CITICHAT 25/2001 - 29th June 2001
CJP - Reflections on Nine Years at the Carlton
I've just realised that this is the last occasion on which Citichat will be written from an office in the Carlton Centre. I'm sitting surrounded by packed boxes and the removal people will be here on Monday to 'pick us up and drop us off' at our new premises in 90 Market Street. Quite an historic moment in the life of our small company! Citichat has over a number of years recorded what a number of organisations and individuals are doing in and for the city. This seems to be an appropriate time to be nostalgic and to talk about ourselves, so forgive me if I indulge myself a little.
It is almost nine years to the day since we moved into our 44th Floor Carlton Centre offices to establish the Central Johannesburg Partnership (CJP). Then we were just three. Diana Mayne, who was only with us for a couple of years but was a major influence behind the establishment of the CJP, now a private consultant. Lillian Mvumvu who started as my secretary and is now an Alternate Director of the Company with a wide ranging responsibility, and myself freshly out of my previous career in the Building Industry. Shortly after we started we were joined by Franco Andreone, a planner, now Operations Director. Including Lillian, Franco and myself there are now 15 of us, a round dozen in the City and the others in Rosebank, Illovo and Sandton respectively.
Over the years the business has developed into some seven spheres of activity, as initiators of specialist organisations; as catalysts/co-ordinators of strategic developments; as urban advocates; as urban managers; as consultants/researchers; as communicators and as employment/empowerment generators.
In the first of these activities, initiators, the following organisations have been established by us - in some instances they are still managed by us - those marked *. In others, we provided the initial administrative support until the organisation was able to become self-supporting where after the CJP handed-over management but generally retained a position on the Board of Directors or Trustees maintaining a watching brief.
1993 - The Inner City Housing Upgrading Trust (ICHUT) - providing financial and technical intermediation relative to inner city housing.
1994 - 'Homeless Talk' - part of the CJP’s job creation strategy, the street newspaper was established with two church groups and still provides employment and income for a large number of homeless persons.
1995 - Johannesburg Trust for the Homeless (JTH) - empowering the homeless to reintegrate into society.
1997 - The Inner City Business Coalition (JICBC)* - providing unified business support for the processes and structures that had been established to address city revitalisation. The Coalition is managed by the CJP.
1997 - Partnerships for Urban Renewal (PUR)* - established to focus on urban issues in areas outside of the Johannesburg Inner City and currently working in Rosebank, Illovo, Sloane Square, Sandton, Midrand, Pretoria as well as in the Western Cape, etc.
1999 - City-Ad* A specialist ‘street advertising’ company focusing on income generation for maintenance and upgrading in inner city areas.
1999 - Rosebank Homeless Association. Focusing on the issue of Homelessness in the Rosebank area established in conjunction with the JTH.
2001 - Johannesburg Heritage Trust.* - acquiring buildings of architectural or heritage significance and returning them to active economic life in the city.
In our role as catalyst/co-ordinator of strategic developments we have developed a Transitional Housing Model subsequently operationalised by the Johannesburg Trust for the Homeless (Cornelius House, 1998); assisted the local authority to identify possible sites for the Constitutional Court; established the Van der Byl Square Consortium consisting of the majority of property owners contiguous to what is now known as Gandhi Square to finance its upgrading and its ongoing maintenance and management as a CID; co-ordinated the funding and upgrading/ pedestrianisation of a portion of Fox Street between Kruis and Eloff Streets which we now maintain and manage; are currently developing an experiential tourism project to encourage visits to the Johannesburg City Centre which is aimed to change perceptions of the city; are part of a team researching an existing mixed-use precinct for regeneration as a ‘fashion’ or 'garment industry' specialist node and are currently examining regeneration initiatives involving issues of heritage, SMME establishment and growth, promotion of mixed use and tourism.
As urban advocates; in 1993, we first promoted the idea that the seat of Provincial Government should be relocated from Pretoria to Johannesburg and produced detailed submissions together with the then City Council to this effect and subsequently co-led the Johannesburg delegation at the successful public hearings. In 1994 - established a joint negotiating forum specifically to address the need for new street trading by-laws. In 1996 - motivated an Inner City Visioning process which resulted in the Johannesburg Inner City Renewal Strategy announced by the then Deputy State President, Thabo Mbeki, in July 1997 and led the Business Sector input. Through the Council’s Inner City Committee, we still provide Business’ input to influence inner city policy. In 1996/7 - assisted the Gauteng Provincial Government Department of Development Planning and Local Government in the framing of the Gauteng Four-Point Plan for Regenerating and Integration of Cities, Towns and Townships Centres (Vusani Amadolobha). And then in 1997 - assisted the Gauteng Provincial Government in drafting enabling legislation to facilitate the establishment of Improvement Districts
As Urban Managers we established, from 1994, a number of Improvement Districts in the Johannesburg Inner City which we manage. We also provide a service to property owners managing informal trading.
As Consultants/Researchers we provided the Provincial Government co-ordination team in 1995 with an office planning expert who worked full time with the Provincial Government throughout 1995 in planning their accommodation needs when they moved into the city, at Business’ cost. In 1996 - established an inner city workgroup to investigate the use, funding and organisation necessary for the deployment of CCTV within the Inner City. Provided secretarial service to the Johannesburg Community Police Forum and undertook, either directly or in partnership with others, the compilation of relevant broad economic data, indicators, benchmarks, etc. relative to the inner city; supported primary research into residential accommodation in the inner city led by ICHUT together with the Johannesburg Housing Company (JHC) and also undertook primary research into retail activity in the inner city. In 1996 we planned, organised and arranged finance for a cities study tour working with the Prince of Wales Business Leaders Forum in the United Kingdom and with the International Downtown Association in Washington DC., USA. And in 1999 we again planned, organised and arranged finance for a tour of the United States Eastern Seaboard cities for Johannesburg and Pretoria City Council Inner City councillors and officials. In 1996 we organised a planning charrette for the Inner City which was led by the Development Design Group Incorporated from Baltimore, USA. In 1999, on behalf of the Business Coalition (JICBC) who provided the financing, co-ordinated the production of a Spatial Framework for the Inner City in parallel with the development of an Economic Framework that was funded by the City. In 2000 - again acting on behalf of the JICBC - extended the earlier Spatial Framework study by developing a Strategic Business Plan for the Downtown core of the city
As Communicators we produce a number of publications to keep the Inner City and its Renewal in front of the public and private sectors as well as publications for broader usage. 'City Vibe' is a bi-annual production highlighting the positive aspects and results of the urban renewal process in the Inner City and showcasing various projects. 'City Map' is an annual production reflecting the various inner city projects. 'Citichat' is a weekly e-mail letter on all aspects of the city and cities in general to interested parties locally and internationally and 'CitiCid' is a limited circulation subscription quarterly production detailing urban renewal projects and processes throughout the world including information on CIDs nationally and internationally.
