CAIRO-Egypt's High Administrative Court postponed until August 5 a ruling on the Madinaty land sale deal between the Ministry of Housing and Talaat Moustafa Group (TMG), the court said Sunday. A lower court ruled last month that the New Urban Communities Authority, (NUCA) a body under the ministry, broke the law by selling the land directly to a TMG unit and not opening it up to bidding, and the contract should be scrapped. NUCA and TMG separately appealed the ruling. "The court has decided to merge the two appeals and to issue one verdict on both of them on August 5," judge Moustafa Hanafy said. Another court had delayed the appeal of NUCA to September 18 on Saturday. Both the firm and the housing minister have said building would continue on the Madinaty project on Cairo's outskirts. Madinaty will include homes, schools, shops, hotels and a golf course, according to the company. Construction on the land is underway and many homes are already sold.
