QUESTIONS IN THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
QUESTION 130
WRITTEN REPLY
Mr A. Lees (Kwazulu-Natal) (DA) to ask the Minister of Defence and Military
Veterans:
1. Whether the property on the beachfront in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal has
been sold, if not (a) why not (b) when will the property be sold, if so (a)
to whom, (b) to whom, (b0 what was the disposal price and (c) what are the
details with regards to the process followed and how the property was sold?
NW206E
REPLY
1. a-c. The property referred to is commonly known as the Natal
Command Site and was leased by the National Department of Public Works for
the South African National Defence Force on a 99 year lease from the
erstwhile Durban Corporation, now known the Ethekweni Municipality. As a
result of the consolidation of the facilities footprint in Durban, the
facility became superfluous and the South African National Defence Force
had handed the facility back to the National Department of Public Works and
Ethekweni Municipality on 16 October 2009.
Additional Information.
The Ethekweni Municipality has sold the site in 2005 to Mr Anant Singh, a
prominent filmmaker for an amount of Rm15 against a formal valuation of
Rm67, for the development of a film studio complex. This sale was done by
private treaty and not by an open tender. The result was contested in the
Natal Division of the Supreme Court in June 2009 and the judgement was
reserved. The legal contest was about the validity of the procedure that
was followed by the Ethekweni Municipality and that was ratified by the KZN
Premier, not about the price of the sale. The respondents in this case
were:
a. Ethekweni Municipality - 1st
b. Provincial Department - 2nd
c. National Department of Public Works - 3rd
d. South African National Defence Force - 4th
Response Originator
Name: Brig Gen G. Mngadi
Appointment: Director Facilities
Tel during hours: (012) 339-5155
Tel After hours: 076 786 5877