22 July 2013
The government’s multi-billion rand Cornubia development north of Durban is set to get under way, with the South African National Roads Agency having agreed to fund the bulk of the R830-million N2/M41 interchange upgrade which lies at the heart of the development.
Initially a joint venture between the eThekwini Metro Municipality and Tongaat Hulett, the Cornubia development has since been adopted by the Cabinet as a national priority project, bringing all spheres of government in as official partners in the development.
Cornubia is a mixed-use, mixed-income, 1 200-hectare development, with 80 hectares earmarked for industrial development and the rest for commercial, housing and other social and public facilities, including schools, creches, clinics, multi-purpose halls, police stations and post offices.
It is strategically located between Durban’s wealthier Mt Edgecombe and Umhlanga areas and disadvantaged areas north of the city such as Inanda, Ntuzuma, KwaMashu, Phoenix, Ottawa and Waterloo.
Situated some 15 kilometres south of the new King Shaka International Airport, Cornubia will see 24 000 new homes being built, 15 000 for subsidised housing and the balance for a wide range of affordability levels.
Cornubia will also boast a bus rapid transport (BRT) system, hence a multi-nodal transport interchange for taxis and buses has been planned.
According to the developers, Cornubia will eventually create 370 000 temporary construction jobs and 36 000 new employment opportunities.
The issue of the funding of the N2/M41 interchange upgrade, which had previously held up the development, has now been resolved, with South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) spokesperson Vusi Mona confirming the agency’s commitment to funding the upgrade
“The cost of the interchange is in the order of R830-million,” Mona told SAnews last week. “The contract was just awarded recently to the contractor, CMC.”
Also speaking to SAnews last week, KwaZulu-Natal transport spokesperson Kwanele Ncalane confirmed that agreement on the funding of the interchange had been reached by all parties involved.
“The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport is going to contribute. However, at this stage, we are not in a position to disclose the actual investment in the project,” Ncalane said.
eThekwini Metro City Manager S’bu Sithole also confirmed that all parties had agreed on the cost-sharing ratio for Cornubia, adding: “The developer is to move on site by August.”
Source: SAnews.gov.za
