Vinay Court in Durban undergoes significant renovation by eThekwini Municipality



One of Durban’s most eyesore buildings, alongside the N3 exiting and entering the CBD, has been given a cosmetic makeover thanks to the eThekwini Municipality’s problem buildings division.  

Vinay Court, situated on Wills Road, has already undergone window pane replacement and a clean-up of adjacent properties, said Ntando Khuzwayo, eThekwini Municipality Ward 28 councillor. 

Following interventions by the Problem Buildings Division, property owners have undertaken initiatives to improve their buildings, but some owners have ignored the city’s request, explained Khuzwayo. 

The municipality stated on Facebook that tackling problem buildings is part of ongoing efforts to revitalise the inner city, restore investor confidence, and unlock additional investment into the region. 

“Working together with business, property owners, residents, and all those who use the inner city is key to ensure that the municipality achieves a safe, clean, and vibrant city that all can enjoy,” the city stated. 

Khuzwayo said the focus on Vinay Court was on the exterior facade, including waterproofing certain portions of the rooftop.

He said that vegetation growing out of cracks in the wall and a fitting for an illegal billboard structure were also removed.

Khuzwayo said he held several meetings with over 50 residents staying in the building. At the time of reporting, Khuzwayo said he was trying to get in contact with the building owner.

It is believed that the residents are not paying rent to the property owner, and this might be the reason why the building was neglected and listed as a problem building.

The residents are supplied with water through a standpipe in the building. When requested, residents declined to comment to the media. 

“The first phase will be to paint the building and make it look appealing. The second phase will be to create a community vegetable garden in the vacant land next to the building. Residents have explained that they are not responsible for the litter on the vacant plots. Rather, they said passers-by were responsible for littering,” Khuzwayo said. 

He said the pavement outside the building where flower beds were created will be covered. In May 2015, the municipality reported that an illegal billboard structure at the corner of Bram Fischer Road and Soldiers Way had been removed. 

The city warned that they were taking a tough stance against those erecting billboards without the necessary authority.

In April 2024, the municipality began the demolition of the China Emporium building, which was structurally unsound after a fire. The demolition was part of the problem buildings programme and is the seventh building to be demolished in the city. 

zainul.dawood@inl.co.za

The Vinay Court Building, alongside the N3 freeway, has been left in a derelict state for more than a decade. Work is under way to fix the broken windows, clean the vacant properties surrounding it, and paint the building.



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