Durban - To revitalise the local economy following the looting and riots that plagued Durban more than two years ago, the eThekwini Municipality said the Chicken Licken building in Springfield will be reopened on Thursday.
In a statement, the City said the July 2021 riots dealt a severe blow to the economy of eThekwini, resulting in damages exceeding R15 billion to both public and private property.
“As part of the Recovery Plan, the municipality has been collaborating closely with property owners to remove any obstacles hindering the rebuilding and reinvestment process,” it said.
This building was one of the last buildings to be restored in that area.
The chairperson of the Economic and Planning Committee, Councillor Braveman Ntuli is expected to attend to demonstrate the city’s solidarity with business and to highlight the collective efforts to revitalise the local economy.
“Springfield Park is one of the key economic nodes in Durban and suffered significant damage during the riots. However, through collective efforts, the rebuilding and recovery phase has been concluded, with all buildings within this node successfully reconstructed,” said Ntuli.
In September, 14 months after the unrest, Springfield Value Centre reopened.
The centre was one of the hardest hit during the looting, with pictures of people stealing branded items worth millions of rand going viral on social media.
SA Corporate Real Estate (Limited) National marketing manager, Donald Mclellan said 70% of shops had reopened.
The Nike Unite shop is said to open in June.
IOL