Johannesburg residents had every reason to hope for a prosperous future, said the Democratic Alliance (DA) as it wished the City of Johannesburg a happy 120th birthday on Wednesday.
”What it will take is sound planning, a strong will to succeed and a belief that we have the talent to make things work,” said Johannesburg councillor Mike Moriarty in a statement.
Not many cities in the world could boast of having two Nobel Prize winners, Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, and peacemakers like Mahatma Gandhi, said the statement.
According to Moriarty, historically, people came to the city seeking wealth and that legacy continued.
”It is ironic that many people came intending for their stay to be only temporary; they lived as though they would no longer be here tomorrow. But when the time came to choose, we all chose to call this place our home, permanently,” he said.
An exhibition at Museum Africa in Newtown, to open on Wednesday afternoon, would display historical photographs and artefacts from the city in celebration of its birthday, said the city’s head of marketing Elsabe Booyens.
The Newtown Diwali Festival would form part of celebrations as well as a parade past the James Hall Transport Museum of 50 vintage vehicles on October 29. — Sapa