Issued by: Office of the Premier Gauteng
17 July 2001
Former South African President Nelson Mandela and Gauteng Mbhazima Shilowa today unveiled a model for uniquely designed Nelson Mandela Bridge, which will link Newtown and Braamfontein. The function was held on the Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown, Johannesburg.
Mandela and Shilowa were joined by Gauteng MEC for Finance and Economic Affairs, Jabu Moleketi, MEC for Transport and Public Works Khabisi Mosunkutu, and the Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Amos Masondo.
The 294 metre long bridge and its associated road works, will connect Bertha Street in Braamfontein and West Street in Newtown. The bridge will provide easier access to Newtown and the Johannesburg CBD for people coming from the north and west of the city.
The project is part of provincial government's Blue IQ initiative that is also linked to the redevelopment of the inner city aimed at revatilising Gauteng's economy.
Speaking at the function, Shilowa said the bridge and its linked projects gave expression to the provincial government and the City of Johannesburg's commitment to reverse the decay and decline of the inner city.
"Words alone are not viable to turn Johannesburg into a vibrant city again.
This project is about rebuilding the nation and bringing people - black and white artists - in even greater numbers to come into the city and make it vibrant and economically viable.
"The building of the Nelson Mandela Bridge must not be seen as a grand scheme to honour Madiba but to rebuild the nation by creating jobs and attracting tourist into the city," said Shilowa.
The uniquely designed Nelson Mandela Bridge, crossing the Braamfontein Rail Yard, will be a three-span unsymmetrical cable stayed bridge and the largest to be built in the country. Further infrastructure development to improve access to Newtown includes the construction of the M1 Carr Street Inter-change, which will see the creation of an off-ramp and on-ramp linking Newton to the M1.
Receiving the honour conferred on him - by naming the bridge after him, Mandela said: "Newton has a role to play in the rejuvenation of the Johannesburg inner city which is the largest employment base and business centre in the country."
South Africa has always had a home of creativity in Newtown with the Market Theatre stimulating discussions and debates with its vibrancy in the eighties. The challenge now lies with making Newtown an attraction, not only using our creativity in its vibrancy, but in creating jobs to build a better life for all, Mandela said.
"The bridge has a symbolic significance to bridge the gap between people by bringing them into a bustling precinct. I am now encouraged to call upon the international and business world to invest in such projects so as to help create jobs to better the lives of our people."
The Gauteng Provincial Government, through the Blue IQ initiative, together with the Johannesburg Development Agency - an initiative of the City of Johannesburg, the South African National Roads Agency and the National Department of Transport, have set aside more than R120-million for the construction of the Nelson Mandela Bridge and its associated infrastructural development.
The construction of the Nelson Mandela Bridge is scheduled for the beginning of September 2001 and is expected to be complete by April 2003
For more information contact:
Thabo Masebe at 082 410 8087
Joseph Mohajane at 082 567 7538