Cape Town - A Cape Town businessman has accused several DA councillors of abusing their positions to exact retribution after he objected to a neighbour’s application to have property redeveloped which, he says, meant that a hotel would spring up on his doorstep.
Now, Simon Mantell has taken his complaint to the Public Protector, specifically charging councillor Ian Iversen with abuse of power. Iversen is the DA ward councillor for the greater part of Claremont, and chairs the Protea subcouncil.
DA federal chairperson James Selfe, who was informed about the actions of Iversen in 2010 in his capacity as the party’s federal chairperson, on Thursday wouldn’t answer questions about Iversen’s conduct.
Instead, Selfe directed questions to the DA chief whip in the City, Anthea Serritslev.
She said she couldn’t comment as she had no knowledge about Mantell’s complaint.
Iversen did not respond to several phone calls and SMSes.
Mantell says his problems with Iversen started in 2010 when he and his neighbours objected to an application for a temporary departure from zoning rules that would have allowed a house, which had been converted into offices, to continue operating in Primrose Street, Claremont.
“They illegally converted a house into offices with no approval. People objected. Iversen, initially, wasn’t in favour (of the temporary departure),” says Mantell.
But two residents who attended the subcouncil meeting later complained in an email, one of which was sent to Selfe over the conduct of Iversen, claiming he had admitted to soliciting donations from the owner of the property in Primrose Street.
Mantell says this was clearly a conflict of interest since Iversen sat on the committee of the Protea subcouncil which would eventually have voted on whether the property would get approval for a temporary departure.
Serritslev said all DA councillors were tasked with raising funds for the party at “certain stages”.
In 2010, Mantell started building his family home in Torquay Avenue, Claremont, which was completed in mid-2012. In April 2013 he received a letter from the City stating he had illegally built a retaining wall. Neighbour Thomas Ringer, also the owner of the Greenways Hotel, had objected to the retaining wall even though all his other neighbours had not.
“I received a summons for building illegally and without plans,” says Mantell.
The criminal case against him was eventually withdrawn by the public prosecutor.
Ringer’s property had initially been approved, in terms of 1980s legislation, as a retirement home, but this had since morphed into a boutique hotel. When Ringer wanted to have his property rezoned for commercial use, Mantell and several neighbours objected, saying the neighbourhood was not suitable for this purpose.
“If you look at the street where the Vineyard Hotel is located, all the properties neighbouring it have been rezoned as businesses as the street is not suited as a residential area,” said Mantell.
Asked whether Iversen had ever solicited donations from him, Ringer said he had always supported the DA.
“We did his (Iversen’s) wedding for a normal price, and we always supported the DA with functions and sandwiches for Iversen. That is not a bribe in my view,” said Ringer.
Former DA leader, and Premier Helen Zille celebrated her 60th birthday party at the Greenways Hotel.
Ringer said Mantell’s complaint to the public protector was futile, adding “the complaint to Madonsela is taking too long and things have run their course”.