Facing residents at Collisheen Estate on Monday night, Public Works MEC Martin Meyer responded to concerns over land next to Ballito’s Zen Park earmarked for a school and the sale of a Salt Rock property for a neurodiversity village.

Meyer conceded that his department could have done better in its handling of the two government-owned properties.

“We have learned our lesson and we will do better next time,” said Meyer.

He was hosting a community and stakeholder engagement following the department’s recent tabling of its 2026/27 annual budget of R2.4-billion.

Residents questioned the process followed in leasing part of Erf 837, a 5ha government-owned property between Zen and Hillary Drive, to Game Changers Primary School.

The land, which neighbours Zen Park, has been zoned for educational purposes since 1976 but has remained undeveloped.

Game Changers Primary School has secured a 30-year lease over half of the property.
The decision sparked strong opposition late last year, with more than 800 people signing a petition calling for the land to be protected. Residents raised concerns about wildlife, traffic, infrastructure, privacy and property values, describing the property as one of Ballito’s remaining “green lungs.”

Meyer said discussions around Zen Park were continuing and acknowledged that the department had not handled the matter entirely to the community’s satisfaction.

Meanwhile, the 2.4ha Salt Rock property was bought earlier this year by the Mikhail D iHope Foundation for R2.4-million for the development of a neurodiversity village.

Plans include education, therapy, healthcare, vocational training, recreation and, in the longer term, supported residential living.

The project was officially launched with a sod-turning ceremony in June, with Meyer previously stating the property had stood vacant for decades and would now be used to serve the community.

However, at Monday’s engagement, Dolphin Coast Conservancy chair Tessa Duane questioned the transparency of the processes and said the needs of the area had changed significantly as development continued.

“A lot of our value is in our green spaces, and those have become incredibly precious and important, and need to be protected,” she said.

Meyer acknowledged the concerns and said legislation did not require public participation when the department disposed of land, but that did not mean communities should not be consulted.

“Just because regulation says you don’t have to doesn’t mean we shouldn’t. Land belongs, even if it belongs to the government, to the community as well,” he said.

He said Public Works could not manage green spaces because this fell outside its mandate, but such land could potentially be transferred to municipalities and managed with the involvement of conservancies