Heritage preserved: GVK-Siya Zama completes 96 Rissik Street for Transnet

GVK-Siya Zama has officially completed the restoration of 96 Rissik Street in Johannesburg,
delivering Transnet’s new head office while safeguarding one of the city’s most prominent
Edwardian landmarks. Completed just prior to Heritage Month, the project stands as a
celebration of Johannesburg’s architectural legacy, ensuring that a building once left to decay
now endures as a reminder of the city’s rich history and heritage.

Moreover, the restoration anchors the broader regeneration of Johannesburg’s inner city. By
weaving heritage into the fabric of modern infrastructure, the project strengthens the city’s
renewal efforts and positions the CBD as a place where history and progress coexist.

“This marks not only the completion of a restoration project, but the revival of a piece of our
shared history, made even more meaningful as the handover took place on the eve of Heritage
Month,” says Jabu Serithi, Managing Director of GVK-Siya Zama’s Gauteng operations. “By
choosing to restore rather than replace, our client honours that legacy while creating something
entirely new, a bridge between historical roots and contemporary aspirations.”

The redevelopment carefully balanced conservation with forward-looking design. Original timber
windows, decorative plasterwork, tiled passages, and the Transnet Heritage Library were
meticulously protected, while new features such as glass-fronted meeting rooms, flexible office
layouts, and a landscaped atrium create a vibrant, post-COVID working environment. Together,
these choices ensure that the building remains both functional and culturally significant.

Externally, the restoration reinstated the building’s historic northern entrance, widened
pavements, and returned its facades to their Edwardian clarity. Inside, previously hidden
elements such as fireplaces, fanlights, and a historic railway control panel were revealed and
retained, reinforcing a tangible link to the building’s origins.

The project also extended its impact beyond the site itself. Built-environment students gained
rare, hands-on training in heritage refurbishment, while nearby schools and communities
benefited from support initiatives ranging from uniform donations to winter relief programmes. In
this way, the restoration became a platform not only for architectural renewal but also for social
investment.

“Adaptive re-use is not a compromise between past and future; it is a model for sustainable,
culturally rooted development. This building stands restored not just for today, but as our
collective contribution to the generations who will follow - a reminder that we chose to be
custodians of our heritage while being architects of our tomorrow,” concludes Serithi.