Kokstad builder held over prime land sale
The law has caught up with a Kokstad builder who helped a client to buy prime village land from a local chief for a bottle of brandy, a case of beers, some chickens and a sheep.
A Daily Dispatch report notes that Eldred Wicks (78) appeared in the Lusikisiki Magistrate's Court last week for allegedly contravening the National Environmental Management Act. He was arrested in January while busy with site preparation work at Msikaba village. The report says Wicks was allegedly in the process of building a house for Hein Odendaal on the banks of a small stream without the necessary permission. Traditional leader Mthuthuzeli Mkwedini defended his decision to give the piece of land to Odendaal. 'We do things the traditional way here,' Mkwedini is quoted in the report as saying. In response to allegations that officials from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism were only after 'soft' targets, spokesperson Sixolile Makaula said: 'The (department) can only enforce what it is mandated to. We do not only focus on soft targets as can be seen from the department's record of prosecuting illegal developers of all races and demolishing more than 100 illegal structures.' If Wicks is found guilty the court could impose a penalty of R10m and or 10 years' imprisonment, the report says. Full Daily Dispatch report (subscription needed)