Tshwane seeks to lease out the Tshwane Showgrounds for mixed-use development

This comes as the Tshwane metro had in 2020, reacquired the Tshwane showgrounds, formerly known as the Pretoria showgrounds after it was able to finance an amount of R12 258 275

The Tshwane Metro wants to lease out the Tshwane showgrounds on a long-term basis for mixed-use development.

“The proposal for the lease of the property for mixed-use development was still awaiting some council deliberation and approval,” said Tshwane metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo.

“Time frames will be set once a council resolution has been received for the site to be operational.”

This comes as the Tshwane metro had in 2020, reacquired the Tshwane showgrounds, formerly known as the Pretoria showgrounds after it was able to finance an amount of R12 258 275.

The property is close to Pildich stadium, which was recently refurbished to international standards to the tune of R34.6-million.

The grounds were home to the Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG), the controversial church led by self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri, for several years.

In the past, the grounds also hosted the Pretoria Show, later the Tshwane Show, during springtime.

This annual event began as an agricultural show and grew to include arts, entertainment, education and exhibitions over the years.

In 2021, Tshwane mayor Randal Williams said the metro started reviewing its land use management and zoning classification scheme to ensure a more receptive environment for home-based small business operations.

“One of the most enduring ways to keep the city sustainable and financially viable is to grow the metro’s rates base as a primary source of income,” he said.

“As such, group property is preparing a basket of strategic land parcels for disposal through long-term lease agreements, based on a best-value-for-money proposition.”

The Tshwane showgrounds were reclaimed by the metro after a protracted legal wrangle.

The property used to belong to Tshwane’s predecessor – the Pretoria Central Metropolitan Substructure. The then council resolved to transfer the property to TSHWABAC, then known as the Northern Transvaal Chamber of Industries – free of charge.

From around 2016, TSHWABAC’s finances were in a bad state and it faced creditors that were pursuing it.

TSHWABAC sought to sell the property to pay off its creditors.

It approached Tshwane with a request for the metro to consent to the sale of the property in 2017, but this was refused.

This as TSHWABAC also owed the metro for rates and services at the time.

The metro then demanded that TSHWABAC hand back the property to them.

This was in line with the caveat in the title deed because it was no longer using it for the intended donation but wanted to use the property to pay off its creditors.

At the time, a spokesperson for the metro said some activities on the property were contrary to the donation stipulations, one of them being the church.