R1.3 billion hotel in Umhlanga to open in November

17-09-2020
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DURBAN - KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Economic Development Nomusa Dube-Ncube, has announced on Tuesday the opening of a new property development in the Umhlanga area, north of the Durban central business district, which costs over R1 billion (around US$60 million).

The MEC unveiled the new hotel while presenting a “turnaround” plan for the tourism industry before the National Council of Provinces (NCOP)

“I wish to congratulate the developers of Umhlanga Arch for showing a vote of confidence in KZN. This is a new trendy R1.3 billion development near the Gateway super-regional mall in KwaZulu-Natal,” Dube-Ncube said.

“This 203-room hotel will be handed over to Hilton (hotel group) next month and scheduled for official opening in November.”

The new hotel is situated on Ncondo Place, Umhlanga,and boasts panoramic views of the Indian Ocean.

Wilson Bailey Homes (WBHO) was the contracting party, while the Amalgamated Banks of South Africa, or Absa group (JSE:ABSP), financed the project.

Meanwhile, in commemoration of International Day of Democracy, the MEC reflected on South African “heroes of the revolution”.

International Day of Democracy was started in 2007 by the United Nations, with the sole purpose of promoting the virtues of democracy.

“On this important day, we pause to pay tribute to the pathfinders of our freedom and democracy. It should also be remembered that several heroes of our revolution were inspired by the Freedom Charter,” Dube-Ncube said.

She added that, had it not been for the “pathfinders of our freedom”, the country would not have been able to overcome the apartheid regime.

Now, as both the country and province grapple with a new beast, the Covid-19 pandemic, the MEC says that unity between the community and the state will prove a winning formula.

“We are conscious of the fact that our freedom is not complete while millions continue to live in poverty. Covid-19 has ignited us to double our efforts to translate the political freedom we enjoy into economic freedom for millions of people in this province,” she said.

Furthermore, she told the NCOP that more than 600 local businesses in the tourism sector were given a grant of R50,000 from the National Tourism Fund.

The MEC said that because of the bilateral partnership between the government and stakeholders within the tourism sector, the industry would “rise up like a phoenix”.