Apart from establishing a number of specialist inner city organisations which provide employment for a number of persons, the CJP has facilitated the establishment of two Black owned companies which, between them employ over 200 personnel.
Over the period of the past nine years we have made many friends both locally and internationally, from informal traders, street cleaners and security officers to Chairmen and CEOs of companies large and small. We have had our share of problems, urban renewal isn't easy or for the faint-hearted - but we've had a lot of fun. Thanks particularly to our team of Franco. Lillian, Katherine, Ursula, Chris, Andrew, Margie, Hennie, Timothy, Jeremiah and Paulos in the city, Jenny A. in Rosebank, Tina in Illovo and Vaughan in Sandton. And of course our part-time book-keeper Jenny B.
Now we move into our new premises, the imposing century-old bank building in Market Street, and another chapter of the CJP will start with us continuing to maintain our focus on the Mission that we started with back in 1992:
“A commitment to involving key stakeholders in Central Johannesburg in a co-operative effort to rejuvenate the central area thereby promoting a sound economy; an attractive, clean, safe and vibrant city centre; affordable residential accommodation; employment opportunities and a focus for the community”.
Caio, neil
Neil Fraser is Executive Chairman of Partnerships for Urban Regeneration (PUR) and the Central Johannesburg Partnership (CJP) – companies dedicated to the revitalisation of urban centres. He can be contacted at (011) 688-7800 or neil@cjp.co.za Views and opinions expressed in CITICHAT are not necessarily those of PUR or CJP.
Visit the CJP's web site at http://www.cjp.co.za
Friday, June 29, 2001
Friday, June 22, 2001
Addis Ababa CID Citichat 21 June 2001
CITICHAT 24/2001 - 22 June 2001
Addis Ababa BID (CID)
There is a lot happening in Johannesburg worth noting but it'll keep for next week as I must share with you the biggest surprise of my Addis Ababa trip.
A working, thriving and successful Business Improvement District (BID) already operates in that city, in fact in the market area, Merkato, that I mentioned last week! Sure, the people involved have never heard of BIDs. Yes, and there is no 'city legislation' governing its structures and processes - but it is as good an Improvement District as I have seen anywhere in the world and a lot better than some. Turns out its existence wasn't only a surprise to me but also to the local professionals I was working with! (For the uninitiated, a BID is a geographic area in which the majority of property owners agree to fund services which are supplementary to those provided by various levels of government in order to protect and improve their asset base or investment - through legislation the minority, who may not be in favour of the BID, are also required to pay the predetermined levy.)
The "Improvement District" operates in an area of Merkato called Ehil Berenda literally translated as the "Grain Verandah"- the focus of the area obviously being the grain industry. Grain is delivered from all over Ethiopia to this area from where it is redistributed. There are five main activities in the area which have each formed themselves into 'trading associations'. These represent grain merchants, retail sellers, vegetable sellers, Gesho sellers (Gesho is a commodity for local beer brewing) and the community itself. There are about 3 000 'informal traders' in the "BID" area and
5 000 donkeys are used for local transportation
The driving force and visionary behind the "BID" is Getachew Habtie, who is a mechanical engineer and who manages the project part time as he has his own business in addition. A Board of 30 drawn from all the associations oversees the project and an annual assembly (AGM) is held to review progress, finances, etc. The "BID" operates both a savings and a current bank account and its financial affairs are audited.
Income is derived through an agreed payment of 30 cents per 50kg sack of grain (ie the "levy").This "levy" is charged on all transactions (ie each truck pays the levy when deliveries are made and each merchant pays the levy when the grain is sold).
The money is collected by three groups of agents who work competitively as they are paid a commission for collection (3.5% which works out to approximately 800 Birr per person, 1 Birr is approximately equivalent to a 1 Rand.) Overall BID income is approximately 100 000 Birr per month.
The "BID" employs a civil engineer and 120 workers of which 41 are security guards and the balance are supervisors, cleaners and persons employed on road construction
The "BID" pays above average wages to its staff (minimum wage of 10 Birr per day) and believes this philosophy helps to deter corruption. I mentioned last week that Ethiopia is a very poor country and this is borne out by their wages and salaries. Thus a security officer who might earn between R2 500 and R3 500 in South Africa earns 400 Birr per month which is in excess of the average in Merkato which is between 200 and 250! Cleaners earn 250 whilst professional technicians and supervisors earn between 800 and 900 Birr per month.
But it is what they have achieved that is truly remarkable. The internal roads within such areas are generally unpaved and with the current weather conditions (they have rain from June to September) the roads are slush. There is also no lighting provided to such internal roads. The "BID" has thus financed and provided to date 31 340 square metres of asphalt road surfacing. This has entailed building a stone sub-base off the existing surface with layers of various thicknesses of fines and an asphalt finish - the "BID" does not contract any of this, it does everything itself, almost totally by hand, other than for the aspects that can't be done without plant and equipment which the "BID" has in fact bought and operates itself. I saw a group of about forty people, men and women, sorting out and packing rocks to form the stone sub-base - people who would probably never have the opportunity to have work in this city of high unemployment. In addition they have to date constructed 3 400 metres of drainage,
258.7 cubic metres of retaining walls and provided 240 street lights (connected to Council supply, the "BID" pays for consumption). In a desolate roadscape that rings the area they are 'greening' the traffic islands (the "BID" pays for water consumed).
They have negotiated with the Council to take over a public toilet in the area that was not being maintained due to lack of Council funds. They are rebuilding the toilet and will charge users 25 cents per use which is considered fair in relation to the policy of a 10 Birr per day minimum wage. However, for the very poor in the area who could not even afford 25 cents, a separate toilet facility is provided free. Groups of street cleaners keep the area clean although work is still being done to develop a refuse collection system
The practical difficulties of co-ordinating dozens of trucks delivering and redistributing grain in between 5 000 donkeys used to distribute sacks of grain locally has been formalised and is controlled by the "BID" using specific times for vehicular and donkey collections and deliveries. Also formalised are the informal persons who earn an income carrying 50 kg sacks of grain on their necks and shoulders - each 'carrier' is registered with the "BID" and provided with an identity card. If grain is stolen within the area, the person/organisation who suffered the loss can claim from the "BID" which pays them out and takes up the identification of the suspect. Security has been improved through the employment of security guards, with the security service operating on a 24 hour basis. This provides confidence to those who trade within the area as vehicles often have to be left overnight and were previously being broken into or stolen before the service was started.
The "BID" is now investigating the collection of the donkey droppings with a view to making briquettes which will be supplied freely to the very poor people in the area as an energy source.
