Oyster Walk - Dispute
The Knysna Council is once again coming under fire as work begins on the Oyster Walk development behind Pledge Square. Its difficult to understand what the issues are and this is precisely what concerns me. Questions have been asked about the alienation and sale by the Council of erf 431 and Council appear to be doing their best to dodge the issue. My question is why? Who are they accountable to? Can they be held to account?
Erf 431, the paved parking above the Knysna Movie House, is a public erf expropriated in 1995 for public purposes, in particular to provide an attractive entrance to Pledge Nature Reserve. The Engineer’s drawing of 1996 shows it as an extension of the Reserve. What has “developed” since then ? And if the property was sold, were the proper procedures followed? Did it change hands at market value?
What are the answers to these questions? Who really cares?