Once a jewel in South Africa’s coastal tourism crown, the Fish River Sun Hotel and Golf Resort – developed by the late Sol Kerzner and opened in 1989 – now stands in ruins, its once-pristine Gary Player-designed golf course overgrown and its hotel gutted after years of neglect, legal disputes, and violent looting.
Located along the Eastern Cape’s Sunshine Coast between the Great Fish River and Old Woman’s River, the Fish River Sun was built in the former Ciskei homeland as part of Kerzner’s strategy to operate casinos in territories where gambling was legal during apartheid.
Modelled after Sun City, the resort offered a luxury hotel, casino, conference facilities, and an acclaimed 18-hole golf course just over a kilometre from the Indian Ocean.
At its peak, the resort featured 83 hotel rooms, four restaurants, self-catering vacation units with RCI Gold Crown Status, and a range of family attractions.
It was marketed as a “world-class coastal escape,” drawing domestic and international tourists.
Land claim uncertainty and collapse
The resort’s decline began after South Africa’s 1994 democratic transition, when gambling laws were standardised and Fish River Sun’s casino licence was transferred to Port Elizabeth’s Boardwalk Hotel and Casino in 1999.
The bigger blow came from a protracted land claim by three local communities – Mazazini, Prudhoe, and Tharfield – each asserting ownership of the land.
After nearly two decades of litigation, the Land Claims Court ruled in April 2018 that the Prudhoe community were the rightful owners.
By that time, however, the uncertainty had already crippled operations.
The hotel officially closed in 2017, with Sun International citing unsustainable losses and unresolved ownership issues.
While the ruling was meant to bring prosperity to the Prudhoe community, the opposite occurred.
Mismanagement, conflicting contracts, and leadership disputes within the community’s land trust have since paralysed the R243 million claim.
Reports described the situation as a “legal and administrative nightmare,” marked by rival developers, unfulfilled job promises, and disputed lease agreements.
Looting and destruction
In May 2023, the property suffered extensive looting after armed groups stormed the site, demanding money and employment.
Every hotel room was ransacked – TVs, fridges, computers, and furniture were stolen, while vehicles were stripped for parts.
A viral video showed the resort’s decaying state: roofless buildings, shattered windows, and an overgrown golf course that has all but vanished.
MahalaX, a digital firm holding a 49-year lease to manage the property for the Prudhoe community, withdrew after the attacks, citing safety and governance breakdowns.
Revival hopes clouded by infighting
In June 2025, the Daily Dispatch reported that a consortium led by property developer Xoliswa Daku, in partnership with The Lux Collective and Dubai-based investors, planned a R600 million revival of the Fish River Sun.
The resort was earmarked to become The Lux Collective’s flagship property in South Africa, blending luxury hospitality with community empowerment.
Executives visited the site and initial designs were completed – but optimism was short-lived.
Within months, the project reportedly descended into chaos amid disputed contracts and competing claims of control.
Independent administrators have since been appointed to review the Prudhoe Community Trust’s affairs, assess the legality of various development deals, and determine the financial feasibility of any reconstruction.
Uncertain future
Eight years after its closure, the Fish River Sun remains abandoned – a stark contrast to the thriving resort Kerzner envisioned.
The property’s once-grand golf fairways are overrun with vegetation, and its hotel stands as a hollow shell overlooking the Indian Ocean.
While investors remain interested in reviving the site, no clear timeline or leadership structure has emerged.
For the local Prudhoe community, who fought decades for ownership, the resort’s decay represents a painful reminder that land restitution without governance can lead to ruin instead of renewal.
