Plan to unleash New Brighton’s potential is ready for implementation
The Mandela Bay Development Agency, is an entity of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, established in 2003 to reverse urban decay of then Port Elizabeth inner city through urban renewal, will in August celebrate 20 years of its existence. Since inception, some of the successes of the MBDA include, pioneering the regeneration of urban nodes such as Kings Beach, Helenvale, Kariega CBD and a significant part of the Gqeberha inner city, but the agency didn’t end there, a R40m projects in New Brighton saw to the transformation of Singaphi Street and other emerging nodes were later added. Since inception, the MBDA has received successive unqualified and clean audit outcomes from the Auditor General of South Africa.
Unfortunately, the past six years have been turbulent for the Nelson Mandela Bay, and the entity, largely due to the consistently changing political, and administrative landscape, some of the MBDA’s earlier urban renewal projects suffered due to changes in priorities, inadequate maintenance, limited security provision, and the increasing scourge of vandalism of public property which worsened in 2020 due to lockdowns.
Our assessment of what has gone wrong points to several factors that we intend on addressing through the proposed new five-year plan for 20232028.
Much of what we aim to focus on in the next five years is less new builds, but smarter total precinct management, and facilitation of key services with partners.
We have listened to stakeholders, including business, and citizens who feel more must be done to coordinate security, cleansing, bylaw enforcement, and improved informal trading regulation. Greater attention will be placed on the bad-buildings regime.
All these issues will be addressed through a series of stakeholder agreements, and we are confident that if all role players play their part, the Baakens / Central CBD, Kariega CBD and Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium precincts will all turn around into safe, clean, and attractive areas for further investment.
As a municipal entity, the MBDA is governed primarily by the Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000 and receives its mandate from the NMBM through council resolutions.
The mandate is enacted through the completion of a Service Delivery Agreement (SDA) between the entity and the parent municipality. In terms of legislation and delegation of authorities, the Board’s responsibility is to provide oversight and strategic direction, whereas Management is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organisation led by the Chief Executive Officer. Operationally, the MBDA reports into the NMBM through the Office of the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and the relevant political oversight champion as directed by the Executive Mayor.
In August 2014 the MBDA moved into New Brighton’s Singaphi Road, kick starting a R40 million, multi-year environmental upgrade.
The breaking of ground was a culmination of long hours and months of consultation with various stakeholders to shape the nature and form of the upgrade.
Singaphi Street, situated in the old township of Red Location is a strategic access route to one of the City’s tourism icons, the Red Location Museum which remains closed.
The Singaphi upgrade is unique in many respects, in that the community was very clear in terms of what they wanted in their neighbourhood.
So instead of architects and consultants coming up with design solutions, the public, through several conceptual and creative workshops, were equipped to come up with the theme and concept that the architects would then express in design.
The upgrade included a newly surfaced road from Ferguson Road up to Olaf Palme Street as well as several environmental improvements including the installation of public art, street furniture, children’s play parks, traffic education cycling park a sports training park as well as possibilities for vendor trading areas and landscaping.
Phase one of the project saw several of small previously disadvantaged local contractors (SMME’s) getting a significant portion of the work.
More importantly the area benefited from a direct injection in terms of job creation and business sales. Initially, over 100 direct jobs were created through the main contractor and sub-contractors immediately.
Fast forward to 2020, the Singaphi redevelopment became an inspiration for further development.
A consultative programme was launched in August 2020 to start a conversation with residents and stakeholder regarding the future of New Brighton. Subsequently the MBDA, working with all the four ward councillors, developed a new development strategy which was adopted in 2021.
The ultimate purpose of the MBDA’s New Brighton Programme has three main objectives:
To develop a precinct with unique projects, focusing on boosting township economy, local tourism and skills development.
Promote trade, tourism, biodiversity management and local economic development.
To achieve spatial transformation collaboration is required between public sector, private sector, residents and learning institutions.
To achieve these objectives, five programmes have been identified, which when implemented in an integrated fashion, should stimulate the economic, social, and spatial development of New Brighton.
The New Brighton Development Plan consists of five key programmes areas:
The upgrade included a newly surfaced road from Ferguson Road up to Olaf Palme Street as well as several environmental improvements including the installation of public art, street furniture, children’s play parks, traffic education cycling park a sports training park as well as possibilities for vendor trading areas and landscaping
1. Getting the Basics Right
2. Placemaking
3. Unlocking Tourism
4. Making Heritage Work
5. Capacity Building These programmes have been identified through the various analyses undertaken as part of the New Brighton development process, as well as through stakeholder engagement. Through these programmes and their associated activities, the MBDA aims to concentrate its New Brighton resources to exploit the area’s development opportunities and to mitigate any potential threats. Within each of these programmes are a set of priority activities that the MBDA and NMBM can undertake over time.
The upcoming celebrations present an opportunity for stakeholders and partner to work together to unleash to immense potential of this iconic South African township.