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There’s a little truism which goes something like: ‘What we want is progress, if we can have it without change.’ Over the past few years, it feels as if the phrase was coined and minted solely for Durban’s beachfront, but amusingly, the controversy that dogs the beachfront is nothing new at all. A little out-of-print book published 30 or so years ago – Durban At Your Feet, an alternative guide to a city by Barend van Niekerk (past professor of law at Durban University) – roundly chastises the powers-that-be for their approach to ‘the foremost holiday mile in our country:’ ‘…I believe that by and large, the so-called Golden Mile has been turned into something approaching an ecological disaster area. The fact that tens of thousands of sun- and-sea-hungry visitors enjoy themselves there each year detracts as little from this judgment as would the fact that most heroin takers are likewise enjoying themselves. Pictures of the beachfront from as late as the 1950s still show an area with human dimensions, uncontaminated by the gaudy glitter of the plastic junk which now passes muster as enjoyment parks. That there should be a place for an amusement park where children (together with their adult intellectual peers) can wallow in the fairyland, octopus, ghost train type atmosphere, speaks for itself. That this cheap and slightly silly imitation of Disneyland has to be right there where one would rather expect and enjoy park-like gardens with ponds and swimming areas is a perennial monument to the ineffable short-sightedness of the city fathers of our day of whom one, Mr Nick Steyn, has had the exceptional good fortune of being the major beneficiary of this breakdown in good taste.’
(Left: Funky leisure beds and shades for hire from Beach Café. The café is the very first open, feet-in-the-sand restaurant and café along the Golden Mile.) And Barend van Niekerk was just warming to the topic… But for once, as much as mud is slung periodically at the current city fathers, it seems as if a large percentage of Durbanites are very comfortable with the changes heralding progress on North Beach. To put the record straight, North Beach refers both to a specific beach as well an area which stretches from north of the bottom of West Street to the Suncoast Casino, and a couple of roads inland. Julie-May Ellingson heads up eThekwini Municipality’s Strategic Projects Unit & 2010 Programme, with its strong future-focus on raising the profile of this magnificent stretch of beachfront, in particular North Beach. She described the municipality’s aggressive campaign to breathe new life into certain identified nodes or zones along the coastline. The prime rationale was to rejuvenate Durban’s tourism position as SA’s top holiday destination, while capitalising on the city’s assets so as to meet the challenges of 2010 with a spring in its step. Environmental impact assessments were initially conducted to identify appropriate development sites, a green approach endorsed by the City. The eight-kilometre stretch comprising The Golden Mile proved to be the smartest choice. There infrastructure is in place, it’s a site ripe for renovation and reconstruction, has space to reinvent itself, and is one where environmental impact is minimal.
(Left: Informal traders and rickshaws are part of life on the beach.) The first node identified was at the end of West Street – the old dolphinarium and aquarium site. Julie-May explains the principle: ‘We’ve set ourselves up as Africa’s premier events destination, but to grow our position, we have to create multipurpose spaces which don’t disrupt the people of Durban every time we have an event.’ Raucous applause here. Still a work in progress, the general consensus on this node is that it’s looking – and feeling – sensational. Designed to accommodate the FIFA World Beach Soccer in 2009, its versatility guarantees its use as a world-class venue for a host of other sports, including volleyball. But the design of this node went beyond functionality and good looks, to another key factor: safety. Yes, we have the tourism ambassador initiative patrolling the beachfront, police on every form of transport imaginable including horses, and monitored CCTV cameras, but if you ask most estate agents and residents about their concerns about life at the beach, they always revolve around security, street children, and the lack of adequate facilities and ablution blocks for the busloads of visitors (predominantly children) during the holidays. The design of this new beach node incorporated two safety components: flattening and widening of the area, so visibility is superb and there’s no place to hide – crime is more challenging, policing easier – and the addition of a substantial retail component, which is known to increase the safety element.
