Armed with a pair of heavy-duty gloves, bin bags and a broom, Musgrave interior designer Lisa Thomson is literally making sweeping changes to her suburb’s exterior.
And sometimes she has a security detail in tow.
Thomson, wife of former Springbok centre Jeremy Thomson, said she was spurred into action after watching her beloved suburb, previously one of Durban’s finest, descend into decay.
About two years ago she started using the outdoor public gym next to the once-popular La Bella restaurant.
“I sat on the leg exercise machines, watching a once bustling restaurant and meeting spot become a haven for drug dealers, prostitutes and the homeless," she said. “It was symptomatic of what was happening in the greater Musgrave area, so I decided to do something about it.”
She started cleaning and greening the precinct.
“I didn’t want to be a keyboard warrior and flood the neighbourhood WhatsApp group about piles of dirt, broken bottles, the homeless sleeping in the park or the druggies operating from a quiet lane. I started sweeping and picking up rubbish, and it’s been an extraordinary experience.”
Her passion for cleaning and greening is met with bemusement from residents and passersby.
“My husband and children think I am mad. My husband jokes about how I swapped my designer clothes for shorts and gloves, but I am deeply passionate about what I do and genuinely care about our community.
“I am also one of the initiators working towards establishing the urban improvement precinct (UIP) for Musgrave/Essenwood.
If my efforts can serve as a small example of some of the functions a UIP would provide, then I hope it helps residents understand its value
— Lisa Thomson
“It is important for residents to understand that while I may be part of the solution, I am not the long-term solution. The UIP is the long-term solution for our area.
“We are working towards that goal, and if my efforts can serve as a small example of some of the functions a UIP would provide, then I hope it helps residents understand its value.”
Her clean-up efforts have rankled a few — including some criminal elements.
“There have been a few hairy moments. I have had a knife pulled on me, nearly been hijacked twice, and last week some car guards near the Atrium shopping centre started rocking my car when I showed up.”
Thomson admits it is “nerve-wracking” and she has to constantly look over her shoulder, which is why she is grateful a local security company, Ranger, provides a security detail when she goes into hotspot areas.
“It has made a difference, and I also try to change my routine,” she said. “Sometimes I am out at about 5am in one area and go to another area later in the day.”
Her persistence has led to the municipality taking responsibility for La Bella — a double-storey electricity department asset that had been abandoned for years after a delinquent tenant was kicked out.
Vandals gutted the building over time, helping themselves to windows, doors, awnings, pipes and wires. Thomson nagged the municipality until it secured 24-hour security for the building.
A tender for the building closed in January last year, but the municipality is dragging its heels on finding a new tenant.
Thomson is part of a collective pushing for the Musgrave/Essenwood UIP, which is awaiting approval from the municipality.
“The cleaning and greening initiatives I assist with are only a small part of what a UIP would provide on a much larger and more structured scale.”
Dees Ahmed, an area councillor and also a driver of the UIP, said Thomson’s efforts had paid off and were noticeable in the area. He said the abandonment of La Bella contributed to the area becoming a haven for criminals.
“It is situated in a prime position and has enormous potential for the area, but for whatever reason the municipality allowed it to decay,” Ahmed said.
He added that it was important to stop fed-up residents from fleeing to gated communities and estates. “We want to restore Musgrave to what it was in its heyday — one of the poshest suburbs in Durban.”
eThekwini municipality spokesperson Gugu Sisilana confirmed that the bid adjudication committee had concluded deliberations on a tender bid for the building, but the award is pending the finalisation of compliance verification and any objection or appeal process.
Once this is done, Sisilana said a number of other conditions, including finance and land use assessments, would have to be vetted.
“Accordingly, the municipality anticipates that, subject to the timely fulfilment of these conditions by the developer, redevelopment could commence within 12 to 18 months of the lease becoming effective. The municipality recognises that this timeline may be a source of frustration for residents and stakeholders and wishes to be transparent about the legal and regulatory framework that governs this process.”
She said the municipality was aware of the concerns and impact of the abandoned building on the Musgrave precinct; however, this was the “unintended consequence of enforcing contractual compliance” against the delinquent tenant.
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