Clairwood residents have gathered outside the eThekwini Municipality's engineering department building this morning to oppose the rezoning of the area to a logistics park.
Armed with banners and placards, the Clairwood Ratepayers and Residents Association, together with religious leaders, environmental organisations, and community members are calling for the city to provide service delivery and better housing for the informal dwellers in the area.
The eThekwini Municipality recently held a public meeting to address the residents about the proposal.
According to the notice of public meetings issued by the city, they are seeking to amend the eThekwini municipal land use scheme: central sub-scheme by the introduction of a new zone to be known as "special zone 40: Clairwood Logistics Park" and associated masterplan for the study area.
This, they said, would give effect to the Local Area Plan (LAP) adopted by the city in 2014.
In a statement at the time, Lihle Phewa, the head of the city's development planning and environmental management unit, said the purpose of the amendment was to create a “quality environment in line with the city's vision”.
“This will ensure better management of the area. Clairwood has always been a mixed use area with industry surrounding a residential core. The intended masterplan looks to create uses that respond directly to the port. The city aims to ensure that all land uses in the area are done legally and within the ambit of the relevant regulations, making it a safe, manageable space for all users.”
Phewa added that all affected and interested parties should engage with the document and submit their comments before the closing date on April 8.
The document can be found on www.durban.gov.za/pages/residents/lums-adverts