| Leave Cradle of Humankind Land ALONE !!! |
| Posted by Enviroadmin |
| Monday, 24 May 2010 23:02 |
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... » Oct 01, 2007: Beleaguered developer angers more residents - locals say development will pollute the area's groundwater. A Joburg property developer has Mogale City residents fuming over his plan to turn an ecologically sensitive site neighbouring the Cradle of Humankind into a residential estate. Developer Nols Kotze has caused outrage elsewhere with a housing development that is believed to be threatening the rare black eagles and endangered orchids in the vicinity of Roodepoort's Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens. Now Metro has established that he plans to buy and develop 750ha of farmland on which the source of the Magalies River is situated. The source, called Maloney's Eye, pumps about 1.7million litres of water an hour through the dolomitic hills. Kotze is embroiled in a High Court battle over his company's development about 300m from the Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens called Sugarbush Estate. The Black Eagle Project Roodekrans, a community organisation that aims to protect the habitat of the gardens' rare black eagles, went to court to stop that development. It has applied for Kotze's application to be reviewed after the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment gave the five-phase luxury estate its approval. The group says that vibrations and noise from the building of the estate, as well as the resultant reduction of the number of animals on which the birds prey, will chase away the eagles, which have been there for decades. Other endangered species like the rock scorpion will also leave the area. But Kotze said his company had followed correct procedure when applying for permission to develop the land near the botanical gardens, and he had begun the first two phases after getting the green light. "We have not commenced phases three, four and five. We are waiting for the court's decision on the review application," he said. But when approached for comment on Friday, Kotze refused to confirm whether he planned to develop the land around Maloney's Eye. "I am not going to comment at all on that. It is none of your concern; it is a private matter," he said. Locals say any development near Maloney's Eye will pollute the area's groundwater, as well as the breeding ground for the endangered Yellow Fish species. Furthermore, they claim, it will destroy the character of a historically significant area #65533; soon to be proclaimed a national heritage site #65533; that was once home to historical figures like Anglo- Boer War general Koos de la Rey and David Pratt, the would-be assassin of Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd. Kotze responded: "These are ridiculous allegations by people who have hidden agendas." He referred all further questions to his lawyer. Mabule Mokhine, Joburg branch co-ordinator of the environmental lobby group Earthlife Africa, said property developers often used "tactics" to have their applications passed, and that there were too many loopholes in the system. "The companies conducting environmental impact assessments, which are required by law, are hired by the developers and are under pressure to issue favourable reports," he said. Developers also knew there were few nature conservation organisations to oppose them. Areas surrounding the Cradle of Humankind are among the most sought-after by developers. Last year, a 170-unit residential development on a farm opposite the one on which Maloney's Eye lies had to be stopped after residents and environmental bodies opposed it. Mokhine said Maloney's Eye was important because the Gauteng river system was heavily polluted and it was a much-needed source of pure water. Source: eProp - www.eprop.co.za |
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