Former Nelson Mandela Bay human settlements boss Lindile Petuna must fork out more than R550,000 from his own pocket after he wrongfully advised the municipality to rezone land belonging to businesswoman Yvette Georgiou for the development of a luxury hotel and chapel.

Petuna’s recommendation cost the municipality hundreds of thousands of rand in legal fees as it tried to rectify the error and force Georgiou to demolish parts of the lavish development along Kragga Kamma Road in Port Elizabeth...