There is no legislation to enforce compliance or payments of the levy. This is a group of people who have recognised the limitations of local government and instead of whingeing or 'packing for Perth' have simply got on with the job at hand. And, as they come to the end of construction in their own area they are now looking at how they could possible help their neighbours. Maybe the real difference between so-called First- and Third- world countries is that in the former the 'haves' never stop expecting more yet find a dozen reasons why things cannot be done whilst, in the latter, the 'have-nots' know that if they don't provide for themselves, no-one else is going to and so they get on and do it.. And crowning the attitude of 'let's find a way and just do it' is that the poor and destitute of Ehil Berenda are part of the plan and therefore part of the city.
Addis Ababa BID (CID)
There is a lot happening in Johannesburg worth noting but it'll keep for next week as I must share with you the biggest surprise of my Addis Ababa trip.
A working, thriving and successful Business Improvement District (BID) already operates in that city, in fact in the market area, Merkato, that I mentioned last week! Sure, the people involved have never heard of BIDs. Yes, and there is no 'city legislation' governing its structures and processes - but it is as good an Improvement District as I have seen anywhere in the world and a lot better than some. Turns out its existence wasn't only a surprise to me but also to the local professionals I was working with! (For the uninitiated, a BID is a geographic area in which the majority of property owners agree to fund services which are supplementary to those provided by various levels of government in order to protect and improve their asset base or investment - through legislation the minority, who may not be in favour of the BID, are also required to pay the predetermined levy.)
The "Improvement District" operates in an area of Merkato called Ehil Berenda literally translated as the "Grain Verandah"- the focus of the area obviously being the grain industry. Grain is delivered from all over Ethiopia to this area from where it is redistributed. There are five main activities in the area which have each formed themselves into 'trading associations'. These represent grain merchants, retail sellers, vegetable sellers, Gesho sellers (Gesho is a commodity for local beer brewing) and the community itself. There are about 3 000 'informal traders' in the "BID" area and
5 000 donkeys are used for local transportation
The driving force and visionary behind the "BID" is Getachew Habtie, who is a mechanical engineer and who manages the project part time as he has his own business in addition. A Board of 30 drawn from all the associations oversees the project and an annual assembly (AGM) is held to review progress, finances, etc. The "BID" operates both a savings and a current bank account and its financial affairs are audited.
Income is derived through an agreed payment of 30 cents per 50kg sack of grain (ie the "levy").This "levy" is charged on all transactions (ie each truck pays the levy when deliveries are made and each merchant pays the levy when the grain is sold).
The money is collected by three groups of agents who work competitively as they are paid a commission for collection (3.5% which works out to approximately 800 Birr per person, 1 Birr is approximately equivalent to a 1 Rand.) Overall BID income is approximately 100 000 Birr per month.
The "BID" employs a civil engineer and 120 workers of which 41 are security guards and the balance are supervisors, cleaners and persons employed on road construction
The "BID" pays above average wages to its staff (minimum wage of 10 Birr per day) and believes this philosophy helps to deter corruption. I mentioned last week that Ethiopia is a very poor country and this is borne out by their wages and salaries. Thus a security officer who might earn between R2 500 and R3 500 in South Africa earns 400 Birr per month which is in excess of the average in Merkato which is between 200 and 250! Cleaners earn 250 whilst professional technicians and supervisors earn between 800 and 900 Birr per month.
But it is what they have achieved that is truly remarkable. The internal roads within such areas are generally unpaved and with the current weather conditions (they have rain from June to September) the roads are slush. There is also no lighting provided to such internal roads. The "BID" has thus financed and provided to date 31 340 square metres of asphalt road surfacing. This has entailed building a stone sub-base off the existing surface with layers of various thicknesses of fines and an asphalt finish - the "BID" does not contract any of this, it does everything itself, almost totally by hand, other than for the aspects that can't be done without plant and equipment which the "BID" has in fact bought and operates itself. I saw a group of about forty people, men and women, sorting out and packing rocks to form the stone sub-base - people who would probably never have the opportunity to have work in this city of high unemployment. In addition they have to date constructed 3 400 metres of drainage,
258.7 cubic metres of retaining walls and provided 240 street lights (connected to Council supply, the "BID" pays for consumption). In a desolate roadscape that rings the area they are 'greening' the traffic islands (the "BID" pays for water consumed).
They have negotiated with the Council to take over a public toilet in the area that was not being maintained due to lack of Council funds. They are rebuilding the toilet and will charge users 25 cents per use which is considered fair in relation to the policy of a 10 Birr per day minimum wage. However, for the very poor in the area who could not even afford 25 cents, a separate toilet facility is provided free. Groups of street cleaners keep the area clean although work is still being done to develop a refuse collection system
The practical difficulties of co-ordinating dozens of trucks delivering and redistributing grain in between 5 000 donkeys used to distribute sacks of grain locally has been formalised and is controlled by the "BID" using specific times for vehicular and donkey collections and deliveries. Also formalised are the informal persons who earn an income carrying 50 kg sacks of grain on their necks and shoulders - each 'carrier' is registered with the "BID" and provided with an identity card. If grain is stolen within the area, the person/organisation who suffered the loss can claim from the "BID" which pays them out and takes up the identification of the suspect. Security has been improved through the employment of security guards, with the security service operating on a 24 hour basis. This provides confidence to those who trade within the area as vehicles often have to be left overnight and were previously being broken into or stolen before the service was started.
The "BID" is now investigating the collection of the donkey droppings with a view to making briquettes which will be supplied freely to the very poor people in the area as an energy source.
There is no legislation to enforce compliance or payments of the levy. This is a group of people who have recognised the limitations of local government and instead of whingeing or 'packing for Perth' have simply got on with the job at hand. And, as they come to the end of construction in their own area they are now looking at how they could possible help their neighbours. Maybe the real difference between so-called First- and Third- world countries is that in the former the 'haves' never stop expecting more yet find a dozen reasons why things cannot be done whilst, in the latter, the 'have-nots' know that if they don't provide for themselves, no-one else is going to and so they get on and do it.. And crowning the attitude of 'let's find a way and just do it' is that the poor and destitute of Ehil Berenda are part of the plan and therefore part of the city.
Friday, June 15, 2001
Addis Ababa Citichat 15 June 2001
CITICHAT 23/2001 - 15 June 2001
Addis Ababa
Believe it or not, this Citichat comes to you all the way from Addis Ababa.
I am spending a week in this, the capital city of Ethiopia where I am presenting a series of workshops on urban renewal and Improvement Districts as part of a process which is aimed at revising the 15 year old Master Plan for the city. Spending most of the time indoors, except for a brief tour of part of the city the day after I arrived, I haven’t really seen enough to give anything but the broadest of perceptions.
