the bridge, has seen major upgrades with the Liberty Life and JD Group parking areas and the Sappi headquarters, in addition to residential and student accommodation.

Fraser added that there were 9 655 inner city property transfers between 1996 and 2006, with a total value of R6bn, with 73% by value occurring between 2001 and 2006.

The city's parking crunch, which can be traced to a policy in the 60s that limited the number of bays, is being addressed with an additional 9 000 bays created over the last six years, and 7 000-8 000 more planned.

Fraser noted that when the city starts cleaning up the public environment in an area, people respond by buying up properties. Upgrading is slow in Hillbrow and the east, but the Ellis Park-Bertrams area has been allocated R300m, and the stadium itself R220m for upgrades.

Anticipated capital expenditure on known projects over the next three to five years could be in the order of R15bn.
But, says Fraser, the increase in residential developments needs to ring warning bells as the consolidation of people in one area will create a need for open spaces.

Dr Philip Harrison, Executive Director of Development Planning and Urban Management for the City of Johannesburg, told the forum of the multiple trends taking the city towards and away from the objective of being a world class African city for all, with complex and highly differentiated patterns of change shaping the city.

The spatial differences were glaring with very wealthy areas like Sandton contrasting with the 250 informal settlements in the city area.

Positive trends include political and leadership stability and an active opposition, improved financial management, the tarring of Soweto's roads and reducing water wastage, and innovative projects like the Cosmo City mixed use development.
Mixed trends include a spatially concentrated economic growth of about 5,3%, high but declining crime rates, and mixed patterns of regeneration and decay in the inner city.

There is an emergent system of urban management, but there are still management problems in many areas, Harrison said.
Negative trends are the ageing and deteriorating infrastructural networks across large parts of the city with some serious problems with power, water supply, and road infrastructure on the northern edge. Housing delivery is accelerating but there are growing housing backlogs as the city struggles to cope with urbanisation, very weak public transport, and protected enclaves for the wealthy, with further marginalisation of some of the poorer areas.

The major political concerns in the city are: achieving a 9% growth rate, effective urban management, inner city regeneration, getting public transport right before the Fifa Soccer World Cup in 2010 and formalising informal settlement and accelerating the delivery of housing.

"If Johannesburg is to grow by 9% we have got to get the basics right and make sure the city is functioning," commented Harrison.

Pule

July 15th, 2007, 04:39 PM

I saw a security guard at Share World next to FNB Stadium and I decided to go ask him as to who can I talk to as I wanted to know if its gonna be sold and he told me that the place is up for sale as per his boss. I used to love the place, I went there once when i was at primary school and that was the best trip that I took. I wish that it can be brought back to life.

joburg

July 15th, 2007, 06:00 PM

What's Share World Pule?

friendsofthecity

July 15th, 2007, 06:14 PM

cool,SA.What really is in the share world of SA,interracialism?Crime.lol...more need to be done in that area.

Pule

July 16th, 2007, 04:58 AM

It was an intertainment area with plenty of water activities. I used to have resturants and so forth and it was mostly viisted by families and schools. Its right next to Soweto highway.

Pule

July 16th, 2007, 12:57 PM

Respond from Neil Fraser about Town City in Johannesburg

"There is a very good spatial development plan that was approved by the Council at least 2 years agobut they haven't started implementing yet - possibly out of the Charter process"

joburg

July 16th, 2007, 03:58 PM

oh gawd.. all the red tape irks me. what do you think Town City is going to entail? First time i've heard of it.

Inertia

July 16th, 2007, 08:39 PM

The Newcyc's proposed monorail CBD transport hub.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p246/In3rti4/jetsons.jpg

Pule

July 17th, 2007, 01:50 PM

Eish Joburg, please forgive my fingures my man, I meand to say CHINA TOWN.

joburg

July 17th, 2007, 02:03 PM

The Newcyc's proposed monorail CBD transport hub.

They're joking, right? :)

Jakes1

July 17th, 2007, 04:55 PM

They're joking, right? :)
Now why would they be joking? That is obviously such a well thought out idea with so much merit... NOT!!!! Oh my goodness... These guys are absolutely insane. And the building design is shite to say the least.

Pipe dreams...

Jakes1

July 17th, 2007, 04:58 PM

Just got hold of the plans for the Observatory in Observatory. It will be the site for a multimillion rand science park... Total new development. Go past there to take some pics Tom. I will post new pics soon, with news.

joburg

July 17th, 2007, 05:42 PM

wow! awesumness. Do post the news asap, k?

Inertia

July 17th, 2007, 06:40 PM

Joburg home to SA's
first Science Park

The Johannesburg Observatory, which became the city's first meteorological observatory site in 1903, but later fell victim to light pollution, is set to rise again as a Science Park.

July 17, 2007

By Lesego Madumo

The Johannesburg Observatory is set to reclaim its position as a pre-eminent site of scientific and technological endeavour.

On Friday 20 July, the recently completed development, in the suburb of Observatory, will be opened for inspection as the first Science Park in the country.

The 35ha site was declared the city's first meteorological observatory site in 1903, after the land was given to the government by the Bezuidenhout family, one of the first white land owners in the area.

The South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA) has invested millions of rands to convert the Observatory site into a Science Park.

Dr Shadrack Mahapa, manager for science awareness platforms at SAASTA, who will also manage the Science Park, confirmed that the building would be opened for inspection. "Several inspectors need to be satisfied that the infrastructure is ready for occupation and [that] the building, including electricity is up to standard, and that the site is safe for use."
Artist's impressions of the new Science Park

Artist's impressions of the new Science Park

SAASTA is one of the major business units of the National Research Foundation (NRF), responsible for promoting science and technology nationally.

The NRF is a government agency that funds and promotes research and the development of high-level skills.

The Science Park is situated in a historic office block that has been refurbished into a modern office space, and a teaching and learning hub for interactive indoor and outdoor exhibitions.

Laboratories
There are laboratories and a telescope that will be utilised by visiting schools, and a hillcrest on site, from which one can view the beautiful city of gold.

It will be dedicated to promoting science, engineering, and technology, and is designed to offer educational support to academics.

Mahapa said the primary role of the "multidisciplinary" Science Park would be to excite youngsters in academia about science, and encourage them to pursue careers in science and technology. For example, he explained, "one of the programmes that will be offered will be on forensic science, a subject and career option that is not well known in South Africa."

He said by participating in such programmes, "learners will gain information on the subject and perhaps consider following a career in forensic science".

He is optimistic that the programmes rendered at the park will contribute to the reduction of crime in the city, and ultimately in the whole country.

"The public is mostly not aware of the strategic importance of these projects and how they could assist South Africa to become self-sufficient in the field of technology."

It is facilities like the Johannesburg Observatory Science Park and other science centres in the country that can inform people of such projects, he added.

"Space science and astronomy are rapidly emerging fields in South Africa."

The park will also house huge projects on space science such as the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), which was opened by President Thabo Mbeki in 2005, he noted.

Again, "our space scientists, with the support of the department of science and technology are bidding to host a large international project, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope, which will be the largest radio telescope in the world".

South Africa has recently developed a satellite called SumbandilaSat, which will be launched in Russia. "[This will] get them interested in science, engineering and technology and, hopefully in some cases, get them to follow careers in these fields."

