Joburg denies plans to sell historic public spaces
The City of Johannesburg has denied reports that it is planning to sell key public spaces and properties.
Media reports suggest that the city wants to sell Marks Park, Killarnery County Club, and the Pirates Club, among other spaces, to build more low-cost housing.
The proposals are expected to be tabled in the Joburg Council next month.
Joburg Property Company General Manager Sizeka Tshabalala denied that they want to sell the properties, which also include West Park Cemetery, Botanical Gardens, and the Emerentia Dam.
"There's been this misconception that JPC has plans to sell these properties for the development of low-cost housing. There is no truth in all those allegations."
Tshabalala moved to clarify that the city wants to revise the leasing terms as they do not make financial sense.
According to Tshabalala, the Killarney Golf Club lease agreement stipulates as little as R2 for rental income.
For Marks Park, the city receives R49 per annum.
"We have looked at the number of these properties, which some have leases as old as 30 years.
"So if you look at all those terms of the agreement, you can see that that doesn't make any business sense. So it is incumbent on us as JPC to ensure that we look at and revise the terms of leases on these properties," she said in a video posted on Facebook.
The proposals have been met with strong criticisms and opposition from the community.
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