As the foundation gears up for its annual general meeting this month, spokesperson Flo Bird spoke to City Buzz JHB about the foundation’s work.
“In the last financial year, we did 29 tours for members and for the public, plus 12 tours for the Heritage Weekend, a special tour for Heritage Day, and five commercial tours for non-members,” said Bird.
Foundation members have also been grading buildings in the city, “stand by stand, street by street”; a project initiated by James Ball.
“The foundation entered into a contract with the city council’s Corporate GIS section to provide the council with heritage information which will then appear on the GIS system,” she said.
“[And] we have been asked to provide heritage information for the BRT areas on the Empire-Perth roads corridor; and we have sent information for the Turffontein Development Scheme.”
Another exciting foundation project will expand Museum Africa’s architectural drawings collection.
“We [plan to remove] drawings of buildings which have long since been demolished from the city council’s shelves and moving them to the museum, so retaining… solid historical and social evidence of retail, industrial, warehousing, hospitals, garages and housing as the city developed,” said Bird.
The foundation also funded several blue heritage plaques at sites such as Fietas, Hillbrow’s Temple Israel, Esselen Street Clinic, and Parktown’s Annadale.
“We will move into Soweto with the plaque for Regina Mundi church, and for repairs to the lions at James Sofasonke Mpanza’s house in Orlando East,” she said.
Other restoration work done by the foundation included minor window repairs at Wynnstay for the National Children’s Theatre, a wood sealant donation to Alpine Court, repairs to Holy Family College, and fundraising for Joburg’s oldest church, St Mary the Less, for much-needed repairs.
Bird said the foundation’s biggest achievement this year was the rezoning of 19 stands on Napier Road, Richmond, for the reconstruction of the Rand Steam Laundries buildings that were demolished six years ago.
“It was the determination of the foundation, backed by public opinion, which forced the rezoning [that] requires the reinstatement of the buildings. As far as I know, this is unprecedented in South Africa,” she said.
The AGM will take place on 19 July at Northwards, 21 Rockridge Road, Parktown, at 2pm.
Details: 011 482 3349; www.joburgheritage.co.za
