The woman who has been on a hunger strike for 13 days in protest against proposed construction on Chapman’s Peak was so weak on Friday that she was forced to call off a planned march to the provincial legislature.
Bronwen Lankers-Byrne, accompanied by environmental campaigner Lewis Pugh, had planned to march to the legislature from Plein Street to coincide with premier Helen Zille’s state of the province address.
But Pugh cancelled the protest, saying that Lankers-Byrne’s 13 days without food had weakened her considerably.
The protesters are campaigning against the construction of a toll plaza and office block development worth R54 million on the world-renowned scenic drive. Construction was halted late this week after two people chained themselves to equipment at the building site.
The
protesters believe a less expensive and more environmentally friendly toll booth should be built.
Before the cancellation, Lankers-Byrne addressed a small crowd gathered at the Louis Botha statue outside Parliament who had come out in support of her cause.
“We have received a great amount of support against the construction, but are shocked by the provincial government’s refusal to listen to the people.
“We are not against the toll road, but the exorbitant costs which, instead, could be used to provide desperately needed housing, medical care and better schools in other areas,” she said.
Lankers-Byrne added that Chapman’s Peak was a world heritage site on which the planned two-storey toll plaza should not be built.
“We have even submitted proposals for the tolling system, such as an automatic tolling system, which would come in under R5m – a fraction of the cost.”
On Thursday, the Civil Rights Action Group (Crag) met various stakeholders and the transport department to discuss alternatives to the toll plaza.
Crag suggested that cash transactions from the toll control points on Chapman’s Peak Drive be moved to sites in Hout Bay, Noordhoek and others in the Cape Peninsula.
The transport department’s Hector Elliot was quoted as saying afterwards that they were pleased to have Crag’s input, and would discuss the alternatives presented.
Charlie Gorton, one of the two women who chained themselves to the construction equipment, joined Lankers-Byrne at the protest on Friday, out of concern for her friend’s health.
She said that despite the “supposed” halt to work on the site, construction had continued around the women.
Lankers-Byrne left the protest to resume sitting in her spot opposite the construction site. - Weekend Argus