Durban - Warwick Avenue museum plan stalled an application made to eThekwini Municipality to lease a derelict city-owned property for the Warwick Avenue Museum project four years ago has still not been approved, according to to the museum committee.
In a letter written to The Mercury, the committee said poor service delivery in the municipality had stalled the historical museum from opening.
The committee approached the real estate department in October 2015 to lease the derelict premises in Julius Nyerere Street (Warwick Avenue).
“The purpose was to transform it into a tourist attraction and income generator for the city.”
The committee said from the start, the staff seemed to have no knowledge of how the system worked. They were sent to several people within the department without success.
“In one email a city real estate official said he would investigate a land claim against the property. Exactly two years later he had done nothing.”
The committee said the delay had seen the building fall into an even more dire state.
“Nearly four years later and nothing has materialised. Staff who have contravened the Batho Pele (people first) principles go unpunished.”
The committee said the museum would capture the history of the old Warwick Avenue.
“The museum will cover a diverse range of topics including the Zulu king’s reign over the area, Francis Farewell’s arrival, wild animals that inhabited the area, the mixed racial community outside the city, the political and anti-apartheid underground movements, sports and the displacement of the community.”
According to the committee, the proposed museum draws a parallel with places like District Six in Cape Town, Sophiatown in Johannesburg, and South End in Port Elizabeth.
“The museum will be Durban’s own District Six. Extensive research has been done on the Warwick area by the Research of Curries and Surrounds (Rocs) project team, which included stalwarts such as Phyllis Naidoo and Aziz Hassim.”
City spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said the matter would soon go back to council for consideration.
He said the matter went to the Community Services Committee in November 2018 but was deferred because additional information was required.
“All the concerns and necessary information had since been addressed and the report is circulating for designated signatories,” he said.
Mayisela said the application had been delayed because the land on which the house was located was subject to a claim.
He said necessary steps had to be taken to clear the matter with the Department of Land Affairs and the Land Claims Court.
In addition, he said some geological and geotechnical studies had to be conducted and people who might have had vested interests in the land and building had to be properly informed.
Mayisela said the Real Estate and Local History Museum departments had been in contact with the person who submitted the proposal.