Lael Bethlehem (born October 24, 1967) is an expert in urban development. He was the Director of Economic Development in the City of Johannesburg from 2002 to 2005 and the Chief Executive of the Johannesburg Development Agency from 2005 to 2010. Prior to the role, he also served as Director of Forestry at the Department of National Water Affairs of South Africa and Forestry, where he led the program forestry of South Africa and representing the country in international forestry negotiations. Today, Bethlehem is an investment executive at Hosken Consolidated Investments.
Video Lael Bethlehem
Education and Career Start
Lael Bethlehem was born on October 24, 1967 in South Africa. Bethlehem's call as a civilian leader was evident from an early age: at the age of 11, she won her first award for good citizenship and later became a junior council member. He attended the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, obtained a bachelor's degree in 1991 and a Master of Industrial Sociology in 1994.
Lael's career began with several research roles in the trade union movement, after which he became President Director of the Department of Water and National Affairs of South Africa. He worked in the Ministry of Forestry until 2002 when he entered the local government in Johannesburg as Director of the Department of Economic Development.
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The Johannesburg Development Agency
After three years in the Department of Economic Development, Lael Bethlehem was appointed CEO of the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) in 2005. JDA was established in April 2001 by the City of Johannesburg and was assigned primarily through downtown regeneration. Over the past five years, the agency has focused primarily on large one-time investments aimed at mobilizing regeneration in the city center. The investment projects being fought so far include Nelson Mandela Bridge, Mary Fitzgerald Square, and Newtown development. These investments play a role in reversing downtown Johannesburg and building support communities and investors.
Under Bethlehem's leadership, JDA moved into a new phase of investment, characterized by a series of more sustainable small-scale initiatives aimed at encouraging private sector investment. The work of this agency focuses on improving public space and improving the sense of place in the city - for example, public lighting, sidewalks, town squares, parks and village halls are created, replaced or repaired. A new museum, library, public buildings, merchant market, dance studio, and cricket oval were created. The installation of beautiful public artwork and unusual street furniture is the hallmark of JDA work. Bethlehem emerged as a supporter of the creation of a livable city, believing it was more important than a simple 'improvement' of space. "The public space should be an interesting place that gives the identity of a city that people can be proud of" he said in an interview in 2008. Bethlehem also manages several large-scale urban investment projects during his tenure as CEO of JDA, including infrastructure development for the city's Rapid Transit bus system, known as Rea Vaya, and the preparation of key areas for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Rea Vaya
As CEO of the Johannesburg Development Agency, Lael Bethlehem is responsible for developing the infrastructure for the introduction of Rea Vaya, the Bus Rapid Transit system for the city. This R3.5-billion flagship project is a social initiative as well as an infrastructure and environmental project: designed to be accessible, affordable and attractive to people of all races and classes, this scheme seeks to promote social inclusion and exclude the physical and social isolation suffered by the community the poorest city, especially in and around Soweto. It is purposefully complementary and integrated with Gauteng Gautrain provincial government.
A review of 2013 colleague Rea Vaya concluded that it is still too early to determine the impact of the system on social equity. The first phase of the scheme was completed on time for the administration of the city from the 2010 World Cup. Rea Vaya currently has around 71,000 passengers per day, and is expected to save 1.6 million tons of CO2 equivalent emissions by 2020. Several other cities in South Africa are now are planning a BRT system. When leaving the JDA in 2010, Bethlehem chose Rea Vaya as the main scheme he was most proud of - mainly because of the role he played in the democratization process in the city.
FIFA World Cup 2010
JDA is involved in several major city development projects that are accelerated by World Cup deadlines - the most significant is an increase to Ellis Park and the Nasrec area where new outdoor artwork and street furniture is installed, new bridges and roads are built and new cicadas and soccer fields ball built. JDA also leads the regeneration of Jalan Vilakazi, one of the most visited sites in Soweto.
Recognition
- In 2009 Lael Bethlehem was nominated by the South African Business Women's Association as Business Women of the Year.
- In December 2009, Bethlehem was invited by the OECD to London as part of an expert panel to stay three days to review the 2012 Olympic preparations.
- Upon leaving JDA in 2010, Lael Bethlehem received the Honorable Halala Award in recognition of his achievements at the agency.
Personal life
Lael Bethlehem married two daughters and lives in Johannesburg.
Current Role
- Investment Executives at Hosken Consolidated Investments
- Non-Executive Director of South African Industrial Development Company, where he chairs the Investment Committee
Previous Role
- Member of the Council of the International Institute for Environment and Development based in the UK
- Board Member of the International Forest Research Center (CIFOR) based in Indonesia
- Member of the Board of the Hans Merensky Foundation, Johannesburg.
- Director: Real Estate Investment, South Africa, South African Standard Bank
Publications
- Bethlehem and Dlomo (2004) Forests, economy and development agenda
- Bethlehem (2002) Sustainable Forest Management in South Africa: Government Perspective (South African Forestry Journal)
- Bethlehem (2000) Bringing Democracy to the Forests: Developments in South African Forestry and Legislation Policy (Department of Water and Forestry Affairs, 2000)
- Bethlehem and Goldblatt (1997) The Bottom Line: Industry and Environment in South Africa
- Bethlehem (1997) Labor, Industry and Environment
- Bethlehem (1997) Catalyze change: International environmental pressures on South African exporters
- Bethlehem et al. (1997) States and the environment: Living, health and pursue work
- Bethlehem (1994) Industrial Strategy for the Pulp and Paper Sector
- Toolo and Bethlehem (1994) Migration to South Africa: Problems, Problems and Possible Approaches for Organized Work
- Bethlehem (1992) Race, gender and academic staff: Is affirmative action necessary in South African universities
External links
- Johannesburg Development Agency
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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