GUGULETHU - On 1st June 2008, there will be a mass meeting in the Gugulethu Sports Complex at 2pm of all businesses and residents opposed to a new multi-million rand shopping mall that is being built in NY1, on the site of the demolished Eyona Centre.
Mzoli Developers (owned by businessman Mzoli Ngcawuzela, owner of the well known Mzoli’s restaurant) and JT Ross have been called to come to the meeting and explain to the community why they are building this mall without any consultation, public participation or transparent processes having taken place.
NAFCOC, SANCO, and CATA have also been invited, as well as the PAC, ANC, all Ward Councillors and the Gugulethu Development Forum.
The Anti-Eviction Campaign will be chairing the meeting.
There is a dispute over the building of the mall. There are fears that big franchises will sideline small business and community based enterprises.
Currently the building site has been shut down. This happened on 27 May, when there was an urgent meeting organised by small businesses of Gugulethu and concerned citizens. The meeting resolved that nobody has been properly consulted on the building of the new shopping mall, neither has there been transparency or public participation. The community of Gugulethu then went to the building site in NY1 (the former Eyona Shopping Centre) in large numbers and told the Site Manager that they were shutting the building site down.
The site has remained shut and will stay shut until after Sunday’s meeting, if agreement is reached at that meeting.
For comment, call Mncedisi Twalo of AEC on or Thandiswa Kama on or Ranti Dlangamandla on
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