Owning our skyline

The revamp of the Hillbrow Tower will have major benefits for the people in the vicinity because, in order to attract visitors, urban decay must be turned around. Picture: Nadine Hutton

I say viva, Lesley Perkes, viva!

I admire her work so far in bringing art into our concrete jungle and especially her plan to push for the transformation of the Hillbrow Tower (City Press, February 10).

Back in 2000, when I was interviewed for the job of communications head for the new Joburg Metro, I asked why the Hillbrow Tower was not painted in the wavy bands of colour depicted in the then city logo.

I also asked why the apartheid ban on using the Hillbrow Tower as a restaurant and observation platform for domestic and international tourists had not been rescinded.

I suggested that the redevelopment of the tower would have major benefits for the people of Hillbrow because, in order to attract visitors, something would have to be done to address the problems of urban decay.

This would mean the area would be cleaned up, and it would become safer and more pleasant for the people living in the blocks surrounding the tower.

It would also create employment and alleviate poverty in the area.

I did not get the job, and the tower remains closed and unpainted.

Good luck to Lesley with her efforts to change all that.

- Maurice Smithers Yeoville