Construction of Johannesburg's planned technology hub has been pushed back to October as fundraising efforts continue.
Dubbed the Tshimologong Precinct, the project has been in the pipeline for a number of years, while sections of the area will be used in the interim, according to professor Barry Dwolatzky, director of the Johannesburg Centre for Software Engineering (JCSE).
The JCSE aims to position Braamfontein and Johannesburg as the centre for digital technology in a series of events in the build up to constructing the city's planned R30 million technology hub.
He says focus will turn to the Fak'ugesi Festival - a series of events focusing on software development, social media, digital storytelling and digital arts. The festival, which started this week, will gradually shift its focus until its conclusion on 27 September.
"We are using the precinct in its current form to host the events. We have secured the R5 million needed to start the main phase of construction in October and total building costs will amount to R20 million," adds Dwolatzky. The other R10 million will be allocated to equipment costs.
First steps
The JCSE is at the forefront of the tech hub's development, which aims to foster innovation in production and consumption of local ICT products and services.
Half a city block in Braamfontein will be overhauled to create the ICT and digital content co-working hub and incubation area, together with training and meeting spaces. The Precinct will feature green building principles including the reuse of existing buildings and materials.
Dwolatzky says two of the planned five buildings are already in use, with the JCSE and Wits University's Link Centre for ICT policy occupying one. The other building is used for the JCSE's internship programmes, he notes.
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