South Africa’s City of Johannesburg has embarked on an ambitious urban renewal project to reclaim hijacked buildings and rehabilitate condemned structures in its inner city.
The revitalisation plan, approved by the mayoral committee in late March, seeks to transform neglected properties into functional spaces for businesses and families.
“As part of this initiative, the city will rehabilitate buildings that have been declared uninhabitable by the courts, with the objective of leasing them to stimulate urban renewal, attract investment, drive economic growth and create employment opportunities,” the city authorities said in a statement late Tuesday.
Occupants of these structures will be relocated to temporary emergency accommodation at locations in the city where over 600 housing units are ready or nearing completion.
The city’s inner city has long struggled with building hijackings and unsafe structures, which have become emblematic of urban decay.
Hijacked buildings are properties illegally occupied and often stripped of value, posing safety and legal challenges for both residents and the city.
These buildings, combined with years of neglect, have hindered Johannesburg’s potential as a thriving commercial hub.
The city has in recent years witnessed several cases of fires at these dilapidated or hijacked buildings, resulting in deaths of scores of people.
Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Economic Development, Nomoya Mnisi, said Johannesburg’s inner city holds immense potential and the authorities planned to collaborate with property owners and private investors to unlock its value.
“Through the Johannesburg Property Company, the city is committed to working with investors and property owners – not against them – to unlock value and drive economic and social development,” the MMC said.
The plan also explores private-public partnerships and the potential sale of certain city-owned properties to the private sector.
Rehabilitated buildings will be leased to stimulate further investment and create employment opportunities within the central business district.
JN/APA