Mendi dream slowly turns into reality
THE first construction phase of New Brighton’s long-awaited Mendi multipurpose cultural centre is nearly complete, following years of delays.
The construction work will see the historic Mendi bottle store transformed into a R43-million multipurpose centre.
The project was first proposed in 2014 but was delayed due to workers being robbed, contractors being changed and SMME protests.
Architect Tony Daneuz, of The Matrix Urban Designers and Architects, said 95% of the first phase had been completed. This includes converting the old beer hall into a cultural centre with offices and a foyer.
“We hope to be done by the end of February or beginning of March. We are only left with a few touch-ups,” he said.
Illegally dumped refuse that surrounded the Mendi bottle store has also been cleared.
Nomvuyiso Manyi, 48, of New Brighton, said residents were hopeful that the centre would be completed soon.
“We have seen contractors come and go. There was a time when the local SMMEs closed the project. As residents we had lost hope in the completion of this but now we can see something is happening,” Manyi said.
Luzuko Khethelo, 37, also of New Brighton, said the centre would help keep children off the streets.
“We were told that it was going to be an arts and cultural centre. We hope that it will create jobs for the youth.”
Municipal spokesman Mthubanzi Mniki said there had been challenges in completing the project.
This had prompted the municipality to ask the contractors, Leungo Construction/Star Time Trading JV, to cede its contract to a Nelson Mandela Bay service provider, which Leungo had agreed to. The contract is now with Pro-Khaya Construction, a Port Elizabeth company.
“The project has been divided into phases and phase two includes installing a kitchen, and sound and stage equipment,” Mniki said.
“The balance of the R19.5-million that is required for phase two and three has been submitted as part of the 2017-2018 budget.”
“The second phase will commence as soon as the process of supply chain is done.”