Turning the corner — steady revival of Nelson Mandela Bay’s oldest park

The oldest public park in the Bay has seen better days, garnering a reputation for harbouring vagrants and criminals seeking to prey on unsuspecting visitors.

Much of the park’s assets and infrastructure, such as a public pool and various sports facilities, have fallen into disrepair due to theft, vandalism and neglect, adding to the stigma surrounding the once-beautiful public space.

However, over the past three years, thanks to some much-needed attention from volunteers and local businesses in the community, alongside strategic partnerships between private entities and public directorates, St George’s Park has slowly started to turn the corner.

The municipality has spent a tidy sum on security upgrades around the park, while interest groups like the Friends of St George’s Park have launched initiatives to get more feet through the gates. Now the ruling government coalition’s biggest political rival, the DA, is drawing up plans to turn it into “Gqeberha’s Central Park”.

Whether it be nostalgia, a sense of community, or a need to provide the city with a safe public space, it seems St George’s Park has managed to transcend political divides, and everyone wants to see the park restored to its former glory.

“We appreciate any attention the park gets, but we want to move away from the polarising nature of politics and we certainly don’t want the park to become a political tool. The park is more important than that, and we want it to become a space where everyone can come together,” said André Theron of the Friends of St George’s Park.

R100m revamp pledge

This comes after Democratic Alliance mayoral candidate Retief Odendaal and several senior party members pledged R100-million towards revamping the park and its facilities, should the party win the upcoming local government elections. They conducted an oversight visit to St George’s Park last week.

While the group looked at several decaying facilities, and wanted to lay the blame at the feet of the city’s current leadership, a conversation with Odendaal afterwards specifically focused on bringing communities together.

“The park is situated in one of the most densely populated regions of Nelson Mandela Bay, and we have a diverse mix of scholars, students, professionals and families that live around it. Regardless of their political affiliations, these people need a safe space to go outside, go for a walk, to kick a ball.

Gqeberha’s Central Park?

“St George’s Park can be that. It has the potential to become for Gqeberha what Central Park is to New York,” said Odendaal.

The park was first opened in 1861. At the time it was surrounded by the manor homes of the city’s wealthiest and most influential families.

It is home to Pearson Conservatory, imported from the UK and erected in 1882, while St George’s Park, the oldest cricket grounds on South African soil, opened its pitch in 1889.

Over the years, and with the development of the Central neighbourhood as Gqeberha’s business hub, several apartment blocks were constructed and the area around the park became more densely populated.

Recreational facilities had to be developed along with the surrounding area, and over time the park became home to lawn bowls clubs, tennis clubs, the Mannville open air theatre, the Prince Alfred’s Guard Memorial, a borehole project to supplement the city’s water supply, as well as play parks and expansive public gardens.

State of decline

Sadly, as Central steadily declined, the park became unsafe and a hive of criminal activity, in turn leading to the deterioration of its many assets.

A prime example is the St George’s public swimming pool.

First opened in 1937, the 150-foot (45m) pool hosted many swimming galas while the main stands were packed with spectators. It was also a popular destination for bathers who preferred the pool to the beach during the summer season.

That is hard to believe when looking at the current state of the pool complex.

Deep trenches run along the sides of the pool where thieves dug up the piping, while the diving boards are inaccessible after the metal stairs were also stripped. In the ablution blocks and dressing rooms, basins and urinals have been destroyed, weeds grow out of toilet bowls and walls are scorched where vagrants lit fires.

According to the DA’s spokesperson for Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture in Nelson Mandela Bay, Sebezile Rafani, the city has budgeted a paltry R900,000 towards the pool. However, there is no clear indication what the funds are for, and the money has never been spent.

Municipal spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya said the city acknowledges the state of the pool and that steps are being taken towards its restoration.

“The municipality is in the process of acquiring the services of a suitably qualified service provider to conduct a professional assessment of the work required, including the associated costs. There are also challenges relating to underground water, which have an impact on the repair or possible reconstruction of the pool itself.”

With regards to the broader park issues, Soyaya said improved security and access control was a major step towards the St George’s revival.

“The fencing around the park was redone, which improved access control and strengthened security within the facility. This was followed by the deployment of security officers to patrol the area.”

Soyaya said the Parks and Cemeteries sub-directorate also conducts monthly grass cutting and general maintenance operations throughout the park.

While he did not disclose the cost of the fencing upgrade, Theron said this was one of the initiatives the Friends of St George’s Park appreciated a lot as it came at a “hefty cost”.

“Security remains the biggest priority, and the new fence and gates is a major boon for the park. 

“Our teams have partnered with a local homeless shelter MES, and are working closely with city officials. We conduct regular clean-ups of gardens and flower beds. Besides beautification, this also removes possible hiding spots for criminals and their loot, further improving security.”

He said the next step would hopefully include CCTV systems and additional lighting throughout the park.

Over the three years since the Friends of St George’s Park was established, Theron said their biggest goal was to get more people into the park, which in turn played a role in driving out vagrants and criminal elements.

The friends established a well-supported weekly Park Run, and hosted several Silent Book Club events, while an art exhibition in collaboration with painter Wessel Kotzee in December 2025 brought upwards of 1,500 people to the Pearson Conservatory.

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“The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality appreciates the efforts of the Friends of St George’s Park and their cooperative relationship with the Municipality’s Parks and Cemeteries sub-directorate in contributing to the upkeep of the park,” Soyaya said. 

“Public participation and partnerships with community organisations remain important in complementing the municipality’s efforts to maintain public facilities and open spaces,” he added. DM