The eNyokeni amphitheatre’s fate is uncertain after King Misuzulu's unexpected declaration that it will no longer host the iconic reed dance, but KwaZulu-Natal’s public works and infrastructure MEC Martin Meyer remains optimistic that the facility can still be used effectively.
The recently completed R160m facility, situated at the eNyokeni royal palace in KwaNongoma, northern KwaZulu-Natal, was built as part of the late King Zwelithini’s vision of a cultural precinct in the area to mark the 30th anniversary of the reed dance.
After several setbacks that escalated its costs and held back its completion by more than a decade, the 2,000-seater dome is finally ready to open its doors.
Meyer said the provincial public works department had made sure there are no further delays in the construction of the site, with an official opening widely expected to be held ahead of next month’s edition of the annual reed dance.
“We’ve put a lot of our effort and energy into it, monitored it very closely and worked very hard as a department to make sure it gets done in time. We made sure the contractor knows the building has to be finished this month in preparation for the festival that we were expecting in September,” Meyer told TimesLIVE Premium on Tuesday.
Apart from the 4,420m2 cultural amphitheatre, the main part of the facility that was to host maidens and guests, the structure also has a 228m2 office, an 80m2 kitchen, toilet facilities, change-rooms and a parking area.
“It’s a beautiful structure. That building is ready and it is a beautiful strip of building [that] can bring so much change to the people of Nongoma and the areas around it,” Meyer said.
However, King Misuzulu’s surprising announcement during uMkhosi weSivivane (an annual ceremony held in August celebrating women empowerment) at the weekend that the newly built eMashobeni royal palace, in oPhongolo, will now host all major royal events, threw a spanner in the works for the amphitheatre finally hosting the reed dance, having been held at eNyokeni for nearly 40 years.
Questions have also been raised about the readiness of the new palace to accommodate the event in less than a month.
Meyer reiterated that his department was only an implementing agent in the construction of the facility, on behalf of the office of the premier and the department of sports, arts and culture, and that its use can only be decided by the monarch and the two departments.
“We’re a department of instruction: we get told to build something and we do so to the best of our ability and we are exceptionally proud of the dome and amphitheatre that we built,” he said.
“Having said that, I fully understand it is in the domain of his majesty to decide on these things in collaboration with the office of premier as well as the [KZN] department of sports, arts and culture. It’s those two departments that will hand over this building and they will manage the property going forward, not us.”
Meyer was quick to dispel fears of the facility becoming an example of a wasted investment, highlighting that its design as a multipurpose facility reinforced his belief that it will still serve as a tourism hub in the heart of the Zululand district.
“The way it was built was so it can be a multipurpose structure; it can be used for many cultural events, for meetings, concerts. It has a tourism potential, having a festival that speaks to the rich Zulu culture and getting people from across the world to travel here and experience that in a world-class facility ... it could bring jobs, it can bring change and put Nongoma on the map, not only in KZN but across the world so there’s a lot of potential there.”
He also expressed his confidence that the leaders in charge of the facility, King Misuzulu and premier Thamsanqa Ntuli, will devise how to facility effectively.
“We are very proud of it and we hope it can be used. We maintain that the building has a lot of potential and we hope that between his majesty and the premier they will be able to find a solution and a good use for that property”
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