MBDA forging ahead with urban renewal efforts

The Herald

11-05-2025

Legacy is a word that has been at the forefront of the organisation which has been focusing on the restoration and revitalisation of Nelson Mandela Bay's historic precincts for the past two decades.
Putting the brakes on urban decay and focusing on CBD renewal has been the mission of the Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA), tasked with rejuvenating these deteriorating sections of the metro for the past 21 years.
The agency admits that it has got much right but that it also has made mistakes.
However, it is determined to use that experience in a positive way .
Success in many areas, setbacks in others, a stop-start process for some projects and a keen focus on priorities for the future — the mandate for the MBDA has always been a formidable one.
But it believes the foundations it has set in place have forged a blueprint for the successful fulfilment of its primary role — albeit beset by bureaucratic red tape, budgets and a need to get all the role players, both private and public, on board.
'The main objective was to reverse the urban decay, ' MBDA CEO Anele Qaba said.
'Most of the CBDs in the country and the world were finding businesses moving away to newer areas and the same thing was happening here.
'So the whole idea was to rejuvenate the CBD and keep businesses and investors in the CBD and attract more investment. '
One of the most exciting projects which the MBDA is currently working on is the rehabilitation of the old Harbourmaster House, which will include a zip line across the Baakens Valley.
The Gqeberha CBD, the old Boet Erasmus Stadium grounds and surrounds — earmarked for an international convention centre — as well as t he Kariega CBD, remained the three top priorities, according to the agency's mandate.
Among a long list of projects which have already been undertaken include:
• The environmental upgrade of Govan Mbeki Avenue, from what Qaba describes as having been ' chaotic ' , including the pedestrianisation of the thoroughfare, the creation of kiosks and lighting, as well as the landscaping and paving at a cost of R19m.
• A similar upgrade of the Donkin Reserve focusing on tourism infrastructure, with R17m spent on the public arts programmes and R40m on the infrastructure itself.
• The development of Route 67 at a cost of R17m.
• The environmental upgrade of Strand Street (R40m) as well as Bird Street, Belmont Terrace and the Athenaeum building.
• The Kings Beach Triangle upgrade with the development of the network of ponds, walkways, the outdoor gym, the children's playpark and skate park.
• The rehabilitation of the railway sheds which is still continuing, with R50m set aside for that process. Most importantly, which was aligned with the MBDA's mandate, was the building where it operated from, Qaba said.
' This Tramways building was an old, dilapidated and collapsing building owned by the municipality.
'The MBDA spent over R60m on the revamp of this building and today it serves a variety of purposes.
'It is now the headquarters of the MBDA — but also hosts various functions, from council to private functions.
' We also did the historic renovation of the Campanile at a cost of R25m.
'We put in the new elevator, the automated bells and introduced public art.
'This [public art] is a feature you see in many large cities in the world and it is something on which we want to concentrate our efforts — especially in Strand Street.
'In Kariega on the other hand, there was an environmental upgrade of the Uitenhage Market Square featuring the lighting, paving, trees, children's play fountain and creating kiosks, at a cost of R20m,' Qaba said.
Another major envisaged project includes the already completed demolition of the old Boet Erasmus Stadium, which had been occupied by vandals, in line with the mandate of developing this and adjacent land into an international convention centre.
Happy Valley and Bayworld are also part of the strategy to create a linked tourism attraction stretching from Summerstrand to the CBD including Kings Beach, Fort Frederick, the Baakens Valley zip line, Route 67 and the Campanile.
One area which Qaba said pained him deeply was the setback suffered in Parliament Street.
' The Parliament Street upgrade, which cost R20m, included paving, lighting and trees.
'However, there have been major challenges and it pains me now when I look at Parliament Street because of the allegations of drug dealers and drug dealing. It has regressed.'
Qaba said the MBDA had previously had a security company patrolling the area but that the city council had withdrawn the funding leading to 'everything going backwards' and businesses starting to move out.
'However, we have since moved back with a hybrid approach.
'We have now put up cameras along Route 67 and critical tourist spaces including Parliament Street — reclaiming that street because there is a lot of money that has been spent and we are doing it throughout the city.
'We will also be expanding that through the use of drones, especially in the CBD and MBDA mandate areas.'
Qaba said they would also be deploying an undercover personnel operation to identify suspected drug dealers, for that information to be handed over to the police.
'Security and cleanliness of the area are the priorities to attract investment.'
Asked about some parts of the CBD area, such as the now dilapidated old Newspaper House, Qaba said plans had been drawn up for this particular area.
'We are currently busy with the Vuyisile Mini Square upgrade. Market squares are where people gather in cities around the world.
'And that includes the upgrade of the Feather Market Centre.
'This is where students gather to have something to eat and it will provide a proper space for them to socialise or wait for transport.
'It pains me when I see students on rainy days waiting for transport — there are no shelters and no space for them to socialise.
'So now we have plans in place which we are going to push through to council and if the council can fund this, we are going to move ahead with those plans.'
Qaba said the St Peter's Anglican Church project, which had already been completed, would be launched soon.
'This is one of the big successes.'
He said clamping down on security and ensuring cleanliness and waste disposal were key elements to maintain the work that had already been done by the MBDA.
He said enforcing the city's problem building bylaw to ensure landlords who had allowed their buildings to be occupied by vagrants and drug-lords was paramount.
'We need to clamp down on security.
'Without the enforcement of the bylaw it ' s going to be hard.
'We ' ve started with Transnet and we will go the legal route if necessary to ensure the owners of these dilapidated buildings take action.
'If we need to go to court we will do that in consultation with the city.
'If the owners are not fixing those buildings, they must sell them and they must be revamped.
'By maintaining their buildings it adds value to them and in that way they can attract investment.
'So they must come on board.'
He said he was confident the MBDA was on track .
'Mistakes have been made but out of those mistakes we've come back with a good strategy to take us forward.'
The Herald