WATCH | How alleged fraudster tried to prevent Amazon headquarters being built in CT

A Cape Town man who claimed to be the leader of an indigenous group will fight for recognition in the new year. 

Tauriq Jenkins was found to have fraudulently represented an indigenous group. The Western Cape High Court also ruled that he fabricated evidence in a concerted effort to stop the multibillion-rand development of Amazon’s African headquarters in Cape Town.

The order was made by a full bench of judges, Elizabeth Baartman, James Lekhuleni and Hayley Slingers.

“It seems Mr Jenkins was determined to stop the development at all costs,” said Baartman.

TimesLIVE has been covering the case since April 2021, when the City of Cape Town gave the go-ahead for the new development at the River Club that would host global tech giant Amazon’s new African base of operations.

While many celebrated the R5bn development, the thousands of expected jobs and the rejuvenation of a disregarded area, some groups fought against the construction.

Head of that counter-offensive was Jenkins, who claimed to represent the Goringhaicona Khoi Khoin Indigenous Traditional Council (known as the GKKITC).

Jenkins was interviewed by local and international media houses, stating he spoke on behalf of the GKKITC and was protecting the land from greedy companies.

However, a large group of Khoi and San leaders were shocked to learn of Jenkins’ claims about representing them. They were in support of the construction and future development of the area. 

In March 2022 Jenkins and the Observatory Civic Association (OCA) succeeded in halting the construction when they submitted an appeal to deputy judge president Patricia Goliath.

Thanks to Jenkins and the OCA’s evidence, Goliath granted an interim interdict, stopping the building on the River Club site. Goliath stated all the Khoi and San groups needed to be represented.

The construction company said it lost R22m in one month by halting construction.

Developer Liesbeek Leisure Property Trust fought against the ruling due to overwhelming support from known Khoi and San leaders.

A few months later, this resulted in the three high court judges deeming the halting of construction was based upon fraudulent evidence by Jenkins.

“[Jenkins] fabricated a constitution to suit his objective and betrayed the trust others had in him, and I do not come to this conclusion lightly,” said Baartman.

To pour salt into the wounds, the OCA, working with Jenkins to prevent the construction, were ordered to pay the legal costs of all the appellants in the original court matter and the appeal.

Amazon is continuing construction of the site and hopes to complete the work in November 2023.

Jenkins and the OCA have submitted an appeal against the damning judgment against them which is likely to be heard in 2023. 

TimesLIVE

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