Some of Gqeberha’s best-known public spaces are receiving renewed attention, with repairs, maintenance and infrastructure work under way at the Donkin Reserve, Kings Beach, Fort Frederick, Route 67 and the Baakens Valley.
The work is being undertaken by the Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA), which says it has shifted greater attention towards basic maintenance, precinct management and improvements to prominent public and heritage spaces following a strategic review earlier in 2026.
Some interventions are relatively modest, such as repairing damaged signage and public art. Others form part of larger plans, including preparatory work for the proposed Baakens Valley zipline.
For Gqeberha, the significance lies in more than individual repairs. These spaces form part of the city’s beachfront, inner city, tourism offering and public environment. How well they are maintained influences how residents and visitors experience the city.
But it is important to distinguish between maintenance already completed, work currently under way and larger projects that are still being developed.
Where are Gqeberha’s landmark upgrades taking place?
The current programme covers several recognisable locations across the city.
At the Donkin Reserve, the large flag has returned after mechanical and electrical problems with its automated system were repaired. According to the MBDA, cables had come loose from the pulley system and had to be repositioned before the system could be tested and returned to operation. The flag is expected to be raised daily when weather conditions allow.
At Kings Beach, maintenance has been carried out on the lake’s pumping system to improve its condition and appearance. The MBDA says the work forms part of preparations connected with the international lifesaving world championships, although it acknowledges that further work is still required at the lake.
At Fort Frederick, perimeter fencing is being replaced. This work is intended to improve security around the heritage site and also forms part of preparations for the Baakens Valley zipline project.
Meanwhile, selected Route 67 infrastructure and artworks have undergone repairs following an assessment that identified damaged wayfinding markers, missing or deteriorated plaques, faded artwork and weather or vandalism-related damage. The MBDA says selected installations have been repaired, plaques restored or replaced, and benches and bins repainted.
These are not all projects of the same scale. Collectively, however, they show increased attention being given to the condition of established public spaces.
The Baakens Valley is part of the bigger plan
The most substantial project connected to the current work is the planned Baakens Valley zipline.
The concept dates back to the MBDA’s 2014 Baakens redevelopment planning, with a feasibility study and business plan completed in 2019. The proposed route would connect Fort Frederick with the Lower Baakens Valley. MBDA
In July 2026, the MBDA said the project had a budget of approximately R15 million, with a consultant and contractor appointed. At that stage, completion was anticipated during 2027.
Current activity includes fencing around Fort Frederick and cleaning, clearing and security work within the Baakens Valley. Plans associated with the wider project also include walkways, parking, utilities and service areas.
There is an important qualification around the project’s cost.
While the MBDA and July reporting describe the zipline as a R15 million project, public tender information shows that the tender for a principal contractor covered the Baakens Zipline and Precinct Development, phases one and two, rather than necessarily the zipline alone. Third-party tender records report an award of approximately R17 million. Because those figures may cover different scopes, they should not be treated as contradictory or interchangeable without the underlying contract documentation.
For now, R15 million is best described as the MBDA’s reported budget for the zipline rather than a confirmed final project cost.
What could the upgrades mean for nearby property?
For LEAP Real Estate, improvements to Gqeberha’s public spaces are relevant because neighbourhood appeal is influenced by more than the properties themselves.
The condition of surrounding streets, parks, public spaces, beaches, commercial areas and recreational facilities contributes to how people experience a location.
The work at Kings Beach also comes alongside continued private investment in Gqeberha’s beachfront, including the recent R70 million Courtyard Hotel Gqeberha refurbishment
That does not mean repairing Route 67 or improving Kings Beach automatically increases the value of nearby homes.
Residential property values remain dependent on factors such as comparable sales, buyer demand, affordability, property type, condition, security, views and the specific position of an individual property.
Different projects can also affect nearby properties differently.
A well-maintained public space may be attractive to some buyers, while increased visitor activity, traffic or noise associated with a new attraction could be viewed differently by others.
Public investment provides context for a property market. It does not replace comparable sales.
A wider focus on Gqeberha’s existing assets
These upgrades also connect with a broader development question facing Nelson Mandela Bay: how can the city make better use of the assets it already has?
Recent discussions have also considered how Nelson Mandela Bay’s municipal land and buildings could be used more effectively to support investment, regeneration and future development.
The current MBDA programme provides a more immediate example.
Rather than waiting for large new developments, work is being carried out on places that already form part of everyday Gqeberha: the Donkin, Kings Beach, Route 67, Fort Frederick and the Baakens Valley.
Some of these interventions are basic maintenance. Others prepare the ground for larger projects.
Both matter.
This also forms part of a wider conversation about the city’s future development priorities, including the Nelson Mandela Bay mini masterplan, which is intended to identify strategic precincts and potential capital projects.
What should Gqeberha residents watch next?
The next step is delivery.
For the existing precincts, that means seeing whether maintenance is sustained rather than limited to once-off interventions.
For the Baakens Valley zipline, the milestones are more substantial: progression beyond fencing and site preparation, construction of the required infrastructure and eventual completion and operation of the attraction.
The MBDA’s own project page still lists the zipline as “Coming Soon”, while confirming that the concept includes more than the zipline itself, with supporting facilities and precinct improvements forming part of the plan. MBDA
There are also financial details that should become clearer as the work progresses. Not all individual budgets and completion dates for the Donkin, Kings Beach, Route 67 and Fort Frederick interventions are publicly detailed in the sources reviewed.
Those details will help distinguish routine maintenance spending from larger capital investment.
Getting the Basics Right
Not every positive development in a city needs to involve a billion-rand construction project.
Sometimes progress is more straightforward: fixing a pumping system, repairing public art, replacing damaged infrastructure, improving security and maintaining spaces people already use.
That is what makes the current work across Gqeberha worth watching.
The Donkin Reserve, Kings Beach, Fort Frederick, Route 67 and Baakens Valley are established parts of the city’s identity. Maintaining them properly can support a better experience for residents and visitors while protecting previous investment in these precincts.
The proposed Baakens Valley zipline could add something new to that offering, but it should be assessed on what is ultimately delivered rather than what is proposed.
For now, the clearest development is simpler: work is under way across several of Gqeberha’s most recognisable public spaces.
