Die brief van die SBG aan die munispale bestuurder, Geraldine Mettler:
Dear Ms Mettler
REQUEST THAT A FORENSIC INVESTIGATION BE CARRIED OUT RELATING TO THE MANNER IN WHICH OFFICIALS OF THE MUNICIPALITY HAVE FAILED TO ENFORCE CONDITIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF LONGLANDS COUNTRY ESTATE
- During September 2020, a task team comprising members of the Stellenbosch Ratepayers’ Association (SRA) and the Stellenbosch Interest Group (SIG) worked through the 20 odd files, held by the Planning Directorate of the Municipality, relating to the Longlands Farm, including its component portions. The reason for looking at these files was to access information to comment objectively on an application for the rezoning of Erven 375 to 381 Longlands and later to submit an appeal against the environmental authorization to permit proposed urban development of a further 30 hectares of the original 80-hectare farm.
Because of the workload involved, only the SIG submitted an appeal to the Municipality in respect of the of the approval of the rezoning of Erven 375 to 381. For the same reason, only the SRA submitted an appeal to the Provincial Government during January 2021 (copy attached) concerning the environmental authorization granted by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Planning during December 2020. As far as the SIG is aware neither of these appeals have yet been decided upon.
- While scrutinising the files of the Municipality it became apparent that over the years a few serious irregularities and omissions have apparently occurred relating to the development and non-development of Longlands. These irregularities relate to the following:
2.1 The failure by the developer, Mr Francois Smit to provide subsidized housing erven which formed part of the conditions of approval of the Longlands Country Estate. Questions that arise relating to this failure are firstly why Mr Smit was permitted to sell and transfer erven in Longlands Country Estate in the absence of meeting his obligations to provide the necessary subsidized erven. Secondly, why Mr Smit was permitted to sell and transfer Erf 1 Longlands without meeting his obligations to provide the necessary subsidized housing.
2.2 During 2018 in considering an application for the further development of Longlands, the Municipality employed an attorney, Mr Andre Swart despite him indicating that he had a possible conflict of interest to advise the Executive Mayor on the merits of an appeal by developers concerning the further development of Longlands Farm. For the record, Mr Swart failed to indicate what his possible conflict of interest was. It is, however, well known that Mr Swart has acted as the attorney for Mr Smit, the developer over a protracted period in connection with the development of Longlands.
- The third major issue of concern requiring investigation is the failure by the Municipality to challenge the involvement of the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) in approving a partition plan for a 12-hectare portion of Longlands Farm without complying with the necessary statutory requirement to advertise the proposal.
- As you are well-aware the SIG is strongly opposed to any further urban development on the Farm Longlands. Please bear in mind that once rural agricultural land is lost it can never be regained. Clearly, regarding Agricultural Land as if it were so much merchandise or livestock, bought and sold for the purpose of developers accumulating money is not in the public interest. To quote William Morris (artist, author, poet, designer and one of the founders of the garden city movement) as long ago as 1890; “God created the country, man created towns, but the Devil created suburbs.”
- The SIG has also just become aware that the residents of Bonniemile, opposite the Longlands Farm, were not consulted or notified about the proposed development of Longlands Manor by the environmental consultants. According to the consultants, registered letters were, however, sent to the owners of properties in Bonniemile. It is nevertheless common knowledge that the delivery of registered mail has become totally dysfunctional and urgent action needs to be taken to address this issue.
A petition drawn up by residents of Bonniemile containing 300 signatures is attached hereto. Please note that many of the residents in Bonniemile are more than distraught by what is happening and/or is about to happen to their quality of life. Clearly nobody involved in the development has any idea of the negative impact facing these residents that will accompany changes to the road network adjoining their properties. To say that these residents are distraught underestimates what they are feeling as they find it impossible to come to terms with what is happening. An onsite visit in the company of these objectors will immediately indicate the massively negative impact that the ongoing destruction of Longlands is having on the environment.
- As indicated in the previous correspondence by the SIG, the proposed 30ha Longlands Country Manor is neither necessary nor desirable. It is accordingly trusted that you will carry out an in-depth forensic investigation into the issues outlined in paragraph 2 above and not proceed with any further approvals relating to the entire Longlands Farm.
Kind regards
Patricia Botha
(Chairperson)
https://www.change.org/StopLonglands-SaveStellenbosch
Abacus se antwoord op die petisie deur SBG:
Your principal objection to our development appears to relate to the position of the entrance to the development on Polkadraai Road (“the entrance”). The positioning and specifications of this entrance was determined by the Provincial Roads Engineer, as the competent authority. The Provincial Roads Engineer would have applied road safety and standard related considerations in determining the appropriate positioning of the entrance.
The layout and civil services of our development have been designed having due regard of the position of the entrance, as determined by the Provincial Roads Engineer. We cannot at this point consider any changes to the entrance or layout of our development. We do not think it will serve any purpose for us to hold further meetings with you to discuss the positioning of the entrance.
Without agreeing with your contentions regarding the appropriate position for entrance, we in any event will have no influence over the Provincial Roads Engineer in his determination of the appropriate position of the entrance.
Our company and the Abacus Group of which it forms part, take pride in our reputation as being responsible, law-abiding developers. We request that in your interactions with municipal or other officials and/or in any public statements, whether in relation to or part of petitions or other forms of social media, you do not insinuate or state that our company obtained the approvals for our development through improper conduct or by not following correct procedures. Any unfounded defamatory comments or insinuations, which may be made or published at a time when we are launching our development into the market, may cause us to suffer losses.
Delays caused by any actions which may be taken to stop our development from proceeding will also result in our company suffering substantial losses. Any such actions may also impact on the completion of the subsidized housing project to be undertaken on the land to the east of our Longlands Village development. This will affect not only the community to benefit from this project but also the surrounding residential and farming areas.
While we accept that you are acting within your rights in assessing our development approvals, we must caution that should you, directly or through any interest group, in any manner make defamatory remarks about our company and/or our development, we will have to take action to protect our interests.
Longlands Village Pty Ltd.
Reg: 2017/420163/07 VAT: 459 028 1590
P.O. Box 1559, Stellenbosch, 7600
Directors: Werner Roux (CEO), Neels Howard, David Ludditt, Piet Boshoff