Pretoria - As Durbanites and other fun lovers from all walks of life digest news of the impending closure of the Durban Funworld, the iconic beachfront facility, the City of eThekwini says plans are afoot to revitalise the site.
The city has confirmed that the iconic beachfront’s Funworld park operator has written to the municipality about his intention to cancel his lease effective from May 31. The property is owned by the municipality and was leased to the current operator over many years. The facility has been part of the Golden Mile for more than 50 years.
“The notice to cancel the lease comes when eThekwini was already working on big plans for future use of the site,” said Musa Mbhele, eThekwini city manager.
“One of the many options 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.”
Mbhele said the coastal city is working on a tendering 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. The property will be going out to tender this year to invite proposals for redevelopment.
“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.”
Last week, IOL reported that owner of the Durban Funworld, Nic Steyn, said the facility’s amusement rides and attractions would be sold off and removed from the beachfront. Steyn said the closure would be a sad day for Durban, especially the beachfront.
Steyn is a third-generation operator of the facility which, he said, was built by his family from the ground up when the site was simply grass.
Speaking on the park’s history, he said that in 1977 his father, Nic Steyn senior, opened Durban Funworld to all races, the first public entity to do so – a move in open defiance of the terms of his lease.
Steyn explained the difficulties he had encountered over the years in trying to find an operator to take over the business.
“I have spent the past 12 years trying to sell the amusement rides and other assets operated by Durban Funworld, on to a suitable operator that I could mentor, in order 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.
“Over the years I’ve had numerous purchasers approach me to purchase Durban Funworld as a going concern, but they have all hit the same stumbling block of not being able to secure a lease for the premises from its landlord, the eThekwini Municipality.”
IOL