Desperate late bid to stop auction of SABC Sea Point building

THE Department of Human Settlements and Housing Development Agency (HDA), which is opposed to the controversial SABC Rocklands Villas property auction, has about nine days to find the right course within the legal frameworks to prevent another auction attempt.

This is after the Western Cape High

Court granted the SABC permission to proceed with the public auction for the residential property in Sea Point.

The public broadcaster’s group executive for corporate affairs, Gugu Ntuli, said the SABC was obligated to ensure that State assets were disposed of at maximum value via a transparent and fair process. The property, advertised by Aucor Property, sits on five erven, with a block of flats boasting 14 units over three erven. The remaining two erven, which can be used as parking, measures 900m².

The auction is now expected to resume at the Houghton Golf Club, Gauteng, on July 15 at 11am. Aucor’s Sean Parsons said the company had been mandated by the SABC to sell the property in Sea Point on auction.

Human Settlements spokesperson Mandulo Maphumulo said the department and its agency were aware of yet another planned auction by the SABC and they were consulting with their legal team. “This comes after the public broadcaster’s rejection of the offer to purchase the building made by the HDA. The HDA, in conjunction with the department, is pursuing this matter based on available legal and administrative remedies that will lead to this matter being resolved,” said Maphumulo.

The department and the agency filed an urgent interdict in May following an attempt at securing a meeting with the SABC to discuss the possibility of affordable housing, as the land is well-located.

The provincial ANC said the building was one of the last remaining properties in public hands which could be used to reverse apartheid spatial planning by building an integrated and affordable housing development. “We condemn the SABC for this indefensible decision.”