Durban’s Golden Mile is set for another hospitality addition, with home-grown brand Mojo’s preparing to expand its footprint to the beachfront after securing a lease for a prime South Beach property.
The business, best known for Mojo’s Carwash & Shisanyama, has been named the successful bidder to lease and operate the municipal property at 17 Erskine Terrace for nine years and 11 months, according to the eThekwini Municipality.
The move marks a significant milestone for a business that started in Chesterville two decades ago and has since grown into a recognised name in Durban’s food, entertainment and social scene.
From car wash to beachfront destination
Mojo’s began as a modest car-wash operation in Chesterville before evolving into Mojo’s Carwash & Shisanyama, building a reputation as a destination where food, entertainment and socialising come together.
The business later expanded to Davenport in Glenwood, broadening its offering beyond its original location.
Its move to South Beach represents the next chapter in that journey, taking the Durban-born brand into one of the city’s key tourism and leisure precincts.
For beachgoers, residents and visitors, the development could add another option to the Golden Mile’s growing mix of hospitality and entertainment offerings.
However, details about the new beachfront concept, the investment value, potential job opportunities and the opening date have not yet been announced.
Why the beachfront lease took so long
The appointment follows an open bidding process launched by the municipality in November 2023.
The announcement was delayed after an unsuccessful bidder lodged an appeal under the municipality’s Supply Chain Management Policy. An independent appeal authority dismissed the appeal and upheld the original outcome.
The unsuccessful bidder subsequently launched judicial review proceedings challenging the decision. Those proceedings have since been withdrawn, with the notice of withdrawal filed at the KwaZulu-Natal Division of the High Court in Pietermaritzburg on October 1, 2026.
The municipality said the withdrawal has cleared the way for the lease award to be implemented and for the introduction of the new operator.
It added that municipal property opportunities must be allocated through processes that uphold fairness, equity, transparency and competitiveness.
More investment planned for Durban’s Golden Mile
Mojo’s beachfront expansion forms part of a broader municipal drive to attract private investment and revitalise Durban’s beachfront.
Other developments include a 50-year lease agreement with Southern Sun for the Elangeni and Maharani hotels, which carries a significant capital investment commitment.
The municipality has also indicated that construction on the planned redevelopment of 137 Lower Marine Parade is expected to begin in January 2027.
The municipality said it would continue working with Mojo’s to facilitate implementation and enable the beachfront operation to open as soon as practically possible.
For now, Durban residents and visitors will have to wait for further details about what Mojo’s has planned for its new South Beach home.
seanne.rall@iol.co.za
IOL