The Sandton Central Management District looks back at the eventful year that was 2020.
According to district improvement manager, Elaine Jack while this year came with its many challenges, there were equally as many positive and memorable moments for ‘Africa’s richest square mile’.
Jack writes:
Sandton Central started the year with business as usual and the precinct was looking forward to a variety of exciting activities and events but 27 March certainly broke our routine, it forced us to make time to reflect and restructure life as we know it.
The Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated to us the value of freedom – the freedom to move, to be with those we love, to live in dignity and security, for ourselves and for those around us.
The last eight unprecedented months have made it impossible to say what impact or changes are due to the pandemic, however it’s a reasonable assumption that many businesses in Sandton used this opportunity to optimise their employees’ time and test their technology resources and capability for remote working support.
Talking about technology, the precinct took advantage of the low-level activity to roll out CCTV and intelligence software to enhance and improve the existing security measures in the precinct.
The software has enabled number plate recognition and is also able to detect specific behaviour patterns and anomalies, and applications that track and analyse traffic flows.
We hope with better surveillance and intelligence, we are able to provide the people and businesses of Sandton Central a quality experience in their urban environment.
On the 24 September, Nelson Mandela Square celebrated our South African-ness by joining the global phenomenon that is spreading across the world – the Jerusalema dance challenge.
The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), the largest stock exchange in Africa, celebrated two decades in Sandton Central this year.
Over the past 20 years, there has been much change and progress in the business landscape in South Africa in general and Sandton Central specifically, with the JSE playing a pivotal role.
The pandemic has revealed a vast sea of kindness and generosity in our Sandton community and we want to applaud those who were able to provide assistance and continued to care and support a charitable initiative.
Once again, I cannot stress enough the importance of heeding our government’s safety and health instructions, as it is vitally important that we don’t put our economic recovery in jeopardy.
I would like to wish you all a safe, healthy and relaxing festive season, and may 2021 be a year of rebuilding, renewal and resilience.
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