The second meeting between council and community members took place in June, at the Sultan Bahu Centre in Mayfair, to discuss the interim Draft of the Urban Development Framework of Mayfair and Fordsburg.
When both parties met in February, it was decided that council will take the concerns of the community into consideration when drawing up the Draft, which highlights the changes that need to be implemented in those areas.
Having taken note of their concerns, Annemarie Loots detailed what upgrades will be taking place in the suburbs, which would regenerate and revitalize them into areas of quality.
Heritage sites such as the old Fire Station, Fordsburg Square, etc. will receive special consideration and preservation as they form an integral part of the community, and will not be jeopardised in the name of development.
Parks and recreational areas will be improved upon to give communities a safer and secure environment.
Every aspect of development, that will affect the cycle of everyday living such as car and pedestrian traffic, housing, social facilities, etc. have been taken into consideration and added to the Framework.
The community is to be reminded that the Framework involves long-term development on a large scale, and will have a few years time limit to complete. It does not address everyday issues such as blocked drains, dumping of waste, lights not working, etc., of which complaints need to be lodged via the City of Johannesburg’s customer care on (011) 375-5555.
The Draft is available for public viewing and comment at the following localities:
Oriental Plaza Information Kiosk (hard copy);
Mayfair Library (hard copy and CD); and
The Train on Fordsburg Square (hard copy)
A hard copy has also been given to Ward Councillor, Juned Pahad.
Fordsburg.Com is presently attempting to obtain a copy and will publish on this site, as soon as possible, for public comment.
The framework is yet to go through a final meeting with the community in July 2008, the date of which is still to be finalized.
Residents are encouraged to study this Draft at any of the above locations, and are welcome to add input and concerns at the next meeting, which will be announced at a later stage.
This meeting will begin the steps towards the drawing up of the Final Draft of the Fordsburg/Mayfair Urban Development Framework.
Article by Fathima Jani
Friday, June 13, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
WARD COMMITTEE MEETING-6 MAY 2008
By Fathima Jani
Ward 58 held their latest ward committee meeting on 06 May 2008, at Kholvad House in the Inner City. Councillor Juned Pahad took a leave of absence in March/April, and due to unfortunate circumstances, the ward was not able to have an April meeting.
He encouraged his members to be positive about the resolutions of outstanding queries, and hoped that the new Urban Management Group would be able to assist in solving those queries, so that his members can work on new problems.
The Urban Management Group is a government initiative aimed at facilitating speedy results to old queries, and assist in day-to-day problems faced on the streets of Johannesburg.
Ward member Ahmed Suleiman aired his concerns regarding unresolved issues. He says that the government had introduced other bodies of government to assist the ward, yet problems were never resolved. He was concerned about whether or not the Urban Management Group would be able to help resolve issues, when other groups did not.
“Service delivery is a major issue in our ward. Every department who has come to help us had wanted all the information from us, and we go through the whole process again and again. Supplying of information, filing reports, phone calls, emails, etc. are so common with our unresolved issues. I hope that the Group would be the ones who will eventually help us.”
“When the Fordsburg Clinic’s roof was not fixed properly by the relevant department, and continued to leak, it was Bheki, Khotso and you, Mr. Chairman who worked non-stop to resolve this issue. Radio 702 will highlight service delivery done in other areas, and shows work well done by MMCs’. But they do not highlight the lack of service delivery by the MMCs’ in our ward.”
He says further that the MMC for Roads has till date never given a feedback to the ward regarding the Paruk report, which was supposed to contain information on which roads needed upgrade in Ward 58.
The lack of communication from government offices makes the ward members feel useless and ineffectual, and they get fed-up of the ongoing circle with no end in sight.
Juned responds by saying that the ward should give the Urban Group a chance to show positive results, and hopefully help members resolve the old queries.
He says “We need to escalate our queries to Councillor Ashraf ‘Boeta’ Rajah, the Chairperson of the Inner City. We will have Section 79 meetings, where Ashraf will ensure the attendance of the MMC responsible for that query, and find speedy resolutions. We will no more go through the processes for outstanding queries, and Ashraf will be able to assist us with this.”
