Cape Town - The Kayamandi Economic and Tourism Corridor, which has been vandalised numerous times, has been given a facelift that is worth nearly R5 million by the Stellenbosch Municipality.
The corridor, which was once labelled a R13 million ‘white elephant’, was built and opened to the public just before the 2010 Fifa World Cup for locals to utilise for entrepreneurial, tourism, and arts and cultural activities. However, over the years, this state-of-the-art facility experienced many challenges, such as vandalism and being a haven for criminal activities.
Reopening the renovated corridor, Stellenbosch mayor Gesie van Deventer urged the people of Kayamandi to safeguard the premises and make sure that they function for the benefit and development of the people of Kayamandi.
"For many years, the corridor has been seen by some residents as a white elephant, which is why the municipality went to a lot of trouble to have the public participation sessions with the community to listen to the ideas, proposals, and frustrations so that we can create a facility that is not only safe and accessible but also meaningful," said Van Deventer.
The construction and upgrade work of the facility lasted six months, and the cost of the project was R4,724 787.65.
The renovated corridor will serve as a conveniently located venue for locals to interact with the government, hold community events, host concerts, rent office space, and participate in the informal trader's market.
Van Deventer said she would ensure that the town’s law enforcement conducts visits and patrols to keep residents safe.
“This was a lot of work, and the money spent on this project is aimed at creating opportunities for the community. Please take full responsibility of this venue and all its magnificent facilities.