Transnet gets go ahead to tear down iconic Ocean Terminal Building in Durban

By Jehran Naidoo Last updated Mar 3, 2023

Transnet’s proposal to Amafa Heritage KZN to tear down the iconic Ocean Terminal Building at the Port of Durban, citing operational demands and expansion as its reasons, has been approved, according to the Durban Art Deco Society. It said Transnet had received permission to tear down the building.

Ocean Terminal Building at the Port of Durban will be demolished by Transnet to make space for expansions in the automotive sector of its operations. Picture: Supplied/Durban Art Deco Society

The parastatal is set on tearing down a historic Durban building despite efforts by architectural societies in the city, Johannesburg and elsewhere to preserve it.

Durban – Transnet’s proposal to Amafa Heritage KwaZulu-Natal to tear down the iconic Ocean Terminal Building at the Port of Durban, citing operational demands and expansion as its reasons, has been approved, according to the Durban Art Deco Society.

It said Transnet had received permission to tear down the building.

But the 2020 proposal was met with resistance, as architects from around Durban joined forces to try and save the iconic structure.

But Transnet has emerged victorious, it would seem, as the Durban Art Deco Society announced on Thursday that the demolition was going ahead.

The contract for the building was awarded in 1958 by South African Railways & Harbours to Zakrzekski & Partners Consulting Engineers.

Janusc Warunkiewicz was appointed as the architect on the project in 1959.

In 1962, the building was completed at the T-Jetty.

It provided a large multi-storey marine terminal complex with terminals for cruise liners, cargo areas, storage sheds, and restaurants, according to Moshe Motlohi, the general manager for Transnet in Durban at the time of the demolition proposal.

The building was said to be low on environmental, historical and cultural significance, Motlohi explained in his motivation to Amafa.

Transnet said its corporate plans for the automotive sector indicated that volumes through the Port of Durban could reach just under 540 000 by 2024/2025.

The Ocean Terminal Building at the Port of Durban is considered a gem of architecture. Picture: Durban Art Deco Society.

The state-owned port and pipeline entity said demolishing the building would help it to free up space and, in turn, hopefully make the company more profitable.

“In order to achieve this, (Transnet) proposes that the OTB be demolished and the existing footprint be paved up to convert it into a terminal area/automotive storage,” Motlohi said in the motivation for the demolition.

On Thursday, the Durban Art Deco Society said Transnet had received permission to tear down the building.

Several attempts were made by IOL to reach Transnet for comment, but it did not respond.

IOL also contacted some of the influential people seeking to have the building preserved, such as Lindsey Napier.

We are awaiting a response from Napier.

“Despite every effort by many of the architectural heritage associations and societies based in Durban, Johannesburg and elsewhere, including the Durban Art Deco Society, the battle for the Ocean Terminal was lost,” the society said in a Facebook post.

IOL