​A South African Football Association (Safa) Safe Hub, intended to create a viable and attractive option for young people to get involved in football, and a range of life skills programmes, is on track for completion, after 75% of the construction work has been completed.

The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) has been undertaking the construction of the Safe Hub – a space where a transversal youth development intervention, using football as its base, occurs – in Alexandra, Region E.

Located in Ward 91, the project is a partnership between the City of Johannesburg and Safa’s Development Agency, and involves the upgrading of an existing soccer facility, the provision of floodlights, and the addition of a youth centre hub, with indoor and outdoor seating.

The safe-hub will function as a multipurpose facility where various activities will take place, including educational, health and enterprise development facilitation, to provide a viable and attractive alternative for young people to get involved in positive activities.

The Safa Alex Safe Hub aims to offer opportunities to young people through football development, and to assist in building football talent development structures in Alexandra. It seeks to:

• Improve the functionality of the various aspects of social services;

• Produce a safe working environment for employees;

• Create a visibly improved social welfare and community facility;

• Support local economic development;

• Encourage further investment and upgrading in the area; and

• Promote improved social cohesion.

The 40-seater, information technology and communication youth centre facility will function as a learning and enterprise centre, which will include office space, training, e-Learning, computer counselling, workshop rooms, a youth café and bathroom/changing facilities. The facility will be equipped with an artificial football pitch and solar powered flood lights and security.

“The City of Johannesburg has facilitated the provision of the land on which the hub is located. The Alexandra Safe Hub aligns with the City’s Growth and Development Strategy 2040 in creating a resilient, liveable, sustainable urban environment – underpinned by smart infrastructure, supportive of a low carbon economy,” said Cllr Thapelo Amad, the Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Development Planning in the City of Johannesburg.

“This facility will offer opportunities to young people in Alexandra,” said MMC Amad.