Factory development hangs in the balance
2009-08-13
AFTER four years, the Drakenstein Municipal Council has again failed to approve a project which could promote hundreds of new jobs. The project to manufacture containers on a site near Klapmuts has been stalled, following initial enthusiasm from Council. Now Capetainer is in a deadlock and must decide whether to proceed with the protracted negotiations, battle it out in court or withdraw completely. According to Petrus Jooste of Capetainer, the national government has already made them a offer to erect their factory at Coega industrial zone in the Eastern Cape. Already in 2007 the council (which was under DA control at the time) approved a recommendation that a 24 hectare portion of a hectare farm next to the N1 north of Klapmuts be sold to Capetainer at R35 000 per hectare for the purpose of establishing a container manufacturing plant. Both the national and provincial governments have agreed to the proposed development and the ANC Council confirmed the decision to sell the land in August last year, with part of the land going to land claims. This week Council decided to rescind this decision, insisting on a higher, market related fee for the land. Councillor Koos Louw of the DA objected: “This means that wejeopardise a few hundred job opportunities. We in Drakenstein are known to lose big opportunities.” It was recommended that Capetainer submit information regarding their BEE status, a due diligence report and a site development plan in 30 days. If they fail to submit it, the offer will lapse. The council also recommended that the selling price be increased to the current market value. Leon Coetzee, head of the engineering department, said that a way to fast-track this development should be a priority but pointed out that the implimentation of bulk services in that area would be very expensive. It is estimated that the infrastruture will cost in the region of R500 million. Petrus Jooste from Capetainer said that the deal had become a political football. “We have already spent millions on this project and now we have to negotiate from scratch. “After last week’s council meeting they only gave us 30 days to react. This after we could not manage to get a meeting with them for the past seven months. They are sending us from pillar to post. “And everything was already approved on national and provincial levels. Our BBE plans, due diligence report and a site development plan are in order. “We received very high marks for our BBE plans whereby we involved smaller role players as well. We want to give 25% of our shares to our own workers and we want to involved the local communities. “And now we will have to pay more per hectare because there was an increase in the property value after the announcement that Capetainer would settle in Klapmuts,” he said. Pastor Graham Taff, negotiator for the community and big supporter of this project, said that the Drakenstein municipality was dragging its feet. “We had several meetings, but it seem that there are contradictions in what they are saying. It does not make sense. “Can’t they see that this is a huge opportunity for the community? The decision-makers are playing the man and not the ball,” he said.
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