Huddle Park tender still in the blender
LINKSFIELD - Following allegations of the improper sale and redevelopment of a portion of Huddle Park, the Public Protector's office stated that the investigation was still on-going.
Public Protector spokesperson Kgalalelo Masibi said, “The public protector, Thuli Madonsela will state in her final report the appropriate remedial action to be taken.” Masibi added that the report would be ready by the end of August. Earlier this year, Masibi said the investigation was related to tender irregularities in the sale and redevelopment of a portion of Huddle Park Golf Estate.
“The sale could be considered illegal and the application to develop was thoroughly premature.”
“The investigation is still ongoing, but is at an advanced stage,” she said. “The Public Protector is still awaiting a report to get more information.” She said the drafting of a provisional report had already commenced and the outstanding information would be added to the report to finalise it.
Huddle Investments which comprises shareholders, Investec Property, Standard Bank Properties and Global Capital purchased 53 hectares of Huddle Park for R45 million. In the article, Huddle muddle week ending 17 May, Huddle Investment’s spokesperson Felicity Hudson said the company purchased the land through a public tender process administered by the city council in January 2011. Hudson said the company’s primary focus in the preliminary stages had been to determine the nature and scope of the development. “Following months of conceptual planning and assessment of the property and its surrounds, a formal public participation process was launched and continues to be followed,” said Hudson.
She said they fully supported interested parties approaching the city council to obtain information. “They can register at any time during the process and will then form part of the registered database and receive notifications of the various reports for review and comment.”
However, Huddle and Environs Anti-Degradation League and Save Huddle Park member Marian Laserson said there was no public participation. “The council’s intention to sell the land was not properly advertised and the tender process was incorrectly handled,” she said. “The sale could be considered illegal and the application to develop was thoroughly premature.”
Laserson said the land was purchased way below its value. “They paid under a million for a hectare. In Linksfield a stand of 2 000 square metres costs over R1 million. The land could have been sold for around R200 million.”
She added that they were waiting for an Environmental Impact Assessment report from Strategic Environmental Focus which was an environmental consultancy that specialised in assisting the private sector and government in managing the sustainability of natural resources.
