Residents opposed to sand mining

THE Strandfontein Ratepayers and Residents Association has renewed its calls to oppose the application for sand mining and other activities on two plots of land in Mitchells Plain.

The area, which falls under the Strandfontein Integrated Housing development framework, measures just over 12 hectares and is bordered by Spine Road and Baden Powell Drive with Strandfontein Ground to the west.

The association says its petition of over 2000 signatures and comments have been ignored as MaccSand Holdings Company (Pty) Ltd has begun with the next phase of its application.

Association chairperson Mario Oostendorp said residents felt that the approval of this proposal would only enable a short-term financial gain for a private company, with maximum negative impact on the community. Failure to properly address the proposed operations would impact on the health and safety of the vulnerable children, the elderly and people who lived in proximity to the proposed site, while removal of vegetation and destruction of the soil profile would destroy habitat. He said the operation would not create any on-site employment opportunities nor any financial benefit to the local community. He said should the application be approved and the area flattened, it would open up opportunites for land grabs.

Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Malusi Booi, said one of the plots would not be developed by the City as it had been identified as an environmental no-go area.

Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment Marian Nieuwoudt said the City provided comment in November 2020 during the scoping phase only, and had received requests to comment on the draft environmental impact assessment report management programme on Tuesday.

She said it would review these and provide further comment.