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An eight-year battle to stop the City of Cape Town from building a road to connect Kommetjie Road and Noordhoek Main Road via the Noordhoek wetlands has ended in defeat for local activists determined to protect the natural habitat of creatures such as the endangered Western Leopard Toad.
Last week, the Western Cape High Court ruled in favour of the City.
In a statement last week following the ruling, the City said it planned and applied for environmental approvals in 2017 to build a road that would give Masiphumelele residents better access. “The City planned and applied for environmental approvals in 2017.
“The application was to extend Houmoed Avenue to provide Masiphumelele residents with better access to Noordhoek village and surrounds; and to also give the police, fire service and ambulances quick access in times of need or emergencies.”
However, the project has been delayed for nearly eight years after the Noordhoek Environmental Action Group (NEAG) appealed the environmental approvals that were granted by the Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning.
Mayco member for urban mobility Rob Quintas said building the road would improve access and traffic.
“Finally, we have an outcome that will allow us to go ahead and execute a project that we believe will bring huge relief to the community of Masiphumelele.”
The approval allows for extending Houmoed Avenue from the intersection with Buller Louw Boulevard to Lekkerwater Road in Sunnydale and from Lekkerwater Road to Fish Eagle Park. “The biggest benefit is that an extended Houmoed Avenue will make it substantially easier for residents from Masiphumelele to get to work, school, shops, and other destinations in Sunnydale and Noordhoek. Also, once complete, the police, fire services and ambulances will be able to respond quicker with an additional access route,” said Quintas.
An environmental impact assessment (EIA), due to the presence of wetlands inside the road reserve, was carried out before the approvals. “I want to give those concerned about the natural environment our full undertaking that we will do all we can to mitigate any impact on the wetlands inside the road reserve and the leopard toads.
“I trust the Noordhoek Environmental Action Group will accept the outcome of the court’s ruling and allow us to go ahead.”
Responding to the ruling, Alison Faraday co-founder of ToadNuts (Noordhoek Unpaid Toad Savers) a group of volunteers who aims to save the endangered Western Leopard Toad from extinction, said they fought hard for the animals who cannot fight for themselves. “We console ourselves knowing that we fought hard for the animals, frogs and birds of our beloved wetland who are unable to fight for themselves,” she said.
“This judgement means that there are no further obstacles preventing the City of Cape Town from building this 1 200 m stretch of road along the Pick n Pay reed bed, thereby connecting Kommetjie Road and Noordhoek Main Road.”
She added that a small group of volunteers had fought the case on environmental grounds “through every twist and turn” of the public participation process since 2017.
“Thanks must go to NEAG for ‘hosting’ this case and the Noordhoek Ratepayers Association for supporting throughout. The biggest thanks goes to Network for Animals International for their financial support and mentorship. And of course, we are grateful to our legal team.”
Residents reacted to the ruling on social media. “Why is it so difficult for people to see that we are destroying our environment one planning decision after the other,” wrote one resident.
While another commented: “At the very least, we managed to delay the road being built. So gutted, all the animals that will die from this road.”
