Red Location Museum to "open" Thursday after three years

25 May 2016 | Admin Author

The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has unveiled a process that will eventually lead to the reopening of the Red Location Museum to the public.

The award-winning museum in New Brighton has been closed for the past three years after local residents involved in a housing dispute with the Municipality forced it to shut.

Now, after years of negotiations, the community has given its blessing for the Red Location Museum to be reopened.Khusta Mbotyi is from the Red Location Steering Committee.

"I want to be clear to everyone (that) we didn't close the museum because we didn't want that museum. We closed the museum because we are having a problem over houses. Now, since the problem has been resolved we see no reason why the museum must remain closed. We as the community and the leaders give you (the Municipality) the mandate that you can reopen the Red Location Museum," he said.

Speaking at a media briefing on Wednesday the Metro's executive director for Sport, Arts and Culture, Noxolo Nqwazi, says repairs have to be carried out at the Museum which had fallen victim to vandals over the past few years.She said they're hoping that this process will not take more than three months.

"Tomorrow (Thursday) we are sending a team of engineers and surveyers to Red Location to look at the three facilities. It is only at the time that we receive a report in terms of what are the damages we will only determine a timeline when we receive that report. But, our intention is not to exceed three months with the repair work," said Nqwazi.

Executive mayor, Danny Jordaan, said the situation regarding the closure of the Red Location Museum was "a huge difficulty" for him. "In our five golden year plan is the creative economy and the township economy. These keys (to the Museum) is not only unlocking the doors to the Red Location Museum, it is unlocking the doors and opening the pathway to the creative and the township economy."

Jordaan said the Red Location Museum is an important cultural hub for Nelson Mandela Bay.

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