An angry community turns on a plan to give away its land – worth tens of millions of rands – for a 10% share in a tourism venture outside Kruger Park
Part of the community has been protesting after realising that they only had a 10% stake in the Mdluli Lodge Investment, which has a 99-year lease to build and operate a 200-bed lodge on about 1 000 hectares of the community’s land.The community blockaded the road from Hazyview to Numbi Gate this week as they protested against what they say is an unfair deal.
Community leader Amos Mdluli said: “These companies did not bring anything to the table. They used tricks, but now we’re determined to challenge this exploitation, even though they have threatened to sue those at the forefront of the protests in their personal capacity.
The Mdluli Trust, the traditional council, Sasfin-MDM Private Equity Fund 1 and the Mdluli Lodge Investment have, through deal facilitator Chris Schalkwyk, said that the SANParks executive was comfortable with the way their and the community’s concerns had been raised.He said the community now owned 50% of the Mdluli Lodge Investment and the lease had been reduced to 45 years.