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Thread: The Warwick triangle tangle

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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    The Warwick triangle tangle

    For those who know Durban, the N3 ends in an area known as the Warwick triangle. It's been a rather chaotic area for as long as I can remember and getting through it either by vehicle or on foot tends to be quite an adventure.

    Fixing up the area has been a work in progress for absolute ages and has hit numerous obstacles over the years. There have been abandoned, half completed fly-overs and wierd patch arrangements for pedestrian and vehicle traffic flow for about the last twenty years at least. And every now and then the roads and walkways get ripped up and rerouted.

    Central to the difficulty in getting the area up to coping with current demands is the historical significance of the Early Morning Market which lies in the middle of this high traffic volume tangle. And it's not just the historical significance, there are hordes of small fresh produce traders and peddlars of goodness only knows what nowadays who's tenuous day-to-day livelihood is at stake.

    So it is with no particular surprise I see the latest attempt at unravelling the Warwick Triangle tangle has run into problems.
    A contentious plan to build a R400 million shopping mall at the site of the Early Morning Market at Warwick Junction in the Durban city centre could be thwarted by the unique history of the site.

    But the project is also in jeopardy as nervous investors balk at the controversy the development has provoked.

    Carlos Correia, the boss of Isolenu, the mall developer, said yesterday: "As developers we are very concerned. We are business people. We never expected this reaction. We can't invest in an area where we are not welcome."

    Correia said if no solution was reached in a month, Isolenu would rethink the investment. "But we still believe the Warwick area needs an upgrade."

    The eThekwini city council is pushing for the mall because it fits in with its plans to upgrade the transport network in the vicinity ahead of 2010 by providing a 400-bay parking facility for southbound taxis on the third floor. Two flyovers are being built at a cost of R1.2 billion, of which the national treasury is paying 70 percent.
    full story from Business Report here
    I've got to admit I've got mixed feelings about this.

    Yes - there's a need to upgrade the area, or at least come up with some sort of durable plan to resolve the mess.
    But it's also pretty unique, and there's Mike Sutcliffe's usual bulldozer approach which tends to get up my nose a bit.

    Dunno. Anyone got any opinions on this?

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    Platinum Member Marq's Avatar
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    Yes I agree - the politburo leader Mikael does get up your nose.

    I can also tell you that any tourist or guest coming into Durban, that comes down the the N3 and then sees the sign that says Northern Beaches thinking they have found paradise road and then end up in the Bermud.....er Warwick Triangle, believes that they have hit hell itself. Great stories of having survived Africa at its worst abound. Who do be have to thank - Bol.....no its not that bank - its Bolshavik Bank...named after communist who sat on the side of the river. Anyway these tourists believe safari's and zulu dancing to be lightweight adventures after this.

    This Warwick story is going to be interesting. Having given the hawkers and small business owners the shove off sign, in an area dominated by what must be tradition for most who use the Taxi's there, the future use may become another Durban Municipality White Elephant.

    So along with the new stadium, Ushaka, the ICC the list is growing for a pile of obsolete concrete poured down our throats by uncaring dictators....... there now you asked for my opinion and got me all revved up again......wheres those tablets.
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    Bronze Member Sieg's Avatar
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    Warwick Triangle

    I had the bad fortune to have to drive through this hellish place today. I say "get rid of the whole darn mess in one go". You ain't gonna make friends but you are going to create a proper road in and out of Durban.

    Having said that and knowing various folk who have been high-jacked / stuff stolen / accosted in this area, how come Matrix never contact me when I drive through this place of angst but they will phone me as I am about to enter the Pavilion's underground parking to inform me that I have entered a "high crime area"? The only "high crime" at the Pavilion that springs to mind is the rip off prices, especially in those "fashion" shops that seem to last, on average, six months and then go "bankrupt". For more on "bankrupt", you are going to have to refer to Quinn's long explanation elsewhere . . .

    Sieg

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    Platinum Member Marq's Avatar
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    Could this be ......a pic of the Durban Municipality management team?

    No probably not...........
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    Silver Member Graeme's Avatar
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    I well remember the old Warwick Ave. triangle as it was in 1956 - an fascinating place where you could buy all sorts of fresh produce, and wonderful tourist curios in the old Indian Market. A safe place to stroll around and browse through all the goods on display - a veritable Aladdins Cave. That was before hordes of black traders started squatting there and bringing with them a permanent crime wave. I wouldn't care to walk through there today.

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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    Surprise!
    The eThekwini municipality has been accused of defying a court order after it locked traders out of the Early Morning Market on Monday despite the Durban High Court ruling that they can trade.

    Chaos broke out when metro police officers fired rubber bullets to disperse hundreds of people who wanted to break the market gate after the municipality prevented traders without valid permits from entering.

    Two traders were injured by rubber bullets and were taken to hospital.

    Senior Superintendent Joyce Khuzwayo said:"The municipality has made it clear that it wants to sort out the issue of people who do not have permits. The traders then decided to adopt the 'injury to one is injury to all' strategy."

    The city locked out hundreds of traders after it emerged that many were trading without permits. The court at the weekend ruled that traders be granted occupation and possession of their stalls.
    full story from IOL here
    Last edited by Dave A; 20-Jun-09 at 08:34 AM.

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    Bronze Member Sieg's Avatar
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    Warwick Triangle and the mess

    The mess has been created entirely by the local authorities. They allowed the hawkers, street vendors, etc. They turned a blind eye (maybe both eyes were blind) to the creeping invasion of these hawkers. None applied for licences and no licences were granted. They took over the sidewalks and when these were not enough, they took over the roads, like at Warwick triangle. The municipal officials were fully aware of the situation and allowed it to escalate, probably for the sake of political expediency. Now the Municipality, in this case Durban, want to evict these "traders" (who are actually illegals) and the municipal officials have only themselves to blame for allowing the situation to escalate to this mess. They got themselves into the mess and they now need to find the most politically expedient way of getting themselves out.

    Funny how the municipality now turns to the Court. Its hands are not clean and if I was the judge, I would throw the municipality, its dirty dishwater and its case right out and I would hit them with a very stringent punitive costs award, making the mayor (Moped Olaba), his deputy (No-gear Liedooo) and their lackey (Cycle Muttcliff) personally liable for all the costs, on an attorney and own client scale, such to be payable upon taxation.

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    Platinum Member Marq's Avatar
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    if I was the judge
    How do we get you there? Can we just vote you in, I'll be your campaign manager.
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    Diamond Member tec0's Avatar
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    Sounds to me that this aria is problematic. I would recommend building a Prison or something there along with the new developments. Perhaps it will send out a bit of a massage. I say rip the place down and build something new. After-all road names are being changed and landmarks destroyed by government. So why must this be any deferent? Just get on with it.

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