Red Location Museum central to tourism job creation

Statement by Retief Odendaal MPL – DA NMB Mayoral Candidate:

• Red Location Museum lies derelict despite its huge tourism potential.
• The DA will restore the museum and unlock township tourism and jobs.
• A DA government will put the New Brighton community at the heart of its revival.

Under a DA-governed Nelson Mandela Bay, a redeveloped Red Location Museum will be the gateway to the Metro’s township tourism growth and create thousands of jobs.

Yesterday I conducted an oversight inspection inside the museum and found it derelict and vandalised. It is a broken-down shell of a museum that cost more than R50 million to build and once attracted more than 120,000 visitors a year.

From our oversight, it was clear that restoring the art gallery and library can be done with relative ease, while the museum itself requires extensive work that will cost a significant amount of money.

It was in operation from 2006 to 2013, when its doors were closed due to community protests. The community’s grievances were tied to housing, development promises, consultation, and who benefited from the precinct.

Successive ANC governments have tried to resolve the Red Location Precinct issue, and not one has succeeded. To boost one of the most iconic tourism sites in Nelson Mandela Bay, political will and money will be required to resolve the root issue.

A DA-government will place the Nelson Mandela Bay Development Agency in charge of this restoration. This will cost tens of millions, but the return on investment will be worth every cent. The DA sees the potential and wants to again see the asset benefit the New Brighton community and the city.

Upgrading tourism precincts across Nelson Mandela Bay will create spaces where restaurants, local traders and tourism businesses work together to offer visitors a complete and memorable experience. Supporting traders and improving facilities will help stimulate local economic activity and create opportunities for small businesses. However, safety must remain a major priority, with well-managed, secure and welcoming precincts that give both visitors and residents confidence to enjoy these spaces.

But addressing the housing and service delivery issues faced by residents of Red Location in New Brighton, and including them in plans to rebuild and restore the Red Location Museum Precinct, are among the most important steps in re-opening this invaluable tourist attraction.

A DA-government will put the community at the heart of the project. To this end, we will establish an independent Red Location Museum Task Team to interact with residents and make them part of the decision-making process.

We will also ensure that the museum creates jobs within the community and draw up a business plan that will detail how the museum will be financially viable at times when tourists are not visiting.

Our vision for the museum is therefore much more than a building and museum restoration project. It is a social contract with the community.

The Red Location Museum must create a thriving cultural and heritage economy in New Brighton and be a driver of township economic development and tourism across the Metro so that we can get our townships and Nelson Mandela Bay working for all.

Related: Red Location Museum Rebuild: Lesser Men Have Tried and Failed