DURBAN FUNWORLD: 75 YEARS OF MEMORIES
DURBAN Funworld officially closed its doors this week after 75 years of creating memories.
While some local residents say they will miss the iconic beachfront amusement park, others believe it is time for a change.
Selvan Pillay, of Phoenix, said he had been going to the park since he was a child, but it was the right decision to close the establishment.
“Some of my favourite childhood memories are from Durban Funworld. My family and I knew the place as Newtons, and we would go during school holidays. I loved going on the cable car, which gave us an aerial view of the entire park.
“As much as it’s sad to see it close, the reality is it needs new, modern infrastructure. Possibly a new theme park on par with Gold Reef City in Joburg and Ratanga Junction in Cape Town, which will aid in our growth as a city to attract more tourism opportunities. I just hope the city uses this site wisely and doesn’t wait too long to start refurbishments.”
Radha Singh, of Chatsworth, said she hoped the city would not abandon the space.
“For generations we’ve been going to this park. We’d go on the rides, eat ice cream and enjoy the underground arcade. Sadly, over the years the place has become unsafe and a ghost town.
“I took my children there not long ago and there were barely any people. I believe the place does need a revamp, but I do hope the city makes good on its promises to create something amazing.
“The site can’t be left abandoned for years with residents having to question what would replace the park. The city needs to act in good time and make it a place that is safe, fun and enjoyable for the whole family.”
The park officially closed on May 1. All the amusement park rides are expected to be auctioned off by Dales Brothers and removed from the beachfront. Dales Brothers posted on its Facebook page that bidding was open and would close on Wednesday, May 3.
At the time of publication, the bid for Funworld’s entire assets were placed at R42 million, the red cableway at R12m and the swingboat at R150 000, though its value is R1.8m.
“You can bid on it in its entirety or piecemeal. The adorable smaller attractions, like Mother Goose, will be up for auction at a separate date if the entire lot isn’t sold as one lot: Lot 1 of the auction,” said the post.
Third-generation owner Nic Steyn said Durban Funworld’s lease with the eThekwini Municipality expired in April 2017, and for the past six years it has operated on a month-to-month basis.
He said the establishment had become unsustainable due to the degradation of the Durban beachfront and the lack of customers.
“I’ve spent the past 12 years trying to sell the amusement rides and other assets operated by Durban Funworld to a suitable operator that I could mentor for the iconic amusement park to continue to operate, improve and grow for the benefit of its staff, its patrons and the Durban beachfront at large,’’ he said.
“Over the years I’ve had numerous business people approach me to purchase Durban Funworld as a going concern, but they’ve all hit the same stumbling block of not being able to secure a lease for the premises from its landlord – the eThekwini Municipality.”
Steyn said an amusement park was a costly affair.
“As the third-generation owner of this business, I’m very well aware of the capital costs involved in such a venture.
“Bear in mind that our family also built and operated the waterpark, known as Durban Waterworld, which was adjacent to Suncoast.”
He said he sent the city his letter of notice in February.
Lindiwe Khuzwayo, spokesperson for eThekwini Municipality, confirmed that a letter of intention to cancel the lease effective May 31 was received.
“The property is owned by the municipality and was leased to the current operator over many years. The notice to cancel the lease comes when eThekwini was already working on big plans for future use of the site.
“One of the many options that the city explored for the site was to make the theme park part of uShaka Marine World.
“However, this fell through because the current operator was not willing to provide the financial information that would have enabled uShaka to make an informed decision.”
Khuzwayo said the city was currently working on a tender process to attract developers to upgrade the Funworld site in line with the zoning of the beachfront.
“The entire precinct’s look is to be upgraded to meet world-class standards of modern theme parks.”
Khuzwayo said the property would go out to tender in June/July this year to invite proposals for redevelopment.
Musa Mbhele, eThekwini city manager, added: “Our hope is that the successful developer will deliver a world-class facility that our residents and visitors deserve, a facility that will raise the overall aesthetics of our golden mile.’’
According to its website, the park first started as a miniature train ride on Durban’s North Beach.
In the late 1940s, Nic Steyn senior bought the train from his fatherin-law, Arthur Thornton, and formed the company Durban Miniature Railways.
He operated the train on North Beach until the mid-1950s when the municipality requested that he move it to the central beachfront, where Durban Funworld now stands.
After moving to the central beachfront, Steyn sr acquired Peter Pan, a small amusement operation next to the miniature train, which led him to continue building and buying amusement rides.
According to the Durban Funworld website, in the early 1970s, it was the first entity on the beachfront, and possibly in Durban, to publicly open its doors to all races.
“In defiance of the terms of its lease with the municipality at the time, which was controlled by the Nationalist Party, Durban Funworld believed the segregation laws were immoral and defied them.
“The council at the time threatened to cancel the lease but Nic Steyn sr remained undeterred.
“At a time when the beaches, paddling pools, public toilets, hotels and every other facility was racially segregated, Durban Funworld was open to all races. This was done many years before any other facilities were opened to all races by the government or private enterprise.”