Planned road ‘won’t affect residents’

SHACK dwellers in Masiphumelele’s Wetlands informal settlement, whose homes are situated in the path of a road planned by the City of Cape Town, say they have not been consulted.

Community leader Masibephi Tshongane said people living in the affected area were not informed of the development.

“They are doing this without us. The City seems not to care about the people and how this project will affect them. This is ridiculous. We have the right to this information and they are depriving us of the most crucial information,” said Tshongane.

Brett Herron, Mayco member for Transport for Cape Town, said the proposed road would cover a distance of approximately 755m. And, contrary to fears that the development will see some shacks in the Masiphumelele Wetland being demolished or moved, Herron insisted the proposed construction “will not affect any of the residents”.

“The residents from Masiphumelele will benefit from this proposed link as it will provide the community with an additional access route to Noordhoek and beyond,” Herron said.

He said within the next 30 months, Kommetjie Road would be upgraded to a four-lane dualcarriageway between Capri Drive and Corsair Way. This upgrade will assist in alleviating the traffic congestion in the shortterm. The proposal to extend Houmoed Avenue to link with Lekkerwater Road, owing to the presence of the wetlands, is subject to environmental authorisation from the provincial government. “We have only started with this process earlier this month,” he said.

Herron said the costs of this project were not known yet until the City gets authorisation from the provincial government.

The City has commenced with an environmental assessment of the impact the project would have on the surrounding environment in Noordhoek.

Herron dismissed claims that the City had not consulted with the affected communities.

“The City has been hosting regular community liaison meetings about the Kommetjie Road Project where all of the different communities from the Kommetjie area are represented, including the Masiphumelele community,” he said.

Herron said the City would meet with the directly affected residents, those who have properties within the road reserve. The Kommetjie community, inclusive of the residents of Masiphumelele, will have the opportunity to comment during two rounds of public participation in the coming months.