Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi says that the provincial government is attempting to restore the Johannesburg CBD to its previous splendour.
During Thursday night’s State of the Province Address in Katlehong, east of Johannesburg, Lesufi stated that the inner city needed to entice investments and restore Carleton Centre for entertainment.
He stated that Transnet made a commitment to invest R460-million for the restoration of its offices in Rissik Street following its departure from Carleton Centre in 2018.
This investment was made in support of Gauteng’s efforts to rebuild the city.
“This move by Transnet complements our work and injects the required vitality into the regeneration process through repurposing the Carleton Hotel in collaboration with the Housing Development Agency and the provincial department of human settlements to redesign the development of Carlton Centre into new housing opportunities,” said Lesufi.
The Gauteng government also pledged to expand CCTV networks and send out security and law-enforcement teams to patrol and guard the streets of the central business district of Johannesburg all year round.
After getting the Khampepe Commission report on hijacked buildings, he said, they would also make a claim for the city’s hijacked buildings back.
“This announcement should serve as a strong warning to the criminal underworld who have turned Johannesburg into their private fiefdom that the arm of the law is about to strike, and strike hard.
“Through these interventions, this once attractive landmark of our city will be returned to its former glory,” said Lesufi.
CBDs will be revitalised into thriving economic hubs by the Gauteng government, according to Lesufi, as part of the government’s priority to create jobs and have an inclusive economy in the seventh administration.
He declared that CBDs are now given the same priority as already-existing townships, hostels, and informal settlements.
“We will transform all strategic CBDs in our province into dynamic urban centres, driving broader economic development for Gauteng.
“Let’s all accept that the current state of the Johannesburg CBD is an embarrassment for the people of Gauteng. But we can’t be sorry forever.”
In an effort to prevent the growth and expansion of informal settlements throughout the province, the Gauteng government has also created the Land Invasion Monitoring and Inspection Tool.
This artificial intelligence (AI) tool, said to be the first of its kind in South Africa, is meant to assist in implementing the anti-land invasion strategy and will be launched in September.
Lesufi clarified that the tool tracked and identified land invasions and illegal expansions as they occurred using AI and geographic information systems.
He said that technology had a significant impact on combating illegal land occupation crimes and extended an invitation to the police to become acquainted with this cutting-edge tool that would aid in the fight against crime in Gauteng.
Senzo Mchunu, the Minister of Police, has been invited to the launch and has already embraced the use of technology to reduce crime,” he said.
Lesufi added that Tommy Mthombeni, the recently appointed commissioner of police in Gauteng, was given a clear directive to combat crime in any way possible.
