GEORGE NEWS - Blanco residents were surprised to see building activity on the ‘Buffer Zone’ that separates Kretzenshoop Blanco and Maitland Street Blanco.
A resident who stays in John Kretzen Street, opposite the buffer zone, told the George Herald, "I was taken aback when I was told that the Municipality gave the owners this plot as the one originally allocated to them was situated on the main sewer line in Blanco.
"When people previously asked to buy plots on this sought after open piece of land they call the Buffer Zone, they were told by the municipality that the land doesn’t belong to it."
George Municipality Communication Department confirmed, "Council allocated an erf in Blanco that was situated on a main sewer line to one of the residents.
"The development on the erf on which the sewerage line run through proved to be problematic and Council took a decision to substitute it with an alternative erf (Erf 641) located on the Buffer Zone (Blanco) in close proximity to the original erf.
"This erf belonged to the Western Cape Provincial Government and has subsequently been transferred by endorsement to the George Municipality."
The neighbour said that she has heard via the grapevine that a crèche will operate in the house. Council said "The building is not a private business but intended for residential purposes."
Sue du Toit, director of George Child and Family Welfare (GCW) says that for 25 years Council officials have told the organization that the land on which its blue wooden structure crèche stands can’t be transferred to GCW as the Buffer Zone doesn’t belong to council.
"GCW has always had plans in place to demolish the wooden structure and build a brick and mortar structure, but couldn’t as an NGO can’t spend money on a property that doesn’t belong to it."
Council’s communique stated “Adjacent to erf 641 mentioned above, is Erf 223 Blanco, 1884 square meters in extent that previously belonged to the Department of Agricultural Credit & Land Tenure but has also been transferred to the Provincial Department: Western Cape by an endorsement in 2016.
The Blanco GCW Crèche known as the Blanco Playgroup (Speelgroep) is operated from the wooden structures erected on this property.
ARTICLE & PHOTO: MYRON RABINOWITZ, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST
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