Ethiopia’s history dates back over 2 000 years but Addis Ababa itself is as young a city as Johannesburg, in fact founded three years after Jo’burg in 1889. Today it is a sprawling metropolis of huge contrasts and a population of between 3.5 and 4 million people. But back to Ethiopia. Historically known as the Abyssinian Empire it once covered a large part of the African continent and its trade reached into much of the world.
During the 20th century it was the only sub-Saharan country not to have been colonised and was held up as a beacon of hope and inspiration to many Africans who were fighting to remove colonial powers. It had an exceptionally strong economy and was perceived to have the potential to become the “bread basket” of Africa.
A Marxist military regime, over a seventeen year period which ended in 1991, totally destroyed the economy of the country – its current GDP per person at $110 is one of the lowest in the world. Since 1991, the focus of the new government has been to move from the Marxist command and control economy to that of a free market. The country appears to be highly complex and its new constitution provides for it to be subdivided on ethnic lines, thus there are 14 regions or ethnic subdivisions of which Addis Ababa, as both region and capital city, is the only one not established on ethnicity. Although there is one official language there are some 72 languages (not dialects) spoken in this country of 60 to 65 million people (its population second only to Nigeria in sub-Saharan Africa). It has its own calendar, called the Ethiopian calendar, which is some eight years behind the generally used calendar (it is now 1993) and which has twelve months of 30 days each and one month of five days!
First impressions. The airport, Bole International, is being rebuilt at a cost of $200 million (airports throughout the world appear to be in a constant state of extension or reconstruction!) and will obviously be an impressive gateway to the city when it is completed. On leaving the airport, however, one immediately gets onto one of the worst roads imaginable alongside the massive elevated section of a ring road under construction which is expected to make city commuting more efficient. The road has more potholes than driving surface so that every vehicle, in both directions, navigates from one side of the road to the other. Add wandering cows and goats and laden donkeys and this is one place where you don’t want to be behind the wheel! The city appears to be an amalgam of numerous settlements with high rise modern buildings of indeterminate architectural style randomly rising out of extensive high density shackland. The new $400 million hotel, the Sheraton Addis, is in sharp contrast to the corrugated iron shack neighbourhood on the other side of the street. My biggest disappointment is in fact in the architecture. I had been led to believe that, because it was a city not ever greatly influenced by colonial powers, it provided an example of true African city architecture. Not so, or hopefully, not so far!
The area that I saw most of on my second day here, is Merkato. Its origins date back to the short occupation of Ethiopia by Italy in the second world war, the Italians having designated this area of some 200 hectares for commercial activities of “indigenous peoples”. It has a population of between 95 and 100 000 people and is a dense, dense retail area, residential only accounting for less than 9%. Merkato is a major trading centre accommodating 14 000 formal businesses. It is the focal point for receiving all the country’s produce in bulk then redistributing it in a large variety of smaller quantities. It is also clearly the focal point for the ‘dumping’ of every variety of counterfeit designer goods.
Merkato’s commercial area is sub-divided into trading sectors so that one has all clothing related shops concentrated in one area, building materials in another, produce in another, etc. The streets that criss-cross Merkato are jammed, and I mean jammed, with cars, combi-taxis, trucks, donkeys and thousands and thousands of people who appear to prefer the roads to the pavements. In fact as one progresses outwards from the formal retail shop one encounters pavement (usually unpaved and solid with informal traders), parked vehicles and then another row of informal traders sitting and beggars sleeping on the road in the shade of the parked vehicles and then streams of pedestrians brushing cheek by jowl with or dodging between the traffic. To the uninitiated is appears chaotic but the skill the international group of architects from the Bau Haus, who are responsible for the urban upgrade design on behalf of city government, will have to bring will be in capturing the intense activity and vitality of the area. Many ‘shops’ of less than 20 square metres are sublet to 8 to 10 traders, all selling the same goods! Cheek by jowl will forever have an entirely different connotation for me! But it is really exciting!
And crime? Even with a 60% unemployment rate in the city, crime is minimal. In the crush of humanity that characterises the streets I never once felt threatened. My local mentor frequently used her cell phone while walking the area, as do many others, and I asked her if I would be safe on my own at night in the city with a camera in my hand. No problem! Makes you think!
Addis Ababa
Believe it or not, this Citichat comes to you all the way from Addis Ababa.
I am spending a week in this, the capital city of Ethiopia where I am presenting a series of workshops on urban renewal and Improvement Districts as part of a process which is aimed at revising the 15 year old Master Plan for the city. Spending most of the time indoors, except for a brief tour of part of the city the day after I arrived, I haven’t really seen enough to give anything but the broadest of perceptions.
Ethiopia’s history dates back over 2 000 years but Addis Ababa itself is as young a city as Johannesburg, in fact founded three years after Jo’burg in 1889. Today it is a sprawling metropolis of huge contrasts and a population of between 3.5 and 4 million people. But back to Ethiopia. Historically known as the Abyssinian Empire it once covered a large part of the African continent and its trade reached into much of the world.
During the 20th century it was the only sub-Saharan country not to have been colonised and was held up as a beacon of hope and inspiration to many Africans who were fighting to remove colonial powers. It had an exceptionally strong economy and was perceived to have the potential to become the “bread basket” of Africa.
A Marxist military regime, over a seventeen year period which ended in 1991, totally destroyed the economy of the country – its current GDP per person at $110 is one of the lowest in the world. Since 1991, the focus of the new government has been to move from the Marxist command and control economy to that of a free market. The country appears to be highly complex and its new constitution provides for it to be subdivided on ethnic lines, thus there are 14 regions or ethnic subdivisions of which Addis Ababa, as both region and capital city, is the only one not established on ethnicity. Although there is one official language there are some 72 languages (not dialects) spoken in this country of 60 to 65 million people (its population second only to Nigeria in sub-Saharan Africa). It has its own calendar, called the Ethiopian calendar, which is some eight years behind the generally used calendar (it is now 1993) and which has twelve months of 30 days each and one month of five days!
First impressions. The airport, Bole International, is being rebuilt at a cost of $200 million (airports throughout the world appear to be in a constant state of extension or reconstruction!) and will obviously be an impressive gateway to the city when it is completed. On leaving the airport, however, one immediately gets onto one of the worst roads imaginable alongside the massive elevated section of a ring road under construction which is expected to make city commuting more efficient. The road has more potholes than driving surface so that every vehicle, in both directions, navigates from one side of the road to the other. Add wandering cows and goats and laden donkeys and this is one place where you don’t want to be behind the wheel! The city appears to be an amalgam of numerous settlements with high rise modern buildings of indeterminate architectural style randomly rising out of extensive high density shackland. The new $400 million hotel, the Sheraton Addis, is in sharp contrast to the corrugated iron shack neighbourhood on the other side of the street. My biggest disappointment is in fact in the architecture. I had been led to believe that, because it was a city not ever greatly influenced by colonial powers, it provided an example of true African city architecture. Not so, or hopefully, not so far!
