City of Johannesburg

Johannesburg Development Agency

No 3 Helen Joseph Street PO Box 61877 Tel +27(0) 11 688 7851 (O)
The Bus Factory Marshalltown Fax +27(0) 11 688 7899/63
Newtown 2107 E-mail: info@jda.org.za
Johannesburg, 2000

www.jda.org.za
www.joburg.org.za
To: All news editors
For immediate release
21 November 2019

JDA HOSTS DELEGATION FROM SPAIN’S CITY OF BILBAO

The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) recently hosted an official delegation from
Spain’s City of Bilbao, headed by Juan Mari Aburto, Mayor of Bilbao.

The delegation included first level representatives of Bilbao City Hall including Aitor Bilbao,
Head of the Mayor’s Office, Xabier Ochandiano, City Councilor for economic Development,
Trade and Employment, Yasmin Hawari Berriozabalgoitia, Project Coordinator Bilbao
International and Leandro Ardanza, Special Adviser to Bilbao City Council, S&F
Consultants.

Directors
M Ntanga (Chairperson) F Brink (Acting CEO) S Moonsamy (CFO) S Jensma TG Sambo JW Karuri -Sebina EF Peters K Govender A Steyn P Zagaretos R Shirinda (Company Secretary)
Registration Number: 2001/005101/07
The aim of the visit to the JDA was to, under the theme ‘Inner City Rejuvenation’, explore
the innovations developed in the City of Johannesburg in the field of urban transformation,
innovation, retention and attraction of talent, entrepreneurship and economic development.

The City of Bilbao has undergone a deep urban transformation. Over the last 30 years
Bilbao has evolved from an industrial city into a modern and reliable city and most of all, an
attractive place to live, work and visit. One of the great challenges the city faces today is the
need to generate economic activity in strategic sectors that contributes to economic
development in Bilbao.

As part of the visit, Douglas Cohen, JDA’s Executive Manager: Planning and strategist,
provided a presentation into the vision, mission and mandate of JDA, which has
implemented over 600 projects across all administrative regions of the City in 18 years of
operation.

This was followed by a presentation, from representatives of the Johannesburg Property

Company (JPC), on Inner city rejuvenation, a key focus area of the current administration’s
agenda for Johannesburg.

Ends

Issued by:
Johannesburg Development Agency
Susan Monyai
Email: smonyai@jda.org.za