An iconic building in Durban’s CBD has shut its doors due to urban decay, migration of the community members to suburbs and security concerns in the area.
The 71-year-old triple story building of the Natal Tamil Vedic Society (NTVS) at the corner of Carlisle Street and Ingcunce (Albert Street) Road has not been in use since 2012.
The society decided to relocate to Florence Nightingale Drive in Chatsworth.
The building, although currently vacant, is being maintained by NTVS and will be repurposed for a commercial lease to ensure the society continues to receive funds for the propagation of religion, culture and language.
Selvan Naidoo, from the NTVS, said historically all of the society’s activities were focused in the central business district servicing the needs of a large Tamil community living close to the CBD up to the 1960s when Apartheid’s Group Areas Act forced them to leave the area.
“The movement of people away from the CBD and its steady decline resulting in the need to sell the Hindu Tamil Institute (another iconic building in the area) and focus exclusively on the Tamil Vedic Society Hall that hosted weddings, Tamil classes, political gatherings and the famed and iconic Natal Tamil Vedic Society Eisteddfod that celebrates its 60th year this year (2023),” said Mr Naidoo.
He said operations at the hall had become difficult from the beginning of the millennium and thus the society became hamstrung in being able to serve the needs of the Tamil community.
“It is for these reasons that we decided to lease a property in Chatsworth that will continue on its historical legacy of servicing the needs of the Tamil community,” said Mr Naidoo.
The new premises include a Centre for Creative Arts and Culture that will incorporate the Institute for the Advancement of Tamil Heritage Centre and Schools of Tamil Language, Music and Dance.
Recorded history on the Natal Tamil Vedic Society website indicates that the building costs at the time was estimated at around R102 000 and despite some “hefty donations”, much of funds came from fundraising throughout the country, especially in the then Transvaal and the Cape. The final figure, however, on completion, amounted to R150 000 and the balance was raised on a mortgage bond by the late Mr PR Pather with the South African Permanent Building Society.
The building had a rich history and was one of the first Indian schools in the CBD.
In 2014, the historic Arya Prathinidi Sabha (APS) hall and compound also in Carlisle Street, was sold for R6 million to the Joint Medical Holdings to be used as a training centre. The APS hall had also stood vacant for years also following urban decay and security issues.
The hall was a landmark and under constant scrutiny in the Apartheid years when it was used by struggle icons JN Singh, IC and Fatima Meer and others.