The area that I saw most of on my second day here, is Merkato. Its origins date back to the short occupation of Ethiopia by Italy in the second world war, the Italians having designated this area of some 200 hectares for commercial activities of “indigenous peoples”. It has a population of between 95 and 100 000 people and is a dense, dense retail area, residential only accounting for less than 9%. Merkato is a major trading centre accommodating 14 000 formal businesses. It is the focal point for receiving all the country’s produce in bulk then redistributing it in a large variety of smaller quantities. It is also clearly the focal point for the ‘dumping’ of every variety of counterfeit designer goods.
Merkato’s commercial area is sub-divided into trading sectors so that one has all clothing related shops concentrated in one area, building materials in another, produce in another, etc. The streets that criss-cross Merkato are jammed, and I mean jammed, with cars, combi-taxis, trucks, donkeys and thousands and thousands of people who appear to prefer the roads to the pavements. In fact as one progresses outwards from the formal retail shop one encounters pavement (usually unpaved and solid with informal traders), parked vehicles and then another row of informal traders sitting and beggars sleeping on the road in the shade of the parked vehicles and then streams of pedestrians brushing cheek by jowl with or dodging between the traffic. To the uninitiated is appears chaotic but the skill the international group of architects from the Bau Haus, who are responsible for the urban upgrade design on behalf of city government, will have to bring will be in capturing the intense activity and vitality of the area. Many ‘shops’ of less than 20 square metres are sublet to 8 to 10 traders, all selling the same goods! Cheek by jowl will forever have an entirely different connotation for me! But it is really exciting!
And crime? Even with a 60% unemployment rate in the city, crime is minimal. In the crush of humanity that characterises the streets I never once felt threatened. My local mentor frequently used her cell phone while walking the area, as do many others, and I asked her if I would be safe on my own at night in the city with a camera in my hand. No problem! Makes you think!
Friday, June 8, 2001
Braamfontein Citichat 8 June 2001
CITICHAT 22/2001 - 8 June 2001
Braamfontein Regeneration Initiative & Alley Kulcha
Mentioned Braamfontein almost in passing last week but it is an area that does deserve more coverage. Particularly as a public meeting for stakeholders was held on Wednesday evening this past week to inform stakeholders of the general plans for the area. This followed the meeting mentioned in last week's Citichat. (For non-Johannesburgers, Braamfontein is an area to the North-North-West of the Johannesburg CBD.)
The concept of a Braamfontein Regeneration Initiative was first raised at the Urban Futures Conference hosted by Wits University in July last year. It has now developed with three main thrusts, those of the University, the Council and the Private Sector, the latter largely through the proposed establishment of a City Improvement District (CID), although there are other private sector initiatives in place already through BAG (The Braamfontein Action group)..
The types of uses in Braamfontein have changed over the past decade. Braamfontein was previously the home of upmarket restaurants, landscaped A-grade office blocks, specialist shops and theatres with a few sought after flats along the northern ridge. Users from these sectors supported businesses in the area. Students also lunched, shopped and sought entertainment in Braamfontein.
With the decline of the CBD itself, some Braamfontein businesses, concerned that the urban decay would spill over into their area, joined the move North to the new office nodes. This of course contributed to the decline, another self-fulfilling prophecy! Smaller businesses have filled some of the vacant space whilst other commercial space has undergone conversion into residential accommodation. Users in Braamfontein, including students, now generally have lower spending power. This has led to a change in the type of retail available in the area, an increase in fast food outlets and a decrease in restaurants. One of the problems in the area is its "alleyways" required in a by-gone planning era but now adding to the feeling of an unmanaged environment - dirty and dark and perceived as magnets to criminals.
Instead of hitting you with the mostly boring list recommendations for the area, I thought I'd rather share with you the recommendations from Katherine Cox of our office (Katherine headed up the CJP's Braamfontein urban research process) for what she refers to as an ALLEY KULTCHA!
Katherine says that she has experienced political gatherings, art, music, raves, festivals and laser shows in alleyways of Inner Cities around the world. She suggests that many African and European Cities, have alleyways designed into the urban fabric. She says: "They have purpose, convey and allow symbolism and are a well-used part of the public realm. “Characteristic urban features of seventh-century M'zab communities included a network of wide streets and narrow alleyways designed for pedestrian and animal circulation. The wide streets connected the major community facilities; the Azzaba masjid and madrasa (school) in the centermost area of the ksar, public open spaces such as the suq, the cemeteries, and the summer valley town. Alleyways were used as passageways for pedestrian traffic (shortcuts/ ALTERNATIVE ROUTES), starting from wide streets and ending with cul-de-sacs. These alleys tended to follow the contours of the land and often were sheltered by the two-story houses, creating welcome shaded passageways in the Sahara sun.”
“The urban bazaar historically has been the heart of the Iranian town. In virtually all towns the bazaar is a covered street, or series of streets and alleyways, lined with small shops grouped by service or product.”
Alleyways are in constant interplay with the buildings that define them, and the qualities of both buildings and the external spaces reinforce each other in creating unique experiences. Due to physical separation, change in scale, light and use, alleyways have a distinctive character apart from the surrounding area. They also offer the opportunity of developing an open-space-hierarchy in the public realm, opportunities of surveillance and sub-culture. It is precisely this variety and richness that, among other things, make them ideal spaces of interest. They are public and accessible to all people at all times, whilst offering potential semi-private space. Alleyways are channels of movement and access, but more importantly, they are the places where we can relate and perform socially.
So our feeling is that Braamfontein’s alleyways can have a positive relationship with the surrounding area and its users – students, shoppers, business, tenants, tourists and property owners. We need to:
Allow them to be places to trade, talk or stroll around and be. They can become places of atonement / respite/ redemption from surrounding area.
Encourage alleyways to develop cultural and aesthetic value.
Allow the alleyways to exist for themselves – i.e. no monetary value or return initially.
Take into account current access requirements of adjacent buildings.
Encourage pedestrian flow through the alleyways.
Security and cleaning to be built into CID function – i.e. privately managed public space.
Negotiate lease of alleyways / servitudes from council / current owners.
Funded partly by the CID and partly by Council.
Start with few and allow the initiative to spread incrementally.
Design lighting into each “subject”.
Provided appropriate facilities for specific use – e.g. water, drainage, refuse removal, etc.
Not necessarily use all the space initially – can start with a small area at each end of the alleyway.
So the CONCEPT is to utilise the space or part thereof, in the alleyways aesthetically. Each alley to allow/take on a different ‘character’ or ‘subject’:
Alley Food
Successive, small, ethnic food outlets
Alley Flowers
Space dedicated specifically to flowers – growing, banners, virtual, murals, as many flowers as possible in the space.
