R38-m facelift for Isipingo CBD
Upgrades also include pavements, taxi rank and informal trading stalls.
eTHEKWINI Municipality has spent R38-m to revitalise Isipingo town centre as part of the city’s programme to revamp and upgrade secondary town centres.
Addressing stakeholders at the official opening of Alexander Street in Isipingo on Monday morning, 8 December, Mayor James Nxumalo said this is one of the many road upgrade projects undertaken by the city to improve traffic flow in and out of the town.
The upgrades also include pavements, taxi rank and informal trading stalls.
“The improvements are as a result of the vision of the municipality. After having listened to the cries of local people and business, and working together with different stakeholders, we developed the Isipingo town regeneration programme, which is part of the broader vision of the city to redevelop the secondary town centres outside of Durban CBD,” said Nxumalo.
Nxumalo added that the project will improve infrastructure in Isipingo in order to revive the economic potential of the area and attract investments. This includes the improvement of access and mobility within town centres for motorists, pedestrians and informal traders.
The upgrades also include designation and revamp of trading stalls for informal traders.
Mayor Nxumalo said more than 200 informal traders’ will benefit from new designation and erection of informal traders facilities to improve their working conditions.
An informal trader Sihle Khuzwayo said it is an exciting time for traders.
“Today we are witnessing a new look of our town and we believe this will attract more customers. As traders we have committed ourselves to ensure that we keep our trading areas clean, as part of the city’s Clean My City Programme. This will definitely improve the image of the informal traders,” says Khuzwayo.
The result of this project will not only benefit local businesses and commuters, but it will play a strategic role in generating new opportunities for logistical and freight route to support activities that will take place in the envisaged dig-out-port port and other developments in the South.
“The municipality is currently investigating the possibility of introducing a new interchange on Joyner Road which will service the freight needs of the dig-out-port and provide a new, second access to Umlazi township”, said Mayor Nxumalo.
