Four years since its doors closed, frustrated city residents have yet to hear any real reason why the Johannesburg City Library remains shut.
On May 18, 2024, scores of demonstrators and several civic organizations gathered outside of the Joburg City Library to protest its indefinite closure.
The library has been closed to the public since March 2020, initially due to Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. However, the library never reopened, and in May 2021 the city announced it would remain closed “for major repairs and maintenance”.
However, after years without progress, civic groups took matters into their own hands. A walk-through of the library conducted in March 2024 by experts brought along by the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation (JHF) found the building “structurally sound” and safe for use.
One pressing issue lies in the fire-suppression system, which was installed 12 years ago but never commissioned and “should take no more than three months” to fix said JHF.
Gathered at Beyers Naudé Square across from the library, the protestors grouped under a bronze statue of a woman holding a Molotov cocktail and a placard reading, “democracy is dialogue.”
Speakers from the various organizations present recognized the irony of the statement, as dialogue has virtually broken down between the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) and those seeking accountability over the library’s closure.
“They [the CoJ] see civil society as a nuisance,” said David Fleminger, chair of the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation. As an invaluable communal resource, the library reopening “needs to be treated as a matter of urgency, not as an afterthought”, he said. “A library is not a luxury!”
Professor Achille Mbembe spoke about the political connection between books, knowledge, and freedom. “[Books] are the petrol bombs of the mind,” he said, referencing the statue above him. “There is no democracy without books” he stated – a powerful statement for the CoJ to remember just nine days from elections.
“I’m very encouraged”, said Fleminger about the day’s events. Drawing over a hundred people, the event had a “good spirit” of righteous indignation at the CoJ’s failings. “I’m just annoyed that we have to be here…they [the CoJ] should just do their job”, he continued.
Now, its over to the City and the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) as protestors demand an immediate (but partial) reopening. “We don’t want to go the legal route, but it is a public facility, and we have a right to make use of it,” said Flo Bird, founder of the JHF.
As the demonstration ended, protestors gathered in groups, sharing stories about the library and its personal significance to them, from being a place of quiet refuge to an invaluable tool in getting through school and university. “I think visiting the library helped instill a love of reading in me,” Fleminger recounted of his childhood. “So many Joburgers have a similar connection to the City Library. It’s part of the fabric of the city.”
With over 1.5 million books, 140 computers, and free WiFi, the City Library is a resource rich center whose quiet abandonment will not, and has not, gone unnoticed by Joburg residents.
Since, the CoJ have re-emphasized their commitment to reopening the library, and said work will begin on the “much-needed compliance issues” in July 2024.
FEATURED IMAGE: Protestors gathered at Beyers Naude Square, Johannesburg. Photo: Ruby Delahunt
Frustration and petty arguments were the winners of the day, at summit meant to strengthen democratic practices among the youth.
On the morning of Saturday May 10 2024, a youth summit was hosted by the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation (AKF) in the New Commerce Building at Wits University.
On the cusp of the 2024 elections, this summit aimed to host constructive political discussions between political party representatives about topics relevant to the more than fifty young attendees. However, said discourse quickly devolved into chaos as tempers flared.
The discussion devolved into a frenzy once Economic Freedom Front (EFF) representative, Nyakallo Mokoena derailed proceedings, by arguing that Anele Mda, an independent candidate, should not be given a platform, because she was late to the summit and “did not respect their time”.
This resulted in rage-filled arguments between Mda and the Mokoena, with representatives from the Democratic Alliance and the African National Congress drawn into the fray.
The summit was only able to continue after groups of the audience began to sing in unison, crossing political boundaries in pursuit of a singular goal – to calm the intense situation and get the summit back on track.
A question-and-answer session followed these discussions, where grade 11 student, Precious Hadebe, stated that the audience was “not here for [the representatives] to throw shots at each other”. She specifically criticised the EFF for providing “no solutions” and for continuing to “attack other parties”.
