EDITOR – In order to understand the present one needs to take a few steps back. There are some of us who can recall Durban and Johannesburg metropolis in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s when people would go for a stroll downtown on a Sunday, window shopping.
The highlight of the year was when these once beautiful cities would switch on their Christmas lights and would draw thousands of excited families who would come out in their numbers to view this spectacular sight.Fast forward to the present time and take a good look at these cities which were once referred to as the golden cites of our beautiful country. What has happened in the last two decades that could have been prevented. We've taken these cities and allowed the “rot” to set in like a cancer and today we have cities that people shy away from. A lot could have been done to prevent this decay.
Today the City Fathers talk incessantly about reclaiming these cities and are in the process of spending a fortune on what is often referred to as ” regeneration, urban renewal, renaissance, renewal” all of which are directed to an attempt to restore these cities to their former glory. Why did these City Fathers allow the “rot” to take root in the first instance and now after allowing it to decay are concerned about reclaiming these cities.
The result of this decay has had a direct influence on the rise in the building these mega-shopping malls and most of big business have moved to these new so-called “town centres”. My greatest fear is that very slowly that cancer that has robbed us of these beautiful cities would befall new town centres.
Sicario
Durban
