by Angela Rivers | Jul 13, 2020 | News
Over the past few months, the Makers Valley Partnership (MVP) has dedicated their efforts to the pressing needs of their community in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
From April 19th to July 1st 2020 Makers Valley Partnership (made up of a network of people, organisations and businesses) organised 31 Food Kitchen Days and served meals to 11 150 people at Victoria Yards.
Makers Valley Partnership has made the decision to shift towards a different, localised, and community-based approach sparked by conversations around a more long-term and sustainable solution, which is where they need your support.
Community Kitchens
The local Community Kitchens will cater for their immediate neighbours. This will allow MVP to ensure that the food support reaches those most in need as the community members know – and are accountable to – the people in their neighbourhood. All Community Kitchens will keep a record of their beneficiaries allowing MVP to better monitor and cross-check for duplicates.
MVP has identified five Community Kitchens, three of which require support with an initial ‘starter-pack’ of equipment, such as a gas stove, large cooking pots, and a gas supply.
See attached poster with the items and banking details if you are able to invest or would like to share with someone that may be able to.
The Makers Valley Partnership (MVP) Food Hub will continue to support these kitchens with the food donations received.
by Angela Rivers | Jul 6, 2020 | News
JPOMA will be hosting a webinar this week on what to do if a tenant tests positive for COVID-19 in your building.
To book, click here.
Date: Thursday 9th July
Time: 2pm
Please forward Angela (angela@jpoma.co.za) any questions, queries or suggestions by no later than COB on Tuesday 7 July.
JPOMA has a YouTube Account where all webinars will be loaded. Angela has already loaded the Eviction Webinar, to watch click here.
by Angela Rivers | Jul 3, 2020 | News
The Department of Development Planning will close the Metro Link today, Friday, 03 July 2020, for deep cleaning after the housemate of a staff member tested positive. The staff member is self-isolating at home and will test for the virus.
This comes a week following the re-opening of the Metro Link, which has served as the interface centre of the Department under Alert Level 3 of the COVID-19 National Lockdown. The Metro Link will once again open on Tuesday, 07 July 2020 and will operate between Tuesday and Friday every week.
Earlier this week, a second staff member in Corporate Geo-Informatics tested positive. It is still unclear whether their infection is linked to the first positive case, however, all staff who were in close contact with the two officials have been asked to screen, test and self-isolate at home until Thursday, 09 July 2020.
Furthermore, a fourth staff member in Legal Administration is self-isolating and awaiting their test results after her husband tested positive.
The Member of the Mayoral Committee for Development Planning, Cllr Lawrence Khoza, has pledged all necessary support to the affected units.
“We will continue to monitor all units in order to identify and manage the exposure and spread of the virus. We will also be consistent and continue to enforce strict safety measures and practices for the protection of all our staff members and clients; not only in the Department, but the City of Johannesburg at large.
“We are wishing the affected staff members a speedy recovery, and urge other colleagues to be vigilant and adhere to all safety and health protocols to help curb the spread of this virus,” said MMC Khoza.
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Media enquiries
Poppy Louw
Stakeholder Manager: MMC for Development Planning
poppyl@joburg.org.za
081 235 4999
by Angela Rivers | Jun 26, 2020 | News
JPOMA submission for Johannesburg Draft IDP and Budget.
(JPOMA retained the services of Andrew Barker Development Consultant to assist in putting this document together.)
Purpose of the submission:
To illustrate the impact of increases being proposed in the services charges and fees contained in the IDP and budget on the poor and vulnerable communities being accommodated in affordable housing;
To summarise and demonstrate the potential implications for the provision of affordable housing in the Inner City and other areas of Johannesburg;
Request to mitigate the cumulative effect of the historical and current non-inflationary increases in charges that are now being further exacerbated by the impacts of Covid_19.
by Angela Rivers | Jun 23, 2020 | News
The Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Department of Development, Cllr Lawrence Khoza, has expressed his satisfaction with the state of readiness of the Metro Link, which has been identified as the interface centre of the Department under Alert Level 3 of the COVID-19 National Lockdown.
This follows the inspection walkabout he conducted at the building yesterday, 22 June, upon its re-opening to the public with services by Building Development Management (BDM), Land Use Development Management (LUDM) and Corporate Geo-Informatics (GIS).
BDM officials took the MMC through the interim building plans submission, assessment and approval processes, alongside the measures they had put into place to adhere to regulations, as they will be providing members of the public with services allowed under Level 3.
A breakdown of the standard operating procedure for the submission of building plans online is attached in the annexure below, with respective building plan tariffs valid until 30 June 2020.
Added to the list of services made available during the lockdown, Development Planning’s Outdoor Advertising Unit went live with its online applications yesterday. Members of the public can now submit their applications to outdooradvertising@joburg.org.za, but are encouraged to first make an appointment and seek clarity on what is required for the process by calling 011 407 6032.
The LUDM helpdesk was available to receive both Land Use Management and Legal Admin applications. The GIS desk will be in operation as of tomorrow, Wednesday, 24 June 2020.
MMC Khoza thanked stakeholders of the Department and members of the public for their patience and understanding as services had been halted due to the implementation of the lockdown. He further added that he was pleased by the development application processes being up and running, as well as the enhanced electronic offerings by the Department.
“A working Johannesburg means a great deal for our country. We are hoping that now that our systems are back and somewhat operating normally, we will be able to attract investment to the City of Johannesburg,” said MMC Khoza.
Over 90 people were assisted at the Metro Link today for various services. Of the 49 applications (7 online and 42 walk-ins) received today, nine building plans had been approved by 14h00.
Rina Prinsloo, a runner for 10 architects in Johannesburg, had an early start to what she called an “excellent day”, after one of her pending applications was approved in under two hours of her visit at the Metro Link.
“The service I received today made the long wait totally worth it. We appreciate the amount of thought and effort that went into making all of these services possible,” she added.
Rina’s sentiments were shared by home owner Vongani Siweya, whose house building plans were approved yesterday. “I thought COVID-19 would affect the efficiency of the process,” he said, “But I was pleasantly surprised that it took less than a day for it to be assessed and approved.”
Teboho Sehata of property developers, Valumax Projects, who yesterday submitted site development plan (SDP) for the application for a shopping centre, was impressed by how quickly the building plan was approved upon the SDP submission.
Teboho also received four Section 7(6) approvals, in terms of the National Building Regulations and Building Standard Act 103, 1977, as amended by the office of the City’s Building Control Officer. She further followed up on residential applications for 492 properties, which form part of the property developers’ project in Riverside View Ext 66 and 68.
Though Teboho was pleased by the measures put in place at the Metro Link to protect both members of the public and officials, she appealed to residents that did not have multiple application submissions to take advantage of the Department’s online platforms.
The City encourages online submission, as it minimises physical contact; therefore practicing social distance in compliance with COVID-19 regulations, through the use of cutting edge ICT technology. As of Tuesday, 29 June 2020, building plans and related applications must be submitted online, except bulk submissions and huge developments.
The Department will continue to communicate with residents and stakeholders as more services are made available during the lockdown period.
Media enquiries
Poppy Louw
Stakeholder Manager: MMC for Development Planning
poppyl@joburg.org.za
081 235 4999
Andile Masuku
Deputy Director: Stakeholder Management and Communications
073 066 7944
