Cape Town - The Strandfontein Residents and Ratepayers Association has expressed shock at the granting of a sand mining licence to MaccSand Holding Company (Pty) Ltd by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy for two plots of land (Erf 21168 and remainder of Erf 1212) in Mitchells Plain.
The association said this despite dozens of emails and close to 3000 signatures in an online petition that was forwarded to numerous officials, including the applicant, in a bid to oppose the granting of mining rights.
The association’s chairperson, Mario Oostendurp, said the approval of a sand mining application on land declared as an environmentally sensitive area did not make sense.
“Communities need to stand up against greedy developers coming into our communities and destroying our environment, our dunes, and our livelihoods. 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 an immediate maximum negative impact on the community,” he said.
Oostendurp said the sand mining next to the complex would remove a large portion of the natural habitat for the gerbils and snakes in the area and result in them seeking sanctuary on the nearby sports complex again. He said this would cause large-scale destruction to the fields and negatively affect thousands of sports people from across Mitchell’s Plain.
He said the development had no economic benefits to the community and that the flattening of the area would potentially cause an opportunity for possible land grabs, with more illegal structures being erected.
He said this would have an impact on the fauna, flora, and wildlife and would cause traffic in Spine Road.
Spatial planning and environment Mayco member Eddie Andrews said the City could not comment at this point as it was considering its options.
However, after reviewing the environmental impact assessment draft report and draft environmental management programme and provided a comment to the environmental assessment practitioners last year, the City said it found the proposed sand mining application to be a concern due to potential impacts on the Cape Flats Aquifer, which it said was critical to the city’s water security.
In granting the licence the department said the potential impacts on the proposed site were investigated and mitigation measures were outlined.
It said the socio-economic benefits of the proposed mining outweigh the potential negative impacts on the environment if specialist and environmental management programme (EMP) recommendations are effectively implemented.
The department said the rehabilitation plan for the proposed sand mining activities included in the EMP would ensure that the land is retained to its desired land use standard.
Registered interested and affected parties may appeal in terms of the National Appeals Regulation.