WATCH: State of Amanzimtoti Library shocks residents
Before a video was shared on social media, many were unaware of the extent of the damage when the roof collapsed over four years ago.
THE video of the inside of the Amanzimtoti Library was met with shock and disbelief as many were not aware of the extent of the damage when the roof collapsed in 2019.
A concerned resident, Peter Langley, and his son, Kyle, who was visiting from America, decided to take a look at the library that Kyle often used to visit during his school years.
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“He practically used to live at the library, reading about 286 books in his matric year. He almost burst into tears at the state of the library. We couldn’t believe what it looked like on the inside,” said Langley.
The pair then shared a video to social media, and many said they did not believe it was taken in Amanzimtoti, while others were saddened that it has been left unattended for more than four years.
In an article entitled, Repairs see Amanzimtoti library closed until further notice (April 17, 2019), it said that the repairs to the storm-damaged roof were going to take between six months and a year to complete. On June 4, 2019, it partially reopened before being one of eight libraries to close in December 17, 2020.
In an article entitled, Amanzimtoti Library closed for renovations (March 31, 2021), the library closed because the fire department declared the roof unstable and the premises unsafe.
On February 19, last year, the library remained closed and Ward 97 councillor André Beetge said, “We have been in communication with the head of libraries who confirmed observations of a team from Capital Projects that were on site a few weeks ago. We very much doubt that this will receive any attention in the current financial year.”
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Langley added that the library is a huge part of Amanzimtoti’s history and was always a hive of activity. “Despite the rapid growth of the internet and information at our fingertips, nothing beats reading a book. The library was a valuable resource in my son’s academic achievements, and now others are being denied this opportunity. It’s a well-established, central library that has just been forgotten,” he said.
Tidy Towns Amanzimtoti co-ordinator Michelle Dunnett said she was appalled at the state of the library and will be getting in contact with the relevant municipal departments in an attempt to push the repairs as the library serves as a source of education, entertainment and information for many in the community.
eThekwini Municipality’s head of communications Lindiwe Khuzwayo said, “The tendering process is currently underway for a contractor to do repairs at the library. The City expects work to commence at the beginning of the new financial year. The city apologises for the inconvenience caused to the public who use this library.”
Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/7in-GVGe67w
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