I was privileged to visit the Wits Reproductive Health Institute (RHI) in Hillbrow last week, as part of a Jozi My Jozi delegation. This is an alliance of companies and NGOs, and individuals who are passionate about regenerating Johannesburg, especially the inner city.
Jozi My Jozi was initiated by Adam Craker and Nando’s founder Robbie Brozin (an extraordinary Joburger), and is committed to fixing, building and inspiring our great but troubled city. Jozi My Jozi works with Wits Business School, Anglo American and others, and its leadership includes some of the most skilled people in Johannesburg.
We visited the RHI at the invitation of its director, Helen Rees (another extraordinary Joburger). It was not the first time I had been there, having been involved in establishing the Hillbrow Health Precinct as part of the work of the Johannesburg Development Agency some years back.
Since then, the RHI has grown into a globally recognised institute, doing ground-breaking research. It forms part of an international network at the cutting edge of medical science. It also provides extraordinary health services to the residents of Hillbrow, including those — like sex workers — who are vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections.
RHI played an important role in the global response to Covid-19, and is now involved in developing vaccines and treatments for TB, HIV and M-Pox. And it is doing this in the middle of Hillbrow. The location means it operates under difficult conditions, surrounded by slummed buildings including The Florence, which may be the worst hijacked building in the city.
Conditions in this building are truly appalling. It is vulnerable not only to disease and fire, but to collapse. Though the city has declared the building unsafe and marked it as a priority, it has been unable to clear the building due to a lack of permanent alternative accommodation as required by the courts. And perhaps as a result of a lack of determination.
But there is more to Hillbrow than slums. Aside from the Health Precinct, it is a place of vibrancy and creativity. There are many buildings that have been renovated by affordable housing companies and offer decent accommodation. There are churches, mosques, a synagogue, schools, NGOs, artists, musicians and small businesses. Despite poor conditions, life goes on.
The same is true of Joburg as a whole. The city and provincial governments seem unable to confront the serious issues facing Johannesburg, but it is an endlessly productive and creative place that has given birth to many global companies, from Anglo American to Investec and Nando’s. Fixing Johannesburg should be an urgent national priority.
Where can we start? Let us return to Hillbrow. The city administration must confront the problem of The Florence. It is difficult to deal with hijacked buildings, but not impossible. The RHI is directly adjacent to a number of large, empty buildings that belong to the Gauteng government. Does it really want to own these derelict buildings?
The RHI started with a single building, which was owned by the city at the time. It was renovated and donated to the institute by the city. Could the province do something similar? And what about the Kopanong precinct, a series of neglected provincially owned buildings in the heart of the inner city? Many plans have been announced for these buildings, but none implemented.
The problem of derelict state-owned buildings also affects other cities. Perhaps the new public works and infrastructure minister could initiate a programme to use or sell these valuable assets.
We are lucky to live in a city that boasts institutions such as the RHI and initiatives such as Jozi My Jozi. The least we can do is recognise their work and create the conditions for them to thrive.
• In my previous column, I shared some ideas about SA’s housing policy. I was remiss in not saying that I drew on work I did as part of a research project initiated and commissioned by the Centre for Development and Enterprise. The CDE will publish this research in due course. My apologies for the omission.
• Bethlehem is an economic development specialist and partner at Genesis Analytics.
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