The Iconic Golden Mile Durban Funworld theme park that is a hallmark of tourism on Durban’s water front will be receiving a R 1-billion amusement park overhaul. This is to be completed by 2027. eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba made the announcement yesterday (December 10), the ambitious development forms part of a strategy to revitalize the beachfront and restore the city’s status as one of Africa’s leading coastal destinations. This comes as city hall confirmed that an explosion captured on camera at the corner of Dorothy Nyembe and Anton Lembede streets in the Central Business District (CBD) on Sunday was not caused by a gas leak or any gas-related fault but rather by electrical cable arcing.
The project will be spearheaded by Durban-based Masithu Consulting and Project Managers. It is expected to create roughly 900 jobs during construction, with over 500 permanent positions to follow in operations, hospitality, entertainment programming, and technical services. “We are excited that this partnership allows the municipality to upgrade a key public amenity, while securing significant private investment into the beachfront,” said Xaba. “This project will strengthen Durban’s position as a leading coastal destination and continue to attract visitors to enjoy our warm weather all year round.” The Durban Amusement Park is planned for the same stretch of land as the former Durban Funworld and is being developed in collaboration with two Italian engineering firms that have worked on international parks including Ferrari World, Universal Studios and Disneyland.
It includes a Lightning Roller Coaster, Disko 24, Vertical Swing and a 1 500m² Virtual Reality Theme Park offering more than 160 interactive games and international e-sports activations.
The main purpose of this construction overhaul is to create jobs through the new upgrades particularly in regard to the technological upgrades. This will create further jobs in the tourism sector as well as encourage training in skills improvement. This is meant to lower unemployment rate in eThekwini region and bring the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) to the home soil. There should be no surprises if the theme park is largely managed through Artificial Intelligence (AI) as it facilitates virtual reality (VR). The municipality needs to create more funds for the city through its position as a hub of commercial trade and tourism interests. Durban Metro’s greatest asset is of course its warm climate which attracts tourists from other parts of South Africa as well as the world that are in higher altitudes and colder atmosphere. The new attraction of the Durban Amusement Park could certainly create truckloads of foreign revenue when it is completed in 2027. The construction of the Amusement Park also creates jobs in terms of construction and tech development.
The explosion at the CBD that was caused by electric cable arcing however would not be good for confidence in the city’s tourism industry.
Municipal spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said the public should be assured that the situation was minor and swiftly contained. “What people saw in the video was an electrical discharge caused by damaged conductors. It was a spark and flare resulting from cable arcing, not a gas explosion. There is no ageing infrastructure failure behind this incident,” said Sisilana. She confirmed that no injuries, fatalities, or power disruptions occurred. “Our Energy Management team was immediately dispatched to the site and quickly made the area safe. At no point was the public at risk,” Sisilana added. The municipality has urged residents to rely on verified information from official City platforms rather than circulating unconfirmed reports that may cause unnecessary alarm.
The municipality was in a good position to contain the electric explosion and avert any injuries or loss of life. The municipality has proven that it can monitor the condition of eThekwini region’s urban growth and development and avoid wonton damage or harm. eThekwini is in a safe position to pursue its industrial and commercial growth as long as it continues to monitor the condition of its infrastructure. Durban can be the jewel in the crown for KwaZulu-Natal, its sweetest rose if the city is taken care of appropriately. eThekwini municipality and the provincial administration need to move swiftly to showcase Durban’s success. This is provided that any form of policy is focused on making the metro and eThekwini region safer as well as attractive. Contact number concerning noticing of any harm to the conditions of infrastructure, updates or emergencies for the municipal council and city hall is 031 361 0000.
Article written by:
Yacoob Cassim
Journalist at Radio Al Ansaar