He said South Africa is in desperate need of more qualified people in the science and technology sector "for our economy to grow, since they will facilitate innovations and new developments."

Facelift
The entire Observatory site has been earmarked for a further facelift, including a road that curves around the park grounds, and a parking space for visitors and buses. A scientific experiment

A scientific experiment

A façade that will join the education building with the telescope building will be erected. In the long run an auditorium will be added to the building, and the site will comprise overnight accommodation.

SAASTA will renovate some of the dilapidated buildings on site, develop a camera obscura, a science theatre and build a canteen on the site for visitors and school groups.

The park has a lot in store for the Joburg community, and activities provided at the site will cater for all people, "from children in preschool to grannies who can visit the site and interact with the exhibitions together with their grandchildren", said Mahapa.

The park can also be beneficial in teaching communities about astronomy.

The buildings on the site are historic and those that are derelict will be renovated and tinted, he said, adding that better security will be deployed to enhance safety around the park and suburb. "Above all, new jobs will be created by this process."

Although according to Mahapa, SAASTA has not decided on the entrance fee or how much participants would be charged yet, the body would "welcome financial sponsorships to reduce or alleviate gate takings for visitors."

The observatory was identified in 2004 as an ideal site for a Science Park.

Planning was only started later in 2005, and architects were then appointed in 2006. Construction work on site started on 15 January 2007.

Although prior to refurbishment the Observatory had been used for astronomy research for almost a decade, Mahapa said this had to stop due to light pollution.

However, the telescope at the site has been kept in good order, and will be used by the Amateur Astronomy Society of South Africa (ASSA). "It will continue to be used in collaboration with ASSA for public programmes concerning planets and other celestial bodies," he added.

According to Mahapa, some R7-million has been injected into the project to modernise and further customise existing infrastructure, and erect a palisade fence around the perimeter for security reasons.

According to Mahapa, the department of science and technology, with SAASTA covering other costs.

Moreover, contingency plans have been put in place for other "exciting" developments. "We are actively seeking partners and possible sponsors to fund further development of the site, so that it will eventually be accessible to all the members of public."

The Observatory site was obtained by the NRF from its previous owner, the Associated Scientific and Technical Societies in 2003, and because of SAASTA's role nationally, they were tasked with custodianship.

However, Mahapa said since the site could not be used for its initial purpose anymore because of light pollution – but still had buildings and other facilities that are of heritage value – "it was decided to redevelop it into a facility which will uphold the original objectives of Mr Bezuidenhout, [to] benefit the SA society in general".

Durbsboi

July 18th, 2007, 09:43 AM

The Newcyc's proposed monorail CBD transport hub.

lol, this is what I was talking about ages ago, & also think it wont happen. Also that has got to be the ugliest twins ever designed!

Jakes1

July 18th, 2007, 10:28 AM

lol, this is what I was talking about ages ago, & also think it wont happen. Also that has got to be the ugliest twins ever designed!

Looks like a bug's mandibels sticking out of the ground... Luckily this will Never happen.

hsark

July 19th, 2007, 07:14 PM

i think the design is kinda of cool its def got a iconic feel it whether u like it or not bt its not gng to be built bleh! -_-

joburg

July 19th, 2007, 09:58 PM

Indeed it would certainly look iconic. but me thinks it still looks like the pincers on a scorpion..

^Anton^

July 20th, 2007, 12:32 AM

It's a bit too kitsch for my taste.. kinda Dubai - like. If it's about creating a new icon for Soweto and Johannesburg, I think they should go for a more elegant (and therefore suitable for Joburg) design.

Jakes1

July 20th, 2007, 10:30 AM

Melrose Arch seems to be doing extremely well...

Mixed-use Precincts Test New Highs - 2007/07/20

Email Article Print Article SMS News Alerts
The record prices recently achieved for both office rents and residential property sales at mixed-use precincts Melrose Arch and Century City is indicative of just how desirable the work, live, shop and play lifestyle has become.

Melrose Arch just off the M1 highway in Johannesburg's northern suburbs is currently fetching the highest office rents in SA with recent leases signed at R145/sq m (gross). This compares to around R130/sq m to R140/sq m for prime offices in Sandton.

At Century City, halfway between Cape Town's CBD and Bellville, tenants are already paying between R116/sqm and R122/sq m in prime office buildings. Darren Wilder, leasing director for Madison Property Fund Mangers, says Century City office rents are now roughly on a par with that of the V&A Waterfront. The latter has traditionally been regarded as Cape Town's poshest corporate address.

Demand for residential property at Century City seems equally strong. In June, a penthouse apartment of 237 sq m was sold for a record R5,2m, translating into a selling price of around R22 000/sq m.

Rob Downey, sales manager of Property World at Century City, says the seller paid R4,4m for the unit and only took transfer in late February this year. Downey says although residential property prices continue to test new highs at Century City, the precinct still offers a great value proposition compared to the Cape Town CBD and Waterfront area where buyers will pay R40 000/sq m for penthouse apartments.

Meanwhile, at Melrose Arch a 75 sq m penthouse was recently resold at a record R32 000/sq m, placing the precinct among the most expensive suburbs in Johannesburg (in terms of sectional title property prices).

Nicholas Stopforth, director of the Melrose Arch Development Company, says the highest overall sales price achieved to date at Melrose Arch is R7,5m for a 250 sq m unit.
Apartments currently under construction at Melrose Square on Oak Lane are selling at between R25 500/sq m and R27 000/sq m, up from R19 000/sq m to R22 000/sq m when the development was first launched in September 2005. Only three of the 67 units remain unsold at prices varying from R2,795m to R4,75m.

Stopforth believes that the limited supply of residential stock at Melrose Arch should continue to support price growth. The precinct currently has less than 120 residential units completed or under construction. Stopforth says that should increase to no more than 300 to 350 over the next few years. - Joan Muller

joburg

July 20th, 2007, 06:07 PM

South Africa:
Facelift Aims to Transform Rockey Street Into a 'Cultural Capital'

Business Day (Johannesburg)

18 July 2007
Posted to the web 18 July 2007

Nick Wilson
Johannesburg

YEOVILLE's Rockey Street -- the once-famous entertainment mecca for Johannesburg's bohemian crowd which morphed into a notorious drug and crime spot -- is set for a facelift aimed at reviving the area's fortunes.

City Re-Mix, the four-year-old company that specialises in refurbishments of inner-city properties in urban development zones , has acquired several properties in Rockey Street with a view to redeveloping them and improving the area.

Urban development zones refer to specific areas in SA's inner cities that are subject to urban renewal tax incentives by the government to encourage property owners and developers to invest there.

Urban development zones identified in Johannesburg include Braamfontein, Newtown, Doornfontein, Yeoville, Berea, Hillbrow, Troyeville and Bellevue.

Graham Pieterse, CEO of City Re-Mix, says his group uses redevelopment opportunities in the Yeoville, Bellevue and Bellevue East areas to provide quality rental accommodation for people who work in those areas and also want to live there.

"The whole idea is based on the fact that we found that people who wanted to live in decent accommodation and work in the inner city were renting accommodation in out-of-town areas like Randburg.

