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Johannesburg – Nearly 5 000 people commented during the second public consultation period on the proposed sale of the Tafelberg property in Sea Point, the Western Cape government said on Friday.
“For the process to be meaningful, every single one of those comments deserves a fair and proper consideration before any decision can be taken,” Premier Helen Zille’s spokesperson Michael Mpofu said in a statement.
Public comment on the sale of the land was re-opened for one month after a settlement was made an order of the Western Cape High Court in May.
The site, which used to house Tafelberg Remedial High School, was recently sold to the Phyllis Jowell Jewish Day School.
Workers and the Reclaim the City campaign went to court to halt the transfer and to demand reasons for the sale. They were represented by the Ndifuna Ukwazi Law Centre.
Ndifuna Ukwazi said the provincial government had not followed correct legal requirements for the sale of the land. Ndifuna Ukwazi wanted the property to be used for affordable housing.
The Western Cape government had since approached the parties to ask them to extend the period of the order past the one month stipulated by the court.
"When the terms of this order were agreed to, we do not believe anyone foresaw us having to consider close to 5 000 representations within a period of one month,” Mpofu said.
He said the Phyllis Jowell School had acceded to the request. Ndifuna Ukwazi however refused.
The Western Cape government would now approach the High Court for an order on the extension.
