The developers of the R4.6-billion property that would house Amazon.com’s Africa headquarters in Cape Town have been denied leave to appeal an interdict stopping construction.
The Liesbeek Leisure Property Trust (LLPT), the developers behind the project, said it will now approach the supreme court of appeal directly.
The decision to deny leave to appeal was handed by Western Cape high court judge Patricia Goliath, handing a surprise victory to the Observatory Civic Association and the Goringhaicona Khoi Khoin Indigenous Traditional Council, which are opposing the development at the site, saying it’s culturally significant indigenous land of the Khoi community.
Judge Goliath’s decision means work at the site remains halted for the foreseeable future and could, the developers have warned previously, could lead to 6 000 direct and 19 000 indirect job losses.
The ban could also lead to loss of significant socioeconomic benefits, which includes developer-subsidised housing as well as a park that will be open to the public. – © 2022 NewsCentral Media