Alley Agriculture
Urban agriculture, if sustainable and successful can be used by homeless / other residents in the area, murals and anything related.
Alley Art
Sculpture, murals, mixed media, psychadelia – anything interactive, live drama performances on a small scale.
Alley Sound
Decorated audio experience – equipment under 24-hour surveillance, also virtual use. Live music performances, alleyparties.
“Based on Shakesperian tale A Midsummer Nights Dream, Midsummer is an hallucinatory re-contextualising of this great work set against a backdrop of surreal house music and urban alleyways. This multi award-winning piece veers from the lavish to the downright psychedelic sometimes even taking on a Greenaway feel. A great exploration of FX and digital technologies and very smooth stuff to boot”.
Alley People
Space allowed free of charge to socially conscious initiatives, places of information and news, places where people can access information regarding resources.
Alley Green
Space for ‘green sustainable urban projects’, pilot run off, permaculture , education etc.
Kool Kultcha from Katherine! Any comments from out there?
Whilst it might be more relevant to cover a Braamfontein eatery this week, I have recently had the opportunity to renew acquaintanceship with "Gramedoelas". Part of the Market Theatre complex in Newtown, this is a restaurant that has never disappointed. They pioneered serving South African traditional specialities. First from our rich Malay/Dutch heritage (Snoek Sambal with Moskonfyt, Bobotie, Sosaties and Tomato Bredie) and later African tribal dishes (Umngqusho - evidently Nelson Mandela's favourite dish, Mogodu and Masonja (otherwise known as Mopani Worms which I introduced some time back to my friend Rob Walsh from Charlotte where the staple diet is more in the line of 'grits'!). -More recently they've gone more African with Moroccan (Chicken and Lamb tagines), Ethiopian (Doro Wat) and Zanzibarean (Zanzibar Duck) dishes plus much, much, more. Lunches Tuesdays to Saturdays, Dinners Monday nights to Saturday nights. Mine hosts are Eduan Naude and Brian Shalkoff and you can book on 838 6960 or cell 082- 880. 5555. Great food, beautifully served in unique surroundings - who says there's nowhere to eat in the city!
Braamfontein Regeneration Initiative & Alley Kulcha
Mentioned Braamfontein almost in passing last week but it is an area that does deserve more coverage. Particularly as a public meeting for stakeholders was held on Wednesday evening this past week to inform stakeholders of the general plans for the area. This followed the meeting mentioned in last week's Citichat. (For non-Johannesburgers, Braamfontein is an area to the North-North-West of the Johannesburg CBD.)
The concept of a Braamfontein Regeneration Initiative was first raised at the Urban Futures Conference hosted by Wits University in July last year. It has now developed with three main thrusts, those of the University, the Council and the Private Sector, the latter largely through the proposed establishment of a City Improvement District (CID), although there are other private sector initiatives in place already through BAG (The Braamfontein Action group)..
The types of uses in Braamfontein have changed over the past decade. Braamfontein was previously the home of upmarket restaurants, landscaped A-grade office blocks, specialist shops and theatres with a few sought after flats along the northern ridge. Users from these sectors supported businesses in the area. Students also lunched, shopped and sought entertainment in Braamfontein.
With the decline of the CBD itself, some Braamfontein businesses, concerned that the urban decay would spill over into their area, joined the move North to the new office nodes. This of course contributed to the decline, another self-fulfilling prophecy! Smaller businesses have filled some of the vacant space whilst other commercial space has undergone conversion into residential accommodation. Users in Braamfontein, including students, now generally have lower spending power. This has led to a change in the type of retail available in the area, an increase in fast food outlets and a decrease in restaurants. One of the problems in the area is its "alleyways" required in a by-gone planning era but now adding to the feeling of an unmanaged environment - dirty and dark and perceived as magnets to criminals.
Instead of hitting you with the mostly boring list recommendations for the area, I thought I'd rather share with you the recommendations from Katherine Cox of our office (Katherine headed up the CJP's Braamfontein urban research process) for what she refers to as an ALLEY KULTCHA!
Katherine says that she has experienced political gatherings, art, music, raves, festivals and laser shows in alleyways of Inner Cities around the world. She suggests that many African and European Cities, have alleyways designed into the urban fabric. She says: "They have purpose, convey and allow symbolism and are a well-used part of the public realm. “Characteristic urban features of seventh-century M'zab communities included a network of wide streets and narrow alleyways designed for pedestrian and animal circulation. The wide streets connected the major community facilities; the Azzaba masjid and madrasa (school) in the centermost area of the ksar, public open spaces such as the suq, the cemeteries, and the summer valley town. Alleyways were used as passageways for pedestrian traffic (shortcuts/ ALTERNATIVE ROUTES), starting from wide streets and ending with cul-de-sacs. These alleys tended to follow the contours of the land and often were sheltered by the two-story houses, creating welcome shaded passageways in the Sahara sun.”
“The urban bazaar historically has been the heart of the Iranian town. In virtually all towns the bazaar is a covered street, or series of streets and alleyways, lined with small shops grouped by service or product.”
Alleyways are in constant interplay with the buildings that define them, and the qualities of both buildings and the external spaces reinforce each other in creating unique experiences. Due to physical separation, change in scale, light and use, alleyways have a distinctive character apart from the surrounding area. They also offer the opportunity of developing an open-space-hierarchy in the public realm, opportunities of surveillance and sub-culture. It is precisely this variety and richness that, among other things, make them ideal spaces of interest. They are public and accessible to all people at all times, whilst offering potential semi-private space. Alleyways are channels of movement and access, but more importantly, they are the places where we can relate and perform socially.
So our feeling is that Braamfontein’s alleyways can have a positive relationship with the surrounding area and its users – students, shoppers, business, tenants, tourists and property owners. We need to:
Allow them to be places to trade, talk or stroll around and be. They can become places of atonement / respite/ redemption from surrounding area.
Encourage alleyways to develop cultural and aesthetic value.
Allow the alleyways to exist for themselves – i.e. no monetary value or return initially.
Take into account current access requirements of adjacent buildings.
Encourage pedestrian flow through the alleyways.
Security and cleaning to be built into CID function – i.e. privately managed public space.
Negotiate lease of alleyways / servitudes from council / current owners.
Funded partly by the CID and partly by Council.
Start with few and allow the initiative to spread incrementally.
Design lighting into each “subject”.
Provided appropriate facilities for specific use – e.g. water, drainage, refuse removal, etc.
Not necessarily use all the space initially – can start with a small area at each end of the alleyway.
So the CONCEPT is to utilise the space or part thereof, in the alleyways aesthetically. Each alley to allow/take on a different ‘character’ or ‘subject’:
Alley Food
Successive, small, ethnic food outlets
Alley Flowers
Space dedicated specifically to flowers – growing, banners, virtual, murals, as many flowers as possible in the space.