Mokoena, again interrupted the summit, arguing that Mda’s tardiness was representative of how the country is running out of time to make necessary changes.
This resulted in another extended chaotic interruption, which resulted in the Build One South Africa (BOSA) representative walking out on the summit during the lunch break.
After walking out, BOSA’s Henry Masuku, told Wits Vuvuzela that although he “appreciate[s]” the opportunity to have these sorts of discussions, he is concerned about the political leaders who “deflect questions” and “don’t have a real plan of action”.
According to a media release from the AKF, this summit aimed to help “develop young leaders” who are politically “active” and “conscious” and understand their role in “strengthening democracy in South Africa”.
Despite the disarray, the AKF did achieve its goal and informed the youth about their pivotal role in South African democracy, but not in the way it intended.
The audience’s ability to quell the chaotic bickering that ensued by standing united in song is indicative of how these issues could be solved by the youth in the future: collaboratively and with a singular goal of helping one another in the face of adversity.
FEATURED IMAGE: EFF member holds face of women in the foreground, as audience floods the stage at chaotic Ahmed Kathrada Foundation youth summit. Photo: Tristan Monzeglio
Rise Mzansi hosted a panel discussion to inform citizens on their plan to tackle crime in Gauteng.
Newcomer to national politics, Rise Mzansi plans to tackle crime through addressing structural issues head on, instead of narrowly focusing on policing alone.
On April 9, 2024, Rise Mzansi hosted a panel discussion at Workshop 17 in Rosebank Mall to address their proposed policies on safety and security in South Africa, with emphasis on the need to address the root causes of crime.
This discussion was the second instalment of a weekly event hosted by Rise labelled the “Citizens Assembly’. A public forum to deliberate proposed policies and electoral issues, allowing input from both a panel of experts and citizens in attendance. The idea is to incorporate feedback to improve policies and build a genuine ‘people’s manifesto’.
Monday’s assembly was hosted by human rights activist, Mark Heywood and Rise’s Gauteng Premier candidate, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa. Heywood said the format would “pioneer the practice of participatory democracy”, and the two hours that followed proved his point.
The panel of experts included Head of Justice and Violence Prevention at the Institute for Security Studies Gareth Newham, founder of the NGO ‘Nirvana’ Jennifer Matibi, lawyer and human rights activist Nicole Fritz, and founding member of ‘Guns Free South Africa’, Adele Kirsten.
The assembly began with Ramokgopa outlining Rise’s objectives regarding safety and security in Gauteng. The panel then scrutinised the plan and offered suggestions on possible ways to improve the proposed policies.
Rise Mzansi’s plan to address safety and security in Gauteng. Infographic: Kabir Jugram
Gareth Newham spoke of the importance of addressing the root causes of crime and suggested the possibility of hiring more social workers instead of police officers so the trauma behind criminality can be addressed.
Once all experts had offered their input, the discussion was then opened to the floor for citizen input, critique and query. It was here that possible policy blind spots were pointed out – such as their neglect of the LGBTQIA+ community as pointed out by a member of the floor.
In response, Ramokgopa said profit-driven incentives contribute to the culture of corruption in the police force and that heteronormative values allow impunity in addressing rape and crimes against the LGBTQI+ community.
“We are a traumatized nation that uses violence to solve problems. (So) we need to rebuild the South African family,” she said.
Furthermore, the event intended to illustrate what sets Rise apart from other parties in the run-up to the national elections in May. The party has built its brand off promising a new style of leadership to the current government- with their campaign slogan being “#WeNeed NewLeaders”.
Rise claims to offer transparent leadership that is actively involved in the communities they represent. The citizen’s assembly will resume weekly in the run-up to the election and recorded sessions are available here.
FEATURED IMAGE: Mark Heywood addresses the floor while Vuyiswa Ramokgopa examines her notes. Photo: Kabir Jugram
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