MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

IMPRESSED WITH THE NELSON MANDELA CAPTURE SITE DEVELOPMENTS

 

The members of the National Assembly’s joint oversight committees on environmental affairs, tourism, arts and culture gave the progress and planned developments at the Nelson Mandela Capture Site thumbs up during their oversight visit recently.

Led by the chairpersons of the Arts and Culture and Tourism Portfolio Committees Xoliswa Sandra Tom and Beatrice Thembekile Ngcobo respectively, the Members of the National Parliament (MPs) were taken through each detail of the holistic developments to the Nelson Mandela Capture Site.

In turn the MPs were urged to become ambassadors of the Capture Site and promote it on every available relevant platform, champion for injection of further funds by government and lobby the private sector to invest in this project which strives to be an iconic structure for tourism in the province and which continues to safeguard the legacy of former President Nelson Mandela.

Presenting to the joint oversight committee, uMngeni Municipality’s technical services general manager, Eric Svensson, highlighted the links of the Site’s development to the N2/N3 Corridor Development initiatives undertaken in partnership with the provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. The initiative was established to stimulate economic development and achieve infrastructure growth along the corridor.

Svensson said that notable work through the N2/N3 corridor development initiative has been undertaken in bolstering infrastructure and tourism enhancement.

“The Nelson Mandela Capture Site has had an exponential impact in the increase of tourism in the Midlands and the Midlands Meander. The uniqueness of the sculpture, the Site’s significant historical discourse in our country and the attractive sceneries adjacent to it, render it an unmatched draw card for tourists, both domestically and internationally,” said Svensson. Svensson said that notably the upgrade of the Capture Site has had positive spill overs especially in the hospitality sector which in turn have created much needed jobs and stimulated the local economy and growth in businesses especially along the R103. Outlining the elements of the multi-purpose exhibition centre, Christopher Till, manager at the Nelson Mandela Capture Site, stated that the building will have a cladding finish which will be maintenance free for 100 years. “The exhibitions are being currently worked on. They will tell the story of the struggle by Tata Madiba in KwaZulu-Natal but will have an overall national context,” said Till. When asked how the Capture Site is promoted, Till said that marketing has be done in London, India, China, Italy and America. “In partnership with the Apartheid Museum, the Capture Site is promoted and marketed at all exhibitions in the country,” added Till. Local Economic Development general manager in Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affair, Barbara Mgutshini, said that her department together with the Arts and Culture Department and the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs promote the Capture Site at all relevant provincial events and exhibitions. uMngeni Municipality’s acting municipal manager, Gabi Gumbi-Masilela said that the Site will be aggressively marketed and prioritized as part of the Site’s sustainability plan. Outlining future plans for the Site, Svensson said that the Old Monument on R103 will receive a complete and unique make over as further development is undertaken at the Capture Site.

He said a culvert will be built under the R103 and the existing monument will be lowered to below ground level, but in the same location.

“Pedestrians will walk from the sculpture through the culvert to the lowered monument,” said Svensson.

Before the MPs were taken on a tour of the multi-purpose exhibition centre construction site and the sculpture, the head of department for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Department, Nonhlanhla Qhobosheane, urged the oversight committee members to be ambassadors of the Capture Site. Chairperson of the Tourism Portfolio Committee, Beatrice Thembekile Ngcobo commended the plans for the Site and urged that it should be championed as a flagship project for South Africa. “After all Tata Mandela was for reconciliation and cohesion,” added Ngcobo.