Unfinished resort a loss to taxpayers

MILLIONS of rands of taxpayers’ money have been wasted after the Department of Tourism failed to complete a promising riverside project in Tsholomnqa’s KwaSandile Village in 2012.

The construction of the community-driven Tyolomnqa Estuary Project commenced in 2011 with the hope of creating hundreds of jobs.

Today the Eastern Cape establishment, with its eight damaged chalets has become a haven for criminals who vandalise and steal material worth thousands of rands.

Reporters found scores of dumped mattresses and equipment in two containers at the construction site.

The mattresses are still in good condition.

Tons of crushed stone and hundreds of unused building bricks were seen lying on the site that is a stone’s throw away from the Tyolomnqa river.

The chalets are badly vandalised and copper wire has been stolen.

Former workers said the appointed implementer of the project, Performance Unlimited, left without paying them money owed to them.

Department of Tourism’s acting chief director for communications Lulama Duma said there were currently no plans to finish the project.

Asked why the work had been stopped, she said: “Land zoning needed to be changed and the timelines had not been adequately factored in the planning.”