In a bold show of civic leadership, the Newton Park Business Cluster has taken matters into its own hands by repainting 40 stop signs in 10 intersections across the busy commercial suburb, a move aimed at improving safety, boosting the area’s visual appeal, and addressing service delivery shortcomings head-on.
The project, spearheaded and funded voluntarily by local businesses through the Newton Park Business Cluster, marks a significant milestone in a broader push to ensure the area remains a functional, secure and attractive destination for commerce and investment.
The initiative was carried out in collaboration with the MES (Mould Empower Serve) team, a non-profit organisation dedicated to the rehabilitation and reintegration of vulnerable individuals. Through its GROW programme, MES provides work opportunities that promote dignity and responsibility, making the partnership a win-win for both community upliftment and urban renewal.
“This initiative is about more than just paint on the road,” said Chantal van Heerden, Chairperson of the Newton Park Business Cluster. “It’s about restoring pride in our area. A well-maintained, visually appealing business district is safer, more welcoming for customers and investors, and ultimately adds value to every property and business operating here. We are showing what’s possible when local businesses unite around a shared vision.”
To date, the Cluster has completed repainting work on 10 intersections, with more scheduled in the coming weeks as part of a phased rollout. The project, which improves road safety and traffic flow, is also transforming the visual identity of the area, helping to reposition Newton Park as a clean, orderly and investable precinct.
The Newton Park Business Cluster is one of 11 geographically based clusters operating under the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber. These clusters serve as the Chamber’s action arms, empowering businesses in specific areas to collectively tackle infrastructure decay, safety issues, and urban neglect, challenges that have become all too common across the metro.
Chamber CEO Denise van Huyssteen commended the Newton Park Cluster for leading by example. “We applaud the Newton Park Cluster for taking bold, proactive steps to improve their area. Their efforts to maintain infrastructure and prioritise safety are exemplary. This is what our clustering model is all about - businesses becoming active players in fixing common challenges in the areas,” she said.
“This initiative reaffirms our view that the metro is fixable. It shows that by working together, the business community can drive real change, not just in Newton Park, but across Nelson Mandela Bay,” Van Huyssteen added.
Van Huyssteen further highlights that the repainting project is just one of several interventions being rolled out by the Cluster. “More broadly, it sends a clear message that the business community is not waiting for change, it is leading it.”
The line painting is just one of several interventions being rolled out by the Newton Park Cluster, with more collaborative upgrades planned. To date, a total of 24 potholes have been fixed with more targeted for repairs.
As the Newton Park Cluster continues its steady transformation through collective action, its success offers a replicable model for other commercial precincts across Nelson Mandela Bay.
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