Tshwane Metro offside with sports club notice: AfriForum slams metro with legal letter
AfriForum’s legal team today handed over a legal letter to the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality demanding that the notice according to which the Harlequins Sports Club’s grounds must be restored to the “original condition” by 13 April 2026 be immediately withdrawn.
The letter states that the Harlequins Sports Club had already submitted an application in 2021 to adjust the zoning status as the sports club expanded its operations. The sports club’s town planners submitted the comprehensive township establishment application to the Tshwane Metro on 13 October 2021. This application contains information about the business building, restaurant, shop, sports grounds and instruction area that the Tshwane Metro cites as the reason for their notice.
Furthermore, since the application was submitted, several large-scale sporting and social events have been hosted on the site. Thousands of people attended these events and the Tshwane Metro has granted the necessary permission for these events. AfriForum’s legal team therefore argues that if the site were not suitable for these events, the metro would not have approved the respective applications.
The notice also came as a surprise to the Harlequins Sports Club since the Tshwane Metro had over the years created a legitimate expectation regarding the existence and continued existence of the sports club and associated businesses, especially with reference to the land use rights that have been in place since 1952.
“It is clear that the Tshwane Metro rather than the Harlequins Sports Club was negligent here. The question now is whether the metro will admit their mistake and correct it, or will they remain silent and refuse to take responsibility,” says Maree van den Berg, AfriForum’s district coordinator for greater Pretoria South.
The Harlequins Sports Club and AfriForum are hosting a gathering on April 11 where the community can show their support for the sports club. Interested parties can confirm their attendance here.
