By Thandi Skade and Linn Davis
An opposition councillor wants to know how an agreement to build a museum and entertainment centre on a piece of environmentally sensitive land changed into a proposal for a townhouse development.
Ekurhuleni Democratic Alliance councillor Andre du Plessis on Thgursday outlined his concerns about the purchase of the land near the Blaauwpan area in Kempton Park.
The Blaauwpan wetlands is a sensitive natural area, where environmental damage along the waters edge could have significant detrimental impacts for threatened bird species.
Fredonia Investments offered to purchase the land in 2003 for R10,5-million for the development of the Africa Hall of Fame.
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Du Plessis said this offer - for a registered nature reserve - was then transferred to Universal Pulse Trading 18 for the development of townhouses.
He wants the entire process to be declared null and void, as he claims the company has failed to comply with the original purchase agreement.
As far as can be established, the land's deeds have not yet been transferred from the council to Universal Pulse Trading 18.
Universal Pulse 18 plans to construct a townhouse development on the "irreplaceable site", which Du Plessis said would lead to the loss of habitat and species living in the environmentally sensitive wetland.
One of the conditions stipulated in the purchase agreement was that Fredonia would have 45 days from the signature date to apply to the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation, Environment and Land Affairs (GDACE) for permission to develop on the property, and provide the department with an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
Du Plessis said the company failed to send an EIA in the specified time frame and they should have been told to make a new application, but it never happened.
Instead, the Ekurhuleni municipality allowed Fredonia to nominate Universal Pulse as purchasers of the land, which Du Plessis said was a further contravention of the original purchase agreement.
The DA has repeatedly questioned the legality of the sale of the Blaauwpan land after the conditions of the sale contract were not met, as a different buyer from the original applicant who applied to purchase the land submitted EIA application to the GDACE.
In March last year, Fredonia and Universal Pulse received authorisation from the council to go ahead with the transfer, according to council minutes.
While the sale is being finalised, the Hall of Fame Trust is running a demonstration of the museum out of an existing "youth centre" building, also in the Blaauwpan area, which it is leasing from the council.
Du Plessis accused the Hall of Fame Trust of contravening its lease with the municipality by renovating the property, and of misusing a R2,9-million council donation meant for the construction of a new museum building.
But Lesego wa Lesego, managing trustee of the International African Music and Film Hall of Fame Trust and owner of Universal Pulse Trading 18, said he was told he could not attend the press conference to present alternate documents and respond to Du Plessis' allegations.
Wa Lesego said he felt that Du Plessis' press briefing was about pursuing a "personal vendetta" and stalling development.
"He's fighting it in public, but not fighting through the proper political channels."
Wa Lesego also denied that the townhouse development was new.
He said the donation had gone to the creation of the demo museum and is therefore a valid use of the funds.
"It's unfortunate that we have to get bad press just as we are beginning," Wa Lesego said, adding the museum was meant to be "proof of what we as South Africans can do if we work together".
Du Plessis said the DA was not anti-development, but against bad development.
The Ekurhuleni council could not be reached for comment.
- This article was originally published on page 6 of The Star on August 22, 2008
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