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Rissik Street Post Office: Historic landmark’s rise, decline and crumbling struggle for revival

Rissik Street Post Office: Historic landmark’s rise, decline and crumbling struggle for revival
Inside of the postal Office as of 2023. (Photo: Supplied)
Michelle Banda
By Michelle Banda
15 Nov 2024
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As Johannesburg faces a mounting social housing challenge, the historic Rissik Street Post Office has become one of the many hijacked buildings in the CBD.

During a recent inspection by the Khampepe Commission of Inquiry, it was revealed that approximately 42 residents, including 14 families, occupy the old Rissik street Post Office in Johannesburg CBD, and are living in distressing conditions. Without basic amenities such as bathrooms, showers or fire safety equipment, these residents rely on cardboard partitions for privacy, communal facilities and a single external water tap. This precarious arrangement highlights the wider problem of neglected buildings in the inner city.

Read more: A glimpse into habitation, decay and hope amid hijacked buildings crisis

David Fleminger, chair of the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation (JHF), shared his perspective with Daily Maverick: “The Rissik Street Post Office, as it stands, is an eyesore and a hindrance to CBD revitalization. Its abandonment has made it highly vulnerable to further invasion, posing a security threat to the surrounding area. From past experience, we know an empty heritage property is a property at risk.”

Photo probably taken pre-2010 prior to the City's renovation. The Old Post Office on Rissik Street, Johannesburg, after one of the fires. (Photo: Supplied)



Neglect and failed restoration efforts

According to Fleminger, decades of neglect, vandalism, and multiple fires have left the building’s outer walls and roof as the only remnants of its original structure. He elaborated: “The building has faced a series of illegal occupations, with several fires stripping it of most original features, including the internal floors. Miraculously, the ground floor’s central postal hall survived, retaining its original lead-light windows, tiles and some doorways. Although the City has attempted stabilization projects over the years, no suitable tenant has been found due to the significant investment needed for habitability.”

He said in late 2023, the Johannesburg Property Company, in coordination with the JHF, bricked up all ground-floor windows to prevent further vandalism — a reversible step taken to protect the structure.

“Currently, around 50 individuals occupy one wing of the building and serve as unofficial caretakers, deterring drug users who previously damaged the property before these preventive measures,” Fleminger added.

Originally built in 1897 by the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR) government under Paul Kruger and designed by architect Sytze Wierda, the Rissik Street Post Office is a nearly 130-year-old heritage site that holds a significant place in Johannesburg’s history. Known for its grand architecture and central location opposite the City Hall and Gauteng Provincial Legislature, this landmark reflects Johannesburg’s mining-town origins. However, years of neglect have turned it into an emblem of the City’s struggle with derelict buildings, squatting and urban decay.

What the Post Office looks like from outside in 2024. (Photo: Supplied)


Architectural significance and location


The Rissik Street Post Office boasts a beautiful façade adorned with motifs typical of late 19th-century architecture, underscoring its cultural and historical value. As one of the City’s first public buildings, it played a crucial role in Johannesburg’s early development. However, after the Post Office vacated the site in 1996, inadequate maintenance and security left the building vulnerable to trespassers, vandals and, in 2009, two devastating fires. These incidents gutted much of the interior, leaving the iconic structure in a deteriorating state.

In response to the 2009 fires, the City of Johannesburg issued a restoration order for roof repairs and debris removal. According to Lucky Sindane, Johannesburg Property Company spokesperson between 2011 and 2012 JPC invited bidders to submit proposals for the re-development of the building with the intention of leveraging private sector investment for the project. He said the tender was then awarded to Inkanyeli Projects Proprietary Limited (the developer). 

“A development lease agreement was concluded on 15 March 2013, in terms of which the City let the building to the developer for the purposes of developing inter alia, offices, restaurant, parking. The developer was to lease the building for a period of 50 years, paying a rental of R75,000 per month. In December 2014, the City of Johannesburg indicated that it required the building for its own use. In 2018, JPC appointed a contractor for the refurbishment of the building. The works included external façade and stonework restoration, windows glazing, postal hall interior restorations and electrical work among other things.”

Inside the Post Office in 2023. (Photo: Supplied)


Finding a sustainable future


The Johannesburg Heritage Foundation remains committed to the preservation of the Rissik Street Post Office. Fleminger explained, “Our goal is to protect and promote the City’s valuable and vulnerable heritage assets. The Post Office needs a champion, and we are actively engaging with the Johannesburg Property Company and potential developers to explore sustainable solutions.”

He said the JHF lacks the funds and resources to lead a full-scale restoration.“While we are not equipped to function as a property management company, we hope to facilitate the restoration so that this landmark can once again contribute to the much-needed revitalization of the inner city.”

Read more: Remington Court — notorious Joburg building to become student digs in R25m revamp

The plight of the Rissik Street Post Office mirrors broader challenges across Johannesburg, where hijacked and abandoned buildings are a common sight in the CBD and beyond that need urgent attention.

Read more: Public Works is on a mission to reclaim its hijacked buildings

Inside the Rissik Street Post Office in 2023. (Photo: Supplied)


No budget for refurbishment


Sindane said the current financial indications and analysis indicate that the heritage restrictions as set out by the National Heritage Council are not making the project financially attractive to outside  investors. He said the refurbishment of the building has not been awarded to anyone and there is no budget allocated for the project.

“Since funding was not available for the full restoration of the building it was proposed that the building be refurbished by way of leveraging a commercial development on the property by a third-party developer. JPC will call for an Expression of Interest for the re-development of the old Rissik Street Post Office building. The first stage will be the expression of interest and the second stage will be a request for proposals, which will be awarded to the qualifying bidders arising from the first stage.”DM

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