N2 Wild Coast road will destroy us, Pondoland villagers plead with court

Rural villagers in the Pondoland region have told in the High Court in Pretoria that the proposed N2 Wild Coast toll road between Durban and East London would not only cause irreversible harm to the unspoilt environment, but would also destroy their way of life.

The communities applied for an order setting aside the environmental department and minister’s decisions in 2010 and 2011 to grant environmental authorisation for the project, arguing there was no proper public consultation process and that the socioeconomic impact of the proposed toll road should have been considered before authorisation was granted.

Although part of the project will involve the upgrade of existing roads, a portion will run through a currently undisturbed part of the Wild Coast.

Geoff Budlender, for the communities, submitted the construction of the road would have serious detrimental effects on the culture, way of life and the future of the Wild Coast communities and would result in irreversible harm to the natural environment of the Wild Coast.

He said the road would run through the middle of their communities, dividing them in two as effectively as a wall.

While it might bring economic benefit to other areas, it would fundamentally alter their current economic and social way of life and result in a loss of grazing and agricultural land, undermine food security and community cohesion.

He argued the decisions were fundamentally flawed and were deliberately taken without considering the socio-economic impact of tolling and without meaningful public consultation with those who would be most affected.

Consultation took place without providing accurate information about the toll road’s route and impact, was conducted in a language most people did not understand and relied on written information in an area where many people could not read.

The communities were not asking the court to decide if the toll road should be built, but that a lawful process should be followed before a decision to permit construction was taken, he added.

The minister and Sanral opposed the application, arguing that a shorter high-speed route would boost economic growth and improve the wealth of the people in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

The minister maintained she was precluded from considering the impact of tolling as the transport minister was the only one who could declare it a toll road, which has not yet happened.

The application continues before Judge Cynthia Pretorius.

– ilsedl@citizen.co.za

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