Perched on a blustery hill overlooking the winding Keiskamma River, the R40-million Emthonjeni artists’ retreat centre – with its 22 up-market bedrooms and gallery, dance and multimedia spaces – is standing empty.
The sprawling contemporary building in the small coastal town of Hamburg was built by Amathole District Municipality’s economic development arm, Aspire.
Its vision was to attract national and international fine artists, recording artists, dancers and ceramicists to collaborate with Eastern Cape artists in an art haven to breathe new life into the town.
The vision included a restaurant to serve organic meals to funded artists on sabbaticals and other guests who would stay in stylish bedrooms with adjoining studios in an environment that would fuel their creative juices.
Vibrant South African Music Award winner Nomsa Mazwai was installed as Emthonjeni Arts’ director.
But a year after it officially opened, the Emthonjeni Arts project was wound up at the East London High Court in November 2014.
Yesterday, Aspire chief executive Lulamile Hanabe said the Emthonjeni Arts building was funded by the national Department of Tourism and was operated and managed by a Section 21 company, which was liquidated by its board “after it was unable to pay its bills, including personnel”.
When the Daily Dispatch visited the desolate centre this week, a rusty padlock held the front gates shut, weeds poked up between the driveway and front patio pavers, and wind-battered walls looked to be in need of a coat of paint.
A security guard said she had been instructed not to allow anyone to enter and that the building was guarded 24 hours a day.
A stone’s throw away, Hamburg Backpackers owner Mandy Bleach said documentary film producers from Holland had stayed at Emthonjeni in 2014, but when they returned last year they had lodged with her.
“They were disappointed they could not stay there again,” said Bleach, who also runs community programmes in Hamburg.
“A French lady also taught ballet classes there and did not charge those who couldn’t afford it, but there seemed to be more staff than visitors.”
Bleach said after the centre closed she had tried to rent it.
“I wanted to open the restaurant and hotel, hire local people, bring in tourism, maybe open a skateboard park and have a vegetable garden, but Aspire said it had been liquidated. It’s a complete waste; an absolute sin.”
Hamburg resident Eyethu Nkunkuma said she had been thrilled to land a job at Emthonjeni as a personal assistant to its director in 2013, but that by August 2014 financial cracks began to show.
She said management informed staff near the end of August 2014 that there was no money to pay them. A few weeks of uncertainty followed before staff were informed the centre was closing.
“I don’t know why it failed. There was no money for bills like electricity and we only received our pay in mid-2015. It was very hard because it closed suddenly and I couldn’t pay for my child’s school fees,” said Nkunkuma, who now works at the Keiskamma Trust.
“A lot of the staff are still unemployed. Emthonjeni was seen as a big hope. It is still a hope because when it re-opens there will be opportunities.”
Keiskamma Trust supervisor and designer Veronica Betani, who, along with dozens of women, creates striking embroidery products which have a national and global market, said she had sold handmade jewellery and clothes at the centre.
“I was very upset when it closed because it was an opportunity for local people like cleaners, waitresses and admin people to work in hospitality,” she said.
“With the government, they build white elephants. We sit and work in a prefab place and need space, yet there is a beautiful building, which is a waste.”
Hanabe said Aspire had developed an “operational plan” for the building, but that neither ADM nor Aspire had the resources to operate it.
R40m Hamburg unused artists’ retreat ‘a complete waste’
The sprawling contemporary building in the small coastal town of Hamburg was built by Amathole District Municipality’s economic development arm, Aspire.
Its vision was to attract national and international fine artists, recording artists, dancers and ceramicists to collaborate with Eastern Cape artists in an art haven to breathe new life into the town.
The vision included a restaurant to serve organic meals to funded artists on sabbaticals and other guests who would stay in stylish bedrooms with adjoining studios in an environment that would fuel their creative juices.
Vibrant South African Music Award winner Nomsa Mazwai was installed as Emthonjeni Arts’ director.
But a year after it officially opened, the Emthonjeni Arts project was wound up at the East London High Court in November 2014.
Yesterday, Aspire chief executive Lulamile Hanabe said the Emthonjeni Arts building was funded by the national Department of Tourism and was operated and managed by a Section 21 company, which was liquidated by its board “after it was unable to pay its bills, including personnel”.
When the Daily Dispatch visited the desolate centre this week, a rusty padlock held the front gates shut, weeds poked up between the driveway and front patio pavers, and wind-battered walls looked to be in need of a coat of paint.
A security guard said she had been instructed not to allow anyone to enter and that the building was guarded 24 hours a day.
A stone’s throw away, Hamburg Backpackers owner Mandy Bleach said documentary film producers from Holland had stayed at Emthonjeni in 2014, but when they returned last year they had lodged with her.
“They were disappointed they could not stay there again,” said Bleach, who also runs community programmes in Hamburg.
“A French lady also taught ballet classes there and did not charge those who couldn’t afford it, but there seemed to be more staff than visitors.”
Bleach said after the centre closed she had tried to rent it.
“I wanted to open the restaurant and hotel, hire local people, bring in tourism, maybe open a skateboard park and have a vegetable garden, but Aspire said it had been liquidated. It’s a complete waste; an absolute sin.”
Hamburg resident Eyethu Nkunkuma said she had been thrilled to land a job at Emthonjeni as a personal assistant to its director in 2013, but that by August 2014 financial cracks began to show.
She said management informed staff near the end of August 2014 that there was no money to pay them. A few weeks of uncertainty followed before staff were informed the centre was closing.
“I don’t know why it failed. There was no money for bills like electricity and we only received our pay in mid-2015. It was very hard because it closed suddenly and I couldn’t pay for my child’s school fees,” said Nkunkuma, who now works at the Keiskamma Trust.
“A lot of the staff are still unemployed. Emthonjeni was seen as a big hope. It is still a hope because when it re-opens there will be opportunities.”
Keiskamma Trust supervisor and designer Veronica Betani, who, along with dozens of women, creates striking embroidery products which have a national and global market, said she had sold handmade jewellery and clothes at the centre.
“I was very upset when it closed because it was an opportunity for local people like cleaners, waitresses and admin people to work in hospitality,” she said.
“With the government, they build white elephants. We sit and work in a prefab place and need space, yet there is a beautiful building, which is a waste.”
Hanabe said Aspire had developed an “operational plan” for the building, but that neither ADM nor Aspire had the resources to operate it.
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