Durban's R980m Golden Mile theme park: 1,400 jobs, no opening date yet
eThekwini says its R980 million amusement park on the old Funworld site has development funding. Approvals run to March 2027 before construction starts, and no opening date is set.
Durban's planned R980 million amusement park on the Golden Mile has secured project development funding from a development finance institution, eThekwini Municipality says (Moneyweb). The park will go on the old Durban Funworld site, but construction can't start before statutory approvals, which are expected to run until the end of March 2027 (IOL).
What has actually been approved?
Funding for the development phase, not the full build. The money covers statutory work, detailed planning and technical work (IOL).
The City has not named the institution or said how much it approved. It is also unclear how the full R980 million will be paid for, or whether construction funding is in place (Moneyweb).
When will the park open?
There is no confirmed opening date. The design stage is finished and technical planning is under way. Statutory work, including land use approvals, follows until the end of the first quarter of 2027, and construction comes after that (ECR, The South African).
What will be in the park?
According to the municipality and earlier plans (ECR, Time Out):
- several large rides, including a roller coaster and a vertical swing
- an extended reality and digital zone of about 1,500 square metres
- shops and themed food courts
- an upgraded amphitheatre for events
Indoor and outdoor areas are meant to let it trade all year, including on rainy days and in the evenings (Moneyweb).
How many jobs will it create?
About 1,400 across construction and operations, the municipality says, with local small businesses included in the supply chain (Moneyweb). These are City estimates, not jobs already created.
Why the old Funworld site?
Funworld closed in 2023 after almost 50 years (Time Out), and the beachfront has had no permanent ride park since. The new park will run under a long term development lease with the municipality. The Golden Mile already gets more than 17 million promenade visits a year (IOL).
The project was picked by the National Department of Tourism as one of its key tourism infrastructure developments and forms part of more than R2 billion already spent or committed on Durban's beachfront (Moneyweb).
FAQ
How much will the Durban amusement park cost?
eThekwini Municipality puts the project at R980 million. Only development phase funding has been approved so far.
Where will the new Durban amusement park be built?
On the former Durban Funworld site on the Golden Mile beachfront.
When will the Durban amusement park open?
No opening date has been confirmed. Statutory approvals are expected to run until the end of March 2027, with construction to follow.
How many jobs will the Durban amusement park create?
The municipality estimates about 1,400 jobs across construction and operations.
Who is funding the Durban amusement park?
An unnamed development finance institution approved project development funding. The full financing structure has not been disclosed.