LETTERS: Council should take over the mall

A few months back I wrote to suggest that the Ballito Bay Mall could be turned into a wonderful home for retired and/or aged people. Many people I have since spoken to say “what a brilliant idea!”.
I now read that most, if not nearly all, the existing businesses have signed to transfer to the new enlarged Ballito Junction! So what will become of the already half-empty Bay Mall?
Our Town Fathers (bless them!) are at present housed in temporary premises scattered all over town and this was supposed to be only for the time it took to completely renovate our town offices! Well, we all know that work came to a sudden halt many months ago and we are now left with the prospect of yet another home-made Zimbabwe Ruin eyesore! Most probably the contract was given to a “friend or relative “of one of our councillors? Who knows?
My suggestion is, why does our Borough not take over the Ballito Bay Mall (they are already owed a huge amount of money) and convert it into a town centre?
We could have a huge town hall, council chambers, Mayor’s parlour and offices, electricity, fire and emergency, town planning departments etc etc. A health clinic could also be incorporated, all under one roof and with ample parking and access for everyone. The roof area could be given to the traffic department as a vehicle testing ground.
Just a thought, but it needs people with brains and enthusiasm to implement it. At the moment our present council is not even clever enough to plan a taxi rank!

GC FLETT
Ballito