Gauteng’s Green Scorpions have clamped down on a leading property developer for its construction of a luxury clubhouse and pool in a demarcated wetland in Fourways, reports the Mail & Guardian.

The enforcement authority has issued Mark Corbett, as the representative of Clidet 69, with a notice for non-compliance with the environmental authorisation it holds for the Helderfontein Estate – where Century Property Developments is selling stands – ordering all construction near the watercourses be stopped immediately.

Corbett is the managing director of Century.

The Gauteng Department of Agriculture & Rural Development said the developer had incorrectly demarcated the wetland and its 32m buffer as well as the riparian and its buffer zone, contrary to the stipulations in the conditions of its environmental authorisation.

A complainant notified the department at the beginning of January that Century was going ahead with construction within an area of concern in relation to the wetland buffer.

According to the compliance notice, within seven days of receipt of its letter, the developer must correctly demarcate the watercourses and the applicable buffer zones, as required in terms of the conditions of its environmental authorisation.

Corbett maintained that the work at Helderfontein is in accordance with the current environmental approval granted by the department.

Last year, the M&G reported that Century and Riversands Development were suing Kristin Kallesen and her non-profit organisation, the Greater Kyalami Conservancy (Gekco), for R197m for the income they allegedly lost after Kallesen and Gekco raised ‘obstructive, delaying and frustrating’ objections to their projects in Riversands and Helderfontein.

Full Mail & Guardian report