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.
