Work is already well under way on building the petrol station.
Construction on the Libradene petrol station is still in progress, with a professional in the environmental field on site to ensure the protection of the nearby wetland.
The specialist, Antoinette Bootsma, from Limosella Environmental Consulting, said as part of the requirements for the Department of Water and Sanitation’s authorisation for the filling station, a rehabilitation plan was drawn up to improve the ecological status of the wetland.
This includes the area around the filling station, but also extends west of Rondebult Road and about 150 metres east of Rondebult Road.
The rehabilitation consists of several aspects, including altering floodlines to ensure that the completed filling station lies outside the one-in-a-100-year floodline, implementation of a detailed landscape plan, planting lists and an alien plant control plan.
Bootsma described the wetland as valuable, although impacted. It provides habitat for about 290 plant species, including the Hypoxis hemerocallidea (African potato), as well as many bird and animal species.
A vegetation study conducted by the Department of Nature Conservation at the Tshwane University of Technology in 2009 identified five vegetation units in the area, according to Bootsma.
The area immediately east and west of Rondebult Road was described as severely degraded and transformed as a result of the dumping of litter and building rubble, mining activities, plantations of exotic trees, stormwater channelling and the construction of a filling station.
Impacts to the wetland further extend to the disused ERPM railway line and the construction of Rondebult Road.
Libradene filling station wetland improvement project
Rehabilitation activities
Section One.
• Rehabilitation activities in this section will include the formalising of the current channel by sloping and stabilising.
• Installation of sediment traps and improvement of the outlets of current stormwater to improve the current sedimentation and erosion problems.
• Alien trees and other weeds will be replaced with indigenous plants in a phased, fauna-friendly approach, and vegetation debris will be cleared.
Section Two
• Adjacent to the filling station footprint the stream channel will also be improved and stabilised, although the scope of hydrological improvement is limited by the culverts under Rondebult Road.
• Municipal sewerage infrastructure currently spilling into this stream will be better managed.
• Where construction activities disturb vegetation, revegetation will be done according to the landscape plan.
Graphic showing the position of the filling station and the nearby wetland, homes and Rondebult Road.
Section Three
• To the west of Rondebult Road the old ERPM berm will be contoured to facilitate adjusted floodlines.
• Rubble and waste will be removed and weeds will be replaced with suitable indigenous species and controls put in place.
• Around the filling station intensive rehabilitation involves the construction of a vegetated berm to the east of the building to further prevent flooding during flood flows.
• Bioswales planted with indigenous wetland plants and a tumble-down gabion interface will form the interface between the wetland and the filling station’s footprint.
Monitoring during the construction, rehabilitation and operational phase of the filling station is required as part of the authorisation and will ensure that the ecological status of the Libradene wetland is improved from its current status, thereby contributing to the spirit of place and provide a healthy habitat for wetland creatures in this area.
Opposition
The Advertiser, however, understands that those opposed to the project are coming up with fresh plans to halt the construction of the petrol station, which they believe will impact the nearby wetland.
One of them is Nicole Barlow, an environmental, sustainability and geopolitical consultant, who said she is going ahead with fresh plans to halt the construction of the petrol station.
“Rest assured the developer does not have authorisation and we are busy referring this matter to the Public Protector for investigation”
She indicated that they are also in the process of taking the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Department of Water Affairs to court.
Barlow accuses the latter department of issuing the water use licence and approval in contravention of three sections of the Water Act (No. 36 of 1998).
“We suspect some sort of alleged corruption took place with the Department of Water Affairs, as the developer refuses to give me their application for the water use licence so we can review it.
“We most definitely will be including BP South Africa and BP global in our court action and our complaint to the Public Protector. There is no doubt that BP is facilitating and even promoting the illegal construction of this petrol station,” Barlow said.
Wetlands specialist Antoinette Bootsma assures residents of Boksburg that she will make sure that a great deal of time and effort is invested in protecting the nearby wetland.
Documents
Following the allegations made by Barlow, the Advertiser recently visited the area to find out more about what is happening there. A senior employee at the site produced documents that appear to have been approved by the metro, the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, the Department of Water and Sanitation, the Department of Energy and others.
These documents include a record of decision (RoD), zoning certificate, water use licence and approval, environmental impact assessment, wayleave approvals for access and egress, a council-approved site development plan and others.
Bootsma confirmed that her company was appointed to ensure that everything is done to protect the nearby wetland.
Ward 32 councillor Marius de Vos said he doesn’t see any problem with the project provided environmental measures are taken to protect the wetland.
He added that the abandoned building was the site of criminal activities, putting nearby residents at high risk. -@MthuphaFanie
