‘This is gentrification of our farmlands’

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“Today I stand to be removed again under what we now understand to be a process of gentrification of the farmlands,” Sonday said.

“In this gentrification, developers have the option to develop on 11 000ha of developable land elsewhere in the city while farmers such myself have no land like the PHA to farm and earn a living.”

While other farmers in the Western Cape have suffered significant production losses during the drought, Philippi farmers have not, thanks to the abundant water supply and mild climate.

The area had an annual turnover of R484 million directly and R938m indirectly, with the immediate potential to increase this to R848m and R1.6 billion, respectively, Sonday said.

“The PHA is located over the Cape Flats Aquifer portion with the greatest groundwater potential.

“It lies over an important natural recharge area for the aquifer,” he added.

Two large developments have been in the works for the land, with widespread opposition to a 472.36ha planned housing development: Oakland City.

Mayco member for transport and urban development Brett Herron said there were a number of land use applications in various stages that had been submitted within the vast area of the PHA.