Residents put environment and horse industry before road
KYALAMI - Bokamoso Environmental Consultants hosted a meeting on 14 May to gauge the site-specific sensitive areas which the proposed K56 road would impact .
The meeting was held in the polo clubhouse at Inanda Country Base in Sun Valley. Mietjie Coetzee of the consultants explained that the meeting was held to assess the social impact the road would have on the area, as well as the cultural, historical, ecological and other aspects before the main public meeting to discuss the Environmental Impact Assessment. This is scheduled to be held at 6pm on 27 May at Gracepoint Church in Glenferness.
While the proposed K56 road, which has been on the city’s proposed road network since the ’70s, is a 30km stretch of road which will be an east-west connection between Roodepoort and Midrand. Gautrans proposes to construct a short section of the road between William Nicol Drive and Main Road through Kyalami and Glenferness which would be a dual carriageway.
Residents and environmentalists have lodged their objections to the road, saying it would cut through wetlands – the fourth largest breeding site for African bull frogs in the world – and diminish the equine industry in the area as it would not be conducive to ride or home horses next to a busy main road.
The Greater Kyalami Conservancy is focused on working with the environmental consultants to ensure an environmentally sustainable decision is made with regards to the road.
Chairperson of the conservancy, Kristin Kallesen explained to the environmental consultants that the area was probably home to the largest section of horse industry in South Africa, with at least 1 000 horses in Glenferness alone.
She said the road would negatively impact on the value of the horse industry, as horse businesses would close down and many thousands of jobs would be lost. The horse riders at the meeting agreed.
The consultants and conservancy now want to compile an accurate representation of the stables in the area, the number of horses on each property, and how many people are employed by the horse business. They asked residents to urgently email this information to Kallesen.
Residents can still lodge their specific site problems to the consultants before the meeting on 27 May.
Details: Meintjie Coetzee, lizelleg@mweb.co.za; Kristin Kallesen, chair@gekco.co.za
Would you use the road or do you want to keep the rural-equine aspect of the area? Comment on the Fourways Review Facebook page.
