City of Joburg congratulates Urban Space Management and MojaNation on winning BASA award


By Executive Mayor Mpho Phalatse

 
On behalf of the City of Johannesburg Multi-Party Government, I wish to congratulate Urban Space Management and MojaNation on clinching a Business Arts South Africa (BASA) award in the community development category. The awards ceremony took place on Monday evening
 
The award follows the contribution made by the collective in a street art and beautification initiative as part of the Newtown Revitalisation Project, that was supported and funded by the City. 
 
The project’s aims were twofold, the first being a revitalisation of the infrastructure and existing public artworks, including the exterior of Museum Africa and the standout carved wooden heads placed throughout Newtown in the early 2000s. Furthermore, the project created brand new public artwork to tell Newtown’s story. 
 
The public art pieces, the most prominent of them – The Jazz Legends, by Bongani “Dbongz” Mahlathi which have been painted upon the pillars below the M1 double-decker freeway, highlights iconic South African musical giants, including Sibongile Khumalo, Jeremiah “Kippie’ Morololong Mokoetsi, Jonas Gwanga and Busi Mhlongo. Fittingly a portrait of the late Miriam Makeba now graces a wall on Miriam Makeba Street, which cuts through the Newtown Precinct. 
 
Other murals carried the theme across Newtown, including a giant piano keyboard walkway across Mary Fitzgerald Square, were created by Tshepo “RedTitan” Kekae and Tetteh Cudjoe. 
 
Also in the square, James Delaney paid tribute to the musicians of Newtown through a metal sculpture that resolves into a saxophone when viewed from the right angle. 
 
The City of Johannesburg is proud to see the public spaces become places of colour and commemoration, taking into account the history of the City and the bright future we are working on for the Inner city, so that it can become Joburg’s live, work, play and pray hub for residents and visitors alike. 
 

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