A damages claim of R197m by a property development company against environmentalists has been withdrawn in the Gauteng High Court (Johannesburg), GroundUp writes.

The claim was understood to be the largest environmental SLAPP suit in SA legal history.

The lawsuit was instituted in 2021 by Century Property Developments and a subsidiary Riversands Developments against non-profit environmental group Greater Kyalami Conservancy and its chairperson Kristin Kallesen in her personal capacity.

In 2019, Kallesen lodged several objections on behalf of the conservancy to aspects of multiple applications for land use changes by the developer for its proposed Helderfontein luxury township estate and Riversands Commercial Park near Midrand.

The objections related to environmental concerns about encroachment into wetlands that connect to the Jukskei River, along with other impacts of the proposed developments, and to infrastructure such as roads required to service them.

But construction proceeded and in February 2021 and the property developer filed a summons in the Gauteng High Court, claiming for the alleged cost of delays caused by the objections.

It also claimed interest and legal costs. Kallesen and the conservancy filed opposing papers in May 2021. 

However, on 14 January, the developers withdrew the summons by agreement and with the parties all paying their own costs.

Kallesen said groups like the the Centre for Environmental Rights and Wits University’s Centre for Applied Legal Studies were doing ‘great work’ to ensure whistleblowers and activists were protected from corporate bullying.

Full GroundUp report