Two clubs seek clarity on amalgamation, new clubhouse
WITH the upgrade of Durban’s South Beach area moving forward, and the imminent calling of tenders for a new promenade, Point Yacht Club (PYC) commodore Craig Millar has highlighted that neither the PYC nor Durban Paddle Ski Club had received clarity on the development of a new clubhouse.
The stand-off between the four watersport clubs on Vetch’s Beach remains tense after a meeting called by the PYC and Paddle Ski Club last Thursday, which was followed by a closed meeting of the Durban Undersea Club (DUC) and Durban Ski-Boat Club on Monday night.
The clubs share a clubhouse on the beach and, after lengthy court battles with the developers to preserve the facilities, they signed an agreement in 2008 to go forward as an umbrella body, The Point Watersport Clubs (PWC), with a new clubhouse being included in the development plans.
According to Millar, two PYC members representing the club on the PWC committee resigned last year, with Millar and another member being appointed to the committee.
“Yet we have never met the developers. The PWC is meant to represent all four clubs and all we want to do is talk to the developers. The Point Yacht Club and Durban Paddle Ski Club have not been included.
“We are prepared to stop the development to safeguard the rights of our members,” said Millar, highlighting that it was Durban Paddle Ski Club members who fought for the survival of the clubs when the plan was first mooted more than a decade ago.
Points of contention between the two factions include whether the land on which the new club would be built would be leased or bought, and whether the clubs would operate under separate constitutions or fall under a new company with six directors.
On Thursday, chairman of the PWC and DUC, Cuane Hall, said: “At their meeting last Thursday, for the first time this year, the Point Yacht Club commented on the Memorandum of Incorporation (MOI) and we got the first inkling of what they are not happy about.
“We have been in contact with their attorneys who have agreed to engage with us and we remain positive that we can come to a compromise.”
Hall added that, at Monday’s meeting, members from the DUC and Durban Ski-Boat Club had given an “overwhelming mandate” for himself and another member to represent them in negotiations.
“While the adoption of the proposed MOI for the nonprofit company PWC was set aside by a membership vote, it was proposed that the MOI would be further adapted in consultation with all the stakeholders and would be brought back to the membership for approval.”
He also confirmed that a working sub-committee would be formed to engage with the PYC to settle the differences between the clubs.
eThekwini Municipality has confirmed the multibillion-rand project is already under way with construction of necessary infrastructure. The Durban Point Development Company declined to comment.