Transforming the RiverTown Precinct: Durban's New Business and Tourist Hub
The RiverTown Precinct in the Durban CBD is being upgraded as the municipality seeks to create a social hub in the area.
Image: Doctor Ngcobo / Independent Newspapers
The RiverTown Precinct, at the heart of the Durban CBD, could soon be transformed into a vibrant business, tourist, and social destination.
City officials briefed the members of the Presidential Ethekwini Working Group on Thursday on the improvements made to the precinct.
They revealed that million has been invested in the past few years to rehabilitate the area and turn it into one of the key tourist areas. The area is crucial as it could provide a vital link for tourists between the city’s beaches and the ICC.
Kamalan Gounden, a city official in charge of the project, detailed the work that has been done on the precinct so far, including putting up public art, tiling the area, and planting trees.
He also discussed the work that will go into improving security around the area to allow tourists to walk safely between the beachfront and the Durban ICC.
“We want to transform this area into a hub with restaurants and art galleries,” said the official. “We aim to transform this place into an art market,” he added.
In a recent statement about the project, the city said that the upgrades to the RiverTown Precinct are nearing completion, marking a significant milestone in Durban’s Inner City Regeneration Strategy.
It said the upgrade has transformed a once-overlooked industrial area into a vibrant, investment-ready urban corridor.
It stated that with its strategic location, rich heritage, and renewed infrastructure, the RiverTown Precinct is emerging as a compelling destination for investors, developers, and cultural entrepreneurs looking to be part of Durban’s urban renaissance.