Safe storage for Joburg documents

The Johannesburg municipality is set to begin a project to haul "millions" of physical documents to a new location.

- Jarryd Westerdale

Following the municipal head office's closure in 2023, the municipal records, building plans and town planning documents were left to rot in empty offices.

A plan to redevelop the building is in the pipeline and the city announced its plans yesterday to archive the floors of information.

The Metro Centre was shut in 2023, after a technical report revealed structural defects in the multi-storey building.

City officials said the documents left behind were vital to the city's administrative history and planning future.

"Millions of physical records crucial for property development, compliance and legal processes were temporarily locked within the premises," said the city.