Support pours in for Newmarket Stables

THE massive public outcry over the eviction of tenants at Newmarket Stables and the Stables Lifestyle Market by eThekwini Municipality has resulted in a public meeting to be held at St Thomas Church, off Stephen Dlamini (Essenwood) Road on Tuesday, 11 August at 5.30pm for 6pm.

Ward councillor, Martin Meyer, is behind the call for the meeting where concerned and affected tenants and individuals will be given the opportunity to engage with officials.

According to Nadine Parker from Newmarket Stables, the response from the public to the threatened closure of the venue has been overwhelming, and she has been “blown away” by how many people have offered help.

“I have had people just walking in and asking what they can do to help. I even received an email from someone in Palestine who wants to assist! A man has done research for me and has found out that we are one of the biggest riding schools in KZN and the biggest on municipal land,” she said.

Parker said the Newmarket Stables had not yet made an application, but did intend to contest their eviction notice.

“In a statement in a Sunday newspaper, Tozi Mthethwa from eThekwini municipality said the municipality had been in discussions with us through Hoy Park management, but that Hoy Park don't have a lease. They are trying to shirk the responsibility – if Hoy Park has no lease, the municipality needs to talk to us, not Hoy Park. The fact that the municipality served us with an eviction notice acknowledges that we are still tenants here,” she said.

She said she was concerned about the grooms at the Stables, some of whom had lived on the premises for 10 to 15 years.

“Where do they go? What happens to them? They haven't even been given notice,” she said.

Speaking to Berea Mail at the Newmarket Stables on Tuesday, Martin Meyer said he felt the municipality hadn't thought the issue through.

“The impact is going to be huge. We are talking around 600 to 700 people losing their jobs in one fell swoop. The grooms can't be evicted from their homes without being given alternative accommodation,” he said.

Meyer pointed out that Metro Police's mounted unit horses would have to be moved to Hillcrest until an alternate stabling venue is found for them, but that this would more than likely lead to the closure of this unit.

“If they are moved to Hillcrest, they would need to be trucked to Durban every day as the Mounted Police work mainly on the beachfront. With shortages in the Metro, this won't be feasible,” he said.

Parker also revealed the contents of a Consultant's Brief she had uncovered from February 2007, in which it states that R30 million was going to be put aside to build an indoor stadium and high performance centre in Durban.

“Equestrian was included in this document, and we were going to be moved over the road to the mashie course, and there was even a proposal to include horse trails. What happened with this plan and how did this unsolicited bid come through from Hoy Park? I believe this plan was one of the reasons why eThekwini wouldn't let us sign a new lease,” she said.

Meyer believes the proposal was drawn up when eThekwini was bidding for the Olympics and that a High Performance Centre was meant to be established at Hoy Park in association with SAFA.

“Hoy Park Pty Ltd was registered in November 2013, when the provincial government decided to give the R30 million for the development. R10 million was to be paid to the city over three years. This was rolled over to the 2016 budget but the venue for the development was changed. Apparently there is still no lease with Hoy Park, but a decision in October mandated the city manager to negotiate with the tenants, which should have been done,” he said.

Meyer said he was disappointed the issue had not been tabled with today’s council meeting but the concerned members from Newmarket Stables were still to hold a silent protest outside the Tongaat hall.

With this month's council meeting being held in Tongaat, pupils from Camelot College in Glenwood, who planned to attend the meeting to show their support for Newmarket Stables, held at protest in Bulwer Park on Wednesday morning. Pupils carried a banner calling for the Newmarket Stables to be saves. The school has raised R1 600 to put towards court fees to fight the eviction..