He says that the ward will become more forceful and apply pressure on Ashraf to make sure that money is spent where it is supposed to be. He is confident that the councillor will come on board to prioritize service delivery.
Juned went through the unresolved issues such as Hardy House evictions, the non-service delivery of Metro Trading Centre with regards to the Fordsburg Square, etc., but will discuss the issues further when communication with Ashraf Rajah has begun, regarding these problems.
Finally, he says “We need to create workshops for our people, so that they can understand the problems the ward is facing, and can benefit and implement what they learn through the workshops.
The meeting ended in a more positive note as the Urban Management Group gave their assurance that they will be dedicated to the ward’s causes, and together will form a strong partnership.
Juned urges members of the community to become part of the ward or to assist the ward in helping resolve 2008 queries or even their own concerns, which would be a huge benefit to their communities.
He can be contacted on (011) 613-8711.
Ward 58 held their latest ward committee meeting on 06 May 2008, at Kholvad House in the Inner City. Councillor Juned Pahad took a leave of absence in March/April, and due to unfortunate circumstances, the ward was not able to have an April meeting.
He encouraged his members to be positive about the resolutions of outstanding queries, and hoped that the new Urban Management Group would be able to assist in solving those queries, so that his members can work on new problems.
The Urban Management Group is a government initiative aimed at facilitating speedy results to old queries, and assist in day-to-day problems faced on the streets of Johannesburg.
Ward member Ahmed Suleiman aired his concerns regarding unresolved issues. He says that the government had introduced other bodies of government to assist the ward, yet problems were never resolved. He was concerned about whether or not the Urban Management Group would be able to help resolve issues, when other groups did not.
“Service delivery is a major issue in our ward. Every department who has come to help us had wanted all the information from us, and we go through the whole process again and again. Supplying of information, filing reports, phone calls, emails, etc. are so common with our unresolved issues. I hope that the Group would be the ones who will eventually help us.”
“When the Fordsburg Clinic’s roof was not fixed properly by the relevant department, and continued to leak, it was Bheki, Khotso and you, Mr. Chairman who worked non-stop to resolve this issue. Radio 702 will highlight service delivery done in other areas, and shows work well done by MMCs’. But they do not highlight the lack of service delivery by the MMCs’ in our ward.”
He says further that the MMC for Roads has till date never given a feedback to the ward regarding the Paruk report, which was supposed to contain information on which roads needed upgrade in Ward 58.
The lack of communication from government offices makes the ward members feel useless and ineffectual, and they get fed-up of the ongoing circle with no end in sight.
Juned responds by saying that the ward should give the Urban Group a chance to show positive results, and hopefully help members resolve the old queries.
He says “We need to escalate our queries to Councillor Ashraf ‘Boeta’ Rajah, the Chairperson of the Inner City. We will have Section 79 meetings, where Ashraf will ensure the attendance of the MMC responsible for that query, and find speedy resolutions. We will no more go through the processes for outstanding queries, and Ashraf will be able to assist us with this.”
He says that the ward will become more forceful and apply pressure on Ashraf to make sure that money is spent where it is supposed to be. He is confident that the councillor will come on board to prioritize service delivery.
Juned went through the unresolved issues such as Hardy House evictions, the non-service delivery of Metro Trading Centre with regards to the Fordsburg Square, etc., but will discuss the issues further when communication with Ashraf Rajah has begun, regarding these problems.
Finally, he says “We need to create workshops for our people, so that they can understand the problems the ward is facing, and can benefit and implement what they learn through the workshops.
The meeting ended in a more positive note as the Urban Management Group gave their assurance that they will be dedicated to the ward’s causes, and together will form a strong partnership.
Juned urges members of the community to become part of the ward or to assist the ward in helping resolve 2008 queries or even their own concerns, which would be a huge benefit to their communities.
He can be contacted on (011) 613-8711.
