The Land Claims Court did its job in Prudhoe, a suburb of Port Alfred, and the right people got the land back.
But the same beneficiaries, the Prudhoe community, looted the multi-million Rand resorts they inherited on their land.
The Fish River Resort, designed to boost the economy of the coastal community of Prudhoe, just a few miles from the popular tourist destination of Port Alfred, was looted by its beneficiaries over the weekend.
Members of the Prudhoe community flooded the resort in trailered vehicles, taking away millions of Rand of the resort's assets, including stoves, refrigerators, televisions and IT equipment.
It took him nearly 23 years for the Prudhoe community to gain access to the land given to them by the Land Claims Court. It took only two months for the Prudhoe Community Trust faction to destroy it.
This country had it all. Close to the famous attractions of Port Alfred is the popular Fish River Resort.
A film studio was planned, during which the Survivor SA producer chose a location to shoot his TV series.
Income from the resort alone can lift the beneficiary Prudhoe community out of poverty.
What could go wrong? But everything was.
The resort passed into the hands of Prudhoe Municipality in June 2020 following a legal battle between them.
The title was officially granted to Prudhoe Community Trust on March 21, 2021.
In a lease and investment agreement brokered by the Legal Resource Center, the trust granted the rights to operate the resort to a company called Mahalax.
Police spokesman Brig Thembinkosi Kinana said Saturday's looting took place in broad daylight, and every room in the resort was broken into. “The office area was also broken into, and all computers and projectors were stolen,” says Kinana.
"The Quantum minibus was completely dismantled on site. The damage caused, including property theft, is estimated to be in the millions of rand."
Some of the stolen goods were found hidden in bushes nearby, and Funeka Xawuka, 29, was arrested after police received the information. She appeared in Pedi Magistrate's Court on Tuesday and was postponed to Wednesday for a formal hearing on her bail.
