Showgrounds sale damper

The High Court in Pretoria has put a damper on the possible sale of the Pretoria Showgrounds in order to cover debts to the municipality of over R8.2 million.

Judge Elizabeth Kubushi yesterday dismissed an application by the Tshwane Business and Agricultural Corporation (Tshwabac) to lift restrictive conditions attached to the title deed of the property, which would allow them to sell it at a possible profit of R200 million for redevelopment, and to relocate the show grounds to another area.

She ruled the application was premature and that the NGO should have approached the Municipal Planning Tribunal first to lift the restrictive conditions.

She also dismissed Tshwabac’s application for an interdict to stop the Tshwane Municipality from terminating their water and electricity supply pending the outcome of an application to the tribunal.

She said it appeared that the showgrounds generated an income and Tshwabac had not clearly set out why it was unable to pay the arrears.

Tshwabac blamed their problems on the city’s decision to rezone the property, increase rates and taxes and to deny them a waver for a portion of the rates and taxes.

The city in turn accused Tshwabac of mismanaging the 30 hectares of prime property – given to them for free – and insisted they were entitled to have the showgrounds retransferred to the municipality at the corporation’s costs.

The property was originally donated to Tshwabac’s predecessors on condition that it could not be sold without the council’s approval and could be retransferred.