The damaged pipes near the construction sites of a new shopping centre in Amanzimtoti, south of Durban.
Image: Supplied.
A DURBAN-BASED property developer, AJ Property Holdings, has dug in its heels, firmly denying allegations made by the residents of Amanzimtoti, who claim that the company was responsible for infrastructure damage in the coastal town.
The Daily News reported on Thursday that local residents claimed that the work done by AJ Property Holdings, the developer behind a 32-store shopping centre, set to open in November, ultimately caused significant harm to the area's infrastructure.
A sore point for residents was the burst stormwater drainage system caused damage to their properties, when flooding occurred after last month's torrential rains.
The flooding caused widespread destruction, leaving seven people dead and numerous properties damaged in parts of Durban.
Residents also said they were without water for over five days because of the broken drainage pipe and roads in the area were also severely damaged.
In response, Miles Taylor of AJ Property Holdings stated, “It is important to clarify that the damage is not a result of our construction activities. The site is zoned for a shopping centre, and we have received approval from the eThekwini Municipality to carry out earthworks, which we are currently undertaking.”
He further explained, “Durban has experienced unusually heavy rainfall in February and in early March, which has caused stormwater damage along eMfuleni Road, exposing water mains in the area.”
Taylor also mentioned that the sewage issues stemmed from municipal sewers located above their construction site, and the company had already reported the problem to the Municipality.
He said AJ Property Holdings has been in contact with the eThekwini Municipality’s Engineering Divisions, working with their contractors to address water and stormwater issues promptly to ensure minimal disruption to the local community.
Taylor noted that substantial remediation work had already been carried out.
“We are excited to bring a variety of new retailers to the area with the shopping centre set to open in November 2025, offering more shopping options and convenience to the local community,” he added.
In response to concerns about nesting eagles in the area, Taylor stated, “The issue of nesting eagles was not raised as a condition of approval during the Development Planning Application, so it is not relevant to this matter.”
The heavy recent rains worsened the already fragile local infrastructure, which some residents believe was affected by the construction of the new shopping centre.
George Lithgow, a resident, previously told the Daily News: “We are suffering because of the damage caused by the developers. We were without water for over five days after the stormwater drainage burst during the recent heavy rains. The stormwater system was fragile due to the excavation work happening in our neighbourhood.”
However, DA Ward Councillor Andre Beetge pointed out that AJ Property Holdings had not ignored the situation. “The developers have helped the victims of the heavy rainfall by donating building materials to those in need,” he said.
“They’ve been forthcoming with assistance.”
Other residents have raised concerns about the strain the development has placed on local utilities, adding to the ongoing challenges faced by the community.
A media inquiry was sent to eThekwini Municipality on Tuesday, but the city has yet to respond.
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