Newmarket Stables Equestrian Club’s era comes to an end

COME August, the sight of horses grazing in the iconic green paddocks of Durban’s city centre, will be a thing of the past.

The eThekwini Municipality has won its battle to remove the Newmarket Stables Equestrian Club from its premises.

In 2015, the city brought a number of eviction applications against tenants occupying land in the Kings Park precinct, which had been earmarked for a R300 million international sports development centre with a football academy.

The equestrian club was among them.

The club has been fighting against the application, tooth and nail.

The yard at Newmarket is more than 100 years old and steeped in history.

More than 5 500 people – from as far afield as the US – signed a “Save Newmarket Stables” online petition created in 2015.

And in court papers, the club previously said a review application challenging the legality of the municipality’s decision to go ahead with its plans was in the process of being launched.

But the case took an unexpected turn when it came before Judge Mokgere Masipa in the Durban High Court, yesterday.

Judge Masipa granted an order – by consent – that the club vacate its premises and deliver vacant possession thereof, to the city by August 1.

If the club does not vacate the premises within the specified time frame, a sheriff or a deputy sheriff will evict it.

The club was ordered to pay the costs of the suit but it undertook to negotiate with various employees and other people living on the premises – to whom the order does not apply – to vacate them by July 31.

And if these negotiations are successful, the city has agreed to waive its claim for some of the costs.

It is understood that the cost of pursuing litigation against the city had become very high but the club did not wish to comment yesterday afternoon, saying only that it was “the end of an era” and “a very sad day for equestrians in Durban”. It will be issuing a statement later today.

Metro police spokesperson Superintendent Sibonelo Mchunu yesterday afternoon told The Mercury that the Mounted Unit’s horses, which were currently being stabled at Newmarket, were to be moved.

“We have made arrangements to relocate the horses to other places within the municipality but we can’t disclose where because discussions are still under way,” he said.

The fate of the other horses currently at Newmarket, is yet to be announced.