Rimers Creek Saga

Unfortunately, the Rimer’s Creek saga has once again reared its ugly head and all hell has broken loose here in Barberton during the past few weeks. In our communication of October 2015 we advised that following our eight year battle to prevent the rezoning of the irreplaceable site of the Central Mill in Rimer’s Creek Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs) finally won their Appeal. However, this soon became a hollow victory when we discovered that during the 18 month Appeal Decision making process and without our knowledge - and despite an assurance to the contrary – Umjindi Local Municipality (ULM) had transferred the land to the Applicant!

A lawyer’s letter was subsequently sent to the Applicant and ULM pointing out the need for two environmental authorizations and a heritage permit before any development could take place. 

Things remained quiet for the next six months but in early January 2016 building material started appearing on the site and by 11 January the place was a hive of activity.

When asked what he was doing the Applicant responded that he was building, that he had the necessary authorizations and didn’t need a heritage permit because it wasn’t a heritage site and had no heritage value! 

This resulted in more lawyer’s letters and the ‘proof’ for the environmental authorizations turned out to be the outdated ROD – that was subsequently withdrawn on Appeal and never included any authorisation for rezoning to begin with – and certain false and misleading information in the Appeal Decision.

With regard...

A massive scandal is brewing in Barberton as the town's famous historic core comes under threat. Below is an article written by Chris Rippon and Marjory Nunns and disseminated by the Mpumalanga Historical Interest Group. Click here for updates.

The Rimer’s Creek Park debacle continues. Government approves a heavy truck parking lot and pipe storage yard on the irreplaceable historical site of the Central Mill in Rimer’s Creek in the midst of heritage homes, four provincial heritage sites and residential properties.

In May 2007 a beautiful Memorial tree park, zoned public open space and situated in Rimer’s Creek - the historical ‘heart’ of Barberton - was illegally bulldozed. The indigenous trees in this park were planted by Rotary in memory of people who had played a part in the growth and development of the town.

This happened without any procedures for alienating public open space, any EIA, HIA or rezoning approval. This area is also protected in terms of the Municipality’s own Spatial Development Framework. It subsequently came to light that a conditional Deed of Sale Agreement had been entered into in April 2007 between Umjindi Municipality and IRRICON (trading as Leadal Property Investments (Pty) Ltd.) – a local irrigation company wanting to expand their industrial activities in the Commercial area into historical Rimer’s Creek situated behind their building. It was also subsequently established that this irreplaceable heritage site was required for the parking of Irricon’s abnormal load trucks, heavy machinery and irrigation pipes. Although only 2641 square metres...

In 2013 Chris Rippon and Marjory Nunns compiled the article 'Scandal brewing in Barberton'. Almost two years have passed and the scandal is definitely here. Read on for details from the same authors. Click here for updates.

Following the eight year battle to prevent the rezoning of the irreplaceable historic site of the Central Mill in Rimer’s Creek from Public Open Space to ‘Special’ for Light Industrial purposes, and a shocking EIA process, I&APs recently won their Appeal against the environmental authorization issued by MDEDET in the ROD dated 12 August 2013.  This authorisation paved the way for what was basically a heavy load truck parking lot in the historical heart of Barberton. However, before finalization of the 18 month Appeal decision making process and without the knowledge of the community - and despite an assurance to the contrary - the Municipality transferred the land to the Applicant!

Six months after the event I&APs discovered that transfer took place on 4 December 2014 but they were never notified officially, they know very little, and only found out because the Appeal Decision made reference to the transfer of property.  However, following a query from the Ratepayers Association on 11 May 2015, the municipality confirmed that all the relevant conditions had been complied with and an advocate acting on our behalf was subsequently advised that rezoning had taken place.

To date, despite requests for information over two months ago – including proof that the various conditions had been complied with -...