"They commuted to the city to work and out again at the end of the day because they couldn't get good accommodation with good security in the inner city," says Pieterse.

This prompted the establishment of City Re-Mix, which redevelops inner-city properties to provide "quality accommodation with exceptional security" at rental levels these commuters were paying in outlying areas.

He says areas such as Yeoville, Berea, Hillbrow, Bellevue and Bellevue East can be compared to areas such as Melville, Parkview and Parkhurst in that they have "main village-type streets" and architecture dating back to the 1930s and earlier. They also have established social infrastructure such as parks.

City Re-Mix has a R60m property investment in its focus areas that include 367 residential units. Now the company is shifting its focus to Rockey Street with a view to improving residential accommodation and the quality of retailer in that area.

Pieterse says crime levels have already dropped in Rockey Street and the surrounds and that this assists rejuvenation efforts there.

He says the drop-off is due largely to the efforts of the Yeoville police station. "There is more petty crime than violent crime, which has come down drastically thanks to the Yeoville police station and the input from the Johannesburg Development Agency ."

Pieterse says City Re-Mix is waiting to take transfer of 13 properties. These buildings consist mainly of residential units on top and retail space at ground level. "They are situated in the section of Rockey Street adjoining Observatory and they incorporate three major intersections in Rockey Street."

He says City Re-Mix will redevelop these buildings and provide a combination of retail and residential property. "We want to create a 24-hour town where you can work, sleep and play."

Pieterse would like to attract top-class restaurants and bars such as Moyo and News Cafe, as well as upmarket music venues "along the lines of the Bassline in Newtown".

Relevant Links

Southern Africa
Construction
Crime and Corruption
South Africa
Sustainable Development
Urban Issues and Habitation

"What we also want to do is make Rockey Street a cultural capital in SA. We want to give people a holistic African experience. The existing people trading in Rockey Street are from all over Africa, including places such as Mozambique, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Malawi. We want to display those cultures and enhance the cultures in Rockey Street for an ultimate African experience."

City Re-Mix also plans to help traders in the Rockey Street area run better businesses. We'll handpick them and train them."

Pieterse says construction on the 13 properties, which represent a R50m investment, will start in the next two months. The group is also looking to acquire more properties in the Rockey Street area.

joburg

July 20th, 2007, 06:15 PM

must try find more info about City Re-Mix.. they sound awesum!

Pule

July 23rd, 2007, 08:44 AM

must try find more info about City Re-Mix.. they sound awesum!
I gree with you and the good thing is that they have already acquired properties. I hope they are gonna do the same thing in Hillbrow.

Jakes1

July 23rd, 2007, 10:24 AM

There is good news and no news
Private sector investment in the inner city is moving ahead, with work already under way on one of the first private high-rise commercial developments in ages.

July 23, 2007
By Neil Fraser

I SEE preparatory work has started at the "gateway to Braamfontein" - the corner of Ameshoff and Bertha (Jan Smuts) streets - for the erection of a large new piece of public art. Some months ago a Braamfontein Art Committee selected Clive van den Berg's Eland as the winning entry in a public art competition and, from the look of current progress on the site, it will be erected shortly.

But most exciting is that work has also started on what will be one of the inner city's very first new private sector high-rise commercial developments in aeons. The area to the west of the magistrates' courts has been used for parking for many years, but was bought some time back with plans to develop it as an office park.

The first of the buildings in this area has been tied up and construction work is under way. Refurbishing, extensions or additions to existing buildings, conversions from commercial to residential or commercial to institutional or even new institutional buildings as is happening throughout the inner city are all well and good, but what can be more positive for the inner city revitalisation process than a brand-spanking-new commercial building?

Up until now, the southwest end of the inner city has been pretty crumby. North of it is Newtown, which has had a considerable amount of attention over the past few years, resulting in a whole bunch of exciting initiatives; although there appears to have been a deceleration in some of the City's efforts with no visible action on the Transport House redevelopment nor on the Johannesburg Development Agency's Central Place projects.

Activity in Newtown
At Newtown's eastern junction with the traditional CBD there has been a lot more positive performance, all coming out of the private sector – the refurbishing of the AA building for FNB; the refurbishing of 11 Diagonal Street for Absa and the completion of the redevelopment of the Turbine Hall site for AngloGold Ashanti.
Between this Diagonal Street precinct and the magistrates' courts lies a vibrant retail area of local Indian ownership with some magnificent old buildings, mostly in need of a good coat of paint. Then, down Commissioner Street, is the traditional Chinatown. The urban design framework here was completed some years back – hopefully it is to be resuscitated with the exciting development on its southern border.

An office park on the vacant land to its south promises a massive upgrading of the current urban environment. Open parking ground is not the kind of activity that one needs in rebuilding a city and this particular area has been quite desolate for decades. I believe it was home to the Hubert Davies group many years ago, which would mean that it was mainly an industrial area.

New buildings will bring people, new activities and new life to the area, so it's all good news for the inner city.

The charter
On the other end of the scale is no news good news? I received an email last week asking me for a copy of the final Inner City Regeneration Charter document, with the sender asking how he could be involved in the process.
Having been completely "out of the loop" for the past few weeks, I must admit that I had to think twice before admitting that I hadn't yet seen such a document – but that doesn't mean that there isn't one. I just don't know at the moment, but I will find out where we are and, hopefully, report progress on that front in next week's Citichat.

Cheers, Neil

SA BOY

July 23rd, 2007, 11:59 AM

what about the ABSA extention, surely that is new commenrial office building?

what do you guys think this could be?? Jakes any idea?

Jakes1

July 23rd, 2007, 12:24 PM

Nope, ABSA's campus is going up all round their existing campus, in the east of the city, and from the renders that Neil Fraser sent me they look exactly like their other buildings, and are around 10 floors. The Magistrate's Court is in the western part of the city - and here a lot of development is taking off. The Magistrate's court is on the border of the gentrifying southwestern precinct and the very industrial, rundown part running up to the M1 highway. Exciting news, but no idea what it entails.

Jakes1

July 23rd, 2007, 12:27 PM

This is indeed extremely exciting! Hope we will hear more soon!

South Africa:
Facelift Aims to Transform Rockey Street Into a 'Cultural Capital'

Business Day (Johannesburg)

18 July 2007
Posted to the web 18 July 2007

Nick Wilson
Johannesburg

YEOVILLE's Rockey Street -- the once-famous entertainment mecca for Johannesburg's bohemian crowd which morphed into a notorious drug and crime spot -- is set for a facelift aimed at reviving the area's fortunes.

City Re-Mix, the four-year-old company that specialises in refurbishments of inner-city properties in urban development zones , has acquired several properties in Rockey Street with a view to redeveloping them and improving the area.

Urban development zones refer to specific areas in SA's inner cities that are subject to urban renewal tax incentives by the government to encourage property owners and developers to invest there.

Urban development zones identified in Johannesburg include Braamfontein, Newtown, Doornfontein, Yeoville, Berea, Hillbrow, Troyeville and Bellevue.

Graham Pieterse, CEO of City Re-Mix, says his group uses redevelopment opportunities in the Yeoville, Bellevue and Bellevue East areas to provide quality rental accommodation for people who work in those areas and also want to live there.

