Durban - The eThekwini Municipality has backed down on its Point precinct plans after ratepayers blasted it for its shoddy handling of the rezoning application process for the multimillion-rand Durban Point Waterfront development.
The irate ratepayers had threatened to halt the project for 10 years after they were told that their concerns could not be addressed at the project’s open day on Saturday.
When property owners threatened to stall the project for up to 10 years, Musa Mbhele, deputy city manager for economic development and planning, and Pravin Amar, an independent environmental practitioner, backed down and said a public meeting would be held, while there would also be separate meetings for interest groups.
Amar said all objections lodged in writing before the deadline would be addressed.
“The law requires us to address all legitimate objections and be transparent throughout this pro-cess because the city’s decision could be appealed against and we would then be required to produce all of those records,” he said.
The detailed reports and project plans can be viewed at the municipal offices at 166 K E Masinga (Old Fort) Road and at the Durban Point Development Company, 15 Timeball Boulevard, Point.
The ratepayers demanded a public meeting to discuss the development before the close of the objection period on August 12.
Mbhele, said focus group engagements would be held instead of a public meeting.
“We have opted for focus group meetings because those will be more effective and meaningful than a public meeting,” he said.
His statement did not sit well with property owners who accused the municipality of wanting to hold “clandestine meetings” and deny the rest of the Durban community the opportunity to air their concerns so the project could get the green light.
In another recent rezoning battle, the city was found to have flouted its rezoning application by-laws by failing to conduct proper public consultation for a development at 317 Currie Road. The court ordered the partial demolition of the nine-storey building which is estimated to be worth R60 million.
Advocate Peter Rowan asked at the meeting: “Why should you fear someone standing up and talking at a public meeting? If you have a good thing to show them, they will be shot down and if they’re grandstanding then the public can judge for themselves.”
Rowan was instrumental in the Save Vetch’s Beach Association litigation against the municipality seven years ago when eThekwini tried to build a small craft harbour at the Point. Some residents said they were concerned about the negative impact the development might have on their properties.
“We are not objecting to the development, but as property owners we can’t help but be concerned that the number of planned high-rise buildings will have a negative impact on the value of our properties,” said Vinesh Ramdass.
The development, according to the plans, will have numerous high-rise buildings including what could be South Africa’s tallest building - a 55-storey skyscraper.
Ramdass said the values of properties had gone down since they had bought them eight years ago when the development was proposed.
“Some of us bought here because we were promised that the area would develop and there would be recreational facilities, but when that didn’t happen property sales stagnated. Now they want to build skyscrapers which were not in the initial plans,” he said.
Another ratepayer, who wished to remain anonymous, said she was not only concerned about her sea view being obstructed but also the possibility that the development might see a hike in rates for those living in the city.
“Of course we don’t want to see the Point being in a state of decay, but the reality is that it is going to be very expensive living in Durban once this waterfront development goes up,” she said.
In May, the metro council took a decision to initiate an amendment to the Durban Scheme, special zone 91, Point Waterfront, along with the proposed subdivision of a portion of this area to form the promenade and the subsequent rezoning of the area to the Beach Zone. The rezoning application was lodged earlier this month and is currently in the public participation phase.
The developer of the waterfront project is the Durban Point Development company, a joint development by the eThekwini Municipality’s Durban Infrastructure Development Trust, ROC Point (Pty) Ltd UEM Sunrise of Malaysia (80.4%) and the Vulindlela group (19.6%) as joint shareholders.
Mbhele said focus group meetings would be more effective because there would not be an opportunity for people to “grand-stand” in the presence of the media, as negative publicity could scare away the investors. Amar conceded that the environmental impact assessment guidelines called for public participation, but said that did not necessarily mean a public meeting.
“The act allows for public participation and the mechanism you go for is the one that is most effective and here people have hundreds of different concerns. Do you think that those can be addressed in a three-hour public meeting?”
Mercury