Film City could boost rates revenue

Durban - The proposed eThekwini Film City, which will form part of a R7 billion private investment development for the old Natal Command site, could add close to R70 million to the city’s rates revenue.

This is according to film mogul Anant Singh’s company, which bought the site to develop it more than a decade ago, before the plans were stalled by red tape and litigation.

Singh’s company said yesterday that the rates estimate was projected to be “double” the R35 million rates revenue generated each year by the Pearls of Umhlanga, developed by the property arm of Singh’s Videovision Entertainment.

Singh said yesterday he expected most of the development to be complete by the time the Commonwealth Games came to town in 2022.

He said the project would create 17 000 jobs during the construction phase and more than 8 000 jobs when operational. It would see sound stages, production workshops, television studios, a set and leisure and entertainment venues being built.

The prime beachfront property was sold to Singh in 2004 for just R15 million by the eThekwini Municipality, and businessman Sunny Gayadin took issue with the deal, saying he would have paid R250 million.

The matter became a protracted legal battle which ended in 2012 when the Constitutional Court ruled against Gayadin, saying it could find no evidence of fraud or irregularity in the deal.

The 21 hectare property is yet to be transferred to Singh’s company, but he said the city and the province were making “good progress” in the matter.

Singh said the plan was aimed at KZN getting more film and television industry revenue.

“We filmed part of Mandela in the province and Mr Bones in Durban. With a film studio, it makes it easier to make the whole film in one place and not just parts of it.”

He said apart from growth in the film industry, the development aimed to have the province’s creative industries, including artists and singers, in one place.

He added that there was a leisure and entertainment aspect to the plan as there would be restaurants and a hotel.

DA PR councillor and former beachfront ward councillor Avrille Coen said residents would welcome any development on the site. “Being vacant land, it is currently being used by beachgoers who party all weekend. The residents cannot take the noise and bad behaviour, so if there is a development that is going to work and will have the necessary infrastructure, then it would be welcomed.”

The KZN Film Commission’s chief executive, Carol Coetzee, said based on research, there was a substantial demand for film infrastructure, and the commission viewed the province as the country’s next major film hub.

“We support the development of infrastructure which would not only support and attract international and national productions, but provide a facility for our local film-makers to develop productions.” The country’s film industry was projected to grow by 7% to 8% and it was time for KZN to participate in that growth.

THE MERCURY