Destruction of Kings Park precinct: The ultimate travesty of justice
The Kings Park precinct should be regarded as a no-go area, until investigations have been completed and the matter resolved.
EDITOR – It is galling to see that the Municipality, using the High Court, has finally succeeded in forcing the last remaining tenant off the Kings Park precinct.
It is obvious that the Court is unaware of the Municipality’s machinations that characterise this affair. It is a convoluted affair, with numerous tricks and turns. I have explored every possible avenue to establish the truth over the past five years, to no avail. The only option is to call in the National Prosecuting Authority to investigate the matter.
The eThekwini Municipality’s resolution taken on 30 October 2014 to dispose of the valuable Kings Park precinct, prime public land, ostensibly for the construction of a Liverpool International Football Academy, was a premeditated act of fraud. According to the resolution, this was a “partnership” between KZN Government, the Municipality and Liverpool Football Club. Oddly, Liverpool has denied the existence of such partnership. Equally oddly, announced by the Municipality in April 2015, Liverpool suddenly withdrew, to be replaced by a SA Football Association (SAFA) academy. According to the latest report, SAFA has, in turn, now been replaced by a KZN Academy.
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Of interest is the fact that the Liverpool Academy was originally supposed to built at Hoy Park, as approved and budgeted for by the KZN Government. So how did this end up at Kings Park? What happened to the money? Then there is the mysterious advert to sell the cycling velodrome as a commercial five-a-side soccer and amusement venue. This advert, when questioned, was immediately pulled! Of course as is the norm, the municipal secret society does not respond to enquiries.
Bottom line is that longstanding Newmarket Riding School, Berea Rovers Sports Club, Savages Athletics Club, SA Cycling and now Stables Lifestyle Market, and their many members, after several years of official coercion and intimidation, have been unlawfully evicted from the Kings Park precinct.
That sporting entities should be consciously destroyed, and that ordinary, decent citizens should be subjected to such treatment and have their basic rights so blatantly trashed, is shocking, unforgiveable and most certainly, unacceptable!
The Kings Park precinct should be regarded as a no-go area, until investigations have been completed and the matter resolved. Ultimately, the evictees must be compensated and have their rights restored and all costs should be borne by the councillors and officials responsible, not the taxpayer!
Jeff van Belkum
Warner Beach
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