"The whole idea is based on the fact that we found that people who wanted to live in decent accommodation and work in the inner city were renting accommodation in out-of-town areas like Randburg.

"They commuted to the city to work and out again at the end of the day because they couldn't get good accommodation with good security in the inner city," says Pieterse.

This prompted the establishment of City Re-Mix, which redevelops inner-city properties to provide "quality accommodation with exceptional security" at rental levels these commuters were paying in outlying areas.

He says areas such as Yeoville, Berea, Hillbrow, Bellevue and Bellevue East can be compared to areas such as Melville, Parkview and Parkhurst in that they have "main village-type streets" and architecture dating back to the 1930s and earlier. They also have established social infrastructure such as parks.

City Re-Mix has a R60m property investment in its focus areas that include 367 residential units. Now the company is shifting its focus to Rockey Street with a view to improving residential accommodation and the quality of retailer in that area.

Pieterse says crime levels have already dropped in Rockey Street and the surrounds and that this assists rejuvenation efforts there.

He says the drop-off is due largely to the efforts of the Yeoville police station. "There is more petty crime than violent crime, which has come down drastically thanks to the Yeoville police station and the input from the Johannesburg Development Agency ."

Pieterse says City Re-Mix is waiting to take transfer of 13 properties. These buildings consist mainly of residential units on top and retail space at ground level. "They are situated in the section of Rockey Street adjoining Observatory and they incorporate three major intersections in Rockey Street."

He says City Re-Mix will redevelop these buildings and provide a combination of retail and residential property. "We want to create a 24-hour town where you can work, sleep and play."

Pieterse would like to attract top-class restaurants and bars such as Moyo and News Cafe, as well as upmarket music venues "along the lines of the Bassline in Newtown".

Relevant Links

Southern Africa
Construction
Crime and Corruption
South Africa
Sustainable Development
Urban Issues and Habitation

"What we also want to do is make Rockey Street a cultural capital in SA. We want to give people a holistic African experience. The existing people trading in Rockey Street are from all over Africa, including places such as Mozambique, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Malawi. We want to display those cultures and enhance the cultures in Rockey Street for an ultimate African experience."

City Re-Mix also plans to help traders in the Rockey Street area run better businesses. We'll handpick them and train them."

Pieterse says construction on the 13 properties, which represent a R50m investment, will start in the next two months. The group is also looking to acquire more properties in the Rockey Street area.

Jakes1

July 23rd, 2007, 12:31 PM

New corporate headquarters for Aon Corporation at The Place at 1 Sandton Drive
18 Jul 2007 - Growthpoint Properties Limited -

Intro
Aon South Africa has signed a new year lease over 12,000m2 of premium office space in the The Place at 1 Sandton Drive, claiming the prestigious top two floors of this landmark corporate office building

Owned by Growthpoint Properties Limited, the largest JSE-listed South African property holding and investment company, The Place at 1 Sandton Drive was developed at a cost of R450 million by Investec Property Projects, a division of Investec Property Group. The Place comprises 30,000m2 of premium grade office space located at Gauteng’s most sought after address, 1 Sandton Drive, which is shared with the American Consulate and the Core Group.

“The Place at 1 Sandton Drive met Aon’s tenancy criteria in terms of pricing, position and quality and our relocation to this premier address is in line with the future goals and growth of our business,” says Aon South Africa CEO Anton Roux.

Aon Corporation (www.aon.com) is a leading provider of risk management services, insurance and reinsurance brokerage, human capital and management consulting, and specialty insurance underwriting. There are 45,000 employees working in Aon’s 500 offices in more than 120 countries.

Aon is the African market leader, with offices in 13 African countries. Aon entered the South African market in 1996 and with over 10 years experience in the country is aiming for the top market position in South Africa. . It is strongly focused on the development of its infrastructure in Africa and Aon’s offices at The Place at 1 Sandton Drive will be the company’s Africa Head Quarters.

Aon’s tenancy at The Place at 1 Sandton Drive was brokered by Cynthia Holmes of Cadogan Hall Properties and Marie-Louise Willys of Investec Property Group.

Roux explains that Aon’s growth resulted in the company outgrowing its current premises in Illovo. Roux is clear about the company’s intention for continued growth, which has been a major consideration in selecting its new offices.

When considering new premises Aon’s main criteria included competitive pricing, forming a relationship with an institutional landlord, access for clients, access for employees and providing a safe, vibrant and quality environment for staff.

“We specifically sought a relationship with an institutional landlord as, in our experience as a growing company, it is essential to affiliate with a landlord that can easily and effectively accommodate the growth and changing needs of our business. Growthpoint is able to do this,” says Roux.

While the new offices represent a move of only 3km, it locates Aon in a vibrant corporate network at the gateway to the global hub of the Sandton CBD and creates a more comfortable environment for employees.

Aon will occupy the top two floors of the building with, as Roux describes it, the best view in Johannesburg -- 360degree panoramic views of Sandton, Sandhurst and surrounds. Roux explains that the move is more than relocation for Aon, “it reflects our market positioning and represents the opportunity to reinforce our brand”.

Construction of The Place at 1 Sandton Drive began in May 2006, and completion is expected on 1 November 2007. This five-storey office building has been designed to be flexible with innovative design elements and features. Parking is provided in 1,500 parking bays at a ratio of 5bays/100m2 of undercover parking on basement levels. “Ample parking is key for any company hiring a high number of skilled individuals,” says Roux. Aon will be relocating to The Place at 1 Sandton Drive on 7 December 2007.

Growthpoint, owner of The Place, has also announced its intention to occupy approximately 4,000m2 of its flagship office property at 1 Sandton Drive.

“The Place at 1 Sandton Drive will be one of South Africa’s premier office locations offering exceptional exposure for its tenants and an array of superior facilities which we would like our own employees to enjoy,” says Growthpoint CEO Norbert Sasse. “As landlord and tenant, we are delighted to share the building with Aon South Africa and we welcome them to this prestigious building and address”, commented Sasse.

The entrance to The Place at 1 Sandton Drive will be identified by its iconic cutting-edge water feature. The building takes advantage of its natural ‘viewsite’ to project a powerful and memorable architectural statement and is able to incorporate the branding of tenant logos on specially designed panels on the building’s exterior.

The building is designed with state of the art services and materials which will allow it to remain the premier office space for decades to come. It includes a thermally efficient building envelope, standby power for all essential services and networks and centralised air-conditioning.

The high tech facilities inside The Place will be contrasted by the soft features outside the building with window boxes of blooming indigenous plants softening the Western façade with floor upon floor of hanging gardens. There will also be landscaped berms to Sandton Drive and a landscaped communal piazza and coffee shop.

The Place at 1 Sandton Drive has the ability to accommodate a variety of tenancies, from 400m2 up to 12,000m2. Due to its specific design, it creates a sense of individual identity for all its tenants. Each office is self-contained, allowing the tenant to select their preferred interior features and manage internal infrastructure.

The space within the building offers a variety of wing widths and fit-out options for different styles of occupancy. The office wings are designed as self-contained units which allow secure and internalized toilets, tea kitchens, communication staircases and services rooms. Useable bridge-links between office wings can be incorporated into the premises or remain as common area.

