Golf estate on cards for Giyani – Muni Manager
According to the newly appointed Municipal Manager, Maxwell Chauke, the municipality is in the process of doing a land audit to identify unused sites within the town and formalise them for purposes which would best serve the community.
LIMPOPO – The Giyani Golf Club, which attracted tourists from as far as Cape Town to play golf in Giyani before it was closed years ago, is set to take another shape which would not only revive the golf club, but also improve the face of Giyani.
According to the newly appointed Municipal Manager, Maxwell Chauke, the municipality is in the process of doing a land audit to identify unused sites within the town and formalise them for purposes which would best serve the community.
“As a municipality we have agreed we need to do a land audit to identify all unused open space within the town so we will be able to come up with a plan to formalise these sites and give them to the people who would need them,” Chauke explained.
“There are some sites we already have plans for, including the Giyani Golf Club.
“We have decided to do rezoning in order to accommodate a township establishment.
“We want to make it some form of a golf estate where we would have residential houses within the golf course,” he said.
According to him, the golf estate will house several establishments depending on the availability of space such as a mini-complex and a crèche for residents among other viable businesses.
“We want the area to be something which would improve the face of Giyani. If there’s a space left for a guesthouse or hotel, we will make provision for that as well.
“In short, this would be a multi-focused development in the form of a golf estate like the ones you see in other towns,” he said.
The golf club was reportedly closed around 2003 due to a misunderstanding between the municipality and the new structure which had taken over after those who used to operate it left town.
Several people tried to revive it over the years but failed. With no real owner, this left the animals inside the golf course vulnerable to poachers.
“We used to see impalas roaming around as we pass along the road, but today there are none.
“One will hardly see a single animal even when on the golf course itself,” explained Harry Motukwe, one of the former golfers at the golf club.
“Today the golf club is being used as a hosting venue for events such as parties and weddings.”
