Community Takes Action to Fix Randburg

All around the City of Johannesburg, communities and residents’ associations are organising themselves and their wider community to rescue their living spaces from years of neglect by officials.

One such initiative — Re-Imagine Randburg — is building steam, co-opting residents and businesses to help revitalise the large suburb.

Launched in February, Re-Imagine Randburg started with commitment pledges from 40 people and businesses to “adopt” traffic islands, pavements and roads near them.

The idea, said Roy Andersen, the man behind the movement, is for every business to take care of its immediate surroundings. The Mercure Hotel on Republic Road cleaned up outside its premises. Lite-Glo on Bram Fischer challenged the McDonald’s across the street to a clean-up. Laërskool Fontainebleau adopted the Silverpine Park and cleaned it up.

HJ Wood Properties adopted the intersection of Philips and Pretoria Streets in Ferndale and cleaned it. Tharisa Minerals in Bryanston cut grass and cleaned the verges. The San Sereno Retirement Village cut grass and cleaned the entrance to Mill Hill and the traffic island. Randburg Virgin Active repaired potholes at the Randburg Sports Complex.

Residents’ Associations in Blairgowrie, Bryanston, Craighall and Ferndale deploy their members across parks to pick up litter and mow the grass regularly.

At the Randburg Civic Centre, which has been closed since a fire broke out two years ago, military veterans restored the Garden of Remembrance to its former glory.

With paint donated by Dulux Rosebank, community members and their ward councillor, Lucinda Harman (DA), repainted the outside of the building. Subsequently, the Randburg Customer Service Centre reopened its doors in July after an upgrade and extensive renovations. The centre is the main walk-in facility for Region B. During the closure and renovation work, the City of Johannesburg set up a temporary Revenue Customer Services Centre in Ferndale to ensure services continued.

Roy Anderson is the force behind Re-Imagine Randburg, a community-driven rehabilitation project in Johannesburg.

Andersen said the inspiration behind Re-Imagine Randburg came after a visit to Springs in Ekurhuleni. “I went to a meeting there where I was staggered to see no litter and the pavements well maintained.”

“The business community in Springs is behind it and has received an incredible response from the community. Taxi drivers who complained that they could not get passengers to come to the Springs CBD because it was so filthy and crime-ridden got on board with the initiative, and they now make sure the CBD is clean. It is a collaboration between business, bus and taxi drivers and the city council,” said Andersen.

Andersen wants to see the same thing happen in Randburg. Although there is already a noticeable difference after the initial meeting, more is to come.

“This is not about politics. We will work with everyone to make sure we achieve something better for Randburg. We all want a nice place to live and work.”

“We have the support of the SAPS, the community policing forum and security companies in Randburg to collectively uplift and improve life and business in the greater Randburg area,” he said.

Harman said she receives upwards of 400 communications from residents in Randburg every day. “Things are constantly breaking down: potholes, water leaks, it’s never-ending.”

“Repairs are not keeping up with old problems, never mind the present issues. But the movement is moving, people are stepping up in their communities, raising money, taking control of their surroundings and practising active citizenry,” said Harman.

This story is produced by Our City News, a non-profit newsroom that serves the people.

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