More than 10 years after the Drakenstein Municipality purchased the Ikhwezi Community Centre in Mbekweni it is still vacant, neglected and in a state of extreme dilapidation, but hope has now sprung for the premises.
In 2011 Drakenstein Municipality purchased the historic premises housing the Ikhwezi Community Centre for R550 000, after the Ikhwezi Trust was liquidated, with the objective of having a skills development centre with a strong focus on artisan training – but this has never materialised.
In fact, since the municipality acquired the property all the structures deteriorated due to lack of maintenance. More damage was caused by vandalism, and the homestead has also suffered significant fire damage.
But in 2019 the municipality announced the Ikhwezi Community Centre would be transferred to the Isipani Foundation, which will oversee renovation and redevelopment into a skills development centre and student accommodation, a business incubation centre, an indoor sport facility and a community museum. Until now the municipality has not been able to use the facility to its full potential owing to various challenges faced, which include resolving outstanding heritage issues.
“Owing to the huge financial implications of upgrading the facility, the municipality said it will not be in a position to develop the property with its own funding,” the municipality stated.
But this move, to date, has also never seen any fulfilment.
The Drakenstein Municipality, this week, said it had begun the process of a lease agreement involving Ihkwezi and Isydilia, a non-profit in Mbekweni, and was sub-letting the premises to the LEAP Institute.
