Iranian embassy approaches Tshwane Municipality about turning 'abandoned' city hall into a cultural complex
The Tshwane city hall has not been in operation for about a decade now and requires about R200 million to fix.
Jacaranda trees in the City of Tshwane. Picture: South African Tourism/Flickr
JOHANNESBURG - The Iranian embassy has approached the Tshwane Municipality about its desire to turn the capital’s "abandoned" city hall into an Iranian cultural complex.
The Tshwane city hall has not been in operation for about a decade now and requires about R200 million to fix.
The municipality said it was considering the proposal from Iran, however, no decision had been made yet.
On 9 May this year, the cultural counsellor for the Islamic Republic of Iran wrote to the Tshwane Municipality over whether it would consider contributing a building to it.
The embassy said it wanted to build a dynamic cultural hub that would feature Iranian restaurants, a museum and library, among other facilities.
It said the construction and subsequent facilities would create employment and economic opportunities in the capital, also deepening the cultural relationship between South Africa and Iran.
Chairperson of the Tshwane Municipality’s bad buildings committee, Kholofelo Morodi, said the city was actively looking for opportunities to repurpose dormant municipal buildings.
"This work is guided by the urgent need to stimulate economic activity, attract investment for infrastructure upgrades and address the city’s well-known budgetary constraints. The city hall is one of several heritage properties under consideration for this appropriately used as part of the city’s broader inner city rejuvenation efforts."
While no decision has been made yet, the Democratic Alliance (DA) said any relationship the city wanted to enter into with Iran must first be debated in council.