Golf estate: In camera talks
2003-03-03 16:32
Cape Town - An application by disgraced former Western Cape environmental affairs MEC David Malatsi could delay an early resolution to legal negotiations to conjoin three different aspects of a case involving the controversial Roodefontein golf estate development.
"Legal representatives from (current) acting Western Cape environmental affairs MEC Johan Gelderblom and Count Ricardo Agusta will continue negotiations behind closed doors this afternoon, and possibly after hours," Gelderblom's spokesperson Ossie Gibson, said on Monday.
He said that should Malatsi decide to oppose the review, for whatever reason, it could result in the matter taking longer to be finalised.
Gibson said that a scheduled Cape High Court hearing for Monday was postponed in the light of out-of-court negotiations between the two parties.
He said the negotiations currently involved conjoining three aspects of the Roodefontein development, namely:
the granting of an interdict against further development at Roodefontein;
the review of the approval of the project in the first place; and
costs that might be attributed to either party.
Kickback
Gibson said negotiations to conjoin all three legal disputes into one matter might not materialise if Malatsi decided to oppose the review of the approval of the project.
"If this is the case then the matters will be heard separately; if not then it is expected that the court will make a ruling on all three matters on Tuesday," Gibson said.
Late in January, the Cape High Court halted any further activities at the Roodefontein golf estate development, when an interim order was granted in an urgent application brought by Gelderblom.
Gelderblom brought the application after allegations that the developers, Count Agusta Golf and Equestrian Estate Pty Ltd headed by Italian aviation billionaire Count Ricardo Agusta, gave the New National Party R300 000 as a kickback for the development to proceed.
The company is now apparently headed by the son of alleged Mafia kingpin Vito Palazollo.
Malatsi and former Western Cape premier Peter Marais have both been suspended from the New National Party and are under investigation for corruption in connection with the Roodefontein deal.
- SAPA