Cape Town - The Greater Table View Action Group (GTAF) has called for an immediate independent inquiry into the Blaauwberg district planning office as well as lifestyle audits of all its employees.
The group has accused the City of deliberately sending out planning applications before Christmas last year with the “express purpose” to ensure little to no objections from residents.
This follows an outpouring of concerns from the residents about late notifications received from the City for applications to rezone three properties in the area.
The GTAF said the majority of residents only received the notices from the post office late last month and early this month, after the due date of February 10 had passed.
An appeal to extend the period for objections and comments was lodged.
The proposed planning applications are for Birkenhead and Dipidax roads, and Cnr Raats and Dianthus roads to rezone the properties and change the title deed restrictions.
The applicant is a former City professional officer in the land use management department in the Blaauwberg District who is now a director of a town planning consultancy.
On Dianthus Road and Raats Drive, the applicant is seeking approval to use the existing dwelling on erf 3848 for business premises by converting the existing residential dwelling and consolidating it with erf 3847.
Another application is for consent use to allow for a nine-bedroom guest house, which is currently six rooms, to be operated from a single residential zoned property with five parking bays.
Meanwhile, another application proposal is for various additions and internal alterations to an existing dwelling that includes the expansion and incorporation of the building’s existing stoep/braai.
GTAF planning and biodiversity head David Ayres said the City has for many years been aware of the shortcomings of the Post Office.
Ayres said if any planning application was not received by the affected person or people, their rights were infringed.
“The people of Cape Town have a right to be aware of and to be informed of any applications that could materially affect them. By not correctly informing these people, the City is by default showing bias towards the applicant.
“While these applications might not affect everyone in the community, they will affect somebody in the community who deserves the right and is entitled to the right to object to that application.
“They can only do so if the City correctly implements and ensures that all applications are correctly advertised and the notification is done directly to the person,” he said.
Ayres said the GTAF had for years complained about the City's reliance on the “failed state enterprise”.
“Shockingly, the planning office and the manager of the planning office at Pienaar Road in Blaauwberg was not aware that these applications were not delivered,” Ayres said.
Table View Ratepayers and Residents Association chairperson Mandy Da Matta said over-densification was a problematic factor for the residents and that basic infrastructure in the area was not coping with the load.
“By infrastructure, we mean roads, sanitation, access to public transport, even access to the networking/communication capabilities. The area is not able to sustain a multi-storey multi-united development with over 10 such developments in a very small area.
“Unless the infrastructure is properly upgraded, on all facets, we should adhere to the moratorium on passing building plans as brought about by the City,” she said.
Deputy mayor and spatial planning and environment Mayco member Eddie Andrews said an investigation into the post office delivery showed that the notification slips were not delivered at the same time to all recipients and were delivered between December and early this month.
“While the level of service at the post office is not consistent, the length of these delays seemed unprecedented. This could be attributed to the festive season in-between the advertising period,” he said.
Andrews said it was not the City’s intention to deny the community the right to participate in the development application processes, and acknowledged that the issue of postal services failures had been raised numerous times.
He said the development management department was addressing the matter as part of the municipal planning by-law review to widely enable electronic advertising.
Andrews said an extension was granted and objections would now be allowed until April 5.