Makana's mayor has slammed council officials for not doing their jobs properly, and the municipality's efforts to relieve the plight of shack-dwellers in the Seven Fountains area has hit a new stumbling block, as it emerges that they were negotiating with the wrong person over a piece of land.
Makana's mayor has slammed council officials for not doing their jobs properly, and the municipality's efforts to relieve the plight of shack-dwellers in the Seven Fountains area has hit a new stumbling block, as it emerges that they were negotiating with the wrong person over a piece of land.
In August Grocott's Mail reported that Council had approved the purchase of a piece of land in the farming district, 40km from Grahamstown on the N2 to Port Elizabeth, for the exorbitant price of R100 000. Based on valuers' assessments, the municipality had offered a Mr J Meyer R41 000 for a piece of land that contained a borehole – the only source of water for people living in the area.
Meyer had rejected this, demanding more than double that amount.
At the time, councillors expressed concerns.
Councillor Pierre Ranchhod questioned the life-span of the borehole – he was reassured by director of technical and infrastructural services, Dabula Njilo, that a study had found the borehole to be sustainable.
And Councillor Brian Jackson said, “If the major concern is that water should be provided to our citizens at all costs, the recommendation could be supported, but keeping in mind that the premium of R59 000 paid by Council for this land might be seen as fruitless and wasteful expenditure, as it is more than double the estimated value of the land.”
Now it's been revealed that all along, the municipality has been negotiating with someone who doesn't actually own the land.
A report tabled at last Thursday's council meeting noted that the owners of the farm, Clifton, were Frank and Linda Emslier.
Councillor Brian Fargher, who brought the matter to Council's attention,
said a letter from the Emslies' lawyers had indicated that Meyer, who appeared to live on the farm, was no longer representing them.
"Please note that Mr Meyer represented a close corporation, as purchaser of inter alia the aforesaid land, from our client," the letter from De Jager and Lordan Inc. stated. "However, our client has cancelled the transaction with Mr Meyer and/or his Close Corporation and Mr Meyer therefore has no further role to play in the matter."
The letter went on to say that their client, Frank Emslie, was prepared to accept the offer in the amount of R100 000.
Executive Mayor Zamuxolo Peter said, "I want to express my disappointment in the way things are being done. This is delaying service delivery… people are waiting for these houses."
He said the project has now been delayed by officials who were not doing their job.
And Ranchhod said, "How did that department establish that Mr Meyer was the rightful owner? What procedure was used, because we don’t want it to happen again."
He proposed that disciplinary action be taken on the official concerned.
Municipal Manager, Ntombi Baart expressed her disappointment about the situation and said it had been brought to her attention by Councillor Brian Fargher. She asked Director of Corporate Services, Lungile Klaas, to investigate the matter and said no direct payment would be made.
Fargher told Grocott's Mail he had discovered through some contacts that Meyer did not have title to the farm.
"Meyer never had the right to negotiate," Fargher said.
He said had the deal had gone ahead, it would have further sullied the municipality in the eyes of the Auditor General.
