Museum plan for Bulawayo’s Inxwala grounds

Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council is mooting plans to develop the Inxwala grounds into a museum after residents turned the historic site into a dump.

The Inxwala site between the city centre and Northend suburb is bounded by Masotsha Ndlovu Avenue to the south, the Old Lady Stanley Avenue to the west, Beit Avenue to the north, and Athlone Avenue to the East.

The area has recently been used to host the Luna Park.

According to historians, the site was used for a special Ndebele cultural event called Inxwala.

At this event, the people of UMthwakazi were called to gather once a year.

Council accorded a Site Preservation Order (SPO) status to the area, because of its historical significance.

Director of engineering services Simela Dube told councillors that the site was an eyesore as residents were dumping litter and creating unauthorised pathways while others were inscribing unprintable words.

Eng Dube proposed that the area be spruced up so that the council can generate revenue from the historic place.

“It’s proposed that the site be cordoned off by a palisade wall along its perimeter, and gated. The planting of grass to create a fully-fledged theme park and the creation of an arena to be used for cultural exchange programmes to house a museum that shall contain cultural history of Bulawayo,” said Eng Dube.

“Ablution facilities, change rooms and offices to be built thereon, provide at least two boreholes and a civic hall with an administration block. The development of the site into a heritage site was permitted in the area as it was considered an ancillary use to residential”.

According to the latest council report, the local authority wanted to invite private developers to develop the place.

Councillors said in developing the place, council should maintain its cultural significance.

Deputy Mayor Councillor Gift Banda said the area should be revived for tourism opportunities.

“Durban City in South Africa has a similar site known as King Tshaka Centre and the site is a great tourist attraction. A similar complex at the Inxwala would be good for the city,” he said.

The city’s engineering department said the council wanted the place to be a traditional museum.

“There would be a lot of activities at the site, the dignity of the site would be enhanced and maintained”.