Residents explore Jozi in fun race

Four teams went head-to-head in the Jozi Mojo Race, exploring Johannesburg, solving clues and racing against the clock – while finding out just how liveable Joburg is.
FOUR teams comprising of Joburg residents went head-to-head in the Jozi Mojo Race on 11 August to experience Johannesburg and determine how liveable it is as part of the City’s Growth and Development Strategy (GDS) outreach programme.

Herman Pienaar presents presents prizes to the winning team Herman Pienaar presents prizes to the winning teamThe race formed part of the themed week dedicated to liveable cities, and saw residents solving clues and negotiating their way to assorted landmarks both north and south of the city. Two teams were sent to Soweto, while the remaining two teams explored Parktown and its surrounding areas.

Based on the reality television show, Amazing Race, the competition was organised by the City’s department of planning and urban management, which specialises in mapping and town planning.

“We would like to thank participants for their honest input,” said Herman Pienaar, director of development planning and facilitation, on completion of the competition. “It changes the focus of where we put our energy, and has changed the way we look at the city.”

Teams had a maximum of six members and comprised of different sectors of the population such as youth, people with disabilities, social housing residents, business people and media. Each team had a shuttle on hand to transport them to and from each location.

Soweto
Teams exploring Soweto ventured to important historical landmarks such as Nelson Mandela’s house on Vilakazi Street, the Oppenheimer Tower, Regina Mundi Church and the Walter Sisulu Square where the Freedom Charter was signed in 1955, all while searching for clues while also racing against the clock.

Challenges along the way included buying the cheapest bag of potatoes, purchasing a “kota” from a tuckshop opposite Orlando Stadium, as well as finding statues and public artwork.

Racing through Vilakazi StreetRacing through Vilakazi StreetThose who trawled around Parktown and its surrounding areas had pit stops at Zoo Lake, and then had to make their way through areas in the inner city such as Hillbrow and Braamfontein.

“It is important to see the city through analytical eyes,” Pienaar said. “There are parts of the city to be proud of, and others that we can’t be blind on.

“What’s most important though is the realisation that cities consist of people before buildings and roads.”

This was the crux of the race; ultimately, it was about the ease with which residents can get around their city, the conditions they face on their journey as well as at their destinations, and trying to find innovative ways to come up with solutions to problems they face.

Experiences
As a way of facilitating discussions on what needs to be done in order to make Joburg more liveable, participants in Jozi Mojo were urged to post their experiences during the race on social media such as Facebook and Twitter to make it interactive.

Scrapbooks of each team’s experiences were made after the race, and participants also gathered for a discussion and evaluation of what they encountered and changes they felt should be made in the city.

Video
Four teams took to the streets of Joburg, solving clues and negotiating their way to various landmarks in the Jozi Mojo race. View video.
Observations that emerged from the Soweto teams included that roads in some areas such as Jabulani were in poor condition, with potholes and a lack of storm water drainage. Narrow roads also presented a challenge.

Signposting was prominent in tourist hotspots such as Vilakazi Street, but it was found that once one moved on from these areas, there was a distinct lack of signage providing directions. By-law transgressions such as informal traders operating in areas where no hawkers were supposed to trade also surfaced as a concern, leading to suggestions of more demarcated areas for hawkers to legally trade from.

At the Oppeinheimer TowersAt the Oppenheimer TowerParticipants in the Parktown and inner city leg of the race commented on the paucity of functioning traffic lights, severe traffic congestion, and sewerage water flowing through the streets. Team two featured a participant in a wheelchair, and all members of the team commented on the difficulty of accessibility for people with disabilities in the inner city, including having to wheel through the raw sewerage and being unable to access several buildings with only stairs at the entrance.

There is a need to make the city more wheelchair and disabled-friendly, as well fix the non-functioning infrastructure. Hillbrow was also pointed out as requiring a facelift.

Discussions
Video coverage of the discussion will be aired at the Liveable Cities panel discussion on Friday, 12 August, at the Emoyeni Conference Centre in Parktown.

Jozi Mojo comprised an important part of the City’s GDS, which defines the specific development paths that the city wants to take; it frames the medium-term operational plans and long-term strategic choices, as well as confronts challenges that the city faces. Above all, it promotes public participation and action in shaping the future of the city.

Workshops, discussions sessions, an amazing race concept to get people out and about in their city and an indaba formed the core of the liveable cities week. Suggestions on what direction the City should be taking and a summary document of the key points that emerged at the end of each themed week will be publicised in the media.

To have your say on what you think will make Joburg a more liveable city and to find out more about upcoming events for each week, you can follow the GDS review process on Facebook or on Twitter. GDS 2040 has it's own website.