With rival investors fighting over invalid leases — and one staging an unauthorised sod-turning ceremony at the shuttered Fish River Resort — land affairs minister Mzwanele Nyhontso has moved to restore order. He has ushered in a new community trust board and a fresh attempt to stabilise the Prudhoe community’s R245m land claim asset. The Amagqunukhwebe Prudhoe Community Development Trust, established to manage land parcels including the Fish River Resort and Maitland Farm, has been mired in legal battles since the state transferred ownership rights to the community.
Its most valuable asset, the Fish River Sun, closed in November 2017 after years of financial strain following the loss of its casino licence to Gqeberha’s Boardwalk Casino in 2012. The situation escalated in November when an American-linked company, Joktel, moved onto the resort site despite its lease being declared invalid. The company hosted a sod-turning event and announced ambitious development plans — including expanding the hotel from 126 to 250 rooms, revamping the Gary Player-designed golf course and building a water park.
On Tuesday, Nyhontso visited the Prudhoe community to formally present the trust’s newly elected 10-member board, effectively halting any further investment activity until governance is restored. The board will now be led by banker and property executive Wilmot Magopeni, who holds an MBA and has more than 20 years’ experience in management and leadership roles across the financial sector. He could not be reached for comment.
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Two trustees are independent, while the remaining members were elected from the community. Former chair Gladman Tom, who lodged the land claim in 1998 and oversaw multiple contractual disputes involving the resort, is no longer on the board.
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