Africa Wild

Thanks Sprocky...great news!!

Kruger hotel off the cards
by Fiona Macleod |  09.08.2014
HIGHLIGHTS

SANParks chairperson Kuseni Dlamini



A controversial application for a luxury hotel development in the south of the Kruger National Park, linked to chairperson of the South African National Parks board Kuseni Dlamini, is off the cards.

Ishaam Abader, deputy director general of compliance at the Department of Environmental Affairs, released a notice on September 8 indicating that the application process had been closed.

Dlamini was accused by conservationists of a conflict of interests after exposure of his connections to the proposed 120-room Radisson Blu Safari Resort, scheduled to open its doors near Malalane last year.

An Oxpeckers report in March 2011 noted that Dlamini was a non-executive director of Mvelaphanda Group Limited, which was partly owned by Mvelaphanda Holdings.

The Rezidor Hotel Group, a Swiss company that planned to develop the hotel near Malelane, extended its partnership with Mvelaphanda Holdings to cover the management of all Rezidor hotels in South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland.

Conservationists opposed to the proposed hotel said an environmental impact assessment (EIA) had been commissioned about six months after the contract was awarded, and there was not sufficient public consultation.

Abader said the applicants had failed to meet certain deadlines stipulated under the EIA regulations, and the application had therefore been closed.

If they wanted to pursue the proposed development, they would have to submit a new EIA application, he said.

The person driving this project (Dr. Mabunda) not with SANParks now. So the questions to be asked is whether the project could not stand on its own merit

I think it's only the end of the beginning, as Churchill would say!

Rezidor or whoever paid in the first place will want their money back, I think...and knowing SP management and tender-types, they absolutely will refuse to lose face, no matter how obvious the failings are


But good news!

Thanks, Sprocks!

One chapter closes making room for a new chapter to open,.....

On behalf of Africa Wild, I wish to thank Mandy, Dereck and Peter
A whole hearted thank you for all your endeavour. Though you were
seen to be part of a complex situation, you somehow managed to
remain partial yet keeping us well informed. Hat' s of to you,.....

I would like to point out here the complexities attached to EIA's,
for one, to be appointed the practitioner of said study is quite
a substantial achievement, not always ones own point of view or
take on a controversial matter and most often end up right in the
middle of the firing line. It requires special personal qualities to
withstand such onslaught yet somehow still to be informing and
serving a society that is very demanding.

I know the developer saw such qaulity in you three and therefore
placed his faith in you. Four years down the line, financial burdens
public threat and seasonal change, with little help from your friends,

Well done Dereck,....

See you and kie in the next chapter!!!!!!

Stirring stuff, H.! And thanks to you!

When do the correct that error of Rezidor being Swiss..... . It is Swedish Not that it really matters

H erectus, did read your post on the yellow forum but after a few minites it disapear ...like the application..
Well it may be like RP said the begining of something new ,but at least the the ball was droppppppp