The Place at 1 Standton Drive is arranged around twin atriums which bring light into the interior as well as allowing a great degree of flexibility with respect to access and ground floor amenity. All this is contained within an attractive façade and supported by convenient infrastructure and an energetic commercial business hub.

Jakes1

July 23rd, 2007, 12:34 PM

City regeneration needs support of real estate sector
18 Jul 2007 - Realty 1 International Property Group -

Intro
High level recognition of the critical need for entry level homes is manifesting in the regeneration of some of the country’s inner cities, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the City of Johannesburg, says Mike Bester, CEO of Realty 1 International Property Group

Referring to a recent media report that priority crimes had decreased drastically in Hillbrow (The Star 4 July 2007), dropping from 22 236 in 2002/2003 to 14 778 last year, Bester said this would encourage people back into the city, where accommodation was relatively affordable. In so doing, it would provide another, desperately-needed channel of affordable housing while simultaneously having a positive effect on property value growth in neighbouring suburbs such as Yeoville, Bertrams, Fordsburg and Vrededorp. Applauding efforts by the authorities to bring crime in suburbs such as Hillbrow and Berea under control, he said this was a critical factor in terms of encouraging residents back into Johannesburg’s high-density residential areas which would benefit both entry level home buyers wanting to be close to their work places and the city in terms of ensuring its ongoing upliftment.

“The City of Johannesburg is to be commended on its progress in terms of upgrading the area, which at one stage was a cesspit of crime and bad buildings,” he said. “As Johannesburg’s historical core, it has enormous potential to become a cosmopolitan city where the residential and business sectors thrive side-by-side.”

According to Nthatisi Modingoane, media liaison officer for the City of Johannesburg, the city’s property market has shown a significant improvement in the last few years, evidenced by a 500 percent increase in building activity between 2001 and 2004, a decline in A- and B-grade offices vacancy rates and measurably rising confidence.

Intensive management of challenges like crime, along with huge investments into the regeneration of areas such as Constitution Hill, Nelson Mandela Bridge and Newtown and others were beginning to pay dividends, he said, with the private sector showing increased confidence in investing and residing in the city. “What is also heartening is that a growing number of the people moving into the Inner City are young and better educated than their predecessors, many of whom were the poorest of the poor.”

"The City has recently committed to an additional R300 million capital expenditure for the inner city for this coming financial year, and a further R100 million operational expenditure which would be spent in terms of an ambitious operational plan aimed at making the inner city a cleaner and more functional environment. The City is also expected to announce soon the details of the new partnership and other institutional arrangements that will oversee the implementation of the Inner City Regeneration Charter".

Bester cited Newtown, which lies to the west of Johannesburg’s city centre, as another heartening example of how a once crime-ridden area was well on its way to becoming a safe and popular source of cultural activity, attracting steady investment into the area. Braamfontein, too, was showing great potential, he said, with rising business confidence and new investment coming from both the residential and commercial private sectors.

In support of the vision of the City of Johannesburg and its stakeholders, which in short was to establish a “dynamic city that worked, was liveable, safe, well-managed and welcoming for residents, workers, tourists, entrepreneurs and learners”, Bester said the real estate sector also had a role to play in assisting with the realization of this vision.

“Estate agents need to get to know the Inner City, to research its history and future, and then include it in their operational areas. They need to promote it in terms of it being both a desirable place to live and a good investment opportunity. Positive marketing will encourage further investment. This will in turn ensure the ongoing progress of its regeneration which already has a solid institutional framework and pragmatic policies in place. The regeneration of the city is an ongoing process, and its needs the assistance of as many additional stakeholders as possible, people who will throw their weight and effort behind the process so that can move forward as quickly and decisively as possible.”

Jakes1

July 23rd, 2007, 12:35 PM

Jo’burg - A City Rejuvenated
09 Jul 2007 - Atterbury Property -

Intro
Inner city regeneration around the world is not a new concept and in South Africa it is currently occurring in all the major centres. Success is universal and momentum is continually fuelled by newer and bigger public and private investment projects

Development company Atterbury Property has placed its full confidence in the Jo’burg inner city precinct and to date is involved in three upmarket residential and mixed use developments - College House a residential apartment block in Braamfontein , Isibaya Apartments and Mapungubwe Hotel Apartments on Marshall Street.

Of these inner city developments two, namely College House and Isibaya are complete and operational. Mapungubwe is undergoing the finishing touches and opens in September. A fourth development, which is a mixed use establishment, is also currently being planned by the developer in Newtown.

According to Andrew Schaeffer, managing director of Trafalgar Property Management, the residential rentals are the highest they have been in this area in the past three years. “Atterbury Property has certainly made a tremendous contribution to urban renewal in the Jo’burg inner city by developing quality schemes such as College House and Isibaya. I am confident that the other Atterbury schemes will be similar in that they too will have quality finishes, superb amenities as well as a superior offering. Atterbury’s long term outlook of creating better places to live, work and play will certainly endure into the future.”

“We have discovered that location is key in the Jo’burg inner city and 95% of our tenants for College House are professionals who work in surrounding offices,” says Schaeffer. “The residential letting market is currently very strong with an enormous demand for quality accommodation close to where people work. In fact, I do not see this trend changing before 2010, and in all likelihood it will remain for a long time into the future.”

Mapungubwe Hotel Apartments and Isibaya were both sold out early on. Mapungubwe is a sectional title scheme which will be managed as a hotel. This progressive accommodation concept combines 91 hotel apartments which are part of an income pool structure with an additional 37 residential apartments that do not form part of the hotel offering or partake in the income pool system. Isibaya on the other hand is also a sectional title scheme but with long term residential leases.

“It is clear, the Jo’burg inner city has enormous appeal both to travelers as well as to folk seeking permanent accommodation,” says Coenie Bezuidenhout, Atterbury Property. “Not only is it the desire to be closer to one’s place of work, but it is also the desire to experience the magic and vitality of a big city 24 hours a day.”

Jakes1

July 23rd, 2007, 12:37 PM

Some news regarding Rockey Street area in Yeoville from the JDA...

Upgrading is a joint effort
18 Jul 2007 - Inet Bridge -

Intro
The Johannesburg Development Agency is revamping the social infrastructure in the Rockey Street and Raleigh Road areas of Yeoville, Johannesburg

By Nick Wilson

The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), the development arm of the City of Johannesburg, is revamping the social infrastructure in the Rockey Street and Raleigh Road areas of Yeoville, Johannesburg.

This includes the repaving of pavements, the installation of new street lights and the rejuvenation of Yeoville Park in Rockey Street.

JDA CEO Lael Bethlehem says Yeoville Park has already been revamped.

" We have brought in new children's play equipment, refurbished the tennis courts and the clubhouse. We have improved the entire park area," says Bethlehem.

The JDA has also replaced all the street lights along Rockey Street and Raleigh Road.

Bethlehem says that in the coming year the JDA is going to replace all the pavements along Rockey Street and Raleigh Road.

The agency will also be moving the Yeoville public library from the small house it occupies in Rockey Street to a much larger facility opposite the Yeoville Recreation Facility, next to the park.

"We are trying to create a high-quality civic precinct there. We will be moving the library over in the coming year," she says.

