A housing development that is now under way in Greenhills Extension 12 is a cause for concern to nearby property owners.
One of the residents in the area, Peter Dick, who is also the councillor for Ward 9, said the development, which is set to contain 4 000 units after completion, will seriously affect the already ailing infrastructure and damage the environment.
“We are already having problems, because as soon as we have rain, the power goes down. Adding an extra 4 000 units is just going to make the situation worse,” he said.
He said the development will overwhelm the infrastructure in the area.
“The sewerage plant does not have enough capacity to handle the current situation, let alone what may happen in the future. The problem is that a river, which may be badly affected, running between the development and the sewerage farm”.
Dick said although R8 million has been spent to upgrade the plant, it has not made any difference.
“I am concerned, especially about the impact this project will have on the environment. We know that we won’t be able to stop the project, but my main concern is that there are people who drink the water from the river as it is. Eventually, the water ends up in the Krugersdorp Game Reserve and then its final destination is Hartbeespoort Dam, so this is really a big concern.”
He said he has made attempts to stop the project by putting questions to council about these problems, but unfortunately the project was commissioned by the former Executive Mayor, back in 2011.
“It was one of the things that the Executive Mayor did not need to consult the council to approve. It did not have to go through council. I found that it went through in 2011, which was before my tenure,” Dick added.
Dick also said: “I do not know what is going to be left of the environment in that area, especially if we are talking about 4 000 units. The development is really going to be very hard on the environment. The area is actually agricultural ground, but it has not been used for that purpose.”
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