Madam – It is with dismay that I respond to the announcement of a new shopping mall in Madadeni.
Many old businesses in the centre of the Newcastle CBD are fighting for survival. The absence of consensus and consultation with business and other stakeholders in the massive developments which have taken place over the past two decades is tantamount to anarchy and manipulation by our “Colonial Oppressors”.
The Newcastle Town Planning division must take into account the recent development of the Newcastle Mall which will soon become a White Elephant.
The Amajuba Mall, The Village Walk, Cambridge Mall, Teku Mall , oSizweni Mall and the newly built Newcastle Crossing is keeping people out of the CBD.
How will the municipality ensure the survival of the traders, who have made a meaningful contribution in maintaining low prices and are still surviving in spite of a failing economy? Is there some force out there who is behind these new developments?
Or is the Council rezoning land willy-nilly to generate funds for their costly Administration Block? Let us hope that proper consultation with small businesses and informal traders and the public is done before the newly elected Council makes similar blunders like their earlier colleagues.
The old Madadeni shopping centre needs to be rescued and revamped before any new developments can be approved. Has the impact of this development been tested with commuter tranporters, who will suffer as a result of this project?
Many empty shops in the CBD bear testimony to this looming crisis. The millions wasted by the municipality in a failed revival stint which benefited a few councillors and pals of the events company, has also borne zero tangible results.
The money could have been well spent if they subsidised the electricity and rates bills of ailing traders, on a sliding scale.
Ghost Town
Response from the Editor:
The letter above was sent to the Newcastle Municipality for comment. None was given at the time of publication.
