The Church of Scientology - a religious body that is loved or hated with equal passion - plans to open a "Hollywood-style" drug rehabilitation centre in a pristine conservation area near Rustenburg.
At R175,000 for a three-month stay, the exclusive facility will be able to accommodate 43 clients at a time - and the unspoilt environment with wildlife roaming free should, the church says, help the recovery process.But a group of neighbouring farmers has vowed to fight the development, claiming it will destroy the pristine area and that the organisation's controversial substance abuse programme, Narconon, only "pays lip service to rehabilitation issues".
Gerry Comninos, an executive-committee member of the Magaliesberg Landowners Forum, said: "Its exaggerated claims of success are not and have never been verified. Narconon is merely a money-making business in the guise of a social upliftment programme. There is no reason why an exclusive, cult-type Scientology centre needs to be at this location."
The forum cites water shortages and other ecological issues as reasons to block the development, but has also complained that substances in patients' urine and other waste could contaminate the soil and that the buildings will cause light pollution.
But the church's local public affairs director, Gaetane Asselin, said: "You have to be blind not to see how we will benefit the area. They will soon discover that we are on the same side and we too want a better Rustenburg and a better society.
"For all the years Narconon has been successfully working against drugs and saving lives ... we have found over and over that people who attack us are plainly hateful and discriminatory."
Actress Leah Remini, a former Scientologist and star of the hit TV comedy King of Queens, is one of the organisation's fiercest critics, while action stars Tom Cruise and John Travolta are committed members of the church.
The Association for Better Living and Education - a nonprofit organisation established by the Church of Scientology - bought the 210ha farm about 35km from Rustenburg in 2013 for R10-million and has spent a further R14-million on the project so far, including building several chalets. The facility, if it eventually operates, will be open to all drug addicts...