Moves to sell 82 pieces of municipal land amounted to the Tshwane metro selling off “family jewels” to raise cash, say opposition councillors.
“We have been summoned for what is essentially a garage sale of valuable municipal assets to stave off the city’s bankruptcy,” said Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor Wildri Peach.
Councillor Mare-Lise Fourie, also from the DA, said none of the opposition parties believed the sale of the land would solve the municipality’s cash flow woes, or improve its balance sheet.
The Tshwane metro approved the selling of the land at this week’s special council meeting. The estimated value of the land is R683,6 million.
This means that open public spaces and a portion of the Rietvlei nature reserve are up for sale.
Peach said: “This is one of the most valuable assets, not only to the city but to the nature heritage of South Africa. It generates income and provides tourism opportunities to the city and recreational facilities to its residents. The city merely acts as a custodian of the land and cannot dispose of it until proper procedures are followed.”
He pointed out that the sale of the nature reserve was likely to draw public resistance. When a portion of the reserve was up for sale in 2012 for Super Sport United, there was widespread objection.
Another DA councillor, Francois Bekker, criticised the sale of a portion of Erasmuskloof, saying there were several historical features present in the area, including stone-age structures that would be lost to the city’s heritage if sold.
Siobahn Muller of the DA said there were legal complications around the sale of land occupied by the Colbyn golf driving range.
“The driving range has signed a 30-year lease on a portion of this land, which only expires in 2025. What will happen to a legally binding lease?”
The metro was also accused of not following due process.
Hentie Nortje said the Municipal Finance Management Act precluded the sale of municipal assets unless the municipal manager had published the intention and sought the views of the national treasury and Gauteng treasury 60 days before the council meeting. An information statement should have been included in this publication.
The next step should have been a public participation process, none of which has been adhered to, he said. “Without this process the proposed urgent sales will be illegal.”
An amendment proposed by the DA that no properties be sold below a fair market value was rejected by the ANC majority in council. The ANC also rejected a motion for a public participation process.
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