Update

GEORGE NEWS - Covid-19 has canned the proposed Sallywood City development that was introduced to the public during a soil turning event in George in May 2019.

This is according to Fred Brown, the original project coordinator of the Destiny Africa development which was launched by the KDMC/Monteriva group 10 years earlier (in 2009), but which never came off the ground.

Sallywood City was a proposed development on the Destiny Africa land - 437 hectares east of the N2 opposite the Garden Route Mall. A group of Chinese developers came with a vision for a 'mini city' that would apparently create more than 50 000 direct jobs.

Brown said the Chinese have not honoured their obligations in terms of the purchase contract, giving Covid complications as the reason. "Another purchase agreement with new buyers is now on the table that has to go through due diligence. I do not know who they are. The land belongs to Rand Merchant Bank."

The bank was part of the original developer group of Destiny Africa.

The Chinese had said Sallywood could eventually accommodate 100 000 residents and would consist of commercial, residential, business, conferencing and educational precincts.

The then George mayor, Melvin Naik, said at the time that he had told the municipal administration to give their support to the development and it was to be fast-tracked because of the large numbers of jobs that were to be created. 

The soil turning two years ago was held just before the original Destiny Africa development rights on the property would have lapsed.

According to Brown, these rights are still applicable.

George Herald is awaiting comment from RMB.