‘Complaints only from a fraction of investors’

Cove Rock New Development developer Sande Dotyeni says people complaining about the scheme are those wanting to take over the project for themselves.

Dotyeni, speaking on behalf of his colleagues, was responding to Dispatch queries on the development. Dotyeni said those complaining represented a small fraction of the investors.

He said Banele Mpongwana, who spoke to the Dispatch as an aggrieved investor, and others wanted to build houses that were not “uniform” with plans.

“They want to build their own structures or designs, not the way we want to do things. We have buyers in Japan, London and UAE who bought here. They want things that are uniform, a proper development, and that is what we are going to do here,” Dotyeni said.

He confirmed their last meeting with investors was at Buffalo City College in 2019, where they resolved that the land had been bought and paid for in December 2018. It was also resolved that it was registered under Kaziware (Pty) Ltd, the holding company. He said they paid R6.6m for the land, while other fees had also been paid from their own pockets.

According to Dotyeni, plots were sold for R40,000 for phase 1, but some phase 2 plots were sold for R65,000 because they had a better view. He said 186 of the 202 plots on the site had been sold. Plot sizes were reduced from the 125 plots to make 202 plots. (Mpongwana had claimed all 202 plots had been sold.)

“It is a lie when they say there are 400 plots on farm 938. It is public information that the site development plan has 202 sites.”

However, there were 424 plots in phase 3 on farm 939, next to the farm where phase 1 and 2 plots were sold.

He said they did not know anything about the R15,8m mentioned by Mpongwana, who said this money had been accrued through the sale of 224 plots in phase 3.

“This is false. We answer this question as a courtesy to the media but tell me, when a person purchases a plot at Gonubie Palms or any development, do they suddenly have a right to ask for the developers’ financial statements?”

On the issue of investors sharing the same plot numbers, Dotyeni blamed this on an “error”.

“On issuing of ownership documents, we have indicated that if anyone detects an error they are to please advise us so that we can rectify [it] early.”

Dotyeni said investors had always understood that Kaziware was the holding company of the land until such time as the subdivision was completed.

“Buyers have been signing documents since the beginning. Mr Boqwana is a director of Kaziware. This was supported by Sande Dotyeni, Buntu Nonkelela and Thando Wontoti. The buyers were consulted and agreed to this in writing.”

Dotyeni said their project was exactly the same as when it was started.

“We didn’t come as elected representatives. We were individuals who started this idea ourselves. We wanted to help where we could. We used our own resources and company to negotiate for the land. That is why every single document speaks to Kaziware (Pty) Ltd. In fact, we have used personal funds to drive this project.”