Latest news with #FreedomPark
eNCA
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- eNCA
Uniting nations through history and art
JOHANNESBURG - It's a story of solidarity told through posters, poetry and personal artefacts. Freedom Park's new exhibition, titled Beyond Borders, honours the global support, especially from the Netherlands, that helped propel South Africa to democracy. Now running till the end of June, and perfectly timed with Museum Week and 30 years of freedom, this landmark exhibition is a powerful reminder that justice is never a solo act. To take us deeper into the heart of cultural bridge-building is Jessica Glendinning from the Netherlands Embassy.
Daily Maverick
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Launch of landmark R27-billion Southern Farms development flames housing hopes for Joburg South residents
After more than a decade of grassroots activism and broken promises, residents in Johannesburg South are finally seeing progress in their fight for land and dignified housing. After more than a decade of protest and sustained calls for government intervention in the housing crisis, residents in the south of Johannesburg are finally seeing long-awaited progress. On Friday, 9 May 2025, Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero, along with MMC for Human Settlements, Mlungisi Mabaso, and other City of Johannesburg officials, met with community members at the Bushkoppies site in Region G to officially hand over the land where the Southern Farms Mega City Project will be constructed. The ambitious development marks a significant milestone in a community-led fight for equitable access to land and dignified housing. Although the project was officially launched in 2018 under the name 'Southern Farms Biodiversity Development Project', the struggle dates back to 2013, when grassroots movement Abahlali base Freedom Park began mobilising residents to demand solutions to overcrowded and inadequate housing conditions. 'In 2013, Abahlali came together to fight for land and housing. We were sharing small spaces with our families, with three to four generations living in one Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) house,' Peter Monethe, a founding member of Abahlali base Freedom Park, told Daily Maverick. 'So we came together and fought so we could find a space where we could live in dignity.' Long road of resistance and negotiation Over the years, Abahlali base Freedom Park, together with other community organisations in Region G, engaged in tireless advocacy, protests, and negotiations with the City. Their efforts spanned multiple mayoral administrations, often marked by broken promises. 'All through this time we protested, and then the government would engage, but then nothing would happen,' Monethe said. 'There would be houses built, but they'd be allocated to ANC members because of cadre deployment, while the community was excluded.' Frustrated by the delays, Abahlali eventually identified and occupied Bushkoppies — the very site now earmarked for the project. After enduring years of forced removals and legal battles, the City of Johannesburg ultimately purchased the land, paving the way for development to begin. R27-billion housing initiative The Southern Farms Mega City Project is a R27-billion housing initiative designed to address Johannesburg's estimated 1.3 million housing backlog. It will also promote economic development and environmental sustainability in one of the City's most underserved areas. As the community gathered on Friday to mark the handover, spirits were high. Residents sang, danced, and ululated in celebration of what many called a long-overdue breakthrough. Set to unfold over the next 10 years, the project covers 4,000 hectares and will deliver at least 43,000 mixed-housing units for communities in Freedom Park, Eldorado Park, Diepkloof, and surrounding areas — many of whom have waited years for housing allocations. 'This really feels like there is finally change coming,' said Farhana, a lifelong Eldorado Park resident. 'It has felt like we were divided for so long, fighting the government and fighting among ourselves for housing. My mother has been on the list for years, but now at least we can see this is really happening.' According to Mabaso, the development will include: Breaking New Ground (BNG) multi-storey units Affordable finance-linked housing options Serviced stands Mixed-income neighbourhoods Economic zones and community facilities 'Southern Farms is a bold statement that every Joburg South resident deserves dignity, opportunity and progress. We're building more than homes, we're building an inclusive future,' Morero said. Questions remain about transparency Despite the celebrations, concerns persist. Monethe said some members of Abahlali remained uneasy about the lack of clarity surrounding the number of RDP houses to be built and the criteria for allocation. 'We want to know who the beneficiaries will be. There are elderly people living in shacks, people with disabilities, and we want to ensure they are included in the allocations,' he said. During the launch, Mabaso assured the public that beneficiary management would be handled with strict transparency and adherence to the City's verified housing database. 'No one will receive a house unless they're on the verified housing database,' Mabaso said. 'Only pre-approved residents will benefit.' However, when Daily Maverick contacted the City for specific figures regarding RDP house allocations and further details on the selection process, no response had been received by the time of publication. As the bulldozers prepare to move in and formal construction begins, the community remains cautiously optimistic. For the residents of Region G, the Southern Farms Mega City Project symbolises not only a victory after years of struggle, but a test of whether the government can finally deliver on its promises. DM
