Tau was expected to focus on issues of service delivery, billing problems, roads and unemployment among other challenges that the City faces.
The implementation of major programmes to tackle these challenges was at the top of the agenda.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MAYOR’S ADDRESS
• Vulindlel’eJozi
In partnership with the Mayoral Committee and Harambee Youth Accelerator, the City aims to provide opportunities for 200 000 youth by 2016.
The programme will enable young people to enter work, education and training to improve their economic participation.
• Massive Open Online Varsity
The MOOV programme will provide online university education through the City’s public libraries in partnership with international institutions. Hundreds of students citywide will be able to enrol for recognised online courses offered by institutions such as University of Adelaide, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Rice University and Wharton Business School. The programme currently has 40 young people enrolled.
• Broadband/Wi-Fi
The City will accelerate the rollout of free public Wi-Fi hotspots in Johannesburg and deploy 3 000 young people to provide digital literacy training to residents. The mayor announced that the City is in the process of blanketing Braamfontein with Wi-Fi that provides high-speed broadband acces. “Digital access is becoming as much an equity issue in our society as access to water and electricity.” said Tau.
• Crime Predicting CCTV
The City has upgraded CCTV cameras in the inner City and linked them to the new intelligent operations centre. According to Tau, the intelligent predictive software and the cameras can detect patterns of behaviour that arouse suspicion which will enable the performance of the JMPD 10-plus programme of localised deployment.
• Roads
The City will upgrade freeways through the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Programme. “These will be e-toll quality roads without e-tolls. The capacity assessment of M1, M2 and Soweto Highway will commence soon.” said Tau.
Repairs will also be done on the Double Decker, Oxford and Federation bridges.
• Green and Blue Economy Projects
The mayor said the City has partnered with international systems engineer Prof Gunter Pauli and a network of 130 experts to implement projects of cutting edge science into social, ecological and competitive initiatives to address poverty, unemployment and inequality.
Introduction of fruit trimming to replace flour into the bread-making process.
Enable new micro mushroom farms to turn nutrition into viable businesses.
Installation of low-flush toilets and water-saving urinals as a standard feature in Joburg homes, offices and commercial sites.
Harness energy from water flowing through the water pipe system citywide using in-pipe turbines to provide electricity.
Diverting organic waste to bio-digestors to harvest gas for fuel and energy and converting rubble from illegal dumpsites into a new form of stone paper.
The mayor acknowledged the progress of programmes implemented as part of the Joburg 2040 Growth and Development Strategy. He also encouraged to residents to actively participate in government programmes to improve the standards and livelihood of their communities.
