The eThekwini municipality wants to build a new shopping mall for Umlazi’s V-section as part of a plan to rejuvenate the city’s township. The plans were tabled at the council’s economic development and planning meeting last week.
In terms of the plan, the council has proposed that a shopping mall of about 25 000 sqm be built to incorporate the existing Max’s Lifestyle centre.
According to a nodal regenerationstudy, Umlazi’s V-section has the economic potential to support retail, business and process outsourcing and has room for a medium-density middle-income residential development.
However, the council concedes that there are traffic, environmental, stormwater and land challenges.
Themba Msomi, the municipal deputy head of economic development projects, says that there are plans to develop three economic development corridors within the region.
The corridors are along the Griffiths Mxenge and Sibusiso Madkane Roads as well as within Umlazi’s V-section. No details on when the development might get underway have been released at this stage.
In a separate development, plans for the second phase of Durban’s Blue Lagoon redevelopment were unveiled last week and include an extended promenade, a paddling pool and a new restaurants. The upgrade will run from Durban Country Club to Blue Lagoon.
Some of the changes include repairs to the beach itself, creation of new ablution facilities and parking lots, building of new retail shops, restaurants and kiosks and the creation of picnic sites for beach-goers.
It is part of a plan to make Durban’s beachfront one of the best in the world according to eThekwini’s, Logie Naidoo. The15-metre wide paved promenade will extend from Moses Mabhida Stadium to Blue Lagoon.
The council has already earmarked R50-million for the upgrade.
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It is my dream to see our township developed more. I'm a resident of v section at Umlazi. We deserve the best Mall in our town and v section is the intersection of all section at Umlazi. Malls reduces crime, economises especial for middle residents. This will open jobs opportunity for many people.I was very happy for Megga City Shopping Centre but is very small because it accommodate Lamontville, Umlazi and South Coast Townships. Megga City shoulde be convected to Mall or added other shops like Game, Shoprite Checkers / hyper. We have to hire cars to Bluffs, Merebank, Pavallion, etc what about pensioners and people who doesn't afford much. I'm working in Cape Town but proudly Durbanite, I wish one day to come back home and not hesitate to talk about it. It is great honour to me for this development.- Nonhlanhla
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