(Left: Informal traders.) The two other nodes earmarked as critical to the City’s vision for North Beach are the Southern Sun’s 165-room Suncoast Hotel & Towers addition to the Suncoast Casino & Entertainment World (due to open in December), and alongside it, Anant Singh’s Videovision Entertainment’s film/production studio-hotel interface on the old Natal Command site. There’s a private objection to this latter development, but if or when it’s given the go-ahead – which seems very likely – the hotel would front the beach, with the studios tucked behind. Not only is this development planned as a catalyst for growth of Durban’s film industry, but visitors would be given access to the studios through guided tours. The city has also taken a decision to install an interim ‘people mover’; interim, because they’re testing the route, fares and patronage before carving it in stone. There’s a multiple objective here, but it largely revolves around facilitating the movement and access of tourists to the key sites, while easing traffic congestion. Julie-May described how this transport system would have a commuter bias at peak times, and a tourism one from 9am to 4.30pm. This will be achieved by intensifying and lessening the ‘mover’ on certain routes at certain times. ‘We want to encourage people to use public transport,’ she says. The route takes in the beachfront between Ushaka and Suncoast Casino, to the beach and International Convention Centre. In terms of residential property development on North Beach, there’s nothing. No land, so what you see is what you get. Or wish you’d got. Quizzing estate agents in the area, property values not only rocketed along with most KZN areas, but surpassed them. Bly Scott-Williams of Pam Golding Properties’ beach branch said ruefully, ‘In 2002, I was offered a three-bedroomed apartment in Capri Heights for R400 000. I’ve just valued it at R1.6-million. Today,’ she says, ‘you’ll pay between R800 000 (up to R5-million) for a two-bedroom ‘frontline’ unit, and R650 000 (up to R1.2-million) for a ‘backline’ one’
Nash Cohen, MD of Hunters, feels landlords and owners are currently overpricing in the region of 25 per cent. Others concur, but the general easing of the property market will inevitably lead to a similar easing of unreasonable demands. It’s estimated that there are between 2 500 and 3 500 apartments in the North Beach area, and – according to Bly Scott-Williams – about 80 per cent are owner-occupied. Nash Cohen says many are consortium or company-owned, with a significant percentage of international owner/occupiers who only live in their apartments at certain times of the year. There’s an interesting curved ball to the property market on North Beach. At least 60 per cent of units are share block, which limits the market to cash as opposed to cash and bond buyers. Few first-time homeowners can afford to buy share block, because of the high deposit. But the upside of a community which has paid cash – or at least a 33 per cent cash deposit – says Clive Cowan of Wakefields’ beach branch, ‘is that a high number of owners are financially very stable’. There’s consensus among agents as to the generally better condition of share block apartments as opposed to sectional title, because – as Nash Cohen says – ‘they’re run with a meticulous approach, as a business and investment’. In addition, few share blocks allow holiday letting, and some even refuse permanent letting, so they run a tight ship.
Bottom line, if you bought a property on North Beach a few years ago, you’d have doubled, trebled your money – and be sitting pretty in the heart of the most exciting changes – and progress – in Durban. All the development around you is tourism and investment focused, which can only leave those smart enough to jump on the property bandwagon, smiling all the way to 2010. And, hey, it’s July at Durban’s North Beach: glorious weather, glorious bodies, and enough adrenaline to give your heart an outing. Come on, out with that party frock. DURBAN AT YOUR FEET an alternative guide TO A CITY by Barend van Niekerk with an introduction by Alan Paton. Try IKE’S in 48a Florida Road, Durban for this or others like Dear Old Durban, by Yvonne Miller and Barbara Stone For more info contact + 27 31 303 9214, iTrump ABM is a response to the urgent need to prioritise the regeneration of the inner city. The Inner City Thekwini Regeneration and Urban Management Programme (iTrump) area extends from the Umgeni River in the north, the beachfront and Point to the east, Victoria Embankment to the south and Warwick Avenue, Umgeni Road to the west. For more info visit www.durban.gov.za/eThekwini/Municipality/abm/itrump The Durban Investment Promotion Agency (DIPA) is a partnership between the city of Durban and the private business sector. It promotes the city as a modern ‘go-ahead’ investment destination, attracts viable new fixed investments and retains existing business in Durban. DIPA offers a free investor advisory service and will eventually offer a portal for all local business and economic information, customised and made available to the potential investor. www.dipa.co.za THE VODACOM DURBAN JULY The Durban July was first run in 1897, and for much of it’s life was known as the Rothman’s July. Considered the equivalent of Britain’s Royal Ascot, the July may not carry the biggest purse but, like Wimbledon, it carries the kudos. From humble beginnings in which the race attracted just seven mediocre animals, it has grown to be the premier horse-racing event in the country. A win on the July immediately catapults the horse, jockey, trainer and owner into the annals of South African racing history. The July, unlike other race days, requires absolutely no knowledge of horses or racing; it’s a sensational 12-race day-out for the 60 000 or so race goers! This year sees the fashion extravaganza rolled out under the banner of Baubles, Bangles and Beads. According to the fashionistas, The Vodacom Durban July provides the biggest fashion audience of the year, which is this year held on Saturday 1 July. DURBAN BEACH AFRICA FESTIVAL It has a whole new face! From June 30 to July 9, North Beach – home of the event – shakes its booty with bikinis and boardshorts, flea markets, fashion and festivities, sports and social activities. And the hottest music under the sun. Billing it as ‘the greatest beach festival in the world’, Sifiso Sonjica, Managing Director of Groove Consultants (winners of the advertising tender for the festival) says, ‘Durban Beach Africa is one of the reasons we are everyone’s favourite playground!’ MR PRICE PRO Africa’s ‘Grand Slam’ of surfing, the Six Star World Qualifying Series (WQS) Mr Price Pro, touches down on Durban’s North Beach for a record 37th time from June 31 to July 9. Mr Price intends to transform North Beach into a surfing arena unlike any other… with a massive five-storey tower and VIP deck plus surfers’ area. Over 200 Professional WQS and World Championship Tour surfers will descend on Durban’s Golden Mile for a week of heated competition. With nearly R1-million in prize-money, the Mr Price Pro is the most lucrative surfing event on the African continent and an excellent opportunity for local surfers to pocket US dollars, while simultaneously exposing themselves to the world’s elite. All the action will be broadcast via the live webcast, so surfing fans across the globe will be able to watch the surfers in action, live from North Beach, by logging onto www.mrpricepro.com
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(Left: Brad Mommsen – a hot local contender in the Mr Price Pro.)
(Left: Surfing is key to the Durban Beach Africa Festival.)
