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.
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