Durban – IFP president Velenkosini Hlabisa says his party will restore the once-popular Point Road precinct to its former glory if the party takes over eThekwini.
Outlining the party’s plan in an exclusive interview dubbed ‘ready to govern’ with the Daily News editor Ayanda Mdluli, Hlabisa said he was shocked to see that the area had been taken over by foreigners and had deteriorated.
The IFP leader said when he visited the area recently he was disappointed that the once-popular The Wheel Mall, which was a drawcard for locals and tourists, was no longer in existence and was now run by a Chinese company.
As a person from Hlabisa village in north-east KwaZulu-Natal, he said whenever he was in Durban he used to shop at The Wheel Mall. He vowed to restore the mall when the IFP took over the reins from the ANC, adding that fixing the area and driving out drug lords would be among the IFP’s priorities.
“The Wheel Mall was my favourite place whenever I was in Durban. During my recent visit to the area, I asked people what happened to The Wheel Mall and was informed that it had long been taken over by a Chinese company.
“I was disappointed that the area was in such a bad state, but once we take over we will bring back the entire Point Road precinct to its former glory,” said Hlabisa.
Point Road is now known as Mahatma Gandhi Road.
The IFP leader said party would ensure that police stations were adequately resourced, and the public’s complaints that there were not enough vans at the stations would be a thing of the past under an IFP-led government.
The Wheel Mall was a popular hang-out spot for locals and tourists alike while shopping and visiting the city’s beaches.
The IFP has filed a motion of no confidence in a bid to dethrone mayor Mxolisi Kaunda. The motion was filed earlier last month and is awaiting a date from the speaker, Thabani Nyawose.
The motion was sparked by the revelation that the City had failed to spend a R1.9 billion infrastructure grant, which has been taken back by the National Treasury.
Although the Treasury has since returned R1.6bn, the IFP said it would continue with its motion because Kaunda had many failures to account for.
ANC provincial spokesperson Mafika Mndebele previously dared the IFP to bring its motion, vowing that the ANC would crush the party at the polls.
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