The Democratic Alliance (DA) is demanding the immediate rehabilitation of the vandalised and neglected Douglas Holiday Resort, an iconic asset with the potential to again benefit the entire Douglas community.
Once a nationally renowned destination, the resort has been allowed to fall into ruin under ANC governance in Siyancuma municipality. The popular circular swimming pool is now a filthy shell overrun by grass. Conference facilities, holiday houses, serviced caravan sites, and ablution blocks have been vandalised, windows smashed, doors removed, and items looted. The manicured grounds are also overgrown and neglected.
This decay is a direct affront to Douglas residents, who currently have no public recreational facilities to enjoy.
Reviving the resort would do more than restore community pride. Amenities like the swimming pool would provide vital relief during increasingly long and extreme summer heat. Proper management of the grounds and facilities could further drive local economic growth.
In the past, the municipality rejected opportunities to repurpose the resort, including turning buildings into a skills development centre. It has also failed to action proposals to join with partners to create a training hub for emerging farmers on the expansive grounds, or to convert a vacant facility into a restaurant to generate tourism.
The time for excuses is over. The DA has addressed the matter with the municipality and will continue to put pressure on Siyancuma to stop ignoring the resort’s untapped opportunities for recreation, skills development and economic growth.