A group of property owners, managers, tenants and interested individuals attended the briefing session for the Randburg Precinct Management District (RPMD) at the Apollo Hotel.
Board chairman Julian Manikus introduced the RPMD. It was formed by a group of committed and passionate skilled individuals in a meeting held in February this year.
The aim of the RPMD is to revitalise Randburg CBD and create a clean and safer area for business owners, tenants, residents, property owners and visitors. It was established to create an inclusive community approach to addressing the issues of the area.
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During his presentation, Manikus explained the current state of the Randburg CBD and emphasised that the organisation could only be an effective city improvement district depending on the contributions received from the property owners, managers and also tenants.
“We are driven by the vision to be the change and to be actively involved in it. There is an economic decay in Randburg; there are no new investments coming. We need to reverse that, and we can do that. The environment is unsafe, there is dirt everywhere and we need to put our hands together and fix the issue. All of that needs to be supported and the vision will not be a success without your financial support.”
Different zones had been identified and the RPMD would start small and extend its area of operation as funding permitted.
Ward 102 councillor Lucinda Harman was one of the attendees and she expressed her excitement knowing that one of her dreams for the area was in fact being realised through the plans of the organisation.
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She said she could not wait for the area to become clean and safe again.
Board member and general manager Mary Gillett-de Klerk stated that while the RPMD was an initiative of the Randburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry, it is registered as a non-profit company and is an independent organisation.
She announced that an operations office had been offered to the RPMD and that its doors would be opening on August 1. She further explained that all stakeholders would be engaged in the process moving forward so that the best utilisation of resources could be harnessed to revitalise Randburg ahead of the Gautrain station coming.
Questions and comments from the attendees revealed how many business and professional practices were impacted by people being unwilling to enter the area for fear of their safety.
Manikus urged the attendees to realise the vision by joining in and also help with finances to keep the plans in line.
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