The practical, people-powered action of the Central Special Rating Area shows what’s possible when communities take charge of where they live.
Central had spent decades in decline, its once-proud heritage architecture and vibrant community spirit steadily overshadowed by crime and decay.
But the five-year-old Central Special Rating Area (SRA) team is turning the ship around.
It might be slow going, but the improvements are there to see.
Daily clean-ups by Special Rating Area staff, partnerships with EP Waste Management and the inspiring involvement of homeless residents through the Mes organisation show how social upliftment and urban improvement can go hand in hand.
The result?
Nearly 3,500 bags of litter are picked up every month, parks are cared for, and a cleaner suburb has emerged.
Add to that the resurfacing of potholes, new solar lighting, a towering Mandela mural, heritage walks, student safety collaborations and the fencing of criminal escape routes — and it becomes clear that Central’s revival is built on hard work.
The maintenance and rejuvenation projects hinged on an additional levy paid by Central property owners through the municipality to the community-run SRA.
The system got under way in mid-2020.
Of course, challenges remain. But the bigger picture here is one of hope.
Communities, when united, can reclaim their streets.
Long-time resident Kenric Britton sums up the sentiment on the ground: “There’s a positive gentrification happening… I love what is happening here.”
And so do we.
Central’s turnaround should not stop in Central. It should be a blueprint for the entire metro.
The change in Central demonstrates that renewal does not have to wait for government miracles.
It shows that when residents take ownership of their surroundings, pool resources and insist on accountability, change follows.
It does not have to be a dream. It can be a reality.
The Herald
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