URBAN FRAMEWORK
Urban Development Frameworks are plans formed by Council which reflect the problems facing communities and the solutions that would be implemented in line with the Inner City Regeneration Programme.
The second phase of the Fordsburg and Mayfair Urban Development Framework kicked off to an excellent start at the meeting held in the Grosvenor Recreation Centre on 26 February 2008.This phase required the consultant forming the proposed framework to meet with the residents, as well as community leaders and ward committee members, in order to introduce the framework - and get feedback from them on issues affecting the two areas. Annemarie Loots was contracted by the City Of Johannesburg Metropolitan Council’s (COJ) Development Planning and Facilitation Directorate, which has embarked on a process to form Development Frameworks on areas in need of urgent upgrades.Annemarie described the phases required for the formation of the Framework and its characteristics, as well as encouraging people to air their concerns.The first phase involved the compiling of information by Annemarie from council records, onsite inspections and communications with local government officials. Once that was completed, the second phase required the involvement of the communities of Fordsburg and Mayfair which falls within Region F, under the wing of Ward 58’s Councillor Juned Pahad – hence the meeting at Grosvenor.
Fordsburg and Mayfair enjoy a prime location near the Inner City and offers unique opportunities for regeneration and revitalization, without negatively influencing the rich history of these areas.The principle purpose of the project is to develop spatial plans that will guide future development in a planned and co-ordinated manner. It is envisaged that the Framework will also consider how the areas may integrate and contribute towards the proposed Inner City development strategy, as well as influencing the surrounding areas.
The two areas have experienced major decay in the past and is characterised by older industrial, business and residential sectors, as well as degraded buildings and land.They are further characterised by the following conditions that need to be addressed:
Economic stagnation and subsequent decline
A lack of development and investment
Increased vacancy rates and lower rentals; abandoned properties, illegally occupied properties, etc.
Deteriorating and decaying public environment, lack of maintenance and management, crime and grime, and declining number of visitors and users
Social problems are the root cause of decay and are becoming more intense with time.
At a broad level, the Framework will aim at promoting the following:
A common vision for both areas to which the community can relate to
Creating a safe and secure environment
Economic regeneration of the area
Densification, diversification and intensification of land uses
The integration, efficiency and upgrading of the areas, also related to traffic and pedestrian movement
The development of a range of housing options
Consolidating and extending the social facilities in the area
Linking to an appropriate urban management system promoting a quality urban environment
Preservation of heritage sites and landmarks such as the Old Fire Station, Fordsburg Square, Sacks Hotel, Villa Mayfair, etc.
Even though those present spoke about their concerns for the two suburbs, they all agreed that the Framework would be given the support it needs, so that solutions could be found to improve the quality of their beloved communities.
The end result of the Fordsburg/Mayfair Framework will be a well-researched, community-involvement initiative that would bring positive major changes to the areas that will support the current strong character of existing buildings, yet conform to the general trend towards preparing for the 2010 World Cup that is expected to make South Africa a world-class country.
The final draft is expected to be completed in May 2008 which will then be reviewed for the financial budget that would be required to implement the Framework.
The second phase of the Fordsburg and Mayfair Urban Development Framework kicked off to an excellent start at the meeting held in the Grosvenor Recreation Centre on 26 February 2008.This phase required the consultant forming the proposed framework to meet with the residents, as well as community leaders and ward committee members, in order to introduce the framework - and get feedback from them on issues affecting the two areas. Annemarie Loots was contracted by the City Of Johannesburg Metropolitan Council’s (COJ) Development Planning and Facilitation Directorate, which has embarked on a process to form Development Frameworks on areas in need of urgent upgrades.Annemarie described the phases required for the formation of the Framework and its characteristics, as well as encouraging people to air their concerns.The first phase involved the compiling of information by Annemarie from council records, onsite inspections and communications with local government officials. Once that was completed, the second phase required the involvement of the communities of Fordsburg and Mayfair which falls within Region F, under the wing of Ward 58’s Councillor Juned Pahad – hence the meeting at Grosvenor.
