By Sipho Masondo

A massive development worth about R300-million comprising a five-star hotel and about 100 flats will replace the historic and somewhat controversial old Seaview Hotel.

The hotel was acquired by the Kat Leisure group for R15,4-million at an auction in June last year.

A hardware store complex and three erven which are part of the hotel property were auctioned separately for R875 000, R575 000, R660 000 and R712 000, respectively.

Group chief executive Avrip Kaschula said the company had submitted plans for the proposed development to the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality on December 10.

“We will get started as soon as the plans are approved. We are ready to move on site,” he said.

As the building is older than 60 years, the company has also applied to the historical society to have some parts demolished.

The development is expected to take between 18 to 24 months. Asked if he was targeting the 2010 World Cup, Kaschula said: “It‘s nice to launch a product prior to an event like that.”

However, while the building stands vacant, vandals and thieves are having a field day, stripping the hotel of copper pipes, windows, glass, bathtubs and anything of value.

Last week, The Herald spotted people loading steel and anything else they deemed worthy into a light truck.

“We have permission from the police to be here,” one woman shouted, while others continued loading the truck. A minute later, they drove away.

Inside, the hotel was permeated with the acrid stench of human waste, urine, debris and stagnant water, the result of rain pouring through huge holes in the roof where gale-force winds had ripped off the corrugated roof shooting.

Not one bathtub or basin was left in any of the rooms. The kitchen is empty of stoves and all other electrical appliances. And the hotel is strewn with broken glass, paper and pieces of the ceilings.

Speaking from Knysna, Kaschula said: “ I am surprised – there is a security company in Seaview looking after the property. I will make a trip to Port Elizabeth in the next 10 days to see it.”

One nearby resident said he heard people hammering at the hotel most nights.

Before Kat Leisure bought the hotel, the property had been on the market for two years, but could not be sold because of various complications.

It belonged previously to Dutchman Bob de Ronde.

Between December 2004 and April 2005, De Ronde became involved in talks with a Pretoria investor interested in buying the hotel for R14-million.

But in June 2005, another Pretoria businessman, Jan Faure, agreed to buy it. He took possession of the property before paying for it and allegedly began selling off some of its assets. The deal went sour and Faure was charged with fraud.

Faure was arrested in September 2005 and granted R8 000 bail. The Port Elizabeth commercial crimes court is still hearing his case.