JOHANNESBURG – The City of Johannesburg has dedicated itself to the Joburg 2040 Growth and Development Strategy, which seeks to meaningfully transform Johannesburg into a resource efficient; sustainable and integrated city.
Part of achieving this transformation involves spatial integration and the investment in infrastructure in areas that have historically received inadequate attention.
The Ekhaya Project in Orlando, Soweto is one such project that signifies positive steps towards achieving strategic success for Joburg 2040. The project was launched by the City of Joburg under JOSHCO (Johannesburg Social Housing Company), which celebrates a decade of service this month to the Greater Johannesburg area. JOSHCO CEO Rory Gallocher expressed his excitement of their involvement with the project, which was advancing the city’s economic vision for Orlando.
The economic vision of the City of Johannesburg for Orlando and Greater Soweto seeks to bring land uses other than only residential (retail, commercial, entertainment etc) into the area to strengthen job opportunities and the local economy. However, realisation of the vision is only possible through reliable partnerships that deliver. Motheo Construction has provided the technical skills that lead to the completion of this project and others like it.
Housing MMC Dan Bovu mentioned a number of sites where Johannesburg residents have been provided with affordable housing. Areas include City Deep, Selby, Nancefield, Orlando, Jabulani, Orlando West and Dube.
Bovu added, “Our aim is to provide residents with proper accommodation, which transform how families that were separated live and developing emerging contractors within all communities that we work with.”
The demand for accommodation within the Orlando and surrounding areas outstrips the supply thereof. The 290 unit JOSHCO affordable rental accommodation project in the Orlando Ekhaya precinct seeks to contribute meaningfully to the supply of much needed housing in the area.
In this way, the City of Joburg aims to respond to the housing challenge by providing sustainable housing settlements for its residents. Joburg is a much better place to live for the vast majority of its residents than it was in 1994.
