The Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality in Bloemfontein has declared war on construction mogul Freddie Kenney over the illegal occupation of municipal land.
Kenney, a former chairperson JSE-listed construction company, Raubex Group, who wants to host the second annual Lemo Festival in Bloemfontein has been accused by the city of illegally building permanent structures on its land without permission.
Lemo Festival replaced the popular Macufe Festival that was scrapped by the Free State government after tender squabbles by tenderpreneurs in the area.
In a letter we have seen, which was handed to Kenney by the City of Mangaung, the council stated that the businessman had occupied the land near his mall illegally and was building structures on its land.
“An inspection of the above-mentioned site revealed that an illegal building is being erected without any approved building plans or written permission from Mangaung land use control,” reads the letter from the city to Kenney.
Kenney, who also owns one of the biggest malls called Lemo Mall in Bloemside township, was instructed to submit building plans for consideration and approval or cease building structures on the land.
Speaking to Sunday World on Friday from China, Kenney dared the municipality to continue with legal action.
“We started hosting this festival last year in the township, where many black people benefitted through jobs and their stalls selling their wares. What I am doing is to empower black people.
“If the municipality has issues with me building temporary ablution facilities for festival attendees, then let them go to court and get a court order. I am not building any permanent structures on the land, I am trying to give black people who would be coming to Lemo Festival, dignity and privacy they deserve when they want to use restrooms,” said Kenney.
“There is an element of jealousy that a black businessman with his own money, not supported by government, could invest so much in his project. This festival brings business for township entrepreneurs in different ways as they benefit through bookings, sales and everything else.”
An insider in the Free State government corridors of power supported the jealousy claims.
“These people are jealous of the success of Freddie as he is not begging them for anything.
“He is an independent thinker who built his empire through his sweat and blood, and now there are businesspeople who are colluding with politicians and government officials to sabotage him,” said the insider.
This is pure jealously they do not want anything that does not benefit them happening so they want destroy the local township economy
We are saying in South Africa there is no laws. He must follow the law, is that a problem. How can he take a place without consulting with the municipality. Even building in your own yard you consult with municipality first.
So typical of authorities! They obviously want a share in the band wagon, (bribe), from anything that looks like success! Never having any initiative of doing anything with their own muscle, through honest channels!.
Jerrr ha ele bo congolose ba di fake,they always want everything for mahala,haba sana ko ba ka utswang teng naa,fokon blood suckers.
Jealousy aside. The issue is about compliance. Freddie must obtain the land legally and also approved building plans even if temporary structures
Good answer. People don’t want to follow rules on the expenses of the poor. They say t he poor are getting jobs. Even in my Yard I go to municipality to consult when doing extension.
Mmuso wa mashodu, they live in the very townships, they are part of poverty but they decided to write letters as if???mxm
Leave Mister Kenney alone.
Free State Government failed to keep up with Macufe.
You forget how uncomfortable it is when you want to use a bathroom especially us ladies. He is trying to make it safe and more comfortable.
Mister Kenney at the very least is trying to give something good to Bloemfontein with his festival. The maintenance of that whole area he is keeping it clean and beautiful.
FS Government can’t keep up with the basic service delivery.
Leave the man alone
I agree with you, the so called FS government has failed people of Mangaung in so many ways. Freddie is doing what they failed to do. This festival started last year after they failed to bring Macufe.
They didn’t know that this festival will be a success, now they come with useless laws. Why now….. all of sudden????
This is pure jealousy….. Mangaung government leave the Man alone, you people failed us as Mangaung Residents.
Instead of support Freddie to make things better for all of US in Mangaung you come with useless laws that only applies to Black people of SOUTH AFRICA.
If what Freddie is doing, is benefitting the township, then he and the municipality should sit down and agree on terms and conditions. That land has been left undeveloped since 1997
Please leave Ntate wa rona alone. Baloi ba macom ba lapile no Free VIP tickets for them and their associates. That land was a juggle for so many years. It’s only ngoku that they realize ukuthi they have land. Please vaaag Mangaung Municipality ka di ghost 👻 employees.
I totally understand what ntate Freddy is doing and we are grateful for the job opportunities he’s creating within our community and honestly speaking that place looks very nice and it’s already putting our Township in the map.
That space of a land was a jungle and ntate Freddy turned it in to a beautiful park .
I stand to be corrected in this one because I think permanent structure or not permanent structure the must be a correct procedures that needs to be taken or followed before building such structure, did ntate Freddy ?
Simple hawkers in the streets they are required a permit to sell simple fruits and veggies.
I really hope ntate Freddy and municipality can come with a common agreement that can benefit everyone.
They rather advice him what to do and support the motive because they benefit as the municipal, in terms of economy job creation and the neatness of the location black person will always subortage the other bla k man good plans, lead him to positively to a right way please!!! Freddy WA zama ka nnete.
Municipality o siilweng ke nako o. Ba jealous for Ntate Freddie. Ha a ntse bankanya part e around Lemo Mall ha bare tanki. Look how beautiful the area is. Ba tlhocoe ke go cleaner location. Ke matlakala hela everywhere you look. Ba complainer ka insignificant land eo nobody misses.
Go clean the township and leave ntate Freddie alone.
There is lot mental illness in mbalu ok as family I’m not surprised