Durban - South Beach and Sherwood have something in common.
In both, the ruins of disused and damaged facilities for children, decorated with kid-friendly art, are making their way for an improved state-of-the-art facility: the KwaZulu-Natal Children’s Hospital on South Beach and the Edith Benson Babies’ Home in Sherwood.
The hospital has been well on its refurbishment path and some parts of the building are already functioning. There is still more work to be done and more funds to be raised. Work on the babies’ home, which falls under the Child Welfare Durban and District, started this week.
Spade in hand, Sibaya Casino and Sibaya Community Trust chairperson Vivian Reddy this week turned the first sod for work to which he has given R7.5 million to progress.
“I am passionate about children; this project has always been very close to my heart and it’s something I would have never walked away from,” said Reddy.
Still clearly visible since the 2018 blaze that razed the home for 60 babies are cartoon paintings featuring Winnie-the-Pooh, Tigger and Piglet and other characters from children’s stories.
Once restored, the facility will provide for 70 infants. The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2023.
Photographer Hugh Bland, an expert in seeing artistic beauty in ruins and author of “Addington Children’s Hospital and Nurses’ Home”, about the hospital on South Beach, said the rebuilding of the Edith Benson Babies’ Home and the images of the haunting remnants evoked a sense of nostalgia.
“Not only for what has been lost, but also a sense of joy that a Phoenix is to arise from these ashes.
“The images (at the babies’ home) have particular resonance in that the physical dereliction represents the sad remains of so many people’s dreams.
“This was also particularly sad because it was a happy place of safety for its young human inhabitants.”
He said it had many parallels to the Addington Children’s Hospital, “which was built by passionate people, was left to go to ruin and is now being resurrected by a dedicated team, who believe that our children are the future”.
The Independent on Saturday