Back to drawing board on Njoli Square

THE Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality wants to change the design plans for the long-awaited R285-million Njoli Square redevelopment to accommodate two property owners in Kwazakhele who have refused to relocate.

The city is at risk of losing its R121-million grant from the national Treasury if the development does not proceed soon, and if the metro does not get private investors on board.

The news comes six months after the council decided to begin expropriation of the two properties – a doctor’s surgery and an elderly woman’s house – the owners of which have for seven years refused to budge.

Other residents who used to live in the area moved over the years and were compensated by the municipality.

At an infrastructure, engineering and energy portfolio committee meeting this week, infrastructure design and implementation director Luthando Mabhoza said they wanted to slightly change the scope of work to meet the Treasury’s demands and also integrate the “problem owners”.

“Treasury has a new way of doing things that we must comply with; they want us to attract private investment as well,” Mabhoza said.

“We are trying to integrate those who believe they own the land, like the doctor who does not want to move.

“The new proposal will allow him to stay there, [and] we want to create a medical precinct for dentists and other doctors.”

Mabhoza said the municipality could build around the elderly woman’s house and include a nearby property owned by Uncedo Taxi Association when developing a taxi rank.

The design changes were still in the early stages, he said.

The city’s director of strategic projects in the economic development department, Amelia Buchner, said the Treasury was becoming impatient with the metro not using the money.

The municipality initiated the Njoli revamp in 2003 as one of its Vision 2020 projects. The Treasury had committed the R121-million in 2009.

Portfolio committee chairman, councillor Andile Mfunda, said the redevelopment was a mega project that was long overdue.

“I’m glad you have resolved the issues with the people. It means that we need to revisit the previous council resolution [to expropriate].

“Let’s move with this project; it’s critical,” Mfunda said.

DA councillor Bobby Cekisani said the metro’s approach was previously arrogant, and it had to have a more caring approach.

The portfolio committee approved the recommendation to rescind a previous council decision and go ahead with the revised development layout.

The matter will have to go to the mayoral committee and the full council for final approval.