By Taschica Pillay
 
The KwaDukuza Municipality has forced controversial and wealthy businessman Haresh Ouderajh to stop building a boundary wall on its land.

The municipality took action against Ouderajh following complaints by residents that the wall of a R30-million apartment complex he is developing in Blythedale was restricting their access to the beach.

KwaDukuza acting municipal manager Bill Byrnes said the council ordered an inspection of the site after receiving a complaint .

"The building contractor has excavated trenches and poured foundations for a boundary wall on which work commenced prematurely," said Byrnes.

Ouderajh said the contractor had stopped work on the wall but claimed the council had passed a resolution to sell the property to him nearly three years ago.

"The contractor was working off the plans. All we did was dig the trench, which has stopped," he said.

He denied that the wall blocked access to the beach.

"It has taken the town planners 35 months to advertise the rezoning, and I've got a R30-million development . Must I wait another 35 months for the rezoning?"

Ouderajh is no stranger to controversy. Last year he was involved in a legal spat with the Zimbali Estate management association, which applied for an interim interdict preventing him and his son, Trevolyn, from assaulting, intimidating and interfering with security guards and employees of the estate.

This week Ouderajh said that the council passed a resolution to sell him the land and surveyors passed another resolution to close it as a road.

"There is still access of 1.8 metres to go down to the beach."

Geoff Renald of the Blythedale Ratepayers' Association said that they had objected to the closure of the servitude because a very narrow strip had been left.

"We are saying that is unacceptable. A public servitude should be at least two or three metres wide."

"That is a public road which people, mainly domestic workers, used to access the beach," said Renald.

Sunday Times