Alley Agriculture
Urban agriculture, if sustainable and successful can be used by homeless / other residents in the area, murals and anything related.
Alley Art
Sculpture, murals, mixed media, psychadelia – anything interactive, live drama performances on a small scale.
Alley Sound
Decorated audio experience – equipment under 24-hour surveillance, also virtual use. Live music performances, alleyparties.
“Based on Shakesperian tale A Midsummer Nights Dream, Midsummer is an hallucinatory re-contextualising of this great work set against a backdrop of surreal house music and urban alleyways. This multi award-winning piece veers from the lavish to the downright psychedelic sometimes even taking on a Greenaway feel. A great exploration of FX and digital technologies and very smooth stuff to boot”.
Alley People
Space allowed free of charge to socially conscious initiatives, places of information and news, places where people can access information regarding resources.
Alley Green
Space for ‘green sustainable urban projects’, pilot run off, permaculture , education etc.
Kool Kultcha from Katherine! Any comments from out there?
Whilst it might be more relevant to cover a Braamfontein eatery this week, I have recently had the opportunity to renew acquaintanceship with "Gramedoelas". Part of the Market Theatre complex in Newtown, this is a restaurant that has never disappointed. They pioneered serving South African traditional specialities. First from our rich Malay/Dutch heritage (Snoek Sambal with Moskonfyt, Bobotie, Sosaties and Tomato Bredie) and later African tribal dishes (Umngqusho - evidently Nelson Mandela's favourite dish, Mogodu and Masonja (otherwise known as Mopani Worms which I introduced some time back to my friend Rob Walsh from Charlotte where the staple diet is more in the line of 'grits'!). -More recently they've gone more African with Moroccan (Chicken and Lamb tagines), Ethiopian (Doro Wat) and Zanzibarean (Zanzibar Duck) dishes plus much, much, more. Lunches Tuesdays to Saturdays, Dinners Monday nights to Saturday nights. Mine hosts are Eduan Naude and Brian Shalkoff and you can book on 838 6960 or cell 082- 880. 5555. Great food, beautifully served in unique surroundings - who says there's nowhere to eat in the city!
Friday, June 1, 2001
Braamfontein; CIDA Citichat 1 June 2001
CITICHAT 21/2001 - 1 June 2001
Braamfontein Plans, Inner City Investors’ Briefing & CIDA City Campus
An exciting two weeks! Last week, Professor Leila Patel of Wits University hosted a small presentation/cocktail party in regard to the university's plans relative to the city and, more particularly, as they relate to Braamfontein., Colin Bundy, Vice Chancellor before moving to the UK last year actually started the Wits initiative when he expressed disappointment with the fact that Wits had become an introverted campus, turning its back on the city and Braamfontein. Grads from Wits will no doubt recall pleasant times spent in the pubs and tearooms of 'Braamies' nearly all of which have progressively disappeared over the past decade. The university now want to see Braamfontein renewed and vital once again with definite linkages between the institution and the urban area. They also want to promote Braamfontein into developing as an IT area as well as linking its cultural base with the University's new cultural developments. Whilst all of this is of course good news, in fact excellent news, it does seem to fly somewhat in the face of logic when one hears of massive internal retail and eating facilities about to be created on campus. Yes, well, academics!
Tuesday this week was the Inner City's Investors Briefing which was a great success judging from the feedback we received and from the point of view of the level of interest aroused. There were 350 people in the 50 th Floor 'Top of the Carlton' venue to hear the Executive Mayor, Amos Masondo, the Provincial Government MEC for Finance Jabu Moleketi, Dr. Gert Dry the Chairman of the Business Coalition and Graeme Reid and myself presenting details of the extraordinary upsurge in projects and opportunities that have been such a feature of 2001 to date. I see the Star captioned me as the 'former' director of the CJP! I checked the obituary columns to see if they knew something that I didn't but I'm still here! Even the traditional skeptics have phoned to say that they felt it was a successful briefing and the occasion has definitely 'raised the bar' in terms of improved perceptions and knowledge of where we are at and where we are going.
One of the attendees was Taddy Blecher who was understandably excited, "over the moon" might be more apt, as he had just heard that his CIDA City Campus has been accredited and will shortly receive recognition as a fully fledged university. This new city university occupies what was previously an Investec office building situated between Fox and Commissioner Streets (the address is 54 Commissioner). I mentioned the CIDA (Community and Individual Development Association) City Campus very briefly in a Citichat some months ago but it is a truly remarkable story worthy of much more coverage.
It was started only two years ago which is in itself a remarkable achievement. It focuses on historically disadvantaged South Africans providing a practical four year Bachelor of Business Administration Degree that emphasises entrepreneurship, business and computer skills. The intellectual components of course are all the traditional business subjects, Accounts 1,2,3, 4; Economics 1,2, 3; Finance 1,2,3,4; Operations; Marketing 1,2,3,4; Statistics; Maths; etc. etc. But to these are added people skills such as personal finance, insurance, business and government, computer, professional and life skills, principle-centred leadership, professionalism, 'Ubuntu', philanthropy, creativity, self-esteem, problem solving skills and thinking power. They offer over 40 different sports, clubs and societies. And the punch line is that each student 'costs' the institution only R1 600-00 per year, a tenth of costs of traditional institutions. How do they do it? Innovative use of multimedia technology - television - CCTV- video projection on large screens. The students run the campus and the administration offices; the institution partners with businesses who make donations in kind; they also partner with other tertiary education institutions and business schools who make their courses, curricula, materials and facilities available to them and they supplement their own staff with expertise freely provided by professionals in the private sector.
Values are learnt by the students through having to assist in running the administration, filing, typing, cleaning, cooking, maintenance all helping to provide a practical approach whilst also doing community work that is done on the side - Each student has to pay towards their education - R350 in year one and R100 per month in each succeeding year.
There are currently 1200 students on campus - they are planning to grow to at least
4 000 by 2005 - the pass rate at the end of year one was 75% - their daily attendance rates are 97% - in the Edgars entrance exams for part-time work their students excelled many scoring 100% in the tests resulting in 150 of them being employed.
And they make their students work! An integrated teaching system covers 8 hours a day instead of the standard 3 to 4 hours over 40 to 44 weeks per year compared to the standard 34 to 39 weeks for 4 years as opposed to 3. And the discipline is rigorous - come late and you won't get admitted to lectures, miss a certain amount of time and you're out altogether. And it works. The place hums with energy and the commitment and enthusiasm of the students is palpable. Here are a bunch of young men and women who are getting an opportunity that the mainstream system denies them and they are clearly grabbing that opportunity with both hands.