Zawya
08-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
South Africa launches Transformation Fund to drive economic inclusivity
Deputy President Paul Mashatile has hailed the launch of the Transformation Fund as a major milestone in advancing inclusive economic growth and transformation in South Africa. The deputy president was delivering a keynote address at a Business Breakfast Session and launch of the Transformation Fund at the Freedom Park Heritage Site and Museum in Pretoria on Monday, 5 May 2025. '[This] is an historic day for South Africa as it marks a key milestone in our journey towards economic transformation. We fully welcome the launch of the Transformation Fund, as it will serve as a strategic vehicle for businesses to embrace change, foster innovation, and drive growth. 'This fund will serve as a catalyst for financial support, guiding organisations through crucial transitions and enabling them to seize new opportunities that arise in the market,' the deputy president said. The Transformation Fund, which brings together both public and private-sector contributions, aims to unlock the potential of Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) and the Equity Equivalent Investment Programme, with a strong emphasis on economic inclusion and participation by historically disadvantaged communities. 'As enterprises seek improved access to capital and the need to remain competitive in this dynamic environment, I believe that the Transformation Fund will be invaluable. The proposed Transformation Fund will unleash Enterprise and Supplier Development's (ESD's) potency in driving economic inclusion and participation,' Mashatile said. He emphasised the centrality of the initiative within government's economic agenda. 'We are going to make sure that the Transformation Fund is at the centre of government, specifically the presidency,' he said, adding that they will work with the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau as well as key Economic Cluster ministers to ensure that targets are met, especially in the procurement of goods and services. He noted that the National Treasury and Department of Women, Youth, and People with Disabilities have already collaborated to develop a framework. The focus now is to ensure speedy execution and equally implement the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act. The deputy president moved to recognise the involvement of the private sector in co-funding the initiative. 'It is commendable that the fund is anchored by private- and public-sector contributions to the Enterprise Supplier Development and Equity Equivalent Investment Programme obligations,' he said. Backing township business resilience The centralised administration of the fund in partnership with business will help increase access to funding, especially for Black-owned businesses operating in rural and township settings. 'Funding will be allocated to various productive sectors of the economy, which includes, among others, services industry, tourism, and agriculture, thereby supporting majority black-owned entities. Technical support and market access will be prioritised to ensure sustainability through inclusive interventions,' he said. The deputy president underlined the long-term benefits of the fund, noting that it would foster resilience and adaptability in the face of economic challenges. Investing in a transformation fund signifies a commitment to progress and a dedication to long-term sustainability. 'It will enable businesses to navigate challenges with resilience, adjust in response to changing dynamics, and establish themselves as adaptive leaders in their respective industries,' he said. Corruption hinders inclusive growth The deputy president made it clear that economic transformation cannot be achieved without tackling the scourge of corruption in both the public and private sectors. Corruption undermines small businesses by increasing costs, reducing profits, and creating instability. 'To promote an inclusive economy, we must commit to addressing corruption by strengthening our institutions, fostering transparency and accountability, and promoting citizen engagement. 'This includes developing and implementing robust anti-corruption frameworks, strengthening our criminal justice system, and encouraging public participation and oversight,' he said. Access to finance for Black businesses The deputy president further stressed the need to find solutions pertaining to access to finance for Black businesses. He emphasised that it was important to recognise that the funding deficits in South Africa are a contributing factor to the failure of small businesses. Despite government intervention, such as Enterprise and Supplier Development, which is a critical component of the B-BBEE framework, he said there was still a need for additional measures to be taken to expand fund access to SMMEs. 'Loans are the most common financial instrument for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in South Africa, but they often have stringent underwriting standards, making them difficult for smaller businesses with limited collateral and financial records to secure. 'This is why we encourage small businesses seeking financial assistance to explore government-funding programmes, and business-support agencies such as the National Empowerment Fund, Small Enterprise Finance Agency and the Small Enterprise Development Agency,' the deputy president said. All rights reserved. © 2022. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Miami Herald
