No decision has been taken to dispose of Naval Hill or any other municipal asset, said city manager Sello More. The metro is merely considering ways to unlock the economic potential of under-utilised properties through partnerships and investment proposals. 

“The objective of this initiative is to attract investment, stimulate economic growth, create sustainable employment opportunities, and maximise the value of municipal assets for the benefit of residents.”

He said the responsible use of municipal properties could help create jobs.

AfriForum has announced Mangaung may not proceed with the alienation or long-term leasing of the properties, including Naval Hill in the Franklin Nature Reserve. The organisation said the settlement reached between the parties had effectively halted the process.

Naval Hill Bloemfontein. Photo: Facebook 

The settlement resulted in an interdict preventing further alienation of the identified properties until Mangaung proves it followed the legally required process, said AfriForum adviser for local government affairs Dalena Beyers. The metro must provide the necessary proof within 15 days. 

Beyers described the settlement as a significant victory for transparency and the protection of Bloemfontein’s heritage, saying a municipality undermines responsible public administration when it fails to facilitate proper public participation or follow fair procedures.

“It is therefore a major victory for the Bloemfontein community that this process has been halted.” AfriForum became aware of the proposed alienation and leasing of municipal properties last year and subsequently launched legal action to stop it.Legislation requires municipalities to conduct proper public consultation before selling or leasing municipal assets, while land used to provide public services may not be alienated, AfriForum argued. Its Bloemfontein coordinator Christo Groenewald accused Mangaung of dealing with strategic land without adequate transparency.

“These properties essentially belong to the community, not to the political elite who wanted to trade them behind closed doors. We could not allow strategically and historically significant land, such as the new Tempe Airport and Naval Hill, to be alienated without proper public participation and transparency.” 

Beyers thanked Bloemfontein residents for their vigilance in helping to halt the process and protect important natural and heritage sites. More maintained that Mangaung had received only preliminary investment concepts from interested parties and had not made final decisions concerning the properties.

“These proposals remain at a preliminary stage and will undergo comprehensive assessments before any decisions are considered. Where applicable, all legislative requirements and council approval processes will be strictly observed,” said More.

Mangaung does not intend to dispose of public assets, but wants to use under-utilised properties responsibly to generate long-term economic and social benefits for residents. The process would protect the public interest and preserve strategic municipal assets.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi dg

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