MBOMBELA – A number of questions arose over the planned development of Bazaruto Island View Estate (BIVE) in Vilanculos. The developers, Mr Ettiene Erasmus and Ms Grace Bagnari, took to Facebook to refute Lowvelder’s story.
Bagnari posted on Moz Forum that the article was “badly written and in fact false and or factually incorrect,” and listed a number of “questionable” aspects therein.
- Read it here: Moz-paradise seekers fear losing money
She said no investor has lost, and no one will lose money. She denied that there were half-built brick walls, but instead two large complete structures, of which both needed only roofs and to be finished inside.
She said it created the impression that multiple investors were worried, but mentioned only one. She added that the story was of little value to local readers.
Erasmus posted about his meeting with the journalist: “The demeanour of the reporter was extremely negative and she constantly implied that something was wrong. She was also surprised that the documents I took to her, pertaining to the approval and other official documents, were in Portuguese. I was willing to go to any other authority of her choice to verify the authenticity of all the documents”.
People unconnected to the development also defended it. Mr Pepe Vinhas wrote, “The article, written by an inexperienced young poppie journalist, across the border and far in an office in Nelspruit, whose information was supplied solely from one person ‘superhero’ here in Moz… The young poppie journalist didn’t bother to do a proper investigation in Moz and not even visiting the site.”
Neither of the developers contacted the newspaper. They continued to invite readers to contact them for clarification on BIVE.
Ms Lisa Alberts did just that. She said Bagnari initially told her she would be happy to meet to show Alberts all the paperwork, but later changed her mind. She informed Alberts that all investors were screened and she did not qualify to be one.
Erasmus and Bagnari did not explain to the newspaper on what basis possible investors were screened and approved or why Alberts was rejected.
They would not explain why interested parties were being shown away while current investors were informed they would not have their investment refunded, until an alternative investor had taken over their units.
They did not comment on whether it was BIVE’s habit not to provide possible investors with the permissions they claim to have.
Lowvelder offered BIVE another opportunity to provide the newspaper with copies of all the registration documents, agreements, permissions, partnerships and funding approval, which could then be translated by a Portuguese translator of their choice. No response was received.
- Also see: BIVE Estate Sections’s misleading images