Amongst many causes deserving of financial support, this is a pearl! It is a direct investment in the future of the country whilst taking cognisance of the inequities of the past. Prof Nick Binedell, Director of the Business School of the University of Pretoria, succinctly sums it up; :"In my many years of tertiary education I have never come across a higher level of commitment, innovation and creativity being applied to a programme of adult learning, and the excellent use of available resources to match."
And its happening in the Inner City, Yeah!
This week's eatery is a great coffee bar and light lunch venue, the Brazilian in the Carlton Centre. Their coffee is strong (as coffee should be) and their menu with its tramezzino, focaccias salads and other goodies is excellent. Presided over by Maria with the always cheerful Bebe and Daniela plus the backroom production team of ladies, we're going to miss the convenience, quality and friendliness when we move at the end of June.
Finally - the Braamfontein Spruit Trust and various Community bodies are going to be celebrating World Environment Day on Sunday 3rd June at Delta Park Environment Centre in Victory Park starting at 08h30 (meet in the car park where safe parking is available) with mystery tours, launch of winter bird spotting competition, bird walks, cross country horse show with the River Rangers, guide dogs, craft stalls, etc.,etc.. Take a picnic brunch and join in the fun - more info from Andrew Rowland on 082-782.1103.
Braamfontein Plans, Inner City Investors’ Briefing & CIDA City Campus
An exciting two weeks! Last week, Professor Leila Patel of Wits University hosted a small presentation/cocktail party in regard to the university's plans relative to the city and, more particularly, as they relate to Braamfontein., Colin Bundy, Vice Chancellor before moving to the UK last year actually started the Wits initiative when he expressed disappointment with the fact that Wits had become an introverted campus, turning its back on the city and Braamfontein. Grads from Wits will no doubt recall pleasant times spent in the pubs and tearooms of 'Braamies' nearly all of which have progressively disappeared over the past decade. The university now want to see Braamfontein renewed and vital once again with definite linkages between the institution and the urban area. They also want to promote Braamfontein into developing as an IT area as well as linking its cultural base with the University's new cultural developments. Whilst all of this is of course good news, in fact excellent news, it does seem to fly somewhat in the face of logic when one hears of massive internal retail and eating facilities about to be created on campus. Yes, well, academics!
Tuesday this week was the Inner City's Investors Briefing which was a great success judging from the feedback we received and from the point of view of the level of interest aroused. There were 350 people in the 50 th Floor 'Top of the Carlton' venue to hear the Executive Mayor, Amos Masondo, the Provincial Government MEC for Finance Jabu Moleketi, Dr. Gert Dry the Chairman of the Business Coalition and Graeme Reid and myself presenting details of the extraordinary upsurge in projects and opportunities that have been such a feature of 2001 to date. I see the Star captioned me as the 'former' director of the CJP! I checked the obituary columns to see if they knew something that I didn't but I'm still here! Even the traditional skeptics have phoned to say that they felt it was a successful briefing and the occasion has definitely 'raised the bar' in terms of improved perceptions and knowledge of where we are at and where we are going.
One of the attendees was Taddy Blecher who was understandably excited, "over the moon" might be more apt, as he had just heard that his CIDA City Campus has been accredited and will shortly receive recognition as a fully fledged university. This new city university occupies what was previously an Investec office building situated between Fox and Commissioner Streets (the address is 54 Commissioner). I mentioned the CIDA (Community and Individual Development Association) City Campus very briefly in a Citichat some months ago but it is a truly remarkable story worthy of much more coverage.
It was started only two years ago which is in itself a remarkable achievement. It focuses on historically disadvantaged South Africans providing a practical four year Bachelor of Business Administration Degree that emphasises entrepreneurship, business and computer skills. The intellectual components of course are all the traditional business subjects, Accounts 1,2,3, 4; Economics 1,2, 3; Finance 1,2,3,4; Operations; Marketing 1,2,3,4; Statistics; Maths; etc. etc. But to these are added people skills such as personal finance, insurance, business and government, computer, professional and life skills, principle-centred leadership, professionalism, 'Ubuntu', philanthropy, creativity, self-esteem, problem solving skills and thinking power. They offer over 40 different sports, clubs and societies. And the punch line is that each student 'costs' the institution only R1 600-00 per year, a tenth of costs of traditional institutions. How do they do it? Innovative use of multimedia technology - television - CCTV- video projection on large screens. The students run the campus and the administration offices; the institution partners with businesses who make donations in kind; they also partner with other tertiary education institutions and business schools who make their courses, curricula, materials and facilities available to them and they supplement their own staff with expertise freely provided by professionals in the private sector.
Values are learnt by the students through having to assist in running the administration, filing, typing, cleaning, cooking, maintenance all helping to provide a practical approach whilst also doing community work that is done on the side - Each student has to pay towards their education - R350 in year one and R100 per month in each succeeding year.
There are currently 1200 students on campus - they are planning to grow to at least
4 000 by 2005 - the pass rate at the end of year one was 75% - their daily attendance rates are 97% - in the Edgars entrance exams for part-time work their students excelled many scoring 100% in the tests resulting in 150 of them being employed.
And they make their students work! An integrated teaching system covers 8 hours a day instead of the standard 3 to 4 hours over 40 to 44 weeks per year compared to the standard 34 to 39 weeks for 4 years as opposed to 3. And the discipline is rigorous - come late and you won't get admitted to lectures, miss a certain amount of time and you're out altogether. And it works. The place hums with energy and the commitment and enthusiasm of the students is palpable. Here are a bunch of young men and women who are getting an opportunity that the mainstream system denies them and they are clearly grabbing that opportunity with both hands.
Amongst many causes deserving of financial support, this is a pearl! It is a direct investment in the future of the country whilst taking cognisance of the inequities of the past. Prof Nick Binedell, Director of the Business School of the University of Pretoria, succinctly sums it up; :"In my many years of tertiary education I have never come across a higher level of commitment, innovation and creativity being applied to a programme of adult learning, and the excellent use of available resources to match."
And its happening in the Inner City, Yeah!
This week's eatery is a great coffee bar and light lunch venue, the Brazilian in the Carlton Centre. Their coffee is strong (as coffee should be) and their menu with its tramezzino, focaccias salads and other goodies is excellent. Presided over by Maria with the always cheerful Bebe and Daniela plus the backroom production team of ladies, we're going to miss the convenience, quality and friendliness when we move at the end of June.
Finally - the Braamfontein Spruit Trust and various Community bodies are going to be celebrating World Environment Day on Sunday 3rd June at Delta Park Environment Centre in Victory Park starting at 08h30 (meet in the car park where safe parking is available) with mystery tours, launch of winter bird spotting competition, bird walks, cross country horse show with the River Rangers, guide dogs, craft stalls, etc.,etc.. Take a picnic brunch and join in the fun - more info from Andrew Rowland on 082-782.1103.
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