Rhodes professor Matthew Lester was yesterday ordered by Judge Sytze Alkema in the Grahamstown High Court to demolish his R8 million house in Kenton–on-Sea within 180 days.
Rhodes professor Matthew Lester was yesterday ordered by Judge Sytze Alkema in the Grahamstown High Court to demolish his R8 million house in Kenton–on-Sea within 180 days.
The ruling was delivered on the basis that the house contravened Section 21 of the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act 103 of 1779.
The case began nine years ago and entails aspects of neighbour-, public- and administrative law. Ndlambe Municipality and High Dune House (Pty) Ltd, the owners of a neighbouring property, applied for a demolishing order on Lester’s property on the grounds that it contravened building regulations, obstructed the view and affected privacy.
Lester, a professor of tax law, countered the claim, proposing the house instead be altered in accordance with submitted plans. The case ended in the High Court's ordering Lester to demolish his R8m property at his own expense and within 180 days, and granted him leave to apply for an extension on this deadline.
Download the full judgement (2.2MB PDF)
Google Street View of the property:
