Structural damages, a damaged fire system, a leaking roof, and a broken drainage system made the Johannesburg City Library unsafe to use and was shut down since 2020. This Human Rights Day, the library opened its doors for the first time after the COVID-19 pandemic.

COSTS

A total of R22 million for repairs was spent in July last year and the city said it needed a total of R54 million to fix the damages. Various organisations have been lobbying for the re-opening of the library as it affected students, scholars, and other researchers. However, the three-story building will only be accessible on the first floor with over a million books, and archive material while they work on refurbishing the other floors. The Johannesburg Development Agency shared on their social media accounts that the city had installed fixed the fire escape doors.

FROM THE MAYOR

At the re-opening of the library, City Of Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero said: "We are excited to announce the reopening of phase one of the Johannesburg City Library - A Jewel is Reawakened. This is the first step in the phased reopening of the library and will give the public access to the ground and first floor of the three-story heritage site," Morero said. He added that the Johannesburg Development Agency is targeting the end of August for the library to be fully operational. He called for the residents of Johannesburg to preserve this facility for the benefit of future generations. "This restoration demonstrates the City's commitment to preserving cultural assets and creating a vibrant community hub for future generations."