Joburg Market employees, tenants, truck drivers, traders and visitors have expressed delight at the efficiency that the newly constructed exit gate brings to the entity’s operations.
The exit gate enables the ease of traffic and has security features like spikes and sensors, improving the safety of motorists and pedestrians alike.
The gate has dedicated lanes for trucks and forklifts; there’s also public art, including concrete stools that make the exit a hang out spot.
“The new gate means more people coming in and out. Those who avoided the market because of traffic will be coming through and more people means more business,” said an enthusiastic trader.
The new exit is modern and client friendly. Future plans include installing a remote-controlled sliding gate, two exit ways, landscaping, CCTV cameras that are monitored by armed guards and will contain a weighbridge for trucks.
“It is fabulous that as a staff member, I do not need to worry about the admin of getting an access card to for the gate because it has sensors and opens automatically when vehicles approach,” said one of the employees.
The Joburg Market exit was revamped at the cost of R-3million rands in a bid to repair ageing infrastructure and ease mobility at the facility. The demolished exit gate, on the south-western edge of the market was built 45 years ago in 1974. Since then, the Market’s exit way had fallen into disrepair and was in need of urgent attention.
“The structure was no longer protected and tended to portray a terrible image of the organisation,” says Joe Mazibuko, the entity’s Executive Manager for Strategic Projects, Marketing and Communications.
One truck driver said that the old gate was hazardous because it had a wall that crammed vehicles against each other and led to accidents. “The temporary exit was far and it took us longer to get to the freeway, however, we are pleased with the end result because trucks now have their own lane.”
Market Chief Executive, Ayanda Kanana says although he was advised that traffic was a good problem because it meant that the market was working, action had to be taken against the congestion. The old gate had a tower standing out of nowhere and a wall which served as a trap where only one lane was working and it resulted in accidents and even a fatality.
The reconstruction comes with by-laws urging drivers to be more responsible as they can be towed if they don’t comply.
Kanana thanks all stakeholders for their patience, including the gas station which reportedly lost business while the gate was closed for construction. He says more work will be done at the exit gate, including a digital identification system which will track who comes in and out of the market.
Written by Londiwe Mthethwa and Linda Mbatha
