Red tape blunder costs taxpayers
The once flourishing businesses at Tzaneen Extension 89 along Lydenburg Road have turned into white elephants.
Situated at Portion 37 of farm Hamawasha known as Macdonalds, the business buildings which included a restaurant, fruit and vegetable market have been unoccupied for the past three years.
Overgrown grass and infrastructure that is slowly decaying due to lack of maintenance, have become characteristic of the once thriving businesses in the area.
Municipal spokesperson, Neville Ndlala said the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform bought the land in 2012 on behalf of the Greater Tzaneen Municipality for housing development, however the land was transferred to the department instead of the GTM.
He said the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, Gugile Nkwinti has approved the transfer of the property to Greater Tzaneen Municipality and the process to transfer the land to GTM is at an advance stage and will soon be concluded.
“Tzaneen Extension 89 known as McDonalds is a proclaimed township having undergone the township establishment process before the department made the purchase,” said Ndlala.
He added that development will begin on the land once all the processes have been finalised.
