The development was temporarily halted in February this year.

However, this took a turn when the Department of Human Development brought an application to the director-general of Land Reform and Rural Development.

The municipality initially had five years to comply with the requirements, and if this was not met, the municipality had to cease its development or obtain approval from the minister for exemption from the legislation to proceed with the development.

The application was granted by the minister on March 6, after which the municipality and the Free State government immediately resumed the development.

The minister may grant an exemption if it is in the public interest.

AfriForum is, however, of the opinion that the minister’s decision is against the public interest and therefore wants to know on what he based his decision to allow the development to proceed.

AfriForum has sent a letter to Mzanele Nyhonto, the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, demanding answers.

According to Jaco Grobbelaar, AfriForum’s head for the central region, the minister’s decision was not well thought through and was taken without considering the consequences.

“The minister made an uninformed decision without considering the implications it may have for the community and the environment. In five years, the municipality has not been able to put a plan on paper to get bulk infrastructure for the development, much less to put anything on the ground.”

“Why would they suddenly do it now, after the minister’s decision? The development has major environmental implications, which will further harm the already polluted Vaal River,” says Grobbelaar.