Popular hotel falls into state of disrepair

THE shocking state of a Port Alfred hotel that has been undergoing renovations for years has angered residents and tourists in the resort town.

Situated on prime land on the Kowie River, renovations at Ferryman’s Hotel have been dragging on at snail’s pace, despite the Ndlambe municipality issuing a warning to wealthy East London owner Johan Kleyn a year ago that he was contravening national building regulations.

Kleyn said yesterday work had ground to a halt after he was admitted to intensive care unit at a hospital last year for a month and then spent several more recuperating.

However, he denied he was not interested in repairing the hotel.

“I don’t think anybody other than people close to me and the hospital have an insight into how serious it was. I was close to death, it has been a long haul,” Kleyn said.

He also said the Ferryman’s was not the only business interest he had and that he had prioritised others before the hotel.

The warning letter on February 4 last year was issued by Ndlambe’s infrastructural director, Noluthando Vithi, and ordered the matter be rectified by March 3 last year.

According to the warning letter, failing to comply with the order may result in legal proceedings being instituted.

Kleyn admitted in correspondence to the municipality that no renovations had taken place at the hotel for more than a year after he became gravely ill and fell behind schedule when he was admitted to hospital.

Although rooms were available, the hotel was not accepting guests.

Attempts to obtain comment from Ndlambe municipal spokesman Khulukile Mbolekwa proved fruitless.

However, he earlier said they were looking into the issue of the Ferryman’s.

“There has been constant interaction between the owner and the municipality, having noted his condition as per his response to the municipality.”

The once popular hotel and watering hole fell into disrepair after Kleyn bought it and, although he housed foreign students from nearby Stenden South Africa during the 2010 soccer World Cup, they stopped using it when concerns were raised about the fire escape falling apart.

Some renovations were started but the students never returned.