"We've also created a city improvement district in Rockey and Raleigh streets in conjunction with the property owners."

Bethlehem says she thinks the city improvement district and police have made a "big difference to the crime situation".

The city improvement district, which has been facilitated by Kagiso Urban Management, has brought extra security and cleaners into the area.

Supt Lucky Matlaila, head of crime prevention and acting station commissioner at Yeoville police station, said crime levels in the Yeoville area as a whole were dropping.

Matlaila says that in Rockey Street, the additional security provided through the city improvement district is having an effect on crime because the extra security personnel are working closely with police.

"We (police) are also working with the community in general."

Matlaila says police have introduced a foreign national crime sector forum, which meets once a month and provides information to police. This forum consists of Zimbabweans, Nigerians, Congolese and other foreigners living in the Yeoville area.

"We also have a liquor forum, which includes all the liquor outlet owners. It meets once a month. We discuss crime problems that are affecting them," says Matlaila.

Jakes1

July 23rd, 2007, 12:41 PM

R1.8bn Housing Project On Track - 2007/07/23

Email Article Print Article SMS News Alerts
The first sod was turned on Sunday for the estimated 1.8 billion rand Chief Albert Luthuli Housing Project in the East Rand.

The Chief Albert Luthuli Extensions - 3km directly west of Daveyton Township and about 8km southwest of the Benoni CBD - has been identified as a high priority project.

The project is reported to combine the efforts of four leading roleplayers - the National and Gauteng Department of Housing, the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality and Absa.

The total yield for all extensions is expected to be 8,318 units. It is reported that the development will yield approximately 6,432 units in Extension 6 comprising of 3,600 subsidised units and 2,832 bonded units. Extensions 2, 3, 4 and 5 are expected to provide an additional 1,100 subsidised units and 786 rental units. Subsidised units will comprise the enhanced specification with 40 square metres top structures. The bonded unit top structure sizes will vary between 50
- 70 square metres depending on the stand size.

The Project is also expected to accommodate three schools, public open spaces, religious facilities, a community clinic, two parks and an industrial and commercial development.

"It is another important and critical milestone in the delivery of integrated human settlement by the private sector and again exemplifies the capability of Absa Devco, "says Sipho Mashinini, Director of Absa Devco - the project managers of the project.

Absa Devco has been appointed as the Implementation Agent for Extension 6. DevCo will also assume the role of Project Manager for the development of the infill portions of Extensions 2,3,4,5 as well as the upgrade of Chief Albert Luthuli Proper and Extensions 1 and 4, it was reported.

As Project Implementation Agent, Absa will be the primary financier of Extension 6 and will where necessary provide bridging finance for the other components of the development, the statement said.

Absa is also a partner with the government through the provincial and local government in the multi-million Olievenhoutbosch Project between Pretoria and Midrand.

The proposed Chief Albert Luthuli Park project will cater for communities of the following informal settlements: Gabon, Emandleni, Chris Hani, Home Seekers, as well as applicants on the waiting list and beneficiaries of affordable bonded housing with the Ekurhuleni area.

Gauteng MEC for Housing Ms Nomvula Mokonyane has described Chief Albert Luthuli as another milestone in government's efforts to accelerate housing delivery in the province.

She says: "While we are aware that this is not a solution to all the housing problems we are facing, this project will surely go a long way to ensure that we realize our objective of making housing accessible to all our people."

The MEC says that the role of the business sector in helping government in providing houses to millions of desperate home seeking South Africans is crucial.

"We have always maintained that the task of providing shelter to our people is one that government cannot do alone, we urge other businesses to take a leaf from Absa," says Mokonyane.

Ekurhuleni Executive Mayor Duma Nkosi says that this project provides a sustainable mix of housing products to a spectrum of income levels in society, which satisfies different needs, different affordabilities and yet create a homogeneous balanced community. I-Net Bridge

Pule

July 23rd, 2007, 01:59 PM

Gents, I took a drive around Yeoville and Hillbrow today as me and my other friend are planning some food and beer joint in one of those places. New lighting are being installed at Rocky street and the pavements are also being done. The street are clean and there are renovations taking place, I think its gonna be a rocka.

Hillbrow, on this one I would like to say to Joburg Municipality that you guys never fails to impress me. The new rubbish bins are installed and the streets are clean and I mean clean also plenty of renovations and keep the cleanliness camapign going on, but again the Yeoville's c leanliness campaign is a rocka.

Both of those places are lekker, watch them in 1 or 2 years time. That means Joburg will have to accelerate The Greater Park Station project and finally the taxi recap need to be accelerated.

I wonder as to where's the guy who came up with a website that spoke about the death of Joburg. Joburg guys you really need to take a drive in these areas.

^Anton^

July 23rd, 2007, 02:11 PM

^^
It feels so good to read such positive news about Joburg.. :) Who knows, I may even be able to walk the streets of Hillbrow and sit in a café to enjoy the urban atmosphere, when I go to South Africa someday :D

Jakes1

July 23rd, 2007, 02:59 PM

Joburg cops get
shiny new fleet
Metro police officers have been given a much-needed boost in the fight against crime, taking delivery of speedy new vehicles, putting them ahead of criminals.

July 23, 2007
By Emily Visser

METRO police will be more visible on the streets of Joburg, after the department boosted its fleet by 36 new patrol vehicles.

The 24 new BMW 320is and 12 new twin-cab Ford Rangers bring the number of metro police patrol cars to 46. They were officially handed over to the freeway patrol unit at the Johannesburg metropolitan police department (JMPD) headquarters in Martindale on Friday, 20 July.

JMPD gets ready for action

The BMWs would be used to patrol all freeways in Joburg, "ensuring high police visibility and intensifying road law enforcement", said the department's spokesperson, Wayne Minnaar, at the handover.

Six of the BMWs are unmarked and will be used for freeway patrols and for patrolling specific locations such as smash-and-grab and vehicle hijacking hotspots. The marked vehicles are in the JMPD's colours of bright orange and white, with blue sign writing.

Better capabilities
"We must have better capabilities than criminals – that is why we chose BMW," said Chief of Police Chris Ngcobo at the handover. The new vehicles have better police lights, based on those used by the police patrols of New York City and Los Angeles. The previous lights were very noisy and could only work when the vehicle was running.
The Ford Rangers are special patrol units and will be used when many police officers are needed in one area at a time, such as during unrest or riots.

In 2001, when the JMPD was launched, Joburg police officers still used 26-year-old Nissan Skylines. "From that day we committed ourselves to improving our fleet," Ngcobo said.

The new vehicles are leased from Fleet Africa and will be replaced after 60 months or 120 000 kilometres, whichever comes first.

The new fleet

There are 57 police officers in the unit; in addition to vehicle patrols, the JMPD also has eight motorcycles on the road, which it aims to increase to 24.

Leadership course
In another move to improve the capabilities of the metro police, Ngcobo and senior management, including the director in command of the freeway patrol unit, Angie Mokasi, recently completed a leadership course at the FBI, the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Ngcobo has asked the FBI to bring the course to other officers in the country. "I am passionate about training," he says.