Fordsburg and Mayfair enjoy a prime location near the Inner City and offers unique opportunities for regeneration and revitalization, without negatively influencing the rich history of these areas.The principle purpose of the project is to develop spatial plans that will guide future development in a planned and co-ordinated manner. It is envisaged that the Framework will also consider how the areas may integrate and contribute towards the proposed Inner City development strategy, as well as influencing the surrounding areas.
The two areas have experienced major decay in the past and is characterised by older industrial, business and residential sectors, as well as degraded buildings and land.They are further characterised by the following conditions that need to be addressed:
Economic stagnation and subsequent decline
A lack of development and investment
Increased vacancy rates and lower rentals; abandoned properties, illegally occupied properties, etc.
Deteriorating and decaying public environment, lack of maintenance and management, crime and grime, and declining number of visitors and users
Social problems are the root cause of decay and are becoming more intense with time.
At a broad level, the Framework will aim at promoting the following:
A common vision for both areas to which the community can relate to
Creating a safe and secure environment
Economic regeneration of the area
Densification, diversification and intensification of land uses
The integration, efficiency and upgrading of the areas, also related to traffic and pedestrian movement
The development of a range of housing options
Consolidating and extending the social facilities in the area
Linking to an appropriate urban management system promoting a quality urban environment
Preservation of heritage sites and landmarks such as the Old Fire Station, Fordsburg Square, Sacks Hotel, Villa Mayfair, etc.
Even though those present spoke about their concerns for the two suburbs, they all agreed that the Framework would be given the support it needs, so that solutions could be found to improve the quality of their beloved communities.
The end result of the Fordsburg/Mayfair Framework will be a well-researched, community-involvement initiative that would bring positive major changes to the areas that will support the current strong character of existing buildings, yet conform to the general trend towards preparing for the 2010 World Cup that is expected to make South Africa a world-class country.
The final draft is expected to be completed in May 2008 which will then be reviewed for the financial budget that would be required to implement the Framework.
WARD COMMITTEE
By Fathima Jani
ANC Councillor Juned Pahad is Chairperson of the Ward Committee of Ward 58 in Region F. The areas that fall under his Ward are Fordsburg, part of Mayfair, the Inner City and Newtown, Turfontein, Turfontein-West, Booysens, Marshalltown, City and Suburban, Selby and Ferreirastown.
What is a ward committee, who are the members and how do communities fit into the structure?
Ward Committees were created to form a relationship between local government and communities. It was found that communities – especially the previously disadvantaged – were extremely unhappy about their unresolved issues, of which have been disregarded for many years. The long trails of government officials dealing with even simple problems and not resolving them had led to the creation of Wards.
Ward 58’s aim is to address and find solutions to all unresolved issues that are plaguing suburbs, businesses and homes.The Ward consists of the Chairperson, voluntary ward members, and is open to communities to go and air their grievances, where they will personally meet with the ward member dealing with a particular portfolio. The monthly meetings take place every first Tuesday of each month at 7pm (19:00) at Kholvad House on Market Street in the Inner City.
The ward members portfolios and contact details are:
NAMES PORTFOLIOS TEL. NO. CELL. NO.
Juned Pahad Chairperson (011) 6138711 0825768401Ahmed Suliman Transport (011) 8371940 0828522619Alfred Mankoe Housing 0833882360Drene Green Corporate Services (011) 6506731 0825773623Ahmed Pochee Health 0838836883Ismail Lockhart Environmental 0833247483Bongi Mbasani Community Development 0730807559Mafika Dlamini Dev. Plan/Urban Management 0721381037Willie Green Safety (011) 6806731 0825773623Bheki Maebwe Infrastructure 0822144605
Achievements of the past year through the intervention of Ward 58, needs to be acknowledged:
Robots and speed humps were placed were urgently needed.
Two-way roads were converted to one-way roads, mainly in the vicinity of schools and religious institutions.
Successful raids on illegal establishments were carried out.
Arrests of criminals.
