In recent days, there has been a great deal of information, misinformation and disinformation regarding the proposed sale of ERF 517, which is a portion of Townsend Park, a public open space in Ballito.

Concerns have also been raised about the availability of worship facilities for certain faiths. The Dolphin Coast Residents and Ratepayers Association (Docrra) has engaged on this issue since its inception and wishes to present the facts relating to the matter, for the benefit of our community.

Key Events Timeline
• In 2018, the Zululand Islamic Society made a bid to purchase a portion of Townsend Park known as the ‘Butterfly Park’.

• In 2019, Docrra, as well as other civil society groups, organised to launch formal objections to the sale of this public open space and appointed legal counsel to make enquiries with KwaDukuza Municipality (KDM). KDM referred the matter to Cogta.

• In 2022, Docrra launched an official petition, which has garnered over 2 500 signatures, which was handed over to KDM with an objection letter on behalf of the community. Docrra also provided an objection template that residents used to send individual submissions to the municipality.

• In May 2024, the Ballito Muslim Trust (BMT) received approval from KDM for a 300-capacity prayer hall in the Ballito Business Park on Nandi Mthembu Drive. At that time, Ballito Imam Bilal Vally stated that he believed the hall would be sufficient for the local Muslim community and that construction would take between one and two years. This project is now at the finishing stages and awaiting final inspection.

• In April 2025, council was informed that Cogta and National Treasury had declared the entire sale process flawed and that if the municipality wished to proceed with a sale the process would have be started from scratch. No further action on this matter has been taken by council and no public participation process has been launched. This information has been verified by Docrra with both KDM and Ward 30 Councillor Jack Abrahams.

With local government elections looming in 2026, certain organisations have sought to deliberately sow discord in our community, based on religious or racial lines, for their own political benefit. This will most likely continue and intensify as election day approaches.

Docrra, as a civil society organisation and indeed our community as a whole, must be mindful of this, and any attempts to draw attention away from core service delivery issues, existential financial sustainability threats and the struggle for clean governance. Docrra will remain vigilant in protecting all of our scarce, remaining public green spaces from development of any kind.

Docrra wishes to thank Sifiso Zulu and Sphelelo Ngobese for their communication on this issue, as well as Councillor Jack Abrahams for his responsiveness to questions and concerns. For more information on our work on this issue, please visit the blog section of our website.

Help us to continue to deliver verified factual information to our community by becoming a member of Docrra today. To join Docrra please go to: docrra.co.za/membership.

Stay in the loop with The North Coast Courier on Facebook, X, Instagram & YouTube for the latest news.

Mobile users can join our WhatsApp Broadcast Service here or if you’re on desktop, scan the QR code below.