^Anton^

July 23rd, 2007, 04:40 PM

BMW? I hope they have a special deal with BMW, cos otherwise, it wouldn't be very wise to waste so much money in BMWs when other cars could do the job just fine.

joburg

July 23rd, 2007, 06:34 PM

Durbsboi

July 24th, 2007, 08:12 AM

BMW? I hope they have a special deal with BMW, cos otherwise, it wouldn't be very wise to waste so much money in BMWs when other cars could do the job just fine.

SA police services do have special deals with BMW, Daimler Chrylser, Toyota, VW & Ford all of whom have assembly plants in SA, so some cars are donated by the manufacturers, like how Toyota donated 25 RunX RSi's when it began production of it in the Prospecton plant in 2002.

romanSA

July 24th, 2007, 03:46 PM

Cross-thread from the 2010 thread. Congrats JHB!

---------------------

Johannesburg chosen as broadcast center for 2010 World Cup

The Associated Press
Published: July 24, 2007

CAPE TOWN, South Africa: Johannesburg beat rival bids from Cape Town and Durban to host the international broadcast center for the 2010 World Cup.

Government spokesman Themba Maseko said the tournament's organizing committee recommended Johannesburg, which is part of South Africa's industrial and business heartland.

Maseko said the new broadcast center would "enhance South Africa's migration into the new model of high definition television and new broadcasting technology."

South Africa's communications infrastructure is well behind standards in the United States, Europe and Asia. Domestic and business customers often have to wait weeks for a standard telephone connection and months for broadband.

Sentech, the national broadcast signal distributor, has said it will upgrade its digital transmission to meet the demands of a global television audience. State-owned power company Eskom has pledged to improve the electricity supply network, which regularly plunges large areas of Johannesburg into darkness.

Johannesburg is also the base for the organizing committee and the venue for the opening and final matches.

Cape Town and Durban both argued that their scenic coastal locations made them a more attractive base for international broadcasters.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/...2010-Media.php

waltjie

July 24th, 2007, 04:04 PM

Cabinet has approved Johannesburg as host city for the 2010 Soccer World Cup International Broadcast Centre (IBC), government spokesman Themba Maseko said on Tuesday.

Speaking after a regular cabinet briefing on Tuesday morning, Maseko said the Local Organising Committee's recommendation that Johannesburg host the centre was approved by cabinet.

"The IBC will enhance South Africa's migration into the new model of high definition television and new broadcasting technology," Maseko said.

Cape Town and Durban were the other two cities that submitted bids to host the IBC.

It was expected that the centre would host over 2000 journalists that would provide television coverage as well as radio, newspaper and internet reports on the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

Inertia

July 24th, 2007, 06:22 PM

Congrats JHB!

Don't think this is going to go down well with our CT and Durbs regulars... O well gotta face reality

joburg

July 24th, 2007, 11:23 PM

Yup.. I think having the broadcast centre here just makes logical sense, really. I don't know too much about having the Opening Ceremony here.. I really think CT should have that honour.

joburg

July 24th, 2007, 11:26 PM

I saw the parking lot next to the Mag Court in Joburg this morning. Bit of an odd place for a skyrise, as it's not that close to other high rises. But hopefully it'll be a catalyst for that area - it's really a very run-down part of Joburg!

Pule

July 25th, 2007, 07:14 AM

I also passed there early today and I think that it will bring life to the area.

Jakes1

July 25th, 2007, 09:40 AM

Well, they say highrise, but I think we shouldn't expect something too groundbreaking. But a new building will shake the area up a bit...

Jakes1

July 25th, 2007, 10:07 AM

Cutting edge residential block for Jozi’s Fashion District
24 Jul 2007 - Aengus Property Holdings -

Intro
Johannesburg’s largest converted office block, Fashion Lofts, has just been released in the Fashion District, an upcoming area that is expected to become one of the city’s most desirable locations

Comprising 223 high-quality one-bedroom and bachelor apartments, Fashion Lofts at 112 Prichard Street, is expected to follow the same rapid sellout as other similar conversions in the Aengus Lifestyle Properties’ portfolio.

The 15-storey building is the first residential development in the Johannesburg’s CBD’s colourful Fashion District, a 32-block area bounded by Von Wielligh, Jeppe, End and Commissioner Streets, once the centre of Johannesburg’s old clothing industry and still home to a host of fashion related businesses including haberdashery shops, milliners and fabric dyers

The Fashion Loft apartments are Aengus’ finest product to date, says Aengus MD, Richard Rubin. “These generously proportioned apartments, ranging from 30m2 to 82m2, have superior finishes including wooden strip floors and granite kitchen tops as well as underground parking with lift access and state-of-the-art biometric security. The development is distinctive, stylish and edgy, and has been designed to complement the look and feel that is envisaged for the area. Without doubt, the Fashion Lofts is a trend-setting development in an area earmarked as the hub of South Africa’s growing fashion industry.”

There has already been massive take-up in rentals in Fashion Lofts from people keen to rent apartments in the CBD, continued Rubin, as well as investors putting money down on the property prior to completion. “Unlike our other Johannesburg CBD developments, Lofts @ 66 and Tribeca Lofts which were only sold once the buildings were completed, the Fashion Lofts have attracted early attention.”

Although the fashion district is still in the early stages of development, Rubin believes that canny investors will recognise the inherent value of the area. “Fashion Lofts is the first residential development in the district, and are well-priced from the mid-R200 000s to attract discerning investors who are looking for properties to rent out as well as tenants wanting a secure, quality and convenient lifestyle.”
Gavin Meskin, partner and Operations Director of Aengus Lifestyle Properties added that the idea of a Fashion District was first mooted seven years ago, and after much behind-the-scenes planning, the dream is now becoming a reality.

“Various private sector initiatives are well underway which will enable emerging designers access to affordable training, development and equipment as well as provide the more established designers with working and retail space.” Meskin added that construction has also started on the Fashion Capitol. This public square is a City Council initiative which will offer a host of support structures for the industry, including a permanent outdoor fashion ramp, restaurants and retail outlets.”

Meskin also said that the establishment of a City Improvement District to provide the urban management that would ensure that the fashion district was safe, clean and friendly was important in the development of a successful specialist precinct.

Owners and tenants in the Fashion Lofts development will be able to participate in what has become one of Aengus’s trademark benefits – the Aengus Lifestyle Card – which provides users with discounted products and services from participating suppliers, such as local gyms, beauty salons, hairdressers etc. They will also be able to furnish these apartments with top quality, custom-designed furniture and accessories at wholesale prices from Loft in a Box, a wholly-owned Aengus subsidiary which designs and manufactures furniture specifically for its developments.

“We’re selling a lifestyle here,” Rubin added. “And, as it appears that the strongest demand from prospective property buyers is for properties at the lower end of the residential market, these apartments are priced to sell. Whether from an investment perspective or a lifestyle perspective, the Fashion Lofts are set to fill a much-needed gap.”

Jakes1

July 25th, 2007, 10:09 AM

ApexHi Acquires Residential Portfolios
24 Jul 2007 - ApexHi -

Intro
ApexHi Properties Limited has acquired two residential property portfolios (the Dunwell and Softstone portfolios) for R246-million and will invest a further R91-million in refurbishing costs in a joint venture with residential specialists, Aengus Property Holdings

ApexHi will acquire and fund the purchase and refurbishing costs and Aengus will provide the expertise to lease, administer, refurbish and market the apartments to investors.

