Swart questions augmentation
PLETTENBERG BAY - Former Bitou mayor Dave Swart has taken issue over the augmentation costs for certain developments in Bitou, contained in a report in KnysnaPlett Herald quoting the new mayor, Claude Terblanche.
At a Ward 2 report-back meeting on 15 February, Swart said the figure of R27m mentioned by Terblanche, which includes R10m for the new Plett Quarter, R5m for Boxer in Kwanokuthula, and the new Ultra City development near the Plett roundabout, "are largely incorrect".
Swart said according to council resolutions for Boxer and the Plett Quarter, the amount waived was R2,87m. There was also a council proposal to waiver nearly R12,9m for the Ultra City development (which he said was correct). These amounts together were “not R27m as per the article”.
He said the Ultra City waiver was supported by council and will be presented for approval by council "subject to negotiations with the successful bidder giving equivalent value in a way that will make the development feasible and affordable".
Swart said the structure of Bitou augmentation fees "is such that developers are only advised of the actual costs they need to pay once they are busy with the development". He also clarified allusions by "the PDC Councillor" (Terblanche) in his acceptance speech as mayor on 2 February to a budget "that is not properly allocated to fairly service all wards in Bitou".
Swart said the budget on 29 May 2023 was approved unanimously by all councillors. "This was a first for Bitou, with all councillors, ruling coalition and opposition
councillors accepting and approving the budget. This signifies that all councillors were satisfied with the allocation of funding," he said.
"Why then the need to accuse that some wards (Ward 2) are favoured over others? The budget is allocated according to priorities and funds available." Swart also took a swipe at the new ANC/PDC/ IPM ruling coalition in Bitou on claims that Bitou Municipality and the previous coalition were not giving sufficient attention to affordable accommodation/ housing for the general salary earner in Plettenberg Bay.
He listed a number of low-cost developments that Bitou Municipality had facilitated under the previous DA/AUF/PDC governance. They included the proposed development next to the Shell Ultra City, as a pilot project, and the Greenwood Mews rental development of 170 units of flats along the Piesang Valley road that has already been approved by the municipality.
There is also the municipal-approved private Le Fleur Estate development in Kranshoek that will yield about 1 600 housing opportunities, of which about 400 will be first home financing units.
Current BNG (RDP) projects in planning are four Qolweni phases, Ebenhaezer, Green Valley, Kurland, two phases in Kwanokuthula and Plettenberg Bay providing 7 114 housing opportunities.