Location of the Soweto Centre Project

To ensure the success of the CENTRE, comprehensive investigations were carried out by the Foundation in conjunction with the community and the Greater Johannesburg Land Planning Department to determine the most desirable variables in the proper location of the CENTRE.

The criteria the Foundation used in identifying the most desirable location was:

• The site has to be in Soweto with unimpeded access to it by the citizens of Soweto.

• The site has to be on a major road to facilitate comfortable access, especially for students arriving for practice, and away from residential areas to lessen the traffic interference and intrusion on residential privacy

• The site should have easy access to the Johannesburg freeway system to facilitate use by those living outside of Soweto.

• The site should preferably be located in an area already developed for heavy commercial traffic to facilitate taxi and mass transport, but not in an industrial area since there would be little “cross pollination” of facilities.

• The site should be able to provide an inherently high degree of security, away from neighbours which could cause uncontrolled access and/or damage to the CENTRE, and easily accessible to enforcement and health care officials in case of emergencies.

• The site must be able to service the community today and well into the future.

• The site must be large enough to support facilities presently required and must have adjacent vacant land for the CENTRE to expand.

In 1994 the Greater Johannesburg TMC commissioned a land study know as the Baralink Development Framework to evaluate all available land in Soweto for long term comprehensive planning. This framework identified an area in Soweto know as the Orlando Dam Precinct which would be most suitable for sports, cultural and recreational activities. The rationale being that within a one kilometre radius of the site there are 27 schools, including Vista University, Soweto Teacher’s Training College, and the Soweto College of Education. The Framework noted that, “the proximity of these facilities endow the western part of the Baralink area with an educational, sports and cultural feel and it is thus considered important to consolidate these existing and future uses as a Sports and Cultural Node in this area.”

The site is made up of three contiguous parcels of land as follows: DESCRIPTION OF LAND: Orlando Dam Precinct, 41 hectares.

• Portion 50 (Portion of Portion 2) Farm Klipspruit 318 IQ.6.5 hectares.Fronting on Old Potchefstroom Road and the Orlando Dam.

• Orlando Dam Flood-plain area.25 hectares.Directly north-west of the Orlando Dam wall.

• Portion 53/318.9.5 hectares.Fronting on Old Potchefstroom Road and adjacent to Portion 50.

The site has the following advantages:

The land at the Orlando Precinct exceeds the requirements set forth above.

It is situated on the main thoroughfare, Old Potchefstroom Road, two kilometres to the Western-By-Pass with easy access to the Johannesburg freeway grid, close by to the massive taxi ranks, adjacent to the Nancefield Train Station, near the hospital and police station, and with very high visibility.

It is in a very well developed commercial zone.

The site comprises 41 hectares, and has appropriate space for building all the CENTRE’S facilities without compromise and also available to the south are 30 hectares of undeveloped Council owned land for future expansion.