MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

Gauteng Health Head Suspension Welcomed

Dear Johannesburg

The Democratic Alliance welcomes Premier David Makhura’s suspension of Professor Mkhululi Lukhele as head of the Gauteng Health Department.

I note that Makhura says that he is acting on the recommendations of the Special Investigating Unit following the update report presented to him on 22 September 2020.

This report found that he failed to exercise his responsibility in the awarding of contracts to combat COVID-19, which may have resulted in fruitless and wasteful expenditure.

Lukhele’s suspension is long overdue as it was clearly evident that he was negligent in not preventing the award of irregular and wasteful contracts.

Premier Makhura should have suspended him earlier as he did not need to wait for the SIU report.

Lukhele was negligent not only with the PPE contracts but also a fishy R140 million contract for financial services in March this year that was found to be irregular but the company was still paid R17.2 million.

Corruption can only occur when there are poor systems and dishonest officials, which Lukhele and his political head Bandile Masuku failed to prevent.

There needs to be both political and administrative accountability at all levels to ensure that the deep rot in this department is eliminated.

Regards

Jack Bloom MPL
DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health

Category: Tag:

The Maboneng Precinct: Architecture

Maboneng is architecturally distinct because it rejects the “demolish and rebuild” philosophy. Instead, it embraces adaptive reuse. The Bioscope, South Africa’s only independent cinema, operates out of an old industrial space; The Living Room is a lush rooftop oasis that offers panoramic views of the skyline from atop a concrete shell; and the Museum of African Design (MOAD) was housed in a massive 1970s warehouse. This aesthetic—exposed brick, industrial steel, and vibrant street art—has become the visual shorthand for “cool” Johannesburg. The murals here are particularly significant; they aren’t just decoration but are often massive social commentaries by local and international street artists like Faith47 and ROA, turning the very walls of the city into a public gallery.

However, Maboneng is also at the center of a complex debate regarding gentrification and social integration. Critics argue that while the precinct is a “bubble” of safety and creativity, it often stands in stark contrast to the surrounding poverty of the inner city. The challenge for Maboneng has always been how to be an engine for economic growth without alienating the residents who lived there during the “dark” years. In response, many initiatives within the precinct focus on local entrepreneurship, such as the Market on Main, which provides a platform for local food vendors and designers every Sunday.