ApexHi CEO Gerald Leissner says the joint venture will retain a portion of the refurbished buildings as investment property and share the monthly income, after charging interest, on a 50:50 basis. The balance of the portfolio will be sold to investors and the surplus shared on the same basis.

The Dunwell portfolio, which consists of 15 residential properties located in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, will be acquired for R115-million. An additional R78-million will be incurred in refurbishing costs. A portion of the portfolio, at a cost of R47-million, will be refurbished and held as investment property, which is expected to show a return of 12,14%. The balance of the portfolio, purchased and refurbished for R146-million, will be sold to investors at an estimated profit of R56-million over three years.

The purchase of the Dunwell portfolio is subject to a number of conditions precedent that still need to be fulfilled.

The Softstone portfolio will be acquired for R131-million and a further R11-million will be incurred in refurbishing costs. The portfolio consists of nine residential properties in Hospital Hill, Johannesburg, Hillbrow, Braamfontein, Parktown and Berea. The joint venture will retain a portfolio of R86-million, which will show a return of 12,12%. The balance of the portfolio will be disposed of, with an estimated profit over two years of R19-million.

Leissner says ApexHi’s partnership with Aengus commenced in 2006 when ApexHi sold Biccard House (Braamfontein Lofts), Kelhof (Fashion Lofts) and the mothballed office space in 66 Smal Street (Lofts @ 66) and African City (Tribeca Lofts) to Aengus for conversion from office accommodation to residential apartments.

The conversions were funded by an interest bearing loan of R14,4-million from ApexHi and R75,8-million from Standard Bank, and ApexHi acquired a 10% equity investment in Aengus for R100.

The bulk of the 514 residential apartments in Fashion Lofts, Lofts at 66 and Tribeca Lofts have subsequently been sold to investors, in most cases within days of the launch of the selling programme. The loans to Standard Bank and ApexHi will be repaid from the proceeds and ApexHi expects to receive a R5-million dividend on its equity interest in Aengus.

ApexHi is investing R15,5-million in the conversion, undertaken by Aengus, of the office accommodation into 133 apartments at the ApexHi owned Berea Centre in Durban.

Aengus has entered into a lease covering all the apartments providing ApexHi with a 12% return on the conversion. It has been agreed that all the units will be sold, with Aengus and ApexHi sharing the surplus. ApexHi expects to realise a development profit in 2008 of R10-million on this development. The 133 apartments were all sold pre-launch.

Leissner explains that ApexHi is comfortable investing in residential apartments in the same way as it invests in commercial, retail and industrial property. “We have decided to acquire properties with Aengus who possess the skills to convert office accommodation to apartments, professionally manage and administer residential property and market for sale those apartments which Aengus and ApexHi decide to dispose of. Disposals will generate development profits for ApexHi over time,” he says.

Jakes1

July 25th, 2007, 10:11 AM

Murray & Roberts Construction Appointed as Main Contractor at Melrose Arch Piazza
24 Jul 2007 - Murray & Roberts Construction -

Intro
The Melrose Arch Development Company appointed Murray & Roberts Construction as the main contractor on the R1.1-billion Melrose Arch Piazza Project

The Melrose Arch Piazza comprises street-level shopping and offices in the successful Melrose Arch mixed-use precinct in northern Johannesburg.

Melrose Arch is owned by Southern Palace, a joint venture between Amdec Property Development and Property Partners. Amdec is also the appointed development manager for Melrose Arch, driving the roll-out of all development projects on this prestigious mixed-use precinct. The Melrose Arch Piazza Scheme is financed by Nedbank.

Nicholas Stopforth, Melrose Arch Development Company director, explains that the appointment of Murray & Roberts Construction follows the company’s successful involvement in the first-phase construction of the mixed-use precinct.

“Murray & Roberts Construction’s combination of engineering disciplines and expertise will ensure the delivery of world-class solutions to the Melrose Arch Development Company. This is a high-profile project, and as a leading contractor in major retail developments, we are proud to have been appointed as the main contractor,” Colin Steyn, Murray & Roberts Construction director, says.

The Melrose Arch Piazza essentially forms an extension to the existing mixed-use fabric of Melrose Arch, meaning that the new development has to be integrated carefully with the old in terms of matching façades. The office buildings also have to integrate seamlessly with the existing basement parking and above ground open-street movement patterns, with clearly defined public and private domains.

Melrose Arch Piazza comprises nine separate highly individualised buildings with street-level retail and prime office space in the upper levels, located at the northern end of the existing development. There will be 28 000 m2 of retail and leisure space and 31 000 m2 of lettable office space above the retail space. The shopping component is scheduled for completion by Easter 2009, while the office component will be completed a month later.

DHK Architects and Boogertman & Partners, the architects and town planners on the project, state that the attractive, flexible and readily subdivisible office buildings will have varied façades. The urban street edges will be positioned carefully around the new Piazza, which forms the heart of the new precinct.

The architecture of the Piazza, which will have a total footprint of 42 000 m2, will extend the existing ‘contemporary African feel’ of Melrose Arch’s integrated urban fabric. This will be achieved by using First World and natural construction materials.

Commenting on quantities of materials to be used, Rui Santos, Murray & Roberts Construction project director, says the project will consume 50 000 m2 of concrete, 130 000 m2 of slab formwork, 4.5-million bricks, 81 000 m2 of plaster, 11 000 m2 of shopfronts and 10 500 m2 of tiling.

Following a lengthy negotiation process, Murray & Roberts Construction began working in January this year, after four months of bulk earthworks undertaken by Diesel Power. This included removing 250 000 m3 of soil to make way for the new basement parking. It also involved relocating this material to the neighbouring James and Ethel Gray Park as part of a R5-million upgrade sponsored by Melrose Arch.

Murray & Roberts Construction also acquired a brand-new Liebherr readymix batch plant, which was erected on-site and became operational in June. The staffing level will peak at approximately 50 permanent employees, while the labour force is expected to top out at 1 500 to 2 000 workers. A water bowser also operates constantly to minimise dust on the single access road.

In terms of specific project challenges, Santos says initial foundation work encountered a large quantity of rock, which complicated the bases as well as the lift shafts. The Piazza will have about 16 lifts and eight escalators. The presence of rock necessitated blasting and excavating, and trimming with hydraulic hammers fitted to excavators.

“Our quality of work, as well as meeting project deadlines, resulted in us clinching this project,” Santos notes. He explains that initially, during construction of Melrose Arch Phase 1 in 2000, four main contractors were involved with the landmark precinct. “Given the complexity and scope of this project, it is a real testament to our total-solutions capability to be appointed as main contractor on the Melrose Arch Piazza.”

Stopforth reports that the development rollout of Melrose Arch is proceeding well, with over 175 000 m2 of a total of 315 000 m2 in the precinct either built or under construction. First transfers of the sectional title offices at 1 and 3 Melrose Boulevard are expected in August 2007. Construction of Melrose Square on Oak Lane, another development on the Melrose Arch precinct where Murray & Roberts are the appointed main contractor, is already several floors above ground level.