Community Interaction

ARP report to the Review Summit 2008

Dated: April 2008 | ARP

The Greater Alexandra Development Forum (GADF) in partnership with Alexandra Renewal Project (ARP) hosted a Review Summit on the 17th and 18th April 2008. The Summit was held at Central Johannesburg College in Alexandra, and was well attended by members of the general community, community leaders, non-governmental organisations, as well as officials from both Provincial and City departments involved in the ARP. The purpose of the Summit was to:

• report back to the community on development in Alexandra;
• highlight ARP’s achievements to date;
• discuss the outcomes since that last summit of 2004;
• identify and outline challenges experienced thus far;
• obtain stakeholders' input on the proposed way forward.

	Housing MEC Nomvula Mokonyane
	Executive Mayor Amos Masondo
	ARP Director Julian Baskin

Keynote speakers were the Gauteng Department of Housing MEC, Nomvula Mokonyane and the Executive Mayor, Amos Masondo. The ARP Director, Julian Baskin gave a detailed report on the Alexandra Renewal Project. Amongst others, his report highlighted the following aspects of the ARP:

Key Achievements 2001-2004

1. Spatial Framework developed
2. Alexandra police station upgraded (Wynberg)
3. New central Alex police station built
4. People Centre built
5. All 18 schools upgraded
6. All clinics upgraded
7. Crèche converted into child and family resource centre
8. 2054 trees planted
9. 2 parks upgraded
10. 3 new parks developed
11. Cemetery upgraded
12. 8500 families relocated out of Alexandra
13. 1400 housing units built within Alex (incl. River park)
14. 350 Social housing units in Old Alex
15. Alex transit Village built (550 units)
16. Marlboro Transit Village upgraded
17. Upgrading of water mains
18. Construction of water reservoir
19. Outfall sewers upgraded
20. Electricity supply upgrade & 12000 connections
21. 46000 waste bins distributed
22. 10 km of roads in Old Alex upgraded
23. 3 km of road in East Bank surfaced
24. London Road widened
25. London Road bridge widened
26. Wynberg City Improvement District established
27. Economic clusters operating (retail, auto, construction)
28. Alexandra Development Forum established.

Completed Projects 2005 to date

1. Teachers Training and Resource Centre
2. Wynberg / Pan Africa intersection
3. Ekukhanyisweni Primary School
4. ATV Storage Facility
5. River Park Library
6. Jukskei River open space: Phase 3
7. M2 (Nobuhle) Hostel upgrading: Phase 1
8. Diepsloot Multi Purpose Centre
9. Business Development Centre
10. Edenvale Aids Clinic
11. Edenvale Hospital Pharmacy
12. Edenvale Hospital Outpatients
13. Bombani Safe House
14. Kwa Bhekilanga Athletic / Rugby Facility: Phase 1
15. Altrek Sports Facility upgrading
16. Alex Stadium
17. River bank protection
18. Ext. 7 Pedestrian Bridge
19. Jukskei Park Pedestrian Bridge
20. Upgrading of existing Cemeteries
21. Business Support Centre
22. East Bank ECD facility
23. 9 km sidewalk upgrading
24. 15 km road build and upgrade
25. Jukskei Park: Phase 3
26. 2 Community parks
27. Greening of Far East Bank Ext. 8
28. 3500 trees planted
29. Storm water curb inlets upgraded (120)
30. 2 large hot spots upgraded
31. Yard ablutions upgraded: Phase 1
32. Electricity Master Plan 30000 connections
33. History of Alexandra documented
34. M2 Hostel: Phase 1
35. 520 rented rooms
36. Emergency housing facility

Current projects that will be completed by end of 2008

1. Extension 7 (95% done, to be completed in April 2008)
2. Emergency housing (95% April)
3. Marlboro School grounds upgrade (95% April)
4. Bombani Park (95% April)
5. Gordon Primary School (80% June)
6. Marlboro RDP Flats (75% June)
7. Special Needs housing (75% May)
8. Vasco da Gama Bridge (60% June)
9. Community cluster homes (20% June)
10. 400 Informal trading stalls (2% June)
11. K206 Housing Ext 9 (30% October)
12. Redevelopment of Pan Taxi & Retail (60% October)

Ongoing programmes

1. Development of open space
2. Local economic development
3. Jukskei River upgrade
4. Implementation of Storm Water Master Plan
5. Upgrading of ablution facilities
6. Upgrading of roads and sidewalks
7. Electrical Master Plan
8. Township proclamations
9. Air and water quality monitoring

The ARP Director also gave a overview of new projects in planning, and explained some of the challenges facing the project, such as the shortage of land within the Alex area.