Brett Herron, Mayoral committee member for transport and urban development
The story “Time lost over land claim” (Southern Mail, June 20) refers.
In May 2015, the City Council agreed that Erf 82091 and Erf 82092 in Retreat should be sold to the Land Claims Commission for restitution purposes at a cost of R5.6 million.
The Land Claims Commission was subsequently notified of this resolution and requested to immediately transfer the land into its name and then to transfer the land into the name of the claimant.
In June 2016 a ceremonial handover event was hosted by the executive mayor, and this event was also attended by the Land Claims Commission.
However, in November last year – three years after the City released the land to the Land Claims Commission – the commission wrote to the mayor, asking for the land to be released at historical value, as opposed to market value. Importantly, Council must first approve the disposal of a City-asset below market value before such a transaction can go ahead. This is a requirement of national legislation related to the disposal of public (municipal) assets. A report is being
prepared to this effect, and will serve before Council for consideration in due course.