Community rejects sand mining scheme
THE Strandfontein Ratepayers' and Residents Association is fuming over a proposed sand mining application brought by Maccsand, saying it will have a negative impact on the community.
But they may not have to worry as the City says the application is not aligned with the Cape Town Bioregional Plan, adding that it is inconsistent with Spatial Planning Policy and does not comply with the draft Cape Flats District Spatial Plan and Environmental Management Framework either.
A petition has been launched calling for the application to be withdrawn, citing that residents were tired of “greedy” developers who “come to their community to destroy their environment and their livelihoods” for their benefit.
“Invariably, it may lead to a disastrous impact on the quality of life for all concerned.
“We do not wish to inhibit progress, but feel that the approval of this proposal will only enable a short-term financial gain for a private company, with immediate maximum negative impact on the community,” the petition read.
Residents called on the City of Cape Town and the company to engage with them.
Maccsand referred questions to Abdul Ghakeem Davids of UMD Environmental Services yesterday, saying it was the company appointed to make the application.
Davids said he will respond in due course.
The City's spatial planning and environment mayco member Marian Nieuwoudt said the City found the proposed sand mining application to be a concern due to potential impacts on the Cape Flats Aquifer.
“The two erven to be affected connects the Pelican Park Section of False Bay Nature Reserve to the coastal Zandwolf Section of False Bay Nature Reserve, and are therefore important to retain in a natural ecological state to serve as an ecological corridor.
“In Cape Flats Dune Strandveld, ecological corridors should ideally be at least 200m wide. Ecological corridors should be demarcated as ‘Nogo Areas' for development, retained, restored and managed for biodiversity conservation in perpetuity.
“The irreplaceable loss of, or irreversible impact on, key ecological corridors that are recognised as important for evolutionary processes and climate change adaptation is considered unacceptable and would render a development application fatally flawed,” Niewoud said.
Strandfontein Social and Economic Development forum secretary, Mandy van Willingh said sand mining was causing harm to the False Bay coastline and the False Bay nature reserves.
“The CoCT may not be the granter of the mining licence but the CoCT must consent for the mining to be actioned,” Van Willingh said.
The petition can be viewed here: www.change.org/p/city-ofcape-town-hands-off-our-dunesmacsand-40642ef5-d01c-4f37-b224813870f24db6?redirect=false