Lisa Isaacs
THE Greater Cape Town Civic Alliance (GCTCA) has joined a growing call to halt development on the Philippi Horticultural Area, which they say will threaten one of Cape Town’s largest aquifers.
In a letter sent to Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC Anton Bredell and Mayco member for energy, environmental and spatial planning Johan van der Merwe, the alliance has strongly objected to the proposed development atop the aquifer, saying it will be at the expense of food security and will exacerbate water scarcity.
Opponents say the 472.36ha housing development called Oakland City, comprising residential and industrial units by company Rapicorp 122, will threaten the livelihoods of emerging farmers and their workers.
“It is true that this (South East) area is less horticulturally important… However, it is still far more valuable for its purpose as the overlay of an irreplaceable aquifer and for agriculture than as the site for… housing,” the GCTCA said.
“The GCTCA sincerely hopes that sanity will prevail and that political and housing development greed will not be the victor at the extreme loss of food security and very scarce water supplies, as well as jobs.”
Just a week ago, several civic and ratepayer associations wrote to mayor Patricia de Lille to object to the planned development.
The associations say despite years of opposition, the City seemed “intent on changing the landscape in our backyard” and that of the larger region known to feed thousands.
Oakland City project manager George Viljoen and Bredell’s office said the proposed development fell outside the PHA. Viljoen added that public participation processes had also been conducted.
Van der Merwe said the Oakland City Development Framework application was approved by the City in September 2015. “The next step is the submission of a land-use application (inclusive of rezoning and subdivision), which was subsequently submitted to the City.
“No decision has been made and the due process of consideration and assessment is still being followed,” he said.