The City of Johannesburg has finally answered calls from the community – who have been passionately protesting for the City reopen its public library.
The Johannesburg Heritage Foundation and other protesters gathered at Beyers Naudé Square on 18 May, demanding the reopening of the Johannesburg City Library, that has been closed since 2020.
The library was officially closed in May 2021, but access had already been limited since the beginning of the Covid lockdowns in 2020.
Housing over 1.5 million books, the Johannesburg City Library is a cultural cornerstone of the city, featuring several specialist sections which include:
- Central Reference Library
- Children’s Library
- Michaelis Art Library
- Multimedia Library
- Music Library
Among the supporters at the peaceful protest were notable organisations such as the Johannesburg Crisis Alliance, Defend Our Democracy, Action For Accountability, the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, and the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa).
Library closed over safety concerns
The City of Johannesburg closed the public library in 2021 over safety concerns, mainly about fire suppression.
The entity said at the time that a report into the building’s condition raised concerns “on civil, structural, electrical and mechanical services.”
The City planned to reopen the library in February 2024, but has since stated that repairs will only be completed in 2025.
David Fleminger, chairperson of the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation, emphasised the protest’s goal to hold City authorities accountable.
“We must acknowledge that this is their job … their mandate is to ensure that the city’s resources are adequately maintained and accessible to the public,” he told the Rosebank Killarney Gazette.
Independent engineers and architects that were commissioned by the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation found that public spaces in the library can be partially reopened during ongoing repairs.
They also concluded that the gas-driven fire suppression system in the stacks must be commissioned, and the building must be updated to current safety codes to protect its precious collections.
The Foundation also argued that access to information is a right enshrined in South Africa’s Bill of Rights, and that the City is currently violating this right.
The City’s response
Responding to the outcry, Lubabalo Magwentshu, the City of Joburg Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Community Development, said: “We understand the significance of the Joburg City Library to the community, the importance of preserving and protecting the archives, the need to ensure compliance with safety regulations, protecting the community, and reducing the risk for library personnel, and are taking proactive steps to ensure its reopening.”
To address these demands, the City of Johannesburg allocated R25m in the 2024/2025 Capex budget, part of an initial R45m needed for the library to fully comply with safety regulations.
Magwentshu assured the public that the City has begun the procurement process to hire service providers to address critical fire safety concerns, setting the stage for a partial reopening in the next financial year.
Professor Achille Mbembe, a prominent historian and politics professor from Wits University, joined the protest to support the reopening.
“I support the demand for various reasons, the key one having to do with a promise in the Freedom Charter,” he said.
“The promise that was made said, ‘When liberation comes, the doors of learning will be open to all’ and it is for that reason that the Johannesburg Library has a major public good in the city and should remain open.”
