A DURBAN man and a property development company are locked in a bitter dispute over a “prime” piece of land, valued at about R1 million, near the affluent town of Ballito.
Ayanda Mchunu said he feared he had been “cheated out” of the land he won in 2018 as a prize in a competition organised by the property developer eLan Property Group.
The land is at Blythedale Coastal Estate.
However, the CEO of eLan Property Group said that while there have been delays, they intended to honour their obligations.
The competition was held in 2018 and was publicised through various channels, including local radio stations. At the time, The Mercury also interviewed Mchunu after he was announced as the winner.
Mchunu said that although he was taken to the site after winning, he has since been given the run-around regarding the transfer of the land to his name.
He said the rules of the competition indicated that he would receive the piece of land, and if for any reason the land was not available, he would receive a financial settlement of R500 000.
“The land is near the Ballito area. When I won it, I had no idea what I wanted to do with it, but I wanted to transfer it to my name. Since then, I have battled to have the land registered in my name and have been given the run-around,” he told The Mercury yesterday.
In a letter to the company and the media partners of the competition, Mchunu detailed his frustration.
“On July 25, 2018, I won a competition from eLan Property Group, which was for a plot of land worth R1 million in the Blythedale Coastal Estate. Prior to the competition day, I entered through a radio station, which was one of the 16 channels in the eLan Gold Cup held at Greyville Racecourse. On the day of the competition, I was fortunate enough to win the prize since my horse No. 2, ‘It’s Your Time’, won the race.
“The radio station and eLan Property Group later posted about my win on their social media platforms, which sparked public interest. The Mercury also published an article based on my win, further attracting more attention.
On August 13, 2018, I was taken to the land and interviewed by a radio station, during which a representative of eLan, Mr Thompson, was present. The video was then posted by both stakeholders on their social media platforms, which attracted further public attention,” Mchunu said.
He said that due to concerns regarding the lack of communication over the years from eLan Property Group and the land not legally being in his name, Mchunu contacted the radio station. However, their representative at that time made it clear they would not be involved.
“To this day, I have not legally received the prize. This is also disappointing, especially since I have been trying to contact Mr Mark, the CEO of eLan, for years without any response. Late last year, I finally got hold of him through email; however, he then stopped communicating when I demanded to meet in his office and also when I requested the cash payment of R500 000 as stated in their terms and conditions,” he said.
Approached for comment, CEO of eLan Property Group Mark Taylor, said they intended to honour their commitment.
“Firstly, we have tried to meet Mr Mchunu on several occasions, and he hasn’t been able to make it.
“The competition certainly wasn’t a fraud. We have had several delays to the project that have been beyond our control, but we are hoping to commence this year. We will definitely honour our commitment.
“I hope this helps, and Mr Mchunu is welcome to call me to try and meet again,” Taylor said.