14th September 2007, Page 3 - Edition 198

The Midlands Herald

Page 3 — 14th September 2007

Businesswoman stands to lose all her investment in tourism building A woman who has ploughed her inheritance into the wooden building near the Howick Falls known as Fort Fallsview is concerned that she stands to lose it all. Vicki Taylor intended purchasing the building from Vyonne de Jager almost two years ago and in November 2004 showed her “offer of purchase” agreement to uMngeni’s Technical Services Department. In turn, she found that she would need structural, electrical, beetle, plumbing and fire certificates and, thus guided, in the first quarter of 2006 invested R500 000 in embarking upon certain renovations. Yet today the fire certificate still remains out of her reach, and the matter — which includes the Pietermaritzburg Fire Department — has dragged on for almost two years. In early 2007 Mrs Taylor bought R15 000’s worth of smoke detectors and control panels that would link her to the Fire Department but without the go-ahead is not allowed to install them. The wooden building has only two fire hoses (which were already installed) on the first floor but requires several more. She cannot get a bond without all the relevant certificates as the property needs to be insured, and each month has been losing R16 000 of income from empty premises on the first floor that she may not rent out. When The Herald called on the proprietor, Mrs de Jager, at her adjacent premises, she corroborated the details, and said that she herself had called on and written to the Technical Services Department, and received no answers. Even sending letters to the department — including one from her lawyers — had drawn no response. Steve Simpson, general manager of the Planning Department, replied to The Herald’s e-mail. After a personal jibe against the newspaper, he wrote: “it is a well documented fact that representatives of the uMngeni Municipality, being the successor in law to the erstwhile Howick TLC whom allowed the structure to be erected, have via the services of structural engineers and similar professionals endeavoured to rectify the inept building standards applied to the construction of the wooden falls fort building . . . “It is a wellknown fact that the municipality has had extensive interaction with various appointed structural experts, none other than the late Mr. Kuhn whose untimely passing unfortunately caused further delays. “The issue related to fire retardants and fire prevention require-

ments is currently under consideration by the fire department and it is hoped that the necessary approvals for the structure should not be in the too distant future.” Clearly enthusiastic of the possibilities, Mrs Taylor says of the “wooden fort”: “The tourists think it’s a beautiful building. “Tour guides bring the whole group into it because of the mix of shops. “It’s a tourist street and it’s been built around what they like, and they love the building.” Above right: Mrs Vicki Taylor standing in front of the wooden building near the Howick Falls that she has been waiting to purchase for almost two years, but cannot until the municipality and the Pietermaritzburg Fire Department issue a fire clearance certificate.

Chamber of Commerce rings in positive changes after earlier problems The uMngeni Chamber of Commerce & Industry is ringing in the changes, and remains upbeat about its future after recent problems. At its executive committee meeting two weeks ago, the Chamber adopted the slogan, “positive development and service”, intends to launch a Junior Chamber shortly and has set up portfolios and action sub-committees covering every aspect of industry. However, charges of assault have been laid against the former president of the uMngeni Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Alan Hastings. The Chamber had arranged for a Special General Meeting at the Howick Sports Club on Monday 20th August to elect a new executive committee, following the resignations of all but one member while under Mr Hastings’ term of office in 2006/07. During the meeting, Mr Hastings is alleged to have assaulted one of the Interim Committee members in full view of some 30 members at the meet-

ing. When a majority vote of 19-1 elected to expel him from the meeting, Mr Hastings refused to go. The meeting was held to elect a functioning executive committee following an AGM held in June and organised by Mr Hastings, despite the fact that there was no longer a quorum of four Exco members to ratify it. At the Special General Meeting, concerns were raised at the lack of progress, if not regression, of the Chamber under his direction in the last year. The new committee includes John Tungay (president), Yvonne Reece, Michael Peacock, Tim LindsayWhite, Ross Sounes, Adam Lombard and Don Nott.

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Fire disaster shock over 12 000 tons of hay, 478 000 tons of timber and just over 320 livestock were lost in the fire. At Council last month, Clr Moira Grueneberg had put forward a motion to support an application to the State President via the MEC and minister of agriculture for the

From page 1

Midlands to be declared a disaster area.

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