eThekwini Municipality

Mahatma Ghandi Road Precinct attracts investment

A major revamp of the Mahatma Gandhi Road Precinct is currently underway by the City. The rejuvenation project tackles bad, abandoned or derelict buildings which are being revamped while ploughing millions into various infrastructure upgrades. These strides aim to transform the precinct into a space for investment opportunities.

The revamp is part of a public-private partnership, with both sectors investing to transform the area into a safe zone. The City has committed itself to working with various sectors to eradicate bad buildings.

There are an estimated 80 bad buildings within the inner city, of which 39 buildings are within the Mahatma Gandhi Precinct. Of these, 21 have completed renovations following a mayoral engagement with business and property owners. A block of flats in Trafalgar Lane was demolished in 2019. After the demolition, the owners of another problematic building in the area approached the City for advice to turn around the building.

81 Gillepsie Street, Student Central – After (above) Russell Curtis, Invest Durban Unit, Mohamad Nizan Mohamad, Malaysian High Commissioner, Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda, Werner Otto, Mosaic Group, Ms. Zekhe Msiya, Property Manager of the Student Central Building, and DCM Phillip Sithole in front of the renovated Four Seasons Hotel, which has been converted into student accommodation.

81 Gillepsie Street, Student Central – Before

eThekwini Mayor Councillor Mxolisi Kaunda conducted a walkabout along the Mahatma Gandhi Road Precinct with investors and City officials on 21 May to gauge progress.

Lihle Phewa, Head of Development and Planning Unit explains work being done to Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda, and Malaysian High Commissioner, Mohamad Nizan Mohamad, while Daniels Pentasaib, Manager, Building Inspectorate looks on.

He said the area is a strategic location for catalytic development, adding that the City is fast tracking this to stimulate economic growth, international investments, job creation and tourism.

“Work is currently underway to ensure that the precinct meets all these goals. Since we started investing in the upgrade of the area, we have seen a keen interest from investors.”

5 Pickering Street - After

5 Pickering Street - Before

Some of the work undertaken includes the extension of the promenade, the watermains reticulation project, the public realm upgrade and the success of the problem buildings programme.

As part of the rehabilitation programme, some buildings have been converted into student accommodation with illegal bars and bottle stores closed. This has positively contributed to the upliftment of the surrounding areas.

The City has also initiated the R30 billion Point Waterfront Development project that is a public and private sector investment.

Deputy City Manager for Economic Development Phillip Sithole outlined catalytic projects taking place in the area.

He said the R230 million Point Watermains Project provides an upgrade and greater security of water supply for the inner city and for future planned growth. This project is expected to be completed by year end.

546 Mahatma Gandhi Road - After

546 Mahatma Gandhi Road - Before

“It is estimated that the central business district will grow from 70 000 to 450 000 people and 250 000 work opportunities created by 2040,” he said.

The City is also improving sidewalks, replacing existing paving, realigning stormwater drainage, improving road markings and associated infrastructure with the provision and maintenance of vehicular access to adjacent properties and parkade areas.

Mayor Kaunda said the promenade extension, launched in 2019, was a bold statement of spatial transformation by taking a beach node and opening it up to the public. The development will soon fulfil its envisioned goal of attracting investment.

Listing economic spin-offs from the promenade extension, Mayor Kaunda was pleased that the project delivered on radical economic transformation objectives. Over 40 percent of subcontracting opportunities benefitted local businesses.

He said, “This infrastructure investment is a catalyst to the Point Waterfront Development to be undertaken over the next 10 years. The first phase of the Point Waterfront Development includes a hotel and retail mall. The second phase will boast residential and commercial facilities. The third and final phase, being a mixed-use development, will include an iconic 55 storey building that will change the skyline of Durban in the harbour mouth.”

“The Point Waterfront Development will create a total of 17 500 jobs during construction and 11 000 jobs once operational. To date, 1 500 jobs have been created. The project will inject about R200 million to the City’s revenue annually,” Kaunda added. During the Point Precinct tour, officials also visited the new Durban Cruise Terminal construction site. The project is currently underway and is set to make Durban a more desirable destination for cruise ships. The terminal is a vast improvement from Durban’s N-Shed, which had served as a makeshift cruise terminal for many years.

Not only does this boost confidence for local businesses along the precinct and attracts valuable international tourists from cruise liners but the venue can also be used to host workshops and events, and will have several African elements in its design and structure.

The terminal development dovetails with the Municipality’s beachfront promenade extension and will allow cruise passengers to access the central beachfronts with relative ease and safety. The green and energy efficient cruise terminal will boast a host of features and facilities and is set to boost the local economy and tourism industry.

WHEN IS A BUILDING CONSIDERED A “PROBLEM BUILDING”?

When property owners or occupants do not regularly maintain their buildings and minor issues are not repaired, this leads to major issues compounding and escalating repair costs. Buildings also fall into a state of disrepair when there is a deceased estate and the property is abandoned due to family conflicts over ownership.

HOW CAN I CONTACT THE PROBLEM BUILDINGS UNIT

Contact 031 311 7245 or email: problem.buildings@ durban.gov.za. Alternatively, you can visit their offices for assistance at First Floor, Room 130, City Engineers Building, 166 K. E. Masinga Road, Durban 4001