City builds massive transport hub
Johannesburg – The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), on behalf of the City of Johannesburg, is constructing a transport hub called the Johannesburg International Transport Interchange (JITI) facility.
The infrastructure project is located at the corner of Gwigwi Mrwebi and Simmons streets in the Joburg CBD.
In a statement the JDA said construction of the project is 85% complete, and will include a 50 000 square metre international long distance and cross border transport, and shopping hub.
JDA said 3 300sqm of the total space is devoted to retail, including large retail outlets, banks, ticketing offices, food courts and informal traders. The facility will also include a bus terminus for cross-border buses, together with ranking and holding space for 648 taxis and 20 buses.
Security of the facility will be managed from a control room equipped with a building management system, including CCTV cameras and access control.
The City’s Transport MMC Nonhlanhla Makhuba said the City experiences an increase in demand for road space.
“The state-of-the-art JITI will ensure that efficient mass public transport networks and connections, transit-orientated multi-use precincts, together with strategic land-use planning and zoning regimes are realised; so we connect our people to opportunities to live, work and play in the city,” she said.
Makhuba said construction of this project is also playing a role in job creation and skills development, with 30% of the contract value being awarded to SMMEs. A total of 18 SMMEs and 34 local labourers were appointed for the execution of the portions of the works in the infrastructure project. The project, expected to be complete in May this year, will be handed over to the City’s Transport Department.