Evictions of squatters on properties.
A Letsema by Johannesburg Roads Agency was carried out in August 2007 - road surfaces, pavements and drains were repaired and/or cleaned, road markings were repainted, damaged road signs replaced, illegal posters removed, and other types of minor road cleaning and repairs.
All this is not possible without community involvement and ward committee mediation. Unfortunately, regardless of appeal to the public through the media, most residents do not take advantage of this excellent structure.People need to mobilize themselves to contribute to the improvement of their areas. If you leave it to government departments, those improvements may never happen – and if they do, some will be incorrectly implemented.
Your first step should be to lodge a query with the particular department – example, 011-3755555 for PickitUp - and make sure to get a Reference Number. Try to get this problem resolved directly with the department through two or three communications with them. If unsuccessful, your next step is to call Councillor Juned Pahad. He will pass on the problem to his ward member dealing with that type of work, and both you and the ward member can bring a solution to your problem – yet Juned will act as a mediator when needed.But even better – you can bypass Juned and liaise directly with the ward member through the contact numbers we have provided.
What is a ward committee, who are the members and how do communities fit into the structure?
Ward Committees were created to form a relationship between local government and communities. It was found that communities – especially the previously disadvantaged – were extremely unhappy about their unresolved issues, of which have been disregarded for many years. The long trails of government officials dealing with even simple problems and not resolving them had led to the creation of Wards.
Ward 58’s aim is to address and find solutions to all unresolved issues that are plaguing suburbs, businesses and homes.The Ward consists of the Chairperson, voluntary ward members, and is open to communities to go and air their grievances, where they will personally meet with the ward member dealing with a particular portfolio. The monthly meetings take place every first Tuesday of each month at 7pm (19:00) at Kholvad House on Market Street in the Inner City.
The ward members portfolios and contact details are:
NAMES PORTFOLIOS TEL. NO. CELL. NO.
Juned Pahad Chairperson (011) 6138711 0825768401Ahmed Suliman Transport (011) 8371940 0828522619Alfred Mankoe Housing 0833882360Drene Green Corporate Services (011) 6506731 0825773623Ahmed Pochee Health 0838836883Ismail Lockhart Environmental 0833247483Bongi Mbasani Community Development 0730807559Mafika Dlamini Dev. Plan/Urban Management 0721381037Willie Green Safety (011) 6806731 0825773623Bheki Maebwe Infrastructure 0822144605
Achievements of the past year through the intervention of Ward 58, needs to be acknowledged:
Robots and speed humps were placed were urgently needed.
Two-way roads were converted to one-way roads, mainly in the vicinity of schools and religious institutions.
Successful raids on illegal establishments were carried out.
Arrests of criminals.
Evictions of squatters on properties.
A Letsema by Johannesburg Roads Agency was carried out in August 2007 - road surfaces, pavements and drains were repaired and/or cleaned, road markings were repainted, damaged road signs replaced, illegal posters removed, and other types of minor road cleaning and repairs.
All this is not possible without community involvement and ward committee mediation. Unfortunately, regardless of appeal to the public through the media, most residents do not take advantage of this excellent structure.People need to mobilize themselves to contribute to the improvement of their areas. If you leave it to government departments, those improvements may never happen – and if they do, some will be incorrectly implemented.
Your first step should be to lodge a query with the particular department – example, 011-3755555 for PickitUp - and make sure to get a Reference Number. Try to get this problem resolved directly with the department through two or three communications with them. If unsuccessful, your next step is to call Councillor Juned Pahad. He will pass on the problem to his ward member dealing with that type of work, and both you and the ward member can bring a solution to your problem – yet Juned will act as a mediator when needed.But even better – you can bypass Juned and liaise directly with the ward member through the contact numbers we have provided.
The Ward is set for the New Year to bring conclusion to outstanding problems that they have been dealing with in 2007. Yet new unresolved queries need to be addressed by all parties to find quick and efficient resolutions.Use your ward committee as a stepping stone to a better environment and a better community.
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