12-02-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Miami mayor pushes to redirect millions in citywide park funding to Inter Miami site
When 60% of Miami voters approved a ballot question in 2018 allowing the city to negotiate a development deal for a billion-dollar Major League Soccer stadium on city-owned land, the proposal included the following contingency: that the developers also spend $20 million of their own money on a large public park attached to the site, 'or other green space.' Now, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez wants to set up a 'special revenue account' for Miami Freedom Park — his marquee project — to ensure that the entire $20 million is dedicated to the public park at the soccer stadium site, rather than any portion of that money going to parks elsewhere in the city. His proposal, first reported by Political Cortadito, is slated to go before the City Commission on Thursday. In an interview with the Miami Herald on Tuesday, Suarez contended that the entire $20 million was always supposed to go to the 58-acre public park at the stadium site as part of the 99-year lease that the city awarded to retired soccer player David Beckham and business partners Jorge and José Mas. 'It was always originally intended to be that way,' Suarez said, referencing the 2018 ballot item. However, the mayor acknowledged to the Herald that the City Commission did vote in 2022 to spend a chunk of the $20 million on citywide parks. Suarez said the 'political appetite at the moment' of the City Commission was to 'divert' the funds elsewhere. 'The better question is why was it diverted,' Suarez said. In his opinion, Miami voters had approved spending the $20 million specifically at the Miami Freedom Park site. The upcoming City Commission vote, he said, is intended to put the funding 'back in its original position.' But former City Commissioner Ken Russell, who was the swing vote in favor of the project nearly three years ago, disagrees with that framing. 'Clawing back the $20 million that was meant for the creation of new parks around the city would be an absolute violation of the Freedom Park agreement and the Commission should reject that proposal this Thursday,' Russell said in a statement to the Herald. Russell said the City Commission approved half of the $20 million staying in District 1 — where the stadium development is located — for additional park improvements 'above the baseline park that would be delivered by the Mas Group.' The remaining $10 million, Russell said, was to be divided four ways for parks throughout the city. That element was 'crucial' to Russell's vote on the project, he said. (Suarez said it was $7.5 million rather than $10 million.) 'In a heated exchange on the dais, I was ready to vote No on the entire project if this condition wasn't met,' Russell said. 'The supermajority of the Commission agreed with my amendment, and it must be honored.' After Russell outlined his conditions at the pivotal 2022 meeting, Suarez then asked Chairwoman Christine King to add an amendment to the stadium deal proposal 'to include the additional conditions by Commissioner Russell,' the meeting minutes show. However, that amendment never made it into the final resolution that Suarez signed finalizing that deal about a week later. It's unclear why Russell's amendment didn't get added. The City Attorney's Office — which oversees City Commission legislation — did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the matter. The city attorney at the time, Victoria Méndez, was terminated last year. READ MORE: Miami mayor calls Inter Miami stadium 'best sports deal in America' in farewell address Russell wasn't the only city commissioner who thought portions of that money should be spent on citywide parks, rather than the entire $20 million going to the 58-acre park attached to the stadium site. During the April 2022 meeting where the stadium deal was approved, meeting minutes show that Commissioner Joe Carollo proposed that the developers 'give us the park, basically done' and that the $20 million 'would be used to [acquire] additional parks' or for spending on improvements 'of parks citywide.' But Carollo has since changed his mind. In an interview Tuesday, he called the stadium deal 'the biggest project in the history of this city.' He said he is not dependent on the parks funds that were supposed to have gone to his district via the April 2022 commission vote. 'If any elected official voted on a project of this magnitude because they were going to get a couple million dollars more for their district, they shouldn't be in office,' Carollo said. Carollo said he has met with the Mas brothers this year about the proposal that the mayor is putting forward. Suarez said he, too, has consulted with the Mas brothers about the legislation. 'Of course, I've communicated this to them,' Suarez said. An attorney representing Miami Freedom Park did not respond to a request for comment.
