Durban considers constructing tallest building in Southern Hemisphere

10th March 2016 By: African News Agency

Durban considers constructing tallest building in Southern Hemisphere

Photo by: Reuters

Durban could boast the Southern Hemisphere’s tallest building if a proposal gets the go ahead from the eThekwini Metro Municipality.

Municipal spokesperson Tozi Mthethwa said on Wednesday that a proposal for an iconic 88-storey building had be‎en presented to the municipality’s Economic and Development Planning Committee by the Durban Tower Development Company.

‎”No final decision has been made regarding the development and it is still in the proposal phase,” Mthethwa said.

‎She said consultations would have to take place before a proposal could be presented to the municipality’s executive committee.

‎According to Mthethwa, if approved, the building would be 370 metres high and would be the tallest building in Africa as well as the Southern Hemisphere.

The proposal is for the building to be built on ‎the site of the Durban Country Club and the premises of the Natal Mounted Rifles (NMR).

This would place it directly opposite Kings Park Rugby Stadium (Growthpoint Park Stadium), where the Sharks rugby franchise is based, and the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium.

‎The land is municipal land currently leased to Durban Country Club and NMR. The NMR building is the old Stamford Hill Aerodrome building – an art deco building that was the site of the city’s first airport from 1921 to 1951.