Cape Town - Attempts to divide and rule indigenous councils in the name of private gain smacks of colonial conquest of the past four centuries.
These were the words of the Goringhaicona Khoi Khoin Traditional Indigenous Council (GKKITC), who refuted claims it was in support of the Riverclub redevelopment and appointed a new attorney.
Developers, the Liesbeek Leisure Properties Trust (LLPT) were this week granted leave to appeal to a full bench of the Western Cape High Court. This after they filed an urgent application to the Supreme Court of Appeal against Deputy Judge President Patricia Goliath’s ruling, which interdicted construction of the River Club redevelopment pending review proceedings.
After developers continued building, the Observatory Civic Association (OCA) and the GKKITC brought a contempt application against them. The matter is expected to be heard this week.
Mere hours before the contempt matter was heard, the court had dismissed an application which aimed to discredit Tauriq Jenkins, as high commissioner of the Goringhaicona Khoi Khoin Indigenous Traditional Council, who had been on the forefront of opposing the River Club development for years.
The GKKITC in a statement this week said they were disappointed with the behaviour of some former members of the tribe “for being hoodwinked into acquiescence for whatever was promised”.
“Our message is clear: We will not be divided, we will never be conquered. The GKKTIC emphatically re-affirms its position, that ‘this heritage is not for sale’. ”
The supreme council added that they were concerned about the actions of attorney Tim Dunn who had informed the court that he represents the council and “has made claims to the effect that our council has withdrawn all cases against the Amazon River Club development and are in fact in favour of the development”.
They said Dunn did not represent the GKKITC and their legal representatives had sent him notice to retract and withdraw his statement.
In response Dunn maintained he represented the GKKITC and its leadership. He referred the Cape Times to a notice of motion accompanied by a letter containing 14 names appearing to revoke Jenkins and Goringhaicona Paramount Chief Aran to speak on behalf of the tribe and appointing himself as the attorney of record.
“I am merely assisting them as their attorney and it appears as if Mr Jenkins has a personal issue with me. If he has a problem with how I am instructed, which is in terms of a resolution of the National Executive Council of the GKKITC, then he must take this up with them, not with me,” he said.
Meanwhile the Southern Africa Khoi and San Kingdom Council (Sakskc) in a statement said that its trustees “acknowledge Paramount Chief Aran as the Official Leader of the Goringhaicona Khoi Khoi Traditional Council assisted by High Commissioner Tauriq Jenkins”.