Is a 24-hour workday in Johannesburg feasible? SA youth question its implementation

After local investors urged the City of Joburg to reimagine a 24-hour Johannesburg to unlock opportunities in South Africa, several young people questioned the implementation of the initiative and whether this would not increase the crime rate in those areas.

In light of youth unemployment being in focus on Youth Day yesterday, labour experts and young people said any initiative aimed at unleashing endless opportunities for efficiency, growth and employment should be welcomed.

’24-hour Johannesburg’

Has potential, but what about crime?

Entrepreneur Nhlanhla Maduna said while the 24-hour workday in Joburg has the potential to help decrease the unemployment rate in SA, crime around SA was going to be the biggest challenge against this initiative.

“I’m all for it. There are many institutions which could employ people to work at night; services like home affairs could actually have a quicker turnaround time,” he said.

“But with the increasing crime rate in South Africa, I wonder if those people would not be subject or victims to robberies and all sorts of crimes which normally happen at night.”

24-hour Johannesburg budget

However, labour analyst Tony Healy said above all, the biggest challenge which faces the Gauteng government if they wanted to implement this initiative would be the budget which is required to fund the project and pay extra employees.

“I’m not close to Gauteng Treasury but there’s no doubt that if the funds are available for this kind of initiative, then it’s a very good idea and we just kind of need to look around Joburg to see where this 24-hour solution could be put to good use,” he said.

“We all know what this would include, potholes for example, improving services in state hospitals and resourcing fire departments.

“Perhaps also increasing police presence with officers doing less admin and get more officers on the street. Remember that is a 24-hour service anyway.”

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A Member of the mayoral committee responsible for finance, Julie Suddaby, hosted an engagement session on Monday and said Joburg has a population of roughly 6.2 million people, matching cities like New York, Hong Kong and London.

“Joburg has an unemployment rate of 40% and the youth unemployment rate is a devastating 55%. Our poverty rate is 52% and only 71% of households have access to electricity,” she said.

Meanwhile, the chair of the National Property Practitioners Council, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa told Suddaby Joburg was the heartbeat of the SA economy.

“Johannesburg must work; we have no choice. It is imperative for the government, business, and relevant stakeholders to realise the urgency of correcting things,” she said.

“We need to start to think about the multiuse function of buildings in the inner-city. We need to start moving to a 24-hour city.”

– reitumetsem@citizen.co.za