GRASSY PARK
TELLING IT AS IT IS
TUESDAY 12 March 2013 | 0021 910 6500 | Fax: 021 910 6501/06 | Email: post@peoplespost.co.za | Website: www.peoplespost.co.za | Mobisite: ppost.mobi
Swooping in on vlei TASMIN CUPIDO
T
HERE is a sliver of hope for the people in favour of keeping the haven that is Princess Vlei in its natural form. The country’s top corruption investigation unit, the Hawks, will now investigate fraud allegations by the Princess Vlei Forum (PVF). The Forum opened a case of fraud at Cape Town Central Police Station against the four directors of the developers, Insight Property Cape, at the end of February. But as a case of fraud was being opened by PVF at the end of last month, the provincial minister for Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell, was signing off on an appeal for the application for the land to be rezoned from public open space to business. It is not clear whether the pending investigation will bring the process to a halt. People’s Post sent a media query to the Hawks, but had not received a response at the time of going to print. Provincial police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk, however, confirmed that the case had been transferred to the Hawks. He could not confirm when the decision had been taken. PVF has welcomed the new developments. “We are relieved that the matter will be investigated, as we are confident there was irregularities and corruption involved in the application,” says Kelvin Cochrane from PVF. “We will fully cooperate with the Hawks and supply them with all the necessary documents.” Cochrane, who previously approached the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the office of the Public Protector with the allegations, laid the fraud charges at the Bellville police Commercial Crime Unit, but the case was transferred to the Cape Town Central Police Station. Cochrane alleges the acceptance of the bid by Insight was premised on an inde-
pendent Environmental Impact Assessment, undertaken by Tshukudo Environmental Services between 2002 and 2004. At the time of the application, there were two board members of Tshukudo who may have been in conflict of interest. They were listed as board members of Insight at the same time. PVF says a third board member signed an oath in July 2002 stating his company had no connection with or interest in Insight Property. Tshukudu was liquidated in 2005, with Insight listed as one of the creditors. PVF claims there are further discrepancies in the names of the company applying for the development. The wetlands surrounding Princess Vlei is set to be developed into a 9 000m² shopping mall and a 100m² taxi rank built, leaving a 30m buffer strip of land for recreational purposes. But a tug-of-war between developers, authorities and those in opposition to the development ensued since the development was first proposed in 1996. The land is owned by the City of Cape Town, who initially gave the development the green light, but changed this sentiment in July last year. Most recently, Bredell signed off on the extension of the validity period for the rezoning. The matter was handed over of the City’s Property Management Department mid-February. “The Property Management Department will consider a possible purchase price, which will be subject to a public participation process,” says Garreth Bloor, Mayoral Committee member for Economic, Environmental and Spatial Planning. At the time of the People’s Post media query to the City, Bloor said: “The City is aware of an investigation by the National Prosecuting Authority into alleged corruption in the original Environmental Impact Assessment process undertaken in respect of this property. The City will monitor these developments.”
IN OPPOSITION: Kelvin Cochrane of PVF dons a Tshirt in support of saving Princess Vlei during a rally held last year. PHOTO: MARK WARD