ANC firebrand lives on in city's legal quarter

On Tuesday a 600m² mural bearing the likeness of Anton Lembede, lawyer and founding president of the ANC Youth League, will be mounted on the façade of Six Durban Club Place, home to the majority of advocates in the city.

The mural, one of the largest public art pieces in the country, is also the largest privately funded piece of public art in the province. It is based on the work of Durban artist Sakhile Mhlongo.

The piece, Anton, Bachelor of Law, shows the young lawyer, carrying his briefcase, walking towards court.

Lembede died suddenly in 1947, at the age of 30.

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The metal-framed reproduction of the artist's design on vinyl will face onto Anton Lembede Street, formerly Smith Street, the CBD's main thoroughfare.

"I am honoured to be part of such an important step in the regeneration of the city I love," Mhlongo said.

The installation of the mural signals the next phase of a multimillion-rand rejuvenation project by London-born property developer Jonny Friedman, whose company has spent about R1-billion in South Africa in the past two years.

The investments, in Cape Town and Durban, include iconic buildings such as 320 Pixley ka Seme Street and eight buildings on Durban's entertainment strip, Florida Road, as well as the "Upper Bree quarter" on Cape Town's Bree Street.

Friedman, CEO of commercial property specialist Urban Lime, which recently bought Six Durban Club Place as well as the building next door, said public art played an important part in urban regeneration.

"Public art makes an immediate impact - it should be accessible, it should interest and delight people at every level of society.

"It should have no racial or economic boundaries and should spark conversation and controversy, reminding us of our history, and creating a sense of wonder and place," Friedman said.

"We felt it was a great fit. When you walk in Six Durban Club Place today you will see young lawyers walking with their briefcases to court just like the depiction of Lembede in the painting."

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The area, which is near the High Court in Durban, has been renamed "The Professional Quarter". Of the 270 advocates in Durban, 150 have offices in Six Durban Club Place building.

"We hope to host the rest of the advocates as well as attorneys in the building next door."

Plans include the introduction of high-end retail stores, coffee shops, rooftop dining, pedestrianising the road and free public Wi-Fi.

"Durban is really fit for purpose. Its size means that if we invest heavily we can make a huge difference," said Friedman.

Gardner van Niekerk, chairman of the bar council for the Society of Advocates of KwaZulu-Natal, said: "The plans are very promising. They have already introduced a free shuttle service to take advocates from the building to the high court and back and have begun refurbishing the building. These are steps in the right direction. Hopefully it will rejuvenate this part of the city.

Andrew Layman, former CEO of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry and now consultant to the KZN branch of the South African Property Owners' Association, said: "If you have a big player with that level of commitment to improvement it can make a significant difference.

"Friedman is championing Durban and it is what the city needs. The artwork is a symbol of the beginning of a revival."