The Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, Mr Gugile Nkwinti will on Friday, 19 December 2014 host a sod-turning ceremony in Richmond Park near Milnerton in the Western Cape. Minister Nkwinti will be joined by the City of Cape Town Mayor Patricia De Lille to mark the commencement of the R1billion public-private joint venture for the Richmond Park development initiative.
The Richmond Park project is the result of a successful restitution claim settled in 2011. As part of the development initiatives on the restored land, the Richmond Park Communal Property Association (CPA) has entered into a partnership for the land to be developed for mixed use, with integrated light industrial area, a general retail area, big box discount retail, amenities, and an office park. The land will remain the property of the Richmond Park CPA in perpetuity. In line with the shareholding distribution agreement, the Richmond Park claimants will own 25% of the shares in the development company, and will also receive R40 million in return for leasing the land to the development company.
A total of 401 household comprising 4314 beneficiaries who were removed from the Richmond Park area between 1972 and 1984 stand to benefit from this initiative. The families were relocated due to the implementation of the Group Areas act which saw scores of none white families dispossessed of their land rights.
In 2003, the City of Cape Town Council agreed to release the land to the Richmond Park claimants, and in 2008, the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform led the process calling for bids for the submission of business models for the development of the property. Atterbury Properties Holdings won the tender for the development initiative. The sod turning ceremony marks the beginning of the project.
Enquiries:
Ms Linda Page, Chief Director Communication Services
Tel: 012 312 9648
Cell: 083460 4482
Ms Tshisikhawe Khangale
Cell: 078 228 9266 or 078 298 8867
E-mail: tshisi@brandpromo.co.za or tshisi@silversolutionsza.net
