A plan to lease six portions of Rhodes Park in Kensington for sporting, recreational, and commercial uses has sparked a residents' petition and opened a much bigger debate about what the City of Johannesburg intends to do with its public parks. The row erupted after the Johannesburg Property Company circulated an internal notice on August 12 concerning Erf 2836, the 221,372m² property comprising Rhodes Park, valued at R46.9-million.
The proposed transaction aims to ensure that the City continues receiving revenue and to reduce the risk of invasion or buildings becoming dilapidated. However, residents, property owners, and park users launched a petition demanding that JPC abandon plans to lease Erf 2836, or any portion of it, to private interests and that the City protect and maintain Rhodes Park as an accessible public green space.
Residents and park users are concerned that commercial operators could restrict access and threaten mature trees, birdlife, and the character of one of the northeastern suburbs' major green lungs. The KenRho Park Tennis Club provides free coaching and subsidized sporting opportunities to young people from several surrounding areas, and residents argue that active sports clubs make the park safer.
Ward 66 councillor Carlos da Rocha said he was not opposed in principle to private commercial activity in particular sections of the park but was concerned that the documentation referred to the stand number of the entire property. He wants to know which sections will be privatized and confirmed that he submitted his response during the 14-day internal circulation period, which closed on August 28.
In response to Daily Maverick, JPC clarified that the entire park was not being offered for lease, identifying six portions: the dilapidated restaurant; former bowling club; soccer grounds and clubhouse; a community facility; former Junior Traffic Training Centre; and the tennis club. JPC said "commercial purposes" meant a restaurant or another business complementary to the park.
Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo said it supported the lease renewals, saying they would contribute to the "activation of the park" and improvement of the properties and surrounding area. However, the City's plan has raised a wider question about how many other municipal parks, sports grounds, or properties zoned public open space are currently being considered for commercial leasing, redevelopment, or changes of use.
The dispute has also exposed the sometimes confusing division between JCPZ, which manages parks and park-adoption arrangements, and JPC, which controls municipal property transactions and leases. The debate over recreational land acquired important legal significance in April when Killarney Country Club successfully challenged JPC's attempt to cancel its long-term lease, which runs until 2040.
Key points
- Residents are concerned that commercial operators could restrict access to Rhodes Park and threaten its mature trees, birdlife, and character.
- The City of Joburg's plan has raised questions about its treatment of public parks and sporting land across the city.
- The dispute has exposed the division between JCPZ and JPC, which control different aspects of municipal property and parks management.
