A sign on the fence at the site of the proposed R7.5bn Durban Film Studio promises “Hollywood coming soon” but Anant Singh’s 23-year-long walk to filmdom is still no closer to lights, camera, action.
During a visit two weeks ago, President Cyril Ramaphosa chastised the eThekwini municipality when challenges to the project were raised during an update to the presidential working group.
Singh is challenging the new valuation of the property, which has been raised from R71m when he bought it in 2003 to R1bn, meaning substantially higher rates. There is no electricity or water on the property.
“The film industry is important, and Anant Singh is absolutely right about the potential film season bringing in $200m," Ramaphosa said. “It’s happening in Cape Town, but we need another studio here.
“And he [Singh] has been working for years. He has just given me an updated report, and we need to support him. He even had to go to court because of the various bottlenecks and logjams that we put in place, precisely those issues that I want us to get rid of.”
But the city was vague in response to detailed questions about delays in the development, despite Ramaphosa’s directive.
Municipality spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said: “The site framework plan is being finalised. The statutory requirements referred to relate to compliance with all applicable legislation, municipal bylaws and regulatory approvals.
“Once the plan has been approved by the city and a service level agreement has been finalised, the developer will be able to proceed. At this stage, there is no confirmed timeline.”
Singh controversially bought the 21ha former Natal Command site on the Durban beachfront near the Suncoast Casino for only R15m in 2003, although the land was then valued at R71m. But the SANDF, which was occupying the land on loan from the city, said it would vacate only in 2009.
KwaZulu-Natal businessman Sunny Gayadin in 2003 legally challenged the deal, claiming the land was worth at least R100m. A decade later the Constitutional Court ruled Gayadin had no legal standing to file the application.
In 2017 the SANDF attempted to lay claim to the property, but Singh successfully opposed this. In 2021, judge Mahendra Chetty ordered that the property be transferred to the city within 30 days, after which it had to be transferred to Singh’s company.
Singh said the delay had scared off numerous investors, including an international hotel chain and bank.
“Construction can start immediately once we have water and electricity, so we can start filming at the end of the year. The economic spin-offs are enormous for the city, as is evident in Cape Town,” he said.
Ramaphosa said he would meet Singh to discuss a way forward.
This was a private lease to build a ‘world-class’ sports development centre, yet it has failed to launch in six years. Instead, Hoy Park management had given a sublease of what was our ‘Stables Market’ to one of its directors to build a private market
— Sanjiv Fulchand, Save Our Stables founder
The city is also facing criticism over another stalled project, triggering court action which the city has spent thousands defending.
In 2020, 250 traders were evicted by the eThekwini municipality from the Stables Lifestyle site in Stamford Hill, near Kings Park and Moses Mabhida stadiums, to make way for a new soccer academy linked to Liverpool FC, which did not materialise.
Instead, only the KZN Football Academy — which is in crisis due to a fallout between its cofounders, former Bafana Bafana assistant team manager Gugu Marawa and businessman Carlos Catalino — occupies the site.
Now the traders are calling for an investigation into alleged fraud by the eThekwini municipality. This comes after a call for traders went out last month at a new “Stables Lifestyle Market” development set to open at the site from which they were evicted.
The eviction followed a lengthy court battle between eThekwini municipality and the former leaseholder, Glen Eden, who sublet to the traders. The new lease was given to Hoy Park management for a multimillion-rand sports precinct.
Evicted trader Sanjiv Fulchand, who is spokesperson for the Stables Traders Representative Committee and founder of the Save Our Stables nonprofit organisation, opened a case of fraud against the city recently over the awarding of the lease.
“This was a private lease to build a ‘world-class’ sports development centre, yet it has failed to launch in six years. Instead, Hoy Park management had given a sublease of what was our ‘Stables Market’ to one of its directors to build a private market.”
Fulchand alleged the lease was awarded on a fraudulent misrepresentation by the city manager, who was also the head of the project.
“He allegedly fraudulently misrepresented that the Liverpool Football Club was a ‘tripartite partner’ in the sports academy in 2014. He further misrepresented their arrival in seven days to show the urgency to grant a private lease to Hoy Park management in October 2014. However, the Liverpool club denied any such partnership.”
The site is being utilised by the KZN Football Academy. The municipality is not aware of any operations by a Liverpool football academy at this location. Following the closure of the market previously on the site, it is suspected that some criminal elements removed materials, including sections of the roof
— Gugu Sisilana, municipality spokesperson
Last month Hoy Park announced the launch phase of a new Stables Sports & Lifestyle Precinct with a call for traders.
Subasen Naidoo, Hoy Park director and project leader, said the sports academy component was in the final stages of planning approvals. He said about 600 prospective traders had responded.
When asked if an olive branch had been offered to evicted traders, Naidoo said “the current vendor curation process is open and inclusive”. However, at least four former traders offering different products and services who responded to the call were told that “due to incredible interest, your category is currently fully allocated”.
Naidoo said the refurbishment of the Stables precinct was being implemented in phased stages with an overall planned investment of about R50m.
He did not want to comment on legal issues over the lease.
Sisilana said: “The site is being utilised by the KZN Football Academy. The municipality is not aware of any operations by a Liverpool football academy at this location. Following the closure of the market previously on the site, it is suspected that some criminal elements removed materials, including sections of the roof.”
Hoy Park remains the current leaseholder and that it had submitted a new proposal, which was being assessed, she said.
“The municipality has made no financial commitments towards the proposed development and will not be committing any funds to it.”
She said the municipality